Embark on the Lares Trek Tour to explore remote communities, Andean Lakes, hike along with llamas and alpacas and visit Machu Picchu on the Panoramic trains with scenic views.
Lares trek combines spectacular views of mountains, lakes, Local villages, waterfalls, herds of llamas and alpacas, and Machu Picchu. One of the best alternative hikes to the Inca Trail. Enjoy a rich combination of nature and culture, with extra value-added with our Pachamanca underground hot stone barbecue prepared on the hike’s last day. To book the Lares Trek, you need to make an initial payment of 50.USD per person; the remaining balance can be paid online, in installments, or at our office upon arrival. Discount: All travelers under 17 years old and students under 25 years old with a valid ID can get a 30.USD discount. Day 1: Cusco – Hotsprings – Kiswarani Falls – Blue Lake.- Pick up in Cusco at 5.00 am and drive for 3 hours to Lares hot springs. You’ll have time to enjoy the pools with different temperatures. On the first day, the hike takes a gentle climb for 4 hours to the Blue Lake (3750m/ 1230ft), where we camp. Day 2: Quiswarani – Condor Pass – Canchacancha.- Wake up with a cup of coffee in your tent. After breakfast, start the 4 hours up to Condor pass (4700m / 15,354ft), where you’ll take time to enjoy the spectacular view of the mountains, then continue down for two more hours to the Campsite located at Canchacancha Village (3,750 m / 12,303 ft). Day 3: Cancha Cancha – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes.- After breakfast, explore the village and visit local houses to learn about Peruvian culture. Then, descend for 4 hours into the Sacred Valley for Lunch. After a well-earned lunch, drive to Salineras to visit the more and 3000 ponds, and go to Ollantaytambo to take the train to Aguas Calientes. Spend the night in a hotel. Day 4: Machu Picchu (The Lost City Of The Incas).- Breakfast in the hotel and take the 30 minutes bus up to Machu Picchu. The guided tour takes about 3 hours, visiting the Inca Bridge, temples, and most significant constructions. After you finish with Machu Picchu, take the Vistadome Panoramic train back to Cusco, arriving at your hotel around 7.30 pm. End of Lares Trek. Additional hikes after Machu Picchu guider tour: Huayna Picchu Mountain – The ticket is $75 extra per person, must be booked in advance Machu Picchu Mountain – This ticket is $75 extra per person, must be booked in advance
Start the Lares Trek from your hotel in Cusco early at 5.00 am and drive across the mountains of Cusco to make your way to the Sacred Valley, where you’ll visit a local market, then continue to the thermo-medicinal baths of Lares, taking a total of 3 hours. You’ll enjoy the hot springs, which are divided into several pools with different temperatures, all composed of pure volcanic water, which is medicinal, good for bones, stress, muscles, and headaches. Afterward, you’ll enjoy the first breakfast. Your Lares Trek begins with a 2-hour gradual walk uphill until we reach our lunch spot in Kiswarani village; in this section, it is possible to observe the cultivation of potatoes, herds of llamas, and typical houses of the great Andean community. Our team will be waiting for you with a delicious feast based on local and organic products. After enjoying lunch, meet the trekking team, start hiking to the campsite, llamas and alpacas, native animals of the region, and vital importance to villagers’ economy since they are used for cargo, food, and clothing. The hike lasts two hours, observing diverse landscapes like the immense mountains melting, creating beautiful streams and waterfalls that are the most remote origins of the world’s largest rivers like the AMAZON. Upon arrival at the camp, your tents will be ready to take a siesta or enjoy a tea at the edge of the majestic blue lake at 3750 meters with crystal clear waters that reflect the sky and the mountains at nightfall. After dinner, we can watch the sky full of stars, constellations. We will also observe the Milky Way and learn about Inka astronomy. Day 2: Quiswarani – Condor Pass – Cancha Cancha Community Start the day with a cup of coffee or tea that will be served in your tent, then start packing your equipment for the day. Today you can appreciate the local villagers as they lead their llamas and alpacas very early to grass in the mounatin also the Wallatas (Andean goose= love birds) that swim in the lake. After breakfast, start the 4-hour ascent through the imposing mountains of the Peruvian Andes. In front of you are the majestic Pitusiray mountain and the Condor Pass (4700m / 15,354ft). Then, at the highest peak, we will serve hot tea carried by our staff as you enjoy the breathtaking vistas. After a few minutes of enjoying the stunning scenery, start to descend to the campsite, appreciating various lagoons, birds, llamas, alpacas, vizcachas. It takes around 2 hours until the camp at Cancha Cancha, the only town with modern technology. Canchacancha village (3,700 m / 12,139 ft) is a community that does not have electricity or access road; the houses are made of stoned and straw roofs as their ancestors did, the Incas. After establishing your belongings at the campsite, you can interact with local children learning Quechua words, teaching them English, or even playing soccer with them at 3700 meters. Day 3: Cancha Cancha – Huaran – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes Wake up early to observe the sunrise and the awakening of llamas and alpacas. After breakfast, you’ll have time to explore the village and visit the local primary school, where the ancient Inca language, Quechua, is still spoken. Then you’ll see the local families in their homes to learn their lifestyle, observe the guinea pig, essential for the locals as it is a special dish, and to weave from alpaca and llama wool. Next, continue the last part of the trekking with 4 hours downhill into the Sacred Valley. Along the way, you will observe different types of climates starting from the cold, high Andes where potatoes grow to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where corn, grains, and fruits are being produced with a warmer temperate. The trek will finish in the small town of Huaran, in the Sacred Valley, at 2,700 m, where we have the last lunch with the trekking team. After lunch in the village of Huaran, take our transportation to Salineras to see how locals are harvesting salt since Inca times using the same ancient techniques. There are more than 3000 salt ponds. Then continue driving to Ollantaytambo, a beautiful city located in the middle of the mountains with many natural and cultural history. You’ll have time to explore the town considered “the last living Inka city,” “world capital of native American,” and Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Then, catch the 7:00 p.m. train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you’ll register at your hotel and relax. Day 4: Machu Picchu (The Lost City of the Incas) After enjoying the Lares Trek’s last breakfast in your hotel, take the bus up to Machu Picchu; you need to show your original passport at the gate. Once inside, you’ll take a short hike to Sungate or Inca bridge. Next, you will start a guided tour around the citadel, visiting the most important constructions, temples, palaces, and have some free time to discover by yourself. Optional, you can take additional hikes (not Included) to Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain (different from Machu Picchu Citadel). At the end of the Machu Picchu, you will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, enjoy lunch in the local restaurants, pick your stuff from the hotel, and head to the train station. You’ll board the Vistadome panoramic train back to Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, our TreXperience team will be waiting for you to transfer you to Cusco. The arrival time at your hotel is around 7.30 pm.
During the Lares Trek, you need a comfortable, light backpack that you must carry at all times; this for Machu Picchu must be no bigger than 25 liters. For the Lares Trek, Ultimate trekking will provide a duffle bag for your stuff up to 7 kilos; you’ll get this during the safety briefing held the day before the tour at 6:00 pm in our office. If you are renting from us sleeping bags (2 kilos) and an air mattress (1 kilo), you need to include this on the weight allowance.
WHAT TO DO IN CUSCO? Upon arrival to Cusco (3033 m / 11154ft), you need to take some time to acclimatize to the high altitude of the city. We recommend taking tours around the city like the city tour of Cusco, Sacred Valley Tour before taking the long trip to Machu Picchu. This way you’ll reduce the risk of getting altitude sickness. If you have on Schedule tours like Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake, please try to plan after the Machu Picchu Tour. WEATHER IN CUSCO? Cusco has two seasons: The rainy season from November to March and the dry season from April to October. However, weather in the Andes is unpredictable so it doesn’t matter when you come just bring good rain gear, also prepare for sunny days. Together with our 4 seasons equipment, we will make sure you have an experience of a lifetime despite any adversity. The only one thing you can say about the weather in Peru is that it is difficult to accurately predict. You can Have beautifully clear hot days in the middle of the wet season and hail storms in the dry season – it’s one of the beauties of Peru. Since Cusco city is the main destination in South America, it should not be an issue finding flights and places to stay. However, during high season you must book in advance. If you are having trouble with your bookings don’t hesitate to contact one of our travel representatives. We will be more than happy to assist you in finding the best deals and places for you. VACCINES NEEDED PRIOR TO COME TO PERU If you’re headed to Peru, you need to make sure to consult a clinic or your doctor at least four weeks prior to the trip. Vaccines for Peru vary based on your specific itinerary. A passport health travel specialist will help you decide which vaccines are best for you. Yellow fever (this vaccine may be required based on your travel itinerary), typhoid, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, rabies, routine vaccines. Visit this Page DIFFICULTY OF THE TREKS All of our treks are moderately difficult and challenging but nothing that you cannot do it. So please before you come to Peru make sure you exercise regularly and also acclimatize to the altitude. For this, we highly recommend you arrive at least two days ahead of your tour. BOOKING WITH ULTIMATE TREKKING PERU Booking with us was never easier. We only need to submit the info required below, and a 200 dollars deposit to book your entrance, train, and bus tickets. You can pay the balance once you arrive at our office. Personal information (your full name, exactly as on your passport), Gender, Passport number, date of birth, and Nationality HOW CAN I PAY MY DEPOSIT? PayPal: (For alternative treks and Inca Trail tour reservations a $200 deposit is needed, and $400 for the deluxe tours). The remaining balance you can pay upon arrival to Cusco city directly at our office. ALTITUDE SICKNESS OR “SOROCHE” At high altitude, the air is thinner and each body starts to react differently for the changes in oxygen levels. So basically there is less oxygen going into your body than you’re used to. To counteract you need to breathe faster and deeper and pump blood more rapidly in order to take the same amount of oxygen. This could be shocking to your body manifesting in various symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, poor appetite, lack of sleep. Cusco is at 11,152 feet (3,399 meters) so you may experience some symptoms, on the other hand, Machu Picchu is significantly lower at 7,972 ft (2,430 m). So Machupicchu isn’t really the potential problem. The best way to deal with the altitude is: Breathing exercise. Deep breaths will help you get more oxygen in your body. The best way to acclimatize faster is drinking water, resting, having normal activities. Drink lots of water. This will really help you, but lots of water and try to go to the toilet often. Coca tea. It is in every corner in Cusco city, this plant used through centuries in Cusco to reduce altitude problems. Avoid alcohol and drugs. Alcohol is a big no at high altitude, so avoid the first days to your trek. The celebration is at the end. Use Diamox or the equivalent in Peru to help you adapt to the altitude faster Supplementary oxygen. If needed you can ask in your hotel for free or you can contact us. We will deliver to you at no cost. NUMBER OF VISITORS TO INCA TRAIL AND MACHU PICCHU? The number of visitors to the Inca trail has a limit of 500 per day and 2500 to Machu Picchu, according to UNESCO recommendations. Therefore, it is recommended to book in advance, especially during the high season. The trains are usually full so make your reservations in advance. You can book your visit to Machupicchu only or a ticket including the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains. As long as the name is the same we can update any passport number needed. If you have an old passport and a new one, please send us a photocopy of both. If you don’t have the old you can send any ID with your name. Remember to bring both passports when you travel. DO I NEED TO CARRY MY PERSONAL STUFF? We provide a porter for your belongings (7kg), so you can go carrying only your daypack. WHO GETS DISCOUNT? If you have a valid UNIVERSITY STUDENT CARD at the time or you are under 17. you are entitled to a discount. In order to claim this discount, you have to send us a photocopy of this card. TOILETS DURING OUR TOURS Almost all the treks in Cusco are government regulated, therefore, is possible to find public toilets. Since past experiences with our guests showing discomfort with public toilets in the trails, we introduced our latest Alternative Porta-potty toilets and hot showers on all our tours to maximize your trekking experience. WHEN TO START PACKING? Start packing in advance all necessary equipment for trekking. if you need any assistance you can contact us anytime and come to Peru all prepared just to have fun and enjoy. DO WE HAVE A CHEF WHILE HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS? We have highly trained CHEFS and PORTERS in our tours, capable of handling any special request or diet you may require on our tours Breakfast – Snack – Lunch – tea time – Dinner – wake up tea every day WHERE DO WE GET WATER? We will provide you drinkable water throughout the tours from the beginning until your last day with Ultimate Trekking. This is taken from the natural spring in the mountains and boiled, filtered and then cooled. To refill you must bring your Camelbak or bottle for at least 2 liters each day.
Overview
Overview of the Lares Trek 4 days 3 nights
Highlights of the Lares Trek Tour
Price per person 550.USD Book Now
Day by day summary of the Lares Trek
Included during the Lares Trek tour
Not Included during the Lares Trek Tour
Full Itinerary
Full Itinerary of Lares Trek Tour
Day 1: Cusco – Lares Thermal Baths – Kiswarani Falls – Blue lake
Packing List
What You need to take to the Lares Trek
In your Daypack:
Inside the duffle bag for the Lares Trek:
Important Info
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