The Salkantay Trek, also known as the New Inca Trail, is North of Cusco. It reaches a maximum altitude of 4,600 meters (15,180 feet) above sea level at the highest point.

Weather: It's very rainy from December to March, that's why the trail is closed on those months. The rest of the year, it's very sunny and hot during the day, but cold in the night. Temperature drops below 0°C (32°F) at night, especially from June to September.

Surroundings: On the first days, you will see three snow-capped mountains: the Tucarhuay, the Salkantay (6,264 meters / 20,671 feet), and the Huamantay; the views are stunning. On the last days, you will go through the cloud-forest, there the weather is more tropical and the vegetation is lush. You will see waterfalls and fruits plantations along the path. It is amazing how fast the sceneries change along the trail, from snow-capped mountains to banana plantations in only couple of days.
The Inca Trail has become harder to book due to the new regulations, and also it has lost its charm due to the crowds of tourists who do it every day. That's the main reason why we are offering a new trail to Machu Picchu that has the beauty of the first one but preserves the sense of adventure and untouched that the Inca Trail has lost.

You can hike the Salkantay trek in 5 days starting at Mollepata town, or in 4 days starting at Soraypampa campsite. The only difference is that on the 5 days trek you will hike an extra day from Mollepata town to Soraypampa campsite, the other 4 days are the same as on the 4 days trek. Below is the description of the 4 days option.
Description

Salkantay (Nevado Salkantay) is the highest peak of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, part of the Peruvian Andes. It is located in the Cusco Region, about 60 km (40 mi) west-northwest of the city of Cusco. It is the 38th highest peak in the Andes, and the twelfth highest in Peru. However, as a range highpoint in deeply incised terrain, it is the second most topographically prominent peak in the country, after Huascarán. Salcantay is a large, steep peak, "the most spectacular peak of the region", with great vertical relief, particularly above the low valleys to the north, which are tributaries of the Amazon River.

Salcantay was first climbed in 1952 by a French-American expedition comprising Fred D. Ayres, David Michael, Jr., John C. Oberlin, W. V. Graham Matthews, Austen F. Riggs, George I. Bell, Claude Kogan, M. Bernard Pierre, and Jean Guillemin. All except Oberlin, Riggs, and Guillemin made the summit. The standard route on the mountain is the Northeast ridge. Accessing the route typically involves three days of travel from Cusco. The climb involves about 1,800 m (5,900 ft) of vertical gain, on glacier, snow, ice, and some rock. The route is graded AD on the French adjectival scale.

The name Salkantay is from salka, a quechua word meaning wild, uncivilized, or savage, and was recorded as early as 1583. The name is thus often translated as "Savage Mountain". Directly to the north of Salkantay lies Machu Picchu, which is at the end of a ridge that extends down from this mountain. Viewed from Machu Picchu, the Southern Cross is above Salkantay's summit when at its highest point in the sky during the rainy season. The Incas associated this alignment with concepts of rain and fertility, and considered Salkantay to be one of the principal deities controlling weather and fertility in the region west of Cuzco

Salcantay Trek
Salcantay's proximity to Machu Picchu makes trekking around it it attractive as an alternative to the oversubscribed Inca Trail. There are three possible routes starting from Mollepata. All three begin with a day of approach, heading north along a dirt road. Then they diverge:

• The longest route, heads north to the base of the mountain, then turns right, following the east side of the mountain, then heads northeast to eventually join the Inca Trail itself at Wayllabamba. This route takes 4 days to reach the Inca Trail, then another 2 days to reach Machu Picchu.
• The most common route used by trekking companies heads north, then west around the west side of the mountain, over Salcantay Pass at 4600m. It continues as far as the village of La Playa, where buses usually make the connection to Santa Teresa. From here, trekkers walk to the Hydroelectric project then either train or walk to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. This route takes 4 days in total.
• A more satisfying variation on this route turns right before reaching La Playa, over a ridge and arriving directly at Aguas Calientes two days later. This route takes 6 days in total.