LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU 4 Days

Cusco (3,400 meters above sea level): Your day starts very early. The guide will pick you up at 6:00 am from your respective hotel, and we will head through the Sacred Valley to the town of Lares, where our hike begins. During this journey, you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery and mountain views, so it’s important to have your camera ready.

Sacred Valley – Calca (2,920 meters above sea level): The route takes us to the town of Calca, where we make a slight detour to start ascending to the village of Lares, our starting point for the hike.

Lares (3,150 meters above sea level): The journey takes about 3 hours. Once we arrive at the village, we hike up to the hot springs, where we can rest and enjoy these beautiful open-air thermal waters. Lunch is provided here.

Our bus will be waiting for us during this time, and then we will continue our journey for about 20 minutes to the trailhead known as Pascana.

Here, we meet our muleteers and pack the horses and llamas. We are ready to start our hike through the mountains of the Sacred Valley for about 6 hours.

This is a beautiful day filled with stunning landscapes and the opportunity to visit various Andean villages, see their traditional costumes, and experience how the Andean people live in these places.

Huacawasi (3,800 meters above sea level): Once we complete our hike, we reach the small village of Huacawasi, where everything is ready for a delicious dinner and a good rest. It’s important to have the proper equipment as the nights can be intensely cold.

• Duration: Approx. 6 hours of hiking
• Distance:
• Weather: Mild, Cold
• Maximum Altitude: between 2,920 – 3,800 meters above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Overnight: Huacawasi
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Huacawasi (3,800 meters above sea level): Early in the morning, we will be greeted by local children in traditional clothing on their way to school. After a nutritious breakfast, we will start walking towards the highest point, the Sacsayllame Pass at 4,400 meters (14,435 feet). The hike will take about 4 hours and will be steep uphill.

Of course, we will have an emergency horse accompanying us so that everyone can reach the summit without any problem.

During this hike, you will enjoy vast mountains, a mosaic of farmlands, and breathtaking views. Please note that we will reach great altitudes, and the weather can be very cold.

After reaching the highest point, we will descend and pass by a beautiful lagoon before having lunch by the river.

Patacancha (3,750 meters above sea level): We arrive at the village of Patacancha, a very representative place in Peru. The inhabitants of this village belong to the direct lineage of the Incas since they have never mixed with other populations.

The trail continues for an hour along a narrow ridge before descending into a beautiful secluded stream filled with glacial lakes.

We have lunch at this beautiful lake and then continue following the edge of the stream as we descend to the next valley, passing through a series of waterfalls until we reach the town of Qelcanca, where we will spend the night.

Qelcanca: By going a little further, we will reach Qelcanca, the location of our second campsite and dinner.

• Duration: Approx. 8 hours of hiking
• Distance: 14 km
• Weather: Cold
• Maximum Altitude: 3,800 meters above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Overnight: Qelcanca
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Patacancha (3,800 meters above sea level): After a nutritious breakfast, we continue our adventure, passing through the hamlets until we reach Pumamarka, a place with stone constructions that we will explore with the guide.

Later, we continue and arrive at Ollantaytambo, an important location in the Inca Empire.

Ollantaytambo (2,792 meters above sea level): Our hike concludes at the Ollantaytambo Fortress and Citadel, built to guard the entrance to this part of the valley. We will have the opportunity to walk through the narrow streets of the town and get a clear idea of what this military, religious, and cultural center was like during the Inca Empire.

It’s time to board the train to Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes (2,040 meters above sea level): The distance between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. Take this time to enjoy the scenery.

Upon arrival, we head to our hotel for a well-deserved rest, then we go out for dinner and rest for our next adventure.

If desired, we can visit the hot springs for a cost of $4.00.

• Duration: Approx. 7 hours of hiking
• Distance: 14 km
• Weather: Cold – Mild
• Maximum Altitude: 3,800 meters above sea level – 2,040 meters above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate – Low
• Overnight: Aguas Calientes Hotel
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Aguas Calientes (2,040 meters above sea level): This is the best day of our entire trip. We will take a tour of Machu Picchu after enjoying breakfast at our hotel. Then, we board a bus that will take us to Machu Picchu. It’s best to do this early in the morning to fully enjoy the experience.

Machu Picchu Sanctuary:

• Machu Picchu (2,430 meters above sea level): We will line up to take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu (which operates on a first-come, first-served basis as a transportation service). The bus takes 25 to 30 minutes to reach the Machu Picchu citadel (which opens its doors at 6:00 am). Please make sure to bring your original passport, the same one you used to book your trip, as the park rangers will ask for it (you can also get a Machu Picchu stamp in your passport if you like).
• Your guide will help you find the perfect spots to appreciate the Machu Picchu Sanctuary (which will immediately become your Facebook profile picture!).
• We present our Machu Picchu tickets, passport, and enter to begin the visit.
• Our guide will be waiting for us to start our tour of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary and provide a guided visit of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• We will visit different archaeological sites within the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, such as the Agricultural Zone, Urban Zone, Temple of the Sun, Royal Residence, Sacred Plaza, Inti Huatana, Sacred Rock, and many more points that will leave you amazed.
• At 2:30 pm, 4:12 pm, or 7:00 pm, we will board our train bound for Ollantaytambo or Poroy.

Optional:

• Huayna Picchu: If you want to add the spectacular views of Huayna Picchu to your adventure, it must be booked in advance and costs an additional $25 per person. The hike takes 45 minutes to reach the top and is quite challenging.
• Machu Picchu Mountain: Another option is to climb Machu Picchu Mountain, which takes 90 minutes uphill and is very difficult. It costs an additional $15 per person. This is probably the most beautiful and spectacular viewpoint, where you can enjoy breathtaking views.

Buffet Lunch: We recommend the MAPI Restaurant ($20.00 additional cost).

• Meals: Breakfast