Duration
7 Days / 6 Nights
Package Type
Adventure
Activity Level
Very High
Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
The Lares Trek is one of the most popular alternative treks to the classic Inca Trail. It doesn’t include as many Inca ruins as the Inca Trail, but it more than makes up for that by offering a fascinating hike through magical landscapes and a far more in-depth look at local life in the Andean region of Peru (a cultural element not found on the classic Inca Trail trek). It’s also slightly shorter – but higher – than the Inca Trail, and you’ll see far fewer trekkers along the route.
Our four-day Lares Trek takes you deep into the heart of the Andes, to a remote landscape of towering mountains, shimmering mountain lakes and staggering views. You’ll also experience the living traditions of the local people as we pass through ancient villages of agricultural and alpaca farmlands, meeting friendly Quechua people who will be happy to share their culture with you. Try and book off season, there are fewer people in Cusco! This trek is also much greener and the valleys more stunning in January for example, after a few showers of rain!
And then, of course, there’s our final destination: Machu Picchu. We’ll get there on Day 4 and you’ll have plenty of time to explore the magnificent Inca citadel, one of the seven new wonders of the world.
Special features of our Lares Trek & Machu Picchu:
Type of Tourism: Hiking, Cultural, Nature and Ecotourism
Places To Visit: Cusco, Lares, & Machu Picchu
Duration: 7 Days and 6 Nights
Type of Service: some tours are small group service tours and other tours are private
Accommodation: 4 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and pampered.
Arrival to Cusco with a transfer to your hotel; a welcome meeting will be organized by your guide for a quick briefing of the tour. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, set in the Andes Mountains. Discover Spanish churches and mansions that sit alongside Inca remains, visit the local market of San Pedro and their array of products from handicrafts to vegetable products, fresh juices and items for traditional Andean ceremonies. ...
After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city. You may visit the local archaeological sites of Saqsaywaman, Tambomachay and Qenqo or you can take part in a Peruvian cooking class or chocolate making class, depending on how you want to spend your free day. We can help arrange and suggest all activities a...
Today begins early in the morning when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. We will then drive to Calca, a small town in the Sacred Valley. Here you’ll have your last chance to buy any last-minute supplies. Continuing on, we’ll drive for about three hours in the direction of Lares, passing the highest point for the day at 4,265 meters above sea level (13,992 ft), where the Sawasiray and Pitusiray mountains rise up. This is alpaca region and you will appreciate the roll...
We’ll start the day early in the morning with a hearty breakfast, to get our energy levels up for what is probably the toughest day of our trek. Setting off, it’s a steep uphill climb to a mountain pass at about 4,500 meters above sea level – the highest point reached on our Lares trek. The view from up here is sublime, looking out across the surrounding mountains and down to the beautiful Aruraycocha Lake below us. We’ll then head downhill towards the lake, st...
Today the trekking will be relatively easy, with a walk of between four and five hours. We will leave Mantanay after breakfast and head towards the pretty colonial town of Yanahuara in the Sacred Valley, passing through more spectacular scenery where the Incas once roamed. The weather should be warmer as we descend towards Yanahuara, passing near fields of white corn, typical of this region. Once we reach Yanahuara, we’ll have our last meal together. At this point, our cooks and...
To best appreciated Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu.
We’ll then pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you’ll begin your guided wa...
After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima.