Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

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Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

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Lares trek

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

$730.00 $635.00 Per Person

This four day Lares trek to Machu Picchu offers an excellent opportunity for adventure hikers who want another alternative to the popular Inca Trail, having the opportunity to find a great variety of native flora and fauna and outstanding views of glaciers and lakes, along the trek.

This trek brings you a true Andean cultural experience, since the Lares Valley is home to a number of traditional Andean communities, famous for their homemade textiles. At the end of the trek, we will have a guided visit to the citadel of Machu Picchu.

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DAY 01 / CUSCO – LARES THERMAL BATHS – KISWARANI FALLS – CAMPSITE (B/S/L/D)

We will pick you up from your hotel at 5 a.m. to begin the famous Lares Trek to Machu Picchu. Pick up locations can be from any hotel, condo, or apartment located in the cities of Cusco, Urubamba, Huaran, or Pisaq. It will be a three-hour drive along the beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley and through the Andes. Once we arrive at the Lares Hot Springs site, you will have your first breakfast accompanied by views of the Andes Mountains. Then, you will enjoy the hot springs that is divided up between various pools ranging from freezing to hot water. They are all composed of pure volcanic water, which is medicinal and considered to be good for your bones, stress, muscles, and headaches.

 

After soaking in the pools for a while, you will drive 20 min to the trailhead. Here you will meet up with your horses and riders and give them your duffle bags to be taken to the campsite. After, you will begin your expedition to Machu Picchu with a two-hour gradual uphill hike until we reach our lunch spot at the first village called Kiswarani. This section of the hike is considered the potato valley area, where people farm many varieties of organic potatoes. Your guide will also point out some indigenous medicinal plants growing along the way. Then, we will arrive at our lunch spot, where you will enjoy your first delicious meal prepared by our trekking chef.

 

After lunch, our horsemen (llameros) will do a ceremony with llamas showcasing these beautiful animals. Llamas were considered sacred to the Incas and fundamental to their economy. Our llameros will introduce you to these animals and discuss their importance and why owning one was a sign of privilege. Today they are disappearing, constantly breaded with smaller animals. We hope to continue the tradition of the Incas and give some llamas work. We do this to support the community that helps protect them. Llamas are pleasant to walk with and are friendly animals. Just don´t get too close, they might try to kiss you.

 

You will also have time to explore the village and visit some local homes, where you will learn about the lifestyle and ancient traditions of the local people. If there is time, we will visit the schoolhouse where the kids still speak Quechua, their native language. You may also bring toys, notebooks, or school supplies to distribute. Perhaps you may even teach them a few words in English. It will be another two hours, gradually uphill hiking until we arrive at the campsite. There you will be welcomed by our trekking staff, which will have your tents set up. We will enjoy some hot drinks, as the sky darkens and the stars start appearing. Finally, you will enjoy a lovely dinner prepared on-site. If you want to keep star-gazing, you may stay up for a while longer or, if you’d rather, you can turn in to your tent.

 

Distance: 10 km/6.21 miles

Campsite altitude: 3850 masl/12631 ft

Weather: Cold

 

 

DAY 02 / KISWARANI – CONDOR PASS – CANCHA CANCHA COMMUNITY (B/S/L/D)

Today you will be woken up around 5 a.m., with our service of hot drinks. You will have spectacular views of the colorful lake and the valley of Kiswarani. You will see the local people will already be up and about, taking their llamas and alpacas out to graze. Breakfast will be served once you have finished packing your gear. Then we will fill up our water bottles, organize snacks, and you will begin your expedition to Machu Picchu. It will be a three or four-hour climb to get to the summit of the mountain. This pass is called Pachacute, or Condor Pass. We will zigzag our way up to compensate for the steep uphill. The views of the area are stunning. You will see lakes, waterfalls, llamas, and alpacas. We will have an emergency horse to ride in case you are tired. Once you arrive at the Condor Pass, you will be above the clouds, above the mountain peaks, and the surrounding 360-degree views are astounding. In front of you will be the beautiful mountain of Pitusiray, which is at 5,700 m/ 18,700 ft high, and the Condor pass is at 4,680 m/ 15,354 ft high. Afterward, we will enjoy a hot drink service that your porters will carry with them. We will take advantage of some phenomenal photo opportunities and start our descent.

 

You will begin the one hour, downhill, descent towards El Mirador (Vista Point), where you will enjoy lunch. There will be some llamas grazing nearby. After lunch, you will hike the last three hours downhill, with fantastic views of many lakes, llamas, and alpacas, before arriving at your campsite, the village of Cancha Cancha, which is the only village that does not have modern technology and where people still practice original Inca traditions. In this Incan village, 85 percent of the houses are still built by ancient construction methods, made of stone and grass-thatched roofs. Unlike any other village in the Lares Valley, this village has no electricity or cars. Here, you will not only enjoy the wilderness, but your porters will also set up your tents. You will have some time to meet with the local children. We provide them with food and school supplies, so we invite our travelers to share this support in the education and the health of this native village. You can bring anything you would like to give to these Quechuan-speaking children that you think they could use for school or home. When you are done, your guide will take you to one of the local family’s houses, where you will learn about the lifestyle of the locals. You will see how they raise their guinea pigs, and learn about the traditional hand-woven textiles made of llama and alpaca wool. In the evening you will enjoy hot drinks and dinner.

 

Distance: 14 km/8.70 miles

Campsite altitude: 3750 masl/12303 ft

Weather: Cold

 

 

DAY 03 / CANCHA CANCHA – HUARAN – MARAS SALT MINES – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES  (B/S/L/D)

Our porters will wake you up with a hot drink, and you will have some time to pack your bags and enjoy breakfast. After breakfast, you will have time to explore the village and visit the local elementary school, where the ancient Inca language, Quechua, is still taught. Once you are ready, you will begin the last leg of your Lares trek. It will be four hours of walking downhill along this lovely path, where you will pass by more llamas and alpacas.

 

We will pass by farms where they grow potatoes, fava beans, and many other traditional crops in traditional Incan style. You will have the chance to learn about Peruvian agriculture from people who still farm by hand with traditional Inca farming tools. Now, we will start to descend to the warmer area of the Sacred Valley. You will start to feel the changes of the micro-climate and start seeing crops that are different from in the high mountains. Around the Sacred Valley, people farm corn, quinoa, kiwi, peaches, avocados, and other types of fruit. This area has a lot of Inca history, and you will end your tour at the little Sacred Valley village of Huaran that sits at 2,700 m / 8,858 ft. Here you will say goodbye to your horses, horse riders, chef, and porters.

 

From Huaran, we will catch a van and make the short drive into the valley to visit the Salt Mines of Maras. Here, at 11,000 feet above sea level, a saltwater spring gushes forth and spills down the side of the mountain. Over 3,000 small evaporation chambers have been created and look as if they are tumbling down the mountainside. These have been in use since pre-Incan times. The salt is said to have healing properties because it´s filled with natural minerals, some of it even comes out pink. Local families each own one of these pans and make their living supplying salt to the towns around the area. There is a small shop on-site if you care to take some salt home with you.

 

After visiting Maras, we will climb aboard the van for a 45-minute drive that skirts along the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is the only living, intact Inca village. It still has many Inca water channels, houses, and walls. Your guide will take you around to view this small town until it is time for dinner, which will be at a local restaurant. We will then catch the 7 p.m. train for Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu (train times may vary, depending on availability). Upon your arrival in Aguas Calientes, you will check-in to your hotel and relax.

 

Distance: 9 km/5.59 miles

Aguas Calientes Elevation: 2000 masl/6562 ft

Weather: Cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon.

 

 

DAY 04 / AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO (B)

Day four is the most magical day because you will finally experience Machu Picchu. You will wake up early to catch one of the first buses (around 5:30 a.m.) for the 30-minute ride up to Machu Picchu. You will see the sunrise over the ruins. Your guide will take you for an informative two-hour tour

 

At the end of the tour, you will have some time to yourself or you can climb up the Huayna Picchu Mountain for some more spectacular views of Machu Picchu (please note that there are only 400 visitors allowed per day), your guide will show you where to begin this hike, which will take no more than 2 hours round-trip. In the afternoon, you will catch a two-hour train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by a bus back to Cusco, where we will transfer you to your hotel.

 

Note: Machu Picchu Mountain may be hiked as well, instead of Huayna Picchu Mountain. This hike is more challenging and takes three hours minimum, round-trip.

 

END OF OUR SERVICES

B= Breakfast / L= Lunch / D= Dinner / S= Snack

 

INCLUDED

  • Pre-departure briefing.
  • Transfer in private transport to the trailhead .
  • Spanish / English speaking professional tour guide.
  • 01 night hotel in Aguas Calientes.
  • Porters and horsemen.
  • Emergency horse to ride in case you feel tired.
  • Chef and cooking equipment.
  • Meals according to itinerary.
  • Happy hour of Coca tea and snacks.
  • Drinking water throughout the trek.
  • First – Aid Kit.
  • Duffel bag to place your belongings.
  • Sleeping tents.
  • Foam sleeping mats.
  • Small pillows for sleeping.
  • Rain poncho.
  • Guided tour in Machu Picchu.
  • Round trip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
  • Expedition Train Ticket from Aguas Calientes.
  • Transfer from the Train Station to your hotel in Cusco.
  • Satellite phones.

 

NOT INCLUDED

  • Domestic and International flights.
  • Airport taxes.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Lunch and dinner on the last day.
  • Tips.
  • Personal trekking equipment (Sleeping bag, inflatable air mattress and walking poles).
  • Hiking boots, clothing or other personal items.
  • Huayna Picchu entrance.
  • Additional tours.

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