The 7 Day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is ideal for those who wish to experience the rich culture of Peru and see the most important sites in and around Cusco. You can learn about the history of Cusco and the Sacred Valley, and then go for the beautiful hike through the Andean Mountain Range. On this walk we’ll visit local villages and houses and meet the fascinating people who live there and continue practicing their ancient customs. This trek ends with a visit to Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco.
Reception at the airport
Our staff will be waiting for you with a sign saying Mario Expeditions and your name on it, to pick you up and take you to the 3 star hotel Casa Andina or a similar hotel. You will have all afternoon off to acclimatize and/or take an optional Cusco City tour.
Today is a free day to give you a chance to acclimatize to the altitude and climate in Cusco. However, if you feel like it, there is a classic one day tour you can make to visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley was regarded as sacred as it was very fertile and full of powerful spots in nature such as mountains and rivers that were places for the Inca to build ceremonial centres. In the Sacred Valley Tour we will show you around the region, visiting the archeological site of Ollantaytambo, and after passing through several villages and beautiful landscapes, the site and town of Pisaq. Click here if you like to know more about the Sacred Valley Tour.
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.
Lunch in Lares
Then, we’ll continue our journey by car until we reach Lares. This is the starting point of our Lares trek to Machu Picchu (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.
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).
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.
lunch in ollantaytambo
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.
Usually after breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel at the scheduled time and transfer you to the airport where you can check in for your flight. here you end this great adventure of Lares trek