Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

We’ll pick you up from your Cusco hotel in our private transportation and drive you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Calca, where we’ll stop so you may buy any items you forgot.

We’ll then continue travel to Quiswarani. This is where our Lares Trek to Machu Picchu begins. We will meet our muleteers and chef here, who will assist us with our bags as we prepare to begin the walk.

We’ll begin with a gentle ascent to a pass at 4200 meters above sea level. We’ll take a little break here to take in the breathtaking vistas of the Andes. We will next proceed up the hill to the Hualcacassa Pass, which is 4225 meters above sea level and offers views of the seven lagoons and snow-capped Andean peaks.

We’ll then take a break for lunch. For lunch, our Andean chef will prepare a traditional Andean cuisine. We’ll then travel to our second pass, Qolqecasa, at 4200 meters above sea level, to continue our trip from Lares to Machu Picchu. We will then go down the hill for a minutes to our camp at Yanacocha at 3800 meters above sea level.

After a traditional Andean breakfast, we’ll go for a walk downhill, passing by traditional Andean residences, crops, and farms that provide a living for many families.

You will also be able to witness alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas, among other Andean camelids. We’ll then climb to the Aururocassa Pass, the highest point of the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu at 4600 meters.

We’ll take a break here to appreciate the serenity of nature and the breathtaking scenery of the Lares Valley. After that, we’ll descend the slope to the Mantanay camp.

We’ll descend through quinoa fields and past potato farms till we reach Yanahuara after a fantastic breakfast. We’ll take a break here for a nice lunch before saying our goodbyes to the muleteers and chefs.

Then we’ll transport you to the train station in Ollantaytambo. You will take the train to Aguas Calientes from here.

When you arrive at Aguas Calientes, you will have free time to spend the day strolling through this rustic village or soaking in the town’s hot springs, where you can spend the night rejuvenating.

Our local guide will meet you at your hotel that night to brief you on the following day’s adventure.

Early in the morning the hotel staff will give you a box of snacks. Then you will be transferred to the bus terminal where you will board the bus that will take you to the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Once at the entrance to the citadel, your passport will be verified. So bring your original passport. After passing the control we will begin our tour of the citadel with our guide who will explain more about the Inca Empire.

Our guide will explain more about the lifestyle of the Incas and the function that each area of ​​the citadel fulfilled. At the end of the tour you will have free time to explore the citadel on your own. If you have booked a trek to Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu mountain, our guide will be directing you to the entrance.

We recommend going to Puerta del Sol. This place offers spectacular views of the citadel and its surroundings. It is the entry point to the citadel for those who walk the Inca Trail.

After this experience, you will board the bus back to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival you will have free time so you can have lunch or walk around the town.

Finally, you will board the train back to Ollantaytambo. Here you will board our private transport and will transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco.