Description

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days Overview

Come and enjoy the Lares trek to Machu Picchu with us. This trek is a great alternative to the Inca Trail. Still offering the beauty of the Andes with fewer crowds, it offers an outstanding combination of amazing mountain and valley scenery in a remote area.

This tour will really give you an insight into authentic Quechua communities where you will see thatched stone houses surrounded by herds of llamas and alpacas, and even guinea pigs running loose inside the houses. This hike starts in the Lares Valley, in the village of the same name, where you can enjoy a night dip in its relaxing hot springs. We then head to the Andean communities of Huacahuasi, Patacancha, and Willoq, reaching the village of Aguas Calientes on the third night after a 2-hour train ride from Ollantaytambo. Finally, the fourth day is devoted to exploring the impressive Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Lares Hot Springs – Huaca Wasi.

Early morning departure from Cusco. During the bus journey, we will pass some archaeological sites and craft markets in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This valley is one of the most fertile regions of South America, where a large amount of corn, highly symbolic in the Inca Andean religion, is produced. Once we reach the province of Graneros (2940m / 9646f) we change our route and head upwards to the Huacawasi pass (4400m / 14436f), before descending to the town of Lares hot springs (3200m / 10499f). Here we will have a few hours relaxing in the pools that have a temperature of between 28 and 36 degrees C / 82 and 97 degrees F. After lunch at the spa, we walk towards Huacawasi (3600m / 11811f), where our campsite is situated.

Bus travel time: 5 hours hiking time: 3 hours in cold weather.

Day 2: Huaca Wasi – Ipsay Pass – Patacancha.

This day will be the most difficult due to the varied terrain and climate that we will pass through. For example, getting through the Sipsay pass at 4,400 meters (14436f) will take us 4 hours. During this walk, we will pass through some communities where we may observe Andean farmers, their agricultural land and their traditional rustic houses. These people have a great knowledge of natural farming methods and the communities also still produce traditional colorful textiles inspired by Andean gods and symbols. After this pass, we drive to the village of Patacancha (3650m / 11975f), our campsite for the night.

Hiking time: 7 hours in cold weather.

Day 3: Patacancha – Willoq – Pumamarca – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes.

This will be another spectacular day, passing through communities and small towns like Willoq (3400m / 11156f) and Pumamarca (3200m / 10499f). As we pass through the valley of Patacancha we will have a chance to witness ancient Inca traditions and customs that have survived the passage of time in these remote villages. After visiting this area for a few hours, we arrive at the town of Ollantaytambo (2850m / 9350f), also an archaeological site of the Inca dynasty. From here we take the train to Aguas Calientes (2050m / 6726f), where we spend the night in a hotel.

Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco.

The lost city of the Incas is at its best in the early morning. After an early breakfast, we will take the bus to Machu Picchu (2400m / 7874f), where a professional guide will take us on a tour of the site, explaining the history, politics, ancient agricultural techniques, astronomy, and religion that our ancestors left us in this wonderful city of the Incas. After the tour, you’ll have enough free time to further explore the site on your own and take some of the short walks, before returning to Aguas Calientes to take the train back to Cusco (Cuzco). The weather in Machu Picchu (Machu Pichu) is warm with mosquitoes.

You should bring:

Good sleeping bag (minus 10 degrees).Original passport and if you are a student your ISIC active card (must be submitted at the time of booking)
Rain gear (plastic to cover your bag, raincoat).
Good hiking shoes.
2 sets of clothes (packed together in a plastic bag).
Camera and batteries (batteries drain more quickly under cold conditions).
Warm clothes, including jacket, fleece. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body.
Sun Block.
Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – no malaria risk has been reported
Water bottles and tablets to purify the water (very important).
Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain, and cold.
Additional snacks like cookies, coca candies, chocolate, energy bars, fruits, muesli bars, etc.
Toilet paper.
Optional: water- sterilizing tablets in case you take water from streams or rivers along the route. Otherwise, we will provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink.
Small towel
Swimsuit (if you wish to take a bath in the hot springs – Aguas Calientes village)
Cash in soles and/or US$ for your own expenses.
Optional: walking sticks or poles. If you do not have any, you can rent through us.

Included

Includes:

Private transport from the hotel to the Valley of Lares.
High-quality camping equipment.
Meals during the excursion (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks / vegetarian option).
Professional guide
Cook and cooking equipment. (kitchen and dining tents plus table and chairs)
Mule driver and mules, for all camping and personal equipment.
Emergency horse.
Entrance fee to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
Entrance to the thermal baths in the Valley of Lares.
Round trip bus Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.
Tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco or to Ollantaytambo then bus to Cusco.
First-aid kit, oxygen bottle, and safety rope.
Basic hostel in the village of Aguas Calientes.

Does not Included:

Breakfast on the first excursion day.
Hotel in Cusco.
Backpack
Air tickets
Last lunch at Aguas Calientes
Extra horse for the personal items.
Lunch and Dinner on the fourth day
Sleeping bag & walking stick (If you don’t have this, you can rent it from Peru Agency).
Entrance ticket to the hot spring.
Huayna Picchu entrance fee subject to availability.
Insurance.
Personal Ítems.
Tips, please feel free to tip or not as you wish.

Important

Special discounts for students and children.
Daily departures.
Hotel with double occupancy.

Rates

Rates per person in US$ with English speaking guide

We accept all credit and debit cards

Passengers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Private Service	2198	1503	1302	1208	1172	1131	1097
Group Service	1208	The rate applies for 2 passengers mínimum.
Group Service	1208	Single Occupancy Supplement US$ 64.00

Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions for Alternative Inca Trail Policies

According to the Resolution #002-2004-UGM-CD, published in the official newspaper El Peruano on Nov 12, 2004, modifying chapter III of the Inca Trail Regulation, which refers to Inca Trail space bookings. Bookings will be guaranteed by the government institutions when providing full names; nationalities and passport numbers of passengers; and when having paid the full amount of passengers and staff (cook and team of porters) entrance fees. (NON-REFUNDABLE)

The booking has been first confirmed by our Reservation Department by e-mail, this meaning that spaces are available on the Inca Trail for the requested date at the moment of the booking.
The full passenger data have been provided and the required deposit has been paid for. (NON-REFUNDABLE, NO CHANGES PERMITTED ON NAMES, DATES, ETC)

**Since the Inca Trail has a maximum allowance of 500 people per day (including passengers and agency staff), we strongly recommend making your bookings, as much in advance as possible to make sure you will find spaces on the desired departure date. We are already receiving bookings for departures scheduled as far as one year prior to the trek departure date, so if you wish to travel with us to the Inca Trail, please make sure to confirm your booking as soon as possible. Otherwise, we have also available alternative routes of equally awesome beauty and interest to offer to you.

**VERY IMPORTANT: The following client information is mandatory for any Inca Trail booking:

Complete names and surnames
Nationality
Copy of Passport
Date of Birth
Gender

The exact information provided by you will be submitted to the governmental institution in charge of regulating the access to the Inca Trail and will be included in the official permit to enter the Inca Trail on the requested date. Should there be any change in the above-mentioned data (ie. New passport number), we kindly request you to inform us via email as soon as possible. The government reserves the right not to allow entry to any visitor whose data are not the exact ones as those in the official permit. PERU AGENCY excludes any responsibility for no entry in case the passenger information has changed without prior notice to us.