Peru is a country full of destinations for adventurers and anyone who wants to disconnect from the city life and feel nature in all its splendor. The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is a route that will take you through varied landscapes that include snowy mountains, steep valleys, mighty rivers, archaeological ruins and a world-class wonder Machu Picchu.
We will pick you up from your hotel at 6:00 in the morning and drive to Lares for three hours. We will pass through the Sacred Valley and we’ll stop in the village of Calca, where you can visit the local market.
Then, we’ll continue our journey by car until we reach Lares. This is the starting point of our hike (3.260 meters – 10,695 feet). Here, we’ll first have a delicious lunch and enjoy the thermal baths to warm up our muscles before the walk.
We will start walking to the first camp for about 4 hours. First, we will ascend gradually for 30 minutes, and then the road is relatively flat. We will cross a small stream and continue walking along the valley until we reach the village of Wacawasi. During the walk, we will see local people with traditional clothes like ponchos and very colorful hats. After passing the village, we will ascend for about 40 minutes and arrive at our first camp that is at an altitude of 3.880 meters or 12,730 feet.
Area: Sacred Valley, Andean highlands
Walking distance: km/ miles (4 hours)
Altitude of camp: 3.880 m /12,730 ft
Difficulty: considered an easy day
Climate: warm
After breakfast, we will start climbing the Puna for about 3 hours until we reach its highest pass called Ipsaykassa (4.450 meters – 14,600 feet). Going up to the pass, we will see alpacas, llamas, and sheep grazing and we can also see traditional stone built houses with roofs of grass. At the pass, we will descend for half an hour to the beautiful lagoon of Ipsaycocha where we will have lunch.
Then, we will continue walking to our camp for about 2,5 hours and descend for an hour and a half to reach the traditional village of Patacancha. Our camp is in this town (3.700 meters – 12,140 feet).
Area: Andean highlands
Walking distance: km/ miles (6 hours)
Altitude of camp: 3.700 m /12,140 ft
Difficulty: considered an intense day
After breakfast, we will take a car for 40 minutes to Pallata. We will begin to ascend a path to the archaeological site of Pumamarca where we will have a guided tour. We will continue for 3 hours on a relatively flat road and follow the ancient Inca Trail that will take us through the valley. We will descend again to the bottom of the valley where we will continue walking along the Patacancha River until we reach the town of Ollantaytambo.
Here, we will have lunch and some time to rest, and we will say goodbye to our support staff. Then, in the afternoon we could visit the main square of Ollantaytambo, and make a short walk to the Qolqas Incas (warehouses). In the evening, we’ll have dinner at a local restaurant and take the train to Aguas Calientes afterwards. Overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Very early after breakfast in the hotel, our guide will pick you up to take the 25-minute bus ride to Machu Picchu. We will begin our Great Tour of Machu Picchu which takes 3 hours. We will visit important sites such as the Temple of the Sun, the Main Square, Intiwatana and the Temple of the Condor, among others.
After the tour, you will have some free time so you can explore Machu Picchu on your own and take some more pictures. When we are ready, we will take the bus to Aguas Calientes, and in the afternoon, we will take the train back to Cusco where our staff is waiting for you at the train station to take you back to your hotel.