Lares Trek to Machu Picchu: 3-Night Tour
Cusco, Peru
Trip Type: Multi-day Tours
Duration: 4 days
The Lares Trek is a stunning trip designed to avoid the crowds on the traditional Inca Trail hikes. On the Lares Trek, there are great opportunities to experience wildlife, meet locals and enjoy the ancient Andean surroundings.
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The Lares Trek is a stunning trip designed to avoid the crowds on the traditional Inca Trail hikes. On the Lares Trek, there are great opportunities to experience wildlife, meet locals and enjoy the ancient Andean surroundings.Day 1: Cusco - Urubamba - Pumahuanca - Cuyoc
You will be picked up at your hotel at 5:30am in order to take a panoramic route by car into the Sacred Valley, passing through Chincheros and stopping in Urubamba for a short and small breakfast at a local restaurant. You will leave Urubamba traveling to the entry of the Pumahuanca valley. You'll begin the trek hiking for about 3 to 4 hours to the archaeological site of Inca-Kancha. After exploring the complex you will have the first traditional Andean lunch. You will walk for another two hours, passing an abundance of small waterfalls, and finally arrive at our campsite Cuyoc at an altitude of 4.010 m ASL.
Day 2: Cuyoc - Pumahuanca Pass - Cuncani
At 7:30am you will begin the trek ascending to the pass of Pumahuanca. From there you can enjoy the view of Moray, Maras and the salt mines. Now you are ready for our descent of about one hour along a stone path with a lovely view to both sides of the mountain until you are close to the impressive lakes where you will have lunch and enjoy a brief rest. After lunch you will have to walk for about two more hours mainly downhill, where you will get to the Cuncani which is the main community of the area. You will camp here and enjoy a delicious dinner at the camp site. Cuncani is also very famous for its textiles which are still being woven according to ancient traditions and techniques. You will have the opportunity to buy handmade textiles directly from the people of Cuncani / Lares.
Day 3: Cuncani - Lares - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
In this small village you will have the opportunity to visit the home of a horse-wrangler Luis Cabeza who will share with us his simple and humble way of living, always in close connection to nature, preserving the traditional customs of farming and weaving, showing you textiles which have been passed down for generations, plus giving you an insight to his knowledge of medicinal plants. Afterwards you'll walk another four hours downhill until you reach the village of Lares, famous for its medicinal hot springs, where you will enjoy a hot bath. After lunch a private bus will take you on a three hour trip to the town of Ollantaytambo where you will catch the train to Aguas Calientes, a two hour ride.
Day 4: Sunrise over Machu Picchu and return to Cusco
The last day begins walking (approximately 1.5 hours uphill from Aquas Calientes) or bus for 30 minutes to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. You'll then have a guided tour for 2.5 hours and plenty of free time for further exploring, photos and optional climb of the mountain Huayna Picchu, Temple of the Moon, or the Gate of the Sun. Approximately at 4pm, you will take a return train to Ollantaytambo with bus connection arriving to Cusco city at around 8:30pm, or you can take a direct train to Cusco departing at 4:30pm from Aguas Calientes.
You will be picked up at your hotel at 5:30am in order to take a panoramic route by car into the Sacred Valley, passing through Chincheros and stopping in Urubamba for a short and small breakfast at a local restaurant. You will leave Urubamba traveling to the entry of the Pumahuanca valley. You'll begin the trek hiking for about 3 to 4 hours to the archaeological site of Inca-Kancha. After exploring the complex you will have the first traditional Andean lunch. You will walk for another two hours, passing an abundance of small waterfalls, and finally arrive at our campsite Cuyoc at an altitude of 4.010 m ASL.
Day 2: Cuyoc - Pumahuanca Pass - Cuncani
At 7:30am you will begin the trek ascending to the pass of Pumahuanca. From there you can enjoy the view of Moray, Maras and the salt mines. Now you are ready for our descent of about one hour along a stone path with a lovely view to both sides of the mountain until you are close to the impressive lakes where you will have lunch and enjoy a brief rest. After lunch you will have to walk for about two more hours mainly downhill, where you will get to the Cuncani which is the main community of the area. You will camp here and enjoy a delicious dinner at the camp site. Cuncani is also very famous for its textiles which are still being woven according to ancient traditions and techniques. You will have the opportunity to buy handmade textiles directly from the people of Cuncani / Lares.
Day 3: Cuncani - Lares - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
In this small village you will have the opportunity to visit the home of a horse-wrangler Luis Cabeza who will share with us his simple and humble way of living, always in close connection to nature, preserving the traditional customs of farming and weaving, showing you textiles which have been passed down for generations, plus giving you an insight to his knowledge of medicinal plants. Afterwards you'll walk another four hours downhill until you reach the village of Lares, famous for its medicinal hot springs, where you will enjoy a hot bath. After lunch a private bus will take you on a three hour trip to the town of Ollantaytambo where you will catch the train to Aguas Calientes, a two hour ride.
Day 4: Sunrise over Machu Picchu and return to Cusco
The last day begins walking (approximately 1.5 hours uphill from Aquas Calientes) or bus for 30 minutes to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. You'll then have a guided tour for 2.5 hours and plenty of free time for further exploring, photos and optional climb of the mountain Huayna Picchu, Temple of the Moon, or the Gate of the Sun. Approximately at 4pm, you will take a return train to Ollantaytambo with bus connection arriving to Cusco city at around 8:30pm, or you can take a direct train to Cusco departing at 4:30pm from Aguas Calientes.
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