The Santa Teresa trek is another name that is sometimes given to the Salkantay Trek. The Santa Teresa Trail follows the final segment of the Salkantay route to the town of Santa Teresa.

If you are interested in the Santa Teresa Trek, I recommend reading our detailed article on the Salkantay Trek – see here.

Santa Teresa Trek

Why do people call it the Santa Teresa Trek?

The Santa Teresa Trek gets its name from the town of Santa Teresa. Multi-day treks pass through here and short route options also start at Santa Teresa.

On the Salkantay trek itinerary, you will notice that the last segment of the trek offers hikers the opportunity to choose between three variations.

The first and most common is to trek from La Playa to an Inca ruin called Llactapata. You then continue on to the Hidroeletrica Station and Aguas Calientes.

The second and third options involve being transported to the town of Santa Teresa, hence the name Salkantay / Santa Teresa Trek.

Santa Teresa Trek Map

The Salkantay / Santa Teresa Trek is marked in red on the map below and is typically completed on a 5 day and 4 night itinerary.

Things To Do In Santa Teresa

You generally arrive in Santa Teresa early on day 3 of the Salkantay Trek. This means you have time to kill in the afternoon. Once at Santa Teresa, trekkers have a few activity options.

Colcamayu Hot Springs - Santa Teresa

The first choice for many is to visit the relaxing and rejuvenating hot springs of Colcamayu. The springs are a short bus ride away and just outside of Santa Teresa.

If you have booked with a more expensive tour operator, the hot spring excursion may be included. Budget Santa Teresa/ Salkantay trek operators generally do not include this in the price. You can expect to pay an additional 50 soles / $13 dollars (25 soles for the entrance fee plus 25 soles for transport) for this option.

These hot springs are much nicer than the ones at Aguas Calientes. There are also fewer people here and you are surrounded by lush jungle on all sides.

You may also like:

• Things to do in Cusco
• Things to do in the Sacred Valley
• Things to do at Machu Picchu
• Paragliding in Cusco

Ziplining at Cola de Mono - Santa Teresa

If you are feeling adventurous, you may prefer to go zip-lining in Cola de Mono. This is just 2km (1.2 mi) outside Santa Teresa. Cola de Mona has bragging rights to being the first ever zipline to be installed in Peru.

Flying down the cable at high speed is the perfect fix for adrenaline junkies. This is a two-hour tour with 7 different cables. In total, you will glide between 150m (492 ft) to 2.5km (1.5miles) above the river.

The tour costs $50 (which is about 200 Peruvian soles). Be prepared for a short walk (about 20 minutes) and a climb on a ladder up rocks.

See the Inca jungle hike for an adventure-filled experience that includes zipling.

Coffee Tasting - Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa is surrounded by coffee plantations. Most Salkantay / Santa Teresa Treks will include a free tour and tasting for hikers in the area.

After the tour, you will have the chance to buy some quality coffee beans to take home. Depending on where you go, you may also be able to buy a good cappuccino.

Conclusion

If you want to know more about the Santa Teresa Trek, you can read our Salkantay trek guide. You can also check out our hiking guide to Machu Picchu for extra insights into the combined Salkantay/Inca Trail tour.

Have you still got questions? You can reach us in the comments box. Any insight or nuggets of wisdom are also most welcome. We try to respond within 24 hours.

Tags: Santa Teresa Trek, Peru Santa Teresa, Cusco to Santa Teresa, Zipline Santa Teresa, Cable Car Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa Map

References: (1) Wikipedia, (2) Inca Trail Trailblazer Guide