The trek of Lares is a fantastic alternative to the Inca Trail which will take you through traditional villages, where people live much like their Inca ancestors. They have homes made of stone and adobe with thatched roofs, they still weavie much of their clothes and work the land with foot ploughs. At the end of your hike, you will be rewarded by a relaxing bath in the hot springs found in the town of Lares.
Live the Lares trek Experience in video !
Today we pick you up at 5:00am and travel with our private van for 2 hours to take a breakfast in front of Pisac’s ruins. After a visit of Pisac, we will take you to the village of Huaran (2840m) located in the Sacred Valley between Pisac and Urubamba. Huaran is the start of the trail. We will meet up with the horsemen and pack the horses. Leaving the Sacred Valley behind us, we head northwards following a gently climbing trail that runs parallel to the small Cancha Cancha River. It takes 4 hours of walking to our destination, the small village named Cancha Cancha (3800m) where we will spend the night. In Cancha Cancha, we will have our fresh and delicious lunch prepared by our chef, after a nice siesta, we explore this isolated community called Cancha Cancha (no bus route & electricity) and visit some local houses where you may interact with locals, for this would be nice if you may take some toys, old usefull clothes, notebooks, fruits or any supplies, they will always be happy to receive it from you.
Leaving Cancha Cancha we continue north east up the valley, passing small thatched stone houses. After 3 hours the path flattens out before climbing steeply for 2 more hours to the highest pass, called Pachacutec Pass (4758m). From the pass you will be rewarded with superb views of Pachacutec Lake and the snowy peaks of Pitusiray. The path continues for an hour along a narrow ridge until dropping down into a beautiful secluded corrie filled with glacial lakes (Lunch). The lip of the corrie descends into the next valley, following a series of cascading waterfalls up to the village of Quishuarani (3700m). We will camp here for the night. At the camp, tents will be ready to get in and then get hot shower will be available for refreshing!! Enjoy tea time and dinner and then to bet in our confortable tents.
The Lares Trek continues on the 3rd day after breakfast. We walk to Hillkicasa pass (4200mt/13779ft), the second one of the trek. From here you can enjoy spectacular views on either side. The majestic Colquecruz and Pitusiray mountains are a special treat to watch from the pass. We continue the trek through the Puna grasslands, agricultural sites and lakes. After 3 hours we reach Cuncani, a small peasant community. From Cuncani we head down through a lush valley with even more agricultural areas, seeing lovely native flowerslike begonias and wild orchids. We reach our destination, Lares town (3100mt/10170ft), after a 2 hour walk. This is the district (also called Lares) capital, we enjoy the natural volcanic hot spring for more than 1 hours. Once lunching in Lares we will take our private transport to Ollantaytambo (journey takes 3 hours) from where we will catch the train to Aguas Calientes where we spend the night in a hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel; at 5:00am we will take the first bus to Machu Picchu citadel, one of the 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site: it will be an unforgettable experience! Your guide will expertly direct you throughout the astounding vestiges and its main streets. Then you could wander around the town squares as well as climb the Wayna Picchu . Once the guided tour is over, you will have some free time to explore further the site on your own, to go up to the Sun Gate, to relax or to meditate. Finally you will descend to Aguas Calientes and, later on, board the train at 4.22 pm for the return trip to Cusco; you will stop at the Ollantaytambo Station and be picked up and driven to your hotel in Cusco.
“The best Lares Trek Machu Picchu around is available on any date that is best suited for you as long as we have a minimum of 2 hikers”
*** This price includes the extra personal porter who will carry your belongings up to 7 kilos, guided tour in Sacred Valley (Pisac Inca ruins) are included in the price and we will provide you with a duffle bag.
EXTRAS
ADDED VALUES FOR FREE
As a Professional Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffle bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra porter who will carry up to 7 kgs or 14 pounds including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing.
We highly recommend a small backpack 30 to 40Litres for hiking in the day. A big backpack will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.