The 4-day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is an off the beaten track trek. This trek is one of the best alternatives to the Classic Inca Trail. Unlike others, the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is a combination of nature, culture and adventure.
This trek offers beautiful sights and takes you through the rich pastoral regions of the Urubamba mountain range. We will be crossing snowy peaks and subtropical valleys. You will be rewarded with views of scenic lagoons and natural thermal baths, as well as Inca ruins.
The local people you will encounter in the Lares Valley have preserved their traditions and customs. They still continue to practice their tradition of weaving, creating colorful garments using llama and alpaca wools. Local families here are known for cultivating different types of potatoes.
The Lares Trek is experiential, as it allows you to closely observe the customs and homes of the Andean population.
This is a high altitude trek with the highest point at 3150 metres above sea level. We highly recommend you to spend enough time in Cusco acclimatising to avoid altitude sickness. To make the most of your time in Cusco, you may choose to visit Sacred Valley of Incas or hike to Inkilltambo to get an overview of Incas past.
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco around 4:00 AM. Then we will drive to Calca, a small town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will pass through the small Andean villages of Totora and Maucaupata, where the inhabitants dress in their traditional costumes and are mainly involved in textiles, agriculture, and livestock.
After driving for four hours, we will reach Lares. Lares is known for its thermal baths. We will stop here for lunch, and you can make the most of your time in Lares by taking a dip in the natural hot springs.
After lunch, we will meet the muleteers and begin our four-hour trek to Wacahasi, our first campsite.
After breakfast, we will start our trek to the second campsite. We will ascend through Ipsay Pass. The route offers a rich cultural experience. Along the way, you will meet people from different communities who still maintain their traditions and customs, including their traditional attire.
We will reach Ipsaycocha Lagoon for lunch. Afterward, we will continue the trek to Patacancha town, where we will spend the second night.
Our crew will wake you up with a warm cup of coca tea or coffee, followed by a nutritious breakfast. We will then hike towards the small Andean town of Willoq, where locals have preserved their traditional customs. Along the way, we will stop at two remote archaeological sites, Qochapata and Pumamarca.
Continuing on to Ollantaytambo, we will arrive around 2:00 PM. We will have lunch here and give you some free time to explore the notable Inca village before you visit Machu Picchu. At 7:30 PM, we will take a train to Aguas Calientes, where you will stay overnight in an ensuite room.
Early in the morning, we will hike to the citadel of Machu Picchu. The climb takes about an hour and a half to two hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus directly to the entrance of the citadel, which takes 25 minutes and costs USD 12 each way. We will aim to be among the first group to enter to witness the sunrise.
Our local guide will provide a two-hour guided tour, during which you will visit the main plaza, the remains of Inca temples and royal quarters, farming terraces, and other prominent sites. After the tour, you will have some free time to explore the citadel on your own.
If you have booked a climb to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, our guide will direct you to the entrance. Alternatively, you can walk up to the Sun Gate, which offers a pristine view of the citadel. Trekkers on the Inca Trail enjoy an exclusive sunrise sight from this location. The hike to the Sun Gate from Machu Picchu citadel takes about two hours round-trip.
At the designated time, you will hike back to Aguas Calientes, then board a train to Ollantaytambo. At the Ollantaytambo train station, our representative will meet you and transfer you back to Cusco.
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