Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 3D/2N

Itinerary

• Day 1 : Cusco – Calca – Lares – Huacahuasi 
• Day 2 : Huacahuasi – Sacsallaully Pass – Yanahuara – Aguas Calientes
• Day 3 : Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco

DAY 1 – CUSCO – CALCA – LARES – HUACAHUASI 

The 3 day 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 will be greeted by our chef and horses man who will accompany you throughout the hike. You will also be treated to a relaxing dip in the thermal baths of Lares, where the volcanic water reaches temperatures of 34 ° C. Allowing its therapeutic waters to rejuvenate your body and 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 – SACSALLAULLY PASS – YANAHUARA – AGUAS CALIENTES

Day 2 of the tour to Machu Picchu will 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 colorful 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 people of the region, who keep them for clothing, food, fuel and transportation. 

After traversing up the valley for 3-hours, you will reach the highest point of the tour, the Sacsallaully Pass at 4,646 m / 15,242 ft, where the mountains seem to touch the sky. At the viewpoint on the summit, you will 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 consists of a 4-hour descent through magical cloud forests, woodlands of Queuña (tree of the Incas) & alongside another stunning lagoon named Yuracocha. Upon arrival at the cosy settlement of Yanahuara at 2,780 m / 9,120 ft, you’ll be greeted by your driver and private transport, ready to transfer you to the town of Ollantaytambo.

At the train station in the town, you will board the 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. Afterwhich 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.

• Food : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Estimated walking time : 8 hours
• Total distance : 18 km
• Accommodation : Hotel
• Altitude of accommodation : 2,000 m / 6,562 ft

DAY 3 – AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – 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. Once inside, you will be taken on a 2-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 visting 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 approximatley 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 $70 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.*