Overview
Duration: 4 days
Max. Altitude: 2850-4400 m
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
Walking Distance: 34 km
The Lares valley trek offers a combination of stunning scenery, traditional cultures, and of course a visit to Machu Picchu on the fourth Day. This trek will take you through stunning Mountain scenery, over high passes and you will spend two nights near traditional Peruvian Villages. The first day you are going to participate the Andean weaving process. You will visit them to see a weaving demonstration, done in the traditional method. At at the second campsite we have a special place to observe birds and hummingbirds. On the fourth day, you will see the ruins of Machu Picchu. The whole trek an experienced guide will accompany you. It is a challenging trek but the landscapes will compensate the intense hike. You will have lunch by cascading waterfalls and also learn and understand the way of living of the Andean farmers.
Itinerary
At approximately 6am, we will pick you up at your hotel for a ride of approx.3 hrs. to the village of Lares. From here, we take a beautiful route to go to Cuncani village where your Lares trek will start. We will make a stop in the village of Calca, where you will be able to visit the local market and buy breakfast or other supplies you forgot. Your guide might advise you to buy some sweets to give to the children you will meet during the trek.
On our first day, you will see all the famous Andean camelids animals like llamas, Alpacas, Vigognes and Guanacos. Also, you will meet de typical Andean communities such as the Cuncani.
When we arrive in Yanacocha, it is time for your first lunch sitting at a beautiful lake. After lunch, we will continue our hike gradually uphill towards the first campsite in Huacawasi on 3600 meter high of altitude. The first night we will spend the night in our campsites where our horsemen will join us. This is the perfect opportunity to get know better each other. At arrival, your tents will be ready and you will some hot tea before having dinner.
Transport time: 4 hours
Hiking time: 5 to 6 hours
Climate during the day: Warm
Climate during the night: Cold
After a nutritious breakfast, you will start hiking towards the highest point of the whole trail: the pass of Huacawasi at 4500m or 14763 feet. The hike will take about 4 hours and will be very steep uphill. Of course an emergency horse will accompany us so that everyone will certainly be able to reach the top. During this trek, you enjoy the breathtaking views of enormous mountains.
Be aware that we will reach great heights and the weather can be very cold. After reaching the highest point, we will descend and pass beautiful lagoons and we will stop for having lunch. While the cooks are preparing your lunch, you have time to relax and sleep a bit to recover from the hard hike in the morning. After lunch, we will descend further through the forest where you will pass diverse flora and fauna in this beautiful park and the “Queuñas” (Polylepis – a typical three from Peru.) We will continue descending until we got our camping spot at Pucara (3000m/9842f), a private camping place where you will get tea and some snacks before having dinner.
Bird watching
In the afternoon, we will have the opportunity to observe in our cloud forest lots of birds and hummingbirds also we will see some orchids and bromeliads
Hiking time: 8 hours
Climate during day/night: cold and warm
Today will be another spectacular day, as we will hike to the Yanahuara Inka terraces. Here you can see the agriculture places where the Andean people still work in the famous corn of the sacred valley called MAIZ PARCAY.
From there we continue to Pachar, where you will walk a part of the original Inka trail over the Inka terraces until Ollantaytambo. On the way, you will see a small archeological site called Choccana. In Ollantaytambo you will get lunch. This is also the place, where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes. Here we will bring you to your hostel where you have time to relax or to visit the hot springs in Aguas Calientes to relax.
Hiking time: 4 - 5 hours
Climate: Warm
We will leave our hotel after breakfast at 5:30 am and head for Machu Picchu (2400m/7874f) by tourist bus. We will arrive at the citadel around 6:00 am. After a guided tour around the archaeological site, including information about life and culture of the Incas, you have the option to climb the Huayna Picchu (2750m/9022f) on your own (not included.) After the visit of Machu Picchu, you will hike back 1,5 hour to Aguas Calientes. Here you have free time for shopping or lunch (not included.) We will leave Aguas Calientes by train either at 2:55 pm or at 6:10 pm to Ollantaytambo. From there our private transport will bring you back to Cusco.
Climate: moderate warm.
Time of walking/visiting: 2 hours
Time of transport: 4h (Aguas Calientes - Cusco) and 30 minutes (Bus Machu Picchu)
Climate: hot with mosquitos
Elevation: Aguas Calientes (2050 m)- Machu Picchu(2400 m) – Cusco (3400 m)
Included
Please contact us for price info!
- Pickup
- Transport from the hotel to Valle de Lares.
- Tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
- Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
- Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco or from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco.
- Entrance to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
- Hostel with private room and bathroom in Aguas Calientes.
- Professional bilingual guide (Spanish and English).
- High quality camping equipment (professional tents Doite, Cima 4, extra light/4.5kgs for 2 persons. Mattresses, eating tent with table and chairs, bathroom tent).
- Meals during the excursion (Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks/Option vegetarian).
- Cook and cooking equipment.
- Horseman and mules, for all camping and personal equipment (up to 7 kg).
- Emergency horse (minimum 2 persons).
- First-aid kit and oxygen bottle.
- Cold boiled water during the all trek.
Excluded
- Breakfast on the first day and last lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Sleeping bag (if you don`t have a sleeping bag, there is the possibility of renting one for US$ 15)
- Bus going downhill from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes for 12 U.S. dollars or you could have the option to walk down which takes about 1.5 hour.
- Optional: the climb of Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain: US$ 25
(1) Visit to Huayna Picchu: As only 300 persons per day are allowed to climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain, it has to be booked a long time in advance. The additional costs for this is US$ 25.00 per person.
(2) Tips for Horseman, cooks and guides are always welcome. The Horseman are also very grateful with small donations, for example clothes or school equipment for their children.
