Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

DAY 1 – CUSCO – CALCA – LARES – HUACAHUASI

The Lares trek to Machu Picchu begins with pick up from your hotel in Cusco at 5:30am.

After a 1-hour drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, you’ll briefly stop in the town of Calca to visit the local market and take breakfast. From there your private transport will drive you a further 2-hours through a picturesque Andean valley to the town of Lares at 3,100m / 10,170 ft. Here you’ll be greeted by our chef and horses man who will accompany you throughout the hike. You’ll also be treated to a relaxing dip in the hot springs of Lares, where the volcanic water reaches temperatures of 34 ° C. Allowing its therapeutic waters to rejuvenate your body & mind.

The first day of the trek will start with an opportunity to acclimatise along a 2-hour stretch of flat trail to the bridge of Vilcabamba. Delightfully, your chef will be waiting there with hot tea to warm your chilly bones and a delicious lunch to re-energise you for the afternoons’ trek.

After lunch you will continue along the trail for a further 3-hours, gradually ascending to camp in Huacahuasi at 3,750 m / 12,303 ft. Along the way, you will encounter a number of local communities and herds of their resident alpacas. The local Andean residents will be wearing the traditional clothing of the mountains and will speak in the native Quechua dialect, offering you a rare insight into the native way of life in the Andes.

In late afternoon you will arrive in the majestic village of Huacahuasi to set up camp, enjoy a hearty dinner, and sleep under the starlit Andean sky.

• Food : Lunch and Dinner
• Estimated walking time : 5 hours
• Total distance : 11 km
• Accommodation : Camping
• Altitude of accommodation : 3,750 m / 12,303 ft

DAY 2 – HUACAHUASI – ABRA C’ASA PASS – LAGUNA AURORAYCOCHA – PUNTA TORO

Day 2 of the tour to Machu Picchu is considered to be the most challenging. Therefore you will awake with the first light of dawn for a freshly cooked breakfast amidst the backdrop of the surrounding mountains.

The trail begins ascending through sweeping Andean landscapes, dotted with colourful native flora, and herds of grazing alpacas and llamas. The sacred creatures of the Inca empire, were once sacrificed in honour of the Inca Gods. However these days they tend to serve the local inhabitants of the region, who keep them for clothing, food, fuel and transportation.

After traversing up the valley for 4-hours, you’ll reach the highest point of the tour, the Abra C’asa Pass at 4,500 m / 14,763 ft, where the mountains seem to touch the sky. At the viewpoint on the summit, you’ll be treated to spectacular views of the valley below and the glistening waters of Laguna Auroraycocha at 4,470 m / 14,665 ft. Here you can take the souvenir photos you have been waiting for, before descending for an hour to the shores of the Lagoon to appreciate a well earned lunch.

The afternoons’ hike will consist of a 4-hour descent through magical cloud forests, woodlands of Queuña (tree of the Incas), and alongside another breathtaking Lagoon by the name of Yuracocha. By late afternoon, you will gladly arrive at the settlement of Punta Toro at 3,100 m / 10,170 ft. Here, you will make camp and enjoy dinner, nestled beneath the shadow of the mountains.

• Food : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Estimated walking time : 9 hours
• Total distance : 15 km
• Accommodation : Camping
• Altitude of accommodation : 3,100 m / 10,170 ft

DAY 3 – PUNTA TORO – YANAHUARA – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES

Day 3 of the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu, will reward you will a well earned lie-in and a wholesome breakfast, before you say thank you and goodbye to the chef and horses man who will be parting ways with you as you continue on your journey to the Inca City.

Todays’ hike will be a steady 1-hour descent down the valley to the cosy settlement of Yanahuara at 2,780 m / 9,120 ft. Awaiting you there will be your driver and private transport, ready to transfer you to the town of Ollantaytambo. Here your guide will accompany you through the bustling local markets and picturesque Inca streets, aswell as joining you for lunch in a local restaurant.

After lunch, you’ll be guided to the local train station, to board the 1pm tourist train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). The 1 hour 45 minute train ride will treat you to glorious scenes of snow-capped mountains, Inka farming terraces and of course remarkable Inka ruins. After which you will once again be greeted by your tour guide who will check you in to your hotel in the town, treat you to a delicious restaurant dinner, and leave you to sleep the night away in a comfortable hotel bed.

*If you wish to relax in Aguas Calientes hot springs, they are only a 10 minute walk from the town center and are open for visitors until 8pm. Entrance fee is 20 soles (optional extra).*

• Food : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Estimated walking time : 1 hour
• Total distance : 3 km
• Accommodation : Hotel
• Altitude of accommodation : 2,000 m / 6,562 ft

DAY 4 – AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU TOUR – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO

After taking breakfast in your hotel, your guide will meet you at reception and escort you the bus station where you will board the tourist bus to Machu Picchu. The scenic route from Aguas Calientes takes you on a 30 minute bus ride up the mountainside to the entrance of the Inca citadel or we can also do the hiking to Machu Picchu by an original inca trail for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Once inside, you will be taken on a 3-hour tour of Machu Picchu, journeying through its rich history, as you make your way through the Inca city with your personal tour guide. Aswell as visiting the famous sites of the temple of the sun, the central plaza and the stepped terraces, you will have plenty opportunity to take the bucket list photos you came for atop the panoramic viewpoint of Machu Picchu.

Before boarding the bus back down the mountain, your guide will also allow you time to explore the mysteries of the sanctuary alone.

Once you have regrouped with your guide and taken the bus back to Aguas Calientes, there will be time to take lunch in one of Machu Picchu towns’ many restaurants (optional extra), before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo. There you will be greeted by your guide and private transportation who will take you on the 2-hour drive back to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival time in Cusco is approximately 6.30pm.

*There will also be time to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain in this tour after your guided tour of the Inca citadel. However please be aware, this will be an extra cost of $75 USD per person and will involve an extra 2-hours hiking. Return to Cusco will therefore be aboard a later train and arrival time in Cusco will be approx 8.30pm.*