It is one of the most frequently asked questions before booking the Salkantay Trek, and one of the questions with the fewest clear answers online. Most trekking websites avoid it or answer it with vague wording. At Incredible Peru Tours, we prefer direct honesty: this guide tells you exactly what is available in terms of showers and personal hygiene at each point along the route, so you arrive at the Soraypampa campsite without surprises.
The short answer: it depends on the point along the route and the type of package
The Salkantay Trek does not have showers available at every point along the route. Availability varies significantly depending on the campsite, the type of accommodation booked, and the operator. That variation is why a generic answer like “there are no showers” or “yes, there are showers” is not useful: the reality is more nuanced than either extreme.
The correct way to answer the question is point by point, night by night.
First night: Soraypampa (3,900 meters)
At the Soraypampa base campsite, where you spend the first night of the trek, shower availability depends almost entirely on the type of accommodation booked.
In packages with conventional camping, there is no shower available. Personal hygiene is handled with water from the container provided by the kitchen team in the morning and with wet wipes. The temperature at 3,900 meters at any time of year makes that limitation less uncomfortable than it may seem from home: showering outdoors with cold water at several degrees below freezing is not something most people actively miss.
In packages with domes or ecolodges in the Soraypampa area, some complexes have hot showers available for guests. The quality and temperature of the water vary depending on the complex: some have solar heating systems that work well on sunny days and less effectively on cloudy days, while others use gas heating systems that are more consistent regardless of the weather. Before booking a package with domes in Soraypampa, at Incredible Peru Tours, the first night of the Salkantay Trek is spent in comfortable domes in Soraypampa, which include showers. However, we recommend checking in advance whether hot water is continuously available and what heating system the complex uses, in order to avoid incorrect expectations during the first night.
Second night: Chaullay or transition valleys (2,900 to 3,200 meters)
The second campsite, located in the transition area between the highlands and the intermediate valleys, has conditions similar to Soraypampa in terms of showers for standard camping packages: there is no shower available, and personal hygiene is managed with basic camping resources.
Some dome complexes located along this section of the route, at a more manageable altitude than Soraypampa, have facilities with hot showers and, in some cases, outdoor jacuzzis that combine hot water with the cool mountain night air. This intermediate point is where the difference between conventional camping and glamping becomes more noticeable in terms of nighttime comfort, because the temperature is already warm enough to enjoy a shower without extreme cold being a limiting factor.
Third night: Santa Teresa and the Cocalmayo Hot Springs (1,500 to 1,800 meters)
The third overnight point is where the situation changes most noticeably. The Santa Teresa area has local accommodations with private bathrooms and hot showers available for groups staying in lodging facilities instead of camping. And although conventional camping in that area still does not include a shower, there is something that more than makes up for it: the Cocalmayo Hot Springs.
The Cocalmayo Hot Springs are natural thermal pools at approximately 29 degrees Celsius, located next to the Santa Teresa River, just a few minutes from the camping area. After the second, most demanding day of the trek and the descent from the Salkantay Pass, getting into that hot water at sunset on the third day creates a feeling of physical recovery and cleanliness that no conventional shower can match in that specific context. At Incredible Peru Tours, we include the stop at Cocalmayo in the third-day itinerary because, after years of operating the Salkantay Trek, we know that this moment is one of the most memorable parts of the route for almost every group.
Fourth night: Aguas Calientes (2,040 meters)
The fourth and final night of the Salkantay Trek is spent in Aguas Calientes, in a hotel or hostel with fully conventional facilities. Hot shower, private or shared bathroom depending on the accommodation category, and all standard urban infrastructure. It is the first night of the trek with these conditions, and after three nights in the mountains, the shower at the hotel in Aguas Calientes takes on a level of importance that would normally go completely unnoticed.
The Aguas Calientes hot springs, the thermal pool complex in the center of town, are another hot-bath option available that night for anyone who wants to combine them with the hotel shower or use them as a relaxing alternative before dinner.
What to bring to manage personal hygiene during the trek
With the correct information about what is available at each point along the route, preparing your personal hygiene gear for the Salkantay Trek is simple and does not require overpacking.
- Antibacterial wet wipes: They are the most practical substitute for a shower at campsites without facilities. One large wipe per day is enough for essential body hygiene. They take up almost no space and weigh less than they seem. Bringing between ten and fifteen for the five-day trek is more than enough.
- Antibacterial hand gel: Essential before every meal and after using campsite restroom facilities. Washing your hands with soap and water is not always possible along the sections between campsites.
- Dry shampoo: Useful for your hair on days when no shower is available. It takes up little space and helps avoid the greasy-hair feeling that, during a five-day trek, can be more uncomfortable than it may seem from home.
- Compact microfiber towel: For the days when showers are available, especially in Aguas Calientes and in the domes of the intermediate valleys that have hot water. Microfiber towels weigh a fraction of cotton towels and dry in minutes.
- Enough spare underwear: Bringing one clean change of underwear for each day of the trek is the personal hygiene item that provides the most comfort on a multi-day trek without regular showers. Quick-drying synthetic or merino underwear is the best option.
An honest perspective on five days without a conventional shower
Most people who complete the Salkantay Trek reach the end of the route with a different relationship to the idea of a mandatory daily shower. Not because going five days without showering is pleasant in itself, but because the context of the trek completely shifts that concern toward experiences that carry much more weight in the overall journey.
The body that crosses the Salkantay Pass at 4,630 meters, descends 1,500 meters to the second-day campsite, gets into the Cocalmayo Hot Springs at sunset on the third day, and reaches Machu Picchu on the fifth day has more important things to think about than whether it showered yesterday. And the hotel shower in Aguas Calientes at the end of the fourth day has, in that context, a pleasure that no everyday shower can match.
Do you have questions about the Salkantay Trek facilities or want to know what type of accommodation your package includes at each point along the route? Contact Incredible Peru Tours, and we will inform you about the details of each night before you confirm any booking.
