Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N
- Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
- Difficulty:
- Code: TR1706
Highlights
- Relax in the hot springs and visit an Andean community to learn ancient traditions
- Experience the best of Peru, from the Lares Valley Highlands to the Machu Picchu Inca city.
- Learn from the experienced Cusquenian guides, who are passionate about Inca Culture and the Mountains.
- Hike through the communities of the Andes and witness authentic Andean traditions.
- Follow local expert guides who pass on their Inca’s knowledge.
Description
The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu offers hikers enchanting landscapes and interaction with rural Andean farmers dressed in their traditional ponchos with distinctive local colors. You will see stone houses with thatched roofs, magical mountain scenery, llamas and alpacas roaming freely in the mountains, and a total absence of frenetic tourist crowds, the beautiful Lares Valley has all the natural beauty of the Inca Trail – magical mountain scenery and the legacy of the Incas – but without the busy tourist crowds. The advantage of this trek is that permits are not required and, in theory, you could just turn up in Cusco and make a booking 2 or 3 days in advance. A wonderful hike offering a unique view into the lifestyles and traditions of the Andean people.
The Lares Trek is similar in difficulty to the Inca Trail (with one challenging 4,100m / 13,123 ft high pass). 2 nights camping and one night accommodation in Aguas Calientes, and an early bus ride up to Machu Picchu on day 4.
Other similar treks: Salkantay Trek, Inca Trail, Inca Jungle Trail.
Itinerary
Day 01: Cusco - Calca - Lares – Wacahuasi
We depart Cuzco early in the morning and travel to the town of Calca (2,900m) in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We then ascend out of the Sacred Valley, and, after 2 hours of driving, arrive in the town of Lares. Here we will soak in the medicinal waters of the hot springs and relax until lunch. We will begin the Lares Trek afterwards, walking about 3.5 hours to Wacawasi, the first campsite. Overnight camping, dinner and breakfast on the next day.
Day 02: Wacawasi – Lago Ipsaycocha
Today offers the most captivating scenery. This morning we cross Ipsaycocha, our first high pass (4,600m / 15,456ft), with spectacular views of Ipsaycocha Lake situated at 4,280m / 14,380ft. We will also see the surrounding valleys and Andean farmers dressed in their traditional, brightly colored ponchos and head-wear, tending their crops and alpaca and llama herds. Our time here is an unforgettable experience and excellent photo opportunity. We will stop for a well-deserved lunch close to Ipsaycocha Lake and then continue on to Patacancha, being welcomed by children coming back home from school. We will spend the night here.
Day 03: Patacancha - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
An early morning start today to get to a viewpoint giving us an amazing view of the valley. A small break, then we will continue for, on average, two hours to reach Pumamarka and explore its Inca terraces. We will finish the route in Ollantaytambo, catch the train to Aguas Calientes and spend the night there.
Day 04: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
We will begin the day very early by walking up to Machu Picchu citadel for about an hour. After registering at the checkpoint, we will begin our 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu. Afterwards, you will have free time to explore this amazing Inca city at your leisure. You can also visit Huayna Picchu Mountain (optional – additional cost and reservation required), Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), or the Inca Bridge. Finally, we will end the day, returning by train to Ollantaytambo and then taking a bus to your hotel in Cusco.
Details
Group Size
- Min 05 - Max 15
Locations Vsited
- Calca
- Lares
- Wacahuasi
- Ipsaycocha Lake
- Patacancha
- Ollantaytambo
- Aguas Calientes
- Machu Picchu
What's included
- Pick up from your hotel
- Bus from Cusco to Lares
- Muleteers, mules
- Tents, mattresses, kitchen & dining tents
- Doubles tents
- cook
- 3 breakfasts / 3 lunches / 3 dinners
- Professional Guide (English & Spanish-speaking)
- One night accommodation in Aguas Calientes
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
- Train tickets: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo
- First aid kit and oxygen tank
- Private car from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
Not included
- Last lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Sleeping bag
- Entrance ticket to Lares hot springs (S/ 10.00)
- Tips
What we recommended to bring
- Sleeping bag
- Walking shoes or boots
- Light clothing
- Insect repellent
- Water bottle
- Rain jacket, hat, sunblock, sunglasses
- Chocolates, candies or snacks
- Camera
- Extra money but in Nuevos Soles (Peruvian national currency)
- Hiking poles
Map
Rates
Group Service:
From $509.00 USD per person
Private Service:
We also offer personalized Lares trek in private groups. If you are interested in taking a private tour with us, please clarify in form.
Price are per person and in USD (United States Dollar).
Get your quote
Lares Trek FAQs
It is an alternate walk to get to Machu Picchu, this trek is special, because you pass through villages that preserve customs and ancestral habits. Lares trek is possibly a culturally richer and more natural walk in Peru, since you can see shepherds in the mountains taking care of their llamas, sheep, alpacas, working the land with instruments that were used in the Inca time (chaquitaclla). Women and children continue to spin their beautiful Andean fabrics. The Lares trek is a tour that will take you back 500 years and you can imagine how the life of the ancient Peruvians.
For this walk the government does not grant special permits as for the Inca Trail, but you need to book in advance for a couple of months since it is necessary to buy a train ticket, entrance to Machu Picchu and these are sold out very fast, so if you want that the tour will be ready upon arrival and have no problem recommending you book well in advance.
The best months to do the tour Lares trek undoubtedly is the dry season that is from April to November or December, which are the months where the rainy season begins in Peru.
You can also do this walk in rainy season, the interesting thing to do at this time is that the landscape becomes very colorful, as the vegetation is at its best by the rains.
The Lares Trek tour not included the sleeping bag, but you can rent a sleeping bag, which costs $ 20.00 for the entire tour.
The inflatable mattress is included during the whole trip.
No, in the time that we have organized this tour we receive people of all ages, starting from the age of 10, to people who were 65 years old and all had a great time.
The size of our Lares trek groups are usually small from 3 to 8 passengers approx. That makes the group walk to a rhythm in which all the members of the group have fun.
At the moment of making the reservation you have to indicate that you are a vegetarian (and if you can eat egg or fish), according to that information our cook makes the menu of each day and we can offer you a Vegetarian food.
To avoid having any inconvenience with the altitude we recommend arriving in Cusco one or two days before the beginning of the walk, so that it serves as an acclimatization and as a home remedy take Coca mate that is very good for altitude sickness.
The use of walking sticks in a walk is very necessary especially if you have any ailment in the knee or strain-sensitive knees, walking sticks are helpful, but if you are in very good physical condition you would not need to.
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