The Lares Hike to Machu Picchu is a fantastic excursion that departs from the traditional tourist routes, as you climb out of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to enter another equally surprising valley, the Lares valley.
Through the Lares Walk to Machu Picchu we will appreciate beautiful lagoons, extensive grasslands (Ichu), beautiful landscapes of the snow-capped mountains of the Vilcanota mountain range. The inhabitants of this part of the Lares Valley have agriculture, animal husbandry, and the famous fabrics that can be found in Willoq and Patacancha as their main source of income. Ponchos and clothing are made with great skill, even using their designs geometric features with the same Inca techniques turning Alpaca wool into textile masterpieces.
If you are looking for a different experience, come with us on this pleasant adventure enjoying life in the Andes, preserving and respecting its customs and traditions, the walk to Lares offers us this authentic experience.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Cusco – Calca – Lares – Wacahuasi
We will start our journey at 06:00 am, at this time our team will pick you up from your hotel and then we will go in our transport to the sacred valley, after 1 hour and 30 minutes of travel we will arrive at the town of Calca where we will make a small stop and if you forgot to buy something, this is the place to do it, then we will continue our journey for approximately 2 more hours until we reach Lares, a town located in the Peruvian Andes, in this place we can find the thermal baths of the same name, where we can enjoy a relaxing bath.
After enjoying the thermal baths of Lares, we will not meet with the whole group that will accompany us on this beautiful walk through Lares, likewise they will already have ready the camping equipment that will be carried by the horses, this first day we will enjoy the landscapes Andean, the flora and fauna of this Andean area, at the end of the day we will arrive at the town called Wacahuasi where we will have our first camp.
Day 02: Wacahuasi – Ipsaycocha – Patacancha
After a good breakfast we will start our trek, this day our way will be through beautiful lagoons typical of the Peruvian Andes, we will reach the highest point of our trek and we will observe the Vilcabamba mountain ranges.
The highest point of our walk is Ipsaycocha (4,500 m / 14,764 ft), from where we can observe the beautiful Ipsaycocha lagoon (4,470 m / 14,665 ft), the people who inhabit these beautiful landscapes have the raising of American camelids like the Alpaca that provide meat and Lana and the other camelid in the Llama that still use it as a pack animal to transport the few products that can be grown at this point.
In the afternoon we will arrive to Patacancha where we will have our second camp, where we will stay overnight until the next day.
Day 03: Patacancha – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
After breakfast we will have time to celebrate a small ceremony with our cooks and muleteers who accompanied us on our trip, after this we will continue with our walk to Ollantaytambo where we will have our lunch, on the route we will cross towns like Huilloc which are traditional towns and They are well known for making looms, and the traditional red clothing that characterizes them, we can also appreciate Inca archaeological sites such as Huancaure and Hatunyanaorco, after lunch we will go to the train station in Ollantaytambo that will take us to Aguas Calientes.
Day 04: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
This we will have our breakfast at our hotel, then we will go to take the bus that will take us from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu, this journey has a duration of approximately 20 minutes, then we will have a guided tour of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes where our guide will It will explain the history of Machupicchu and also show us the important places within this wonderful Inca city.
After finishing this guided tour we will have time to visit machupicchu on our own, keep in mind that we have to be in Aguas Calientes, specifically at the train station 30 minutes before the time of departure, from this place we will return to Ollantaytambo where our mobility will be waiting for you and we will return to Cusco and this is how our services end.
IT INCLUDES:
- Professional bilingual guide for the Lares Walk to Machu Picchu (English-Spanish) to Ollantaytambo.
- Second professional bilingual guide for Machu Picchu (English-Spanish) (Private from 04 Passengers).
- Chef
- Horses to transport food, camping equipment and personal effects (5 Kg maximum)
- Informative meeting before the trip.
- Pick up from your accommodation in Cusco and transport to Lares.
- Double tents with foam mattresses.
- Camping equipment: kitchen tent, dining tent, chairs, tables and W.C. in all the camps.
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee.
- First aid kit and oxygen for the Lares Walk to Machu Picchu.
- Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
- One night is a hostel in Aguas Calientes (double rooms).
- Bus ticket up and down Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes.
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu.
- Train back to Cusco (Expedition service, if you want to book another service or a specific departure time, please inform us in advance).
- Transportation from the train station to your accommodation in Cusco
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Entrance to Wayna Picchu $ 10
- Sleeping bag (can be rented at Choquequirao Travel).
- Entrance ticket to the thermal baths on the first day.
- Some meals are not included, such as breakfast on the first day and lunch and dinner on the last.
- TIPS for guides, porters and cooks.
What to bring:
Original passport
Sleeping bag (you can rent from us)
Small backpack to carry your belongings
Walking sticks (you can rent from us)
Bathing suit (if you want to enter the thermal baths in Lares or Aguas Calientes)
Good shoes or hiking boots, and a pair of sandals
Camera and extra batteries
Lantern
Raincoat and plastic poncho (especially during the rainy season, from October to March)
Comfortable and light clothing for the walk
Mosquito repellent
Sunscreen and sunglasses
Sun hat
Warm clothing that includes thermal clothing, hat for the cold, and gloves
Small towel
Toilet paper
Bottle of water with enough content until the first lunch (afterwards we will give them boiled water every day)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Is it difficult to do the Lares Trek?
The Lares Trek has a medium difficulty. Compared to the Inca Trail or the Salkantay Trek, this route is less arduous. The only difficulty is altitude sickness, due to trails located in high altitude geographies.
When is the best season to hike the Lares Trek?
The best season to hike the Lares Trek is during the dry season (from April to October). In those months, the sky is clearer and there is less chance of rain. Therefore, the roads are in better condition for hiking.
How to combat altitude sickness on the Lares Trek?
- One of the biggest difficulties during the Lares Trek is altitude sickness (also known as ‘soroche’).
- The best way to combat this disease is acclimatizing to the city of Cusco a few days before the trek.
- Another option is to drink plenty of water. The Coca tea is also use to calm the symptoms of soroche.
- The Incas, as well as the inhabitants of the Andes to this day, chew coca leaves as a remedy for this and other ailments.
Can I hike the Lares Trek on my own?
There is no restriction for a visitor to be encouraged to do the Lares Trek on their own. However, unlike other hikes like the Salkantay Trek or the Choquequirao Trek, the trails are not well signposted, making it difficult to stay on course.
Can I suffer from altitude sickness during the Lares Trek Tour 4 Days and 3 Nights?
In general, if you exercise regularly and spend a couple of days in Cusco or in the Sacred Valley, you will be able to acclimatize normally. It usually takes 24 hours to 2 days.
The recommended remedies for altitude sickness are WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN IF NECESSARY; Our guides are trained to treat you for altitude sickness.
Can I store my luggage at your office?
Of course! During the Choquequirao Tour 4 Days and 3 Nights, your main luggage can be stored in our office or at your hotel, both are free.