Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

Overview

The Lares Trek is an excellent alternative to the Inca Trail. Taking you off the beaten track with visits to authentic Andean communities whilst being surrounded by stunning mountains, lakes and valleys this fabulous trek offers a real insight in to the lives of the people of Cusco as it once was.

The route we offer starts in the village of Pumahuanca in the Sacred Valley and finishes in the hot springs of Lares with a visit to the village of Cuncani along the way. On Day 3 of the trek you take a bus from Lares to Ollantaytambo and then to Cusco.

Included/Exclude

Cusco Hotel Transfer
Train Round Trip from Ollantaytambo / Machupicchu / Ollantaytambo
Cook Tents and camping mattresses.
Mules and the equipment, duffle bag to carry 5 kg of your things
First Aid Kit.
01 night accommodation in Aguas Calientes (Day 3)
02 nights camping
Entry to hot spring in Lares.
03 breakfasts, 03 Lunches and 03 Dinners
Snacks during the 2 days
An experienced, bilingual Adventure Guide
Admission to Machupichu
Guided tour in Machupichu 02 hours.

Tour Plan

Day 1: Cusco – Calca – Cuncani – Quiswarani

Your Andean Mountain adventure begins with a hotel pickup at 5:00am. On the way to the trailhead we have a quick stop at the traditional Calca market where your chef will buy some local organic produce. Here you also have the opportunity to buy anything you might want to gift to the highland children you will meet along your trek. Arriving at the trailhead, your breakfast is served high in the mountains, admiring the waterfalls, mountain peaks and awesome views of the valleys. Full of energy, it’s now time to get our packs ready, put our boots on and begin our first 3 hours ascending to Willqaqasa Pass (4,200m/13,779ft). You will enjoy the amazing views of rugged Andean peaks, glacial lakes, beautiful valleys and much more. Keep an eye out for some of the wildlife of this special high altitude ecosystem. You may be lucky enough to see the Andean goose or the playful viscacha! After three hours of hiking, we will relish our gourmet lunch prepared by our trekking chef. Afterwards, just two hours descending to the next valley, we have completed our first trekking day and have arrived at our campsite. We stay at the Quiswarani community, which is still very traditional and follows ancient agricultural practices. Hot drinks and appetizers will be ready when you arrive and your tents will already be set up. Enjoy your afternoon tea with amazing views of the frozen Andean peaks and seven waterfalls. You will also have an opportunity to meet some of the villagers. Here is a great opportunity to share any items you bought at the Calca market. After dinner, our guide will show you the Inca constellations on which they depended on for their agricultural guidance and which Quechua people still use to this day.

Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Distance: 12kms / 7 miles
Time: 6hrs approximately

Day 2: Quiswarani – Pachacutec Pass -Cancha Cancha

Your guide will wake you up with a hot mug of tea or coffee to enjoy in your sleeping bag before you get up. After another delicious breakfast, we begin our 4 hour hike southwest, an intense walk accomplishing high passes to the highest point of our trek called Pachacutec Pass (4,700 m / 15,420 ft). Celebrate with some photos and embrace the feeling of total exhilaration and self-achievement for making the summit. After enjoying the 360º views, we descend only another half an hour to enjoy lunch with expansive views of glaciers and picturesque views of the Lares Valley. After some time to rest, we descend for 2 hours until we reach our campsite located by the Cancha Cancha community at 3,700m /12,139ft. We take isolated trails, walking past llama and alpaca herds. The local indigenous people will shyly welcome you and interact with you in the Quechua language, which is relatively unchanged since Inca times. Your guide will be your interpreter to translate and teach you some Quechua. Cancha Cancha is one of the most isolated and traditional mountain communities. There is no road to the village and they were only connected to electricity in 2019. You will have the opportunity to meet with a local family to learn about their Andean lives. Depending on the day you arrive in Cancha Cancha, you may have the opportunity to visit the school also. At the campsite, everything will be ready. Enjoy afternoon tea time and dinner then snuggle in for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Distance: 14kms / 10.3 miles
Time: 7 to 8hrs approximately

Day 3: Cancha Cancha – Huaran – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

Your adventure continues as you begin the most relaxing day yet! Served another hot drink in your tent before breakfast, you’ll have time to explore the village and learn about the traditional Andean lifestyle. Once you are ready, you’ll begin the last leg of your Lares trek, about 3 hours of walking gradually downhill, along a lovely river. We’ll pass by farms where they still cultivate potatoes, fava beans, and many other traditional tubers, in the traditional Quechua style. This is a great opportunity to learn about Peruvian agriculture because people still farm by hand with traditional, Inca farming tools. Now, we will be descending to the warmer Sacred Valley where you will begin to feel the micro-climate changes and start seeing crops that are different from in the high mountains. Finally, we arrive to Huaran, where we will say goodbye to our chef, horsemen, and horses, as they will be going back to their homes in the highland villages. From Huaran, our driver will meet us with our private van and take us through the Sacred Valley on our way to Ollantaytambo where you will be welcomed at our exclusive Veronica View Hotel. You will enjoy a gourmet lunch and relax in our private swimming pool and sauna. Your view of the snow covered Veronica Mountain from the swimming pool is spectacular! Take advantage of the beautiful gardens of native flowers, which attract wildlife unique to this valley. After a relaxing afternoon, enjoy another gourmet dinner at the Veronica View and take the evening train to Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Distance: 9kms / 6 miles
Time: 4 hrs approximately

Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco

After an early breakfast at your hotel, you’ll take one of the first busses up to Machu Picchu so that you can be there to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! Your guide will give you the full tour, which takes about two hours. You will see all of the most important parts of Machu Picchu, including the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor, Temple of Three Windows, Sun Dial, Quarry and the House of the Inca. You will also learn about how Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: agricultural, residential and religious. After your tour, those who have booked in advance for the extra hikes up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain will have time to enjoy those views on their own. When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs. The train will take you back to Ollantaytambo, following the spectacular Urubamba River. Close to Aguas Calientes, the canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. You can also see Wiñay Wayna from the train, if you look up high on the steep canyon wall! Back at Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel by 19:00.

Meal included: Breakfast

Recommended To Carry

Passport or identity document (current)
Small backpack (water bottle, snacks, and more).
Extra cash (Soles) to buy souvenirs (optional).
Hat or cap for the sun and sunglasses.
Sunscreen.
Comfortable sneakers for the visit.
Light and warm clothes.
Waterproof jacket/rain poncho if your visit is between October to March.
Camera and extra batteries.