Lares Trek + Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 Days

Lares, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru.

Overview

Lares Trek + Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 Days, gives the trekker the best of all worlds in 5 days. You pass through the most isolated indigenous communities keeping the Inca culture alive, and get the privilege to interact with them. Our own unique route is incredibly picturesque, with majestic ice glaciers, shockingly blue glacial lakes, waterfalls, llamas, and alpacas. On the Inca Trail hike on the original Inca trail just like in ancient times, explore the ancient Inca religious cities along the way and enter through the Sun Gate directly to Machu Picchu Citadel. You get to visit Machu Picchu 2 times. How could you want more!

Tour Lares Trek + Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 Days

The LARES TREK is an excellent alternative to the traditional Inca trail to Machupicchu with the added bonus of visiting isolated Andean communities with long weaving traditions.
We offer you the best service at a great value, a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Explore the lost city of Machupicchu early in the morning with options to see the Sunrise.
Visit Andean communities and learn about the traditional behaviors.
Learn some “Quechua” words – the official Inca language.
We don’t want your trek to be just hiking but we want to create a memorable trip, for that, we have spiritual ceremonies perform by local Shamans, meditation sessions

Activities: Trekking Adventure
Shuttle to Lares: 3½ hour by bus from Cusco.
Difficulty Levels: 3 of 5
Maximum Altitude: 4350 masl. / 14271 ft.
Accommodation: 1 Day Hostel, 2 Days Camping
Optional Activities: Horse Reading, Hotspring.
Locations: Lares, Ollantaytambo, Machupicchu.
Departures Day: Daily Departures.
Starts: Pick up at your accommodation in Cusco around 4:00 AM
Ends: Drop-off at Cusco around 22:15 PM

Price Includes

Transportation.- Tourist bus from Cusco to “LARES” starting point of the Trek.- Tourist train EXPEDITION CLASS round trip from “Ollantaytambo” to “Aguas Calientes town and from “Aguas Calientes” town to “Ollantaytambo”; transfer from “Ollantaytambo” to Cusco.- Bus up and down from “Aguas Calientes” town to Machu Picchu.
Camping equipments.- We provide four-people capacity tent for two persons, brand new four season tents, Therm-a-rest, dinning room tent, kitchen tent, toiled tent, seats, tables, tent for Guides and porters, kitchen gears.
Accommodations.- 01 night hotel accommodation in the town of “Aguas Calientes” based in double ocupancy. 3-stars category hotel.
Entrace Fees.- To Machu Picchu.
Meals.- 3 breakfast.- 3 hot lunches.- 3 hot dinners delicious meals prepared by professional chef food includes pancakes, omelets, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, rice, all rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking, hot drinks including coca leaf tea which is excellent for the altitude. Teatime everyday (tea, coffee, biscuits, popcorn), we offer vegetarian option, We provide available boil water each mourning for your water bottles.
Guide.- English speaking professional guides, 2 guides over 8 people.
Trekking Cook.- Professional trekking chef and Chef assistants.
Horses .- For camping equipment, food and kitchen gears as well to carry your personal items (6kls per person) in duffel bags that we provide. Muleteers.
Others.- First aid kit and emergency oxygen bottle.

Price Excludes

Sleeping bag.- can be rented in our office for US$ 20 for the entire trek (every sleeping bag is washed prior to each use).
Breakfast.- on the first morning. Some hotels offer early morning breakfast service. If not, we stop at “Calca” town for your breakfast and also you can buy some items for the “Lares trek to Machupicchu”.
Meals.- in “Aguas Calientes” town on the final day you must consider a bugged of US$ 15 to 30 in average restaurant.
Entrance fees to “Huaynapicchu” Mountain (US$30). Please advise at time of booking as the spaces are limited.
Entrance.- to the thermal baths in “Aguas Calientes” town (optional) US$ 3.00 and “Lares” town (optional) US$ 3.00.
Tips.- for the staff.

Itinerary

Day 1Cusco - Calca - Aguas termales de Lares (opcional) - Wacawasi

Early in the morning, we’ll pick you up from your hotel. We will then drive for about 3 hours and 30 minutes to get Lares hot springs 3,200 m / 10,496 ft, on the way, we’ll stop in Calca a small town in the Sacred Valley, to visit its typical market and get some items for the trail. Upon our arrival at the hot springs, we’ll meet our muleteers and get ready our rucksacks to start the adventure. The trail starts going up the highland valley gradually. Today we’ll have our lunch at about 1:30 pm on the halfway to the first campsite. After lunch, the adventure goes on, along this section of the trail we’ll see some herds of llamas and alpacas, and we’ll reach our first campsite located in Wacawasi village 3,800 m / 12,464 ft. At the campsite after our arrival, we’ll have our tea time and dinner. Today, we’ll have an option to swim at the hot springs before our hike starts, whose cost is 10 PEN (not included), or just start hiking to the first campsite instead, as the most hikers do, this will be managed by you and your trek leader. Lunch and dinner included (except breakfast which is supplied at your hotel).

Hiking distance: 8 Km. / 4.9 mile.
Hiking time: 3½ to 4 hour approximately.
Highlight: Hiking in the Andean valleys with pretty scenic views, interact with local people (children), llama and alpaca herds along the trail, and camping in a highland village.
Climate: hot in the day and cold in the night.
Acomodation: Camping.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Maximum Altitude: 3800 masl. / 12464 ft.
Minimum Altitude: 3200 masl. / 10494 ft.

Day 2Wacawasi – Wacawasi Pass – Mantanay

Today, we’ll wake up early in the morning and a great nutritious breakfast will make us ready for the challenging day. After having breakfast, we’ll hike up to the highest point on the trail called Wacawasi pass at 4,420 m / 14,498 ft, for about 4 hours from our campsite. On this section of the trail, we’ll still see some herd of llamas and alpacas close to us, and pretty scenic views. When we arrive at the highest pass, we’ll take a deserved break while savoring great views around and a perfect time to offer some Coca leaves to the Andes spirits making an Apacheta (cairn, a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path). We’ll then hike downhill to reach our lunch spot located close to a beautiful lagoon called Aurora Qocha, where we’ll enjoy just prepared fresh meals and hot drinks. After lunch, we’ll continue descending to our second campsite located in Mantanay valley, a valley with beautiful Andean trees called Queuña (a typical tree from the highlands of Peru that grows up between 3,400m / 11,152 ft trough 4,300m/ 14,104 ft, polylepis “Rosaceae” is a genus of low trees with rugged scaly bark). In the evening we’ll take our hot drinks and dinner. All meals included.

Hiking distance: 14 Km. / 8.6 mile.
Hiking time: 7½ to 8 hour approximately.
Highlight: Llama and alpaca herds along the trail, reaching the highest point, beautiful lakes along the trail, and camping in a highland valley.
Climate: hot in the day and cold in the night.
Acomodation: Lodge: Camping.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Maximum Altitude: 4400 masl / 14435 ft.
Minimum Altitude: 3700 masl / 12136 ft.

Day 3Mantanay – Yanahuara – Ollantaytambo Town

Another great day awaits us and a great breakfast makes us ready for it. After taking our breakfast, we’ll descend for about 3 hours to Yanahuara, a village located in the Sacred Valley, where we’ll have our last lunch and say goodbye to our muleteers and cook. After having lunch, we’ll take our transportation to our hotel in the picturesque Ollantaytambo town, where we stay this third night, after a deserved relaxation at hotel, we’ll go for an exploration of the authentic Incan streets in the same town. At night, We’ll have dinner at one of the many restaurants the town has (this dinner is not included). Breakfast and lunch included (except the dinner).

Hiking distance: 7 Km. / 4.3 mile
Hiking time: 2-3 hour approximately.
Highlight: Hiking through the highland forest, exploration of the original Inca streets in Ollantaytambo town
Climate: hot in the day and warm in the night.
Acomodation: Hostel in Aguas Calientes town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Maximum Altitude: 3700 masl / 12136 ft.
Minimum Altitude: 3050 masl / 10004 ft.

Day 4Ollantaytambo – Km 104 – Short Inca Trail – Machu Picchu

At 6:10 am we depart Ollantaytambo train station to Km 104, which is the beginning of the trail. At Km 104 the train stops to get off and go walking to the main checkpoint for the respective registration, this place is located at an elevation of 2,150 m/ 7,052 ft, after the registration we will walk for a couple of minutes and we will reach the first Incan site called Chachabamba that consists in having temples, the main patio, sacred rock, etc. In which, our guide will deliver a great information about this site. Afterward, we will continue walking gradually uphill enjoying the spectacular sceneries until reaching the Wiñaywayna Incan temple whose meaning is “forever young”, where our guide will deliver you a great history of the site. After the exploration of Incan temple, we’ll take our snacks or packed lunch at the Checkpoint of Wiñaywayna. We’ll then continue hiking to Machu Picchu for two more hours, entering in this wonder of the world through the Gate of the Sun, from where we’ll have the first views of the famed Incan city, and take our time to make great shots from this point. Once we arrive at Machu Picchu we’ll take our time to make great shots of the Incan city, as the afternoon is usually with fewer people. We’ll then take the bus to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes town) where we’ll stay at cozy hotel Cabaña, and have dinner at the restaurant (this dinner is not included).

Hiking distance: 12 Km. / 7.4 mile
Hiking time: 6-7 hour approximately.
Highlight: Original section of Inca Trail, exploration of two Incan ruins before Machu Picchu, first views of Machu Picchu from the Gate of the Sun, and gaze out Machu Picchu in the late afternoon.
Climate: hot in the day and warm in the night.
Acomodation: Hostel in Aguas Calientes town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Maximum Altitude: 2650 masl / 8692 ft.
Minimum Altitude: 2150 masl / 7052 ft.

Day 5Hiking & Explore Machu Picchu — Cusco.

Today we arrive at the long-awaited finale of our trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hostel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy its serenity in the soft morning light. The Machu Picchu entrance check point is open from 06:00 AM until 17:00 PM. We will hike up to Machupicchu (a bus ride is optional for $12.00) and enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priest’s houses, the sundial, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the engineering ingenuity of the Incas which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today! Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius in organizing this community in a sustainable and beautiful way on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large!

After this tour, you are free to climb up to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Be sure to book in advance to get tickets for these!). Each mountain takes approximately 3 hours to hike up and down. Another lower-impact option for which you do not need an extra ticket is to trek to the Sun Gate, the main entrance from the Inca Trail (this takes about 2 or 2.5 hours round-trip). Another option is walking to see the Incan Bridge. You will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for more than 7 hours before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes for the train ride at 18:20 hrs (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. A private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco at about 21:30 hrs. Rest your feet and your body now, but we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!

Distance Travelled: 6 Km. / 3.7 mile
Hiking time: 3 to 4 hours approximately.
Machu Picchu guided tour: 2½ hour.
Climate: tropical warm.
Shuttle to Cusco:3 hours by train and bus from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast.
Maximum Altitude: 2429 masl / 7972 ft.
Minimum Altitude: 2040 masl / 6692 ft.