Our Lares Trek and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu merges two memorable Andean trails into one unforgettable journey.
Begin your adventure on the Lares Trail, the most cultural trek we offer, where hikers will spend 2.5 days experiencing the lifestyle and customs of traditional Peruvian villages. Then, you will begin your adventure on the iconic Inca Trail for a day of hiking and camping overlooking the backside of Machu Picchu.
This hike through Lares and the Inca Trail is the perfect balance between connecting with the local people of Peru, connecting with the nature of the Andes, and hiking the famous Inca Trail to historic Machu Picchu.
This trip is for intrepid adventurers who prefer to get away from the big crowds and live the best possible experience in the mountains. You will feel in harmony with nature and enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. You can enjoy this trip alone, with your partner or as part of a group.
The Lares leg of this incredible route will take you through rural Andean communities, where you can spend time with the locals and learn more about their customs and traditions. After spending time among the glaciers and cold mountain peaks, you will embark on the short Inca Trail. You will pass through the warm climate of the Peruvian jungle edge and visit enigmatic archaeological sites to learn all about this amazing ancient culture.
Finally, your trip concludes with a visit to Machu Picchu, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, a dream destination for many travelers from around the world. You will have a guided tour and discover the secrets of this mystical place. Don’t forget to buy your Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain tickets in advance to get the best views of the Inca citadel. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Don’t miss it and book your trip today.
HIGHLIGHTS
ITINERARY SUMMARY
DAY 01: CUSCO – CALCA – THERMAL BATHS OF LARES – CUNCANI – ABRA WILLLIKASA – QUISWARANI
Start your trip with a visit to the Lares Hot Springs to relax and begin your hike. You will visit the Pacchayocc waterfall and the Willkikasa pass before heading to our campsite in Quishuarani. There, you will spend time with the locals and then go to dinner and rest.
DAY 02: QUISWARANI – QOYALAY LAGOON – ABRA PACHACUTEC – CANCHA CANCHA
Walk to the highest point of the route, Abra Pachacutec, before descending to the Cancha Cancha camp. There, you will learn all about local customs and traditions and spend the night.
DAY 03: CANCHA CANCHA – HUARAN – SALT MINES OF MARAS – OLLANTAYTAMBO
Enjoy the last stretch of the trek from Lares to Huaran before boarding our transport to the salt mines of Maras. In the afternoon, we will go to Ollantaytambo for dinner and overnight in a comfortable hotel.
DAY 04. OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104 – CHACHABAMBA – WIÑAYWAYNA – GATE OF THE SUN – MACHU PICCHU
Today begins your journey along the Inca Trail. We will visit the archaeological sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna. Then, you will have your first look at Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate. Finally, you will spend the night in Aguas Calientes.
DAY 05: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
In the morning, we will explore the magical citadel of Machu Picchu before returning to Aguas Calientes for lunch. From there, you will board the train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transportation will take you back to Cusco.
Highlight of the day: Relax in the hot springs and hike through the breathtaking high Andean landscapes.
Immerse yourself in the thermal baths and start your exciting hike.
Today we will begin the epic adventure leaving Cusco early in our private transportation to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After an hour and a half drive, we will stop in Calca to visit the local market and do some last minute shopping. Later, we will continue for two and a half hours more until we reach the thermal baths of Lares (3,200 m / 10,499 ft), where we will have an energizing breakfast.
Before the hike, you can take a relaxing bath in its warm medicinal hot springs. The complex contains pools of different sizes and temperatures whose volcanic waters have therapeutic properties. This will be the perfect start before the hike. Afterwards, we will return to the transport to head to the starting point of the hike, Cuncani (3,800 m / 12,467 ft). There, we will meet the rest of the trekking team: cooks and muleteers.
On the first trail we will find the impressive Pacchayocc waterfall. From there, we will continue until we reach an area full of small lagoons to enjoy our first delicious lunch prepared by our chef in the mountains. Afterwards, we will continue until we reach the Willkikasa pass, the highest point of the day (4,400 m / 14,436 ft).
From here, we will descend for an hour and a half to the Quishuarani camp, where you will have time to explore the small village and visit some of the quaint houses to learn about the lifestyle of the locals.
Later, we will visit the school where the local children speak Quechua, their mother tongue and the language spoken by the Incas. If you wish, you can bring toys, notebooks or other school supplies to share; they will be very welcome given their remote location. You will sip hot drinks while the sky darkens and the stars begin to appear. In the evening, you will enjoy a delicious dinner before heading to your campsite to rest.
Highlight of the day: Spend time with rural Andean people and learn about their way of life.
Immerse yourself in the Andean culture while appreciating wild landscapes.
We will wake you up around 5:30 a.m. with a hot drink. As soon as we finish packing, we will have an energizing breakfast, bring our snacks and fill our water bottles to start today’s hike with lots of energy.
We will ascend for approximately four to five hours to the highest point of the hike, the Pachacutec pass (4,700 m / 15,420 ft). We will zig zag upwards appreciating the amazing scenery of the area, so be sure to have your camera ready. From this point, you will also be able to appreciate the beautiful Qoyalay Lagoon and the impressive Qanchispaccha (seven waterfalls).
Once we reach the Pachacutec pass, you will have the feeling of being in the clouds, where the view of the majestic glaciers of Pitusiray and Qolqe Cruz in front of you is really impressive. Here, you can take some pictures. Then, we will descend half an hour down the slope to the lunch point. Be sure to eat well to recover your energy, as there are still another two hours left for this afternoon.
We will continue walking until we reach the village of Cancha Cancha (3,950 m / 12,959 ft), where you will spend the night. Our team will set up the campsites, so you can spend time with the local people and immerse yourself in their culture while learning more about their way of life. Afterwards, our guide will take you to one of the community’s houses to learn how they live and observe their traditional weaving with alpaca and llama wool.
In the evening, you will enjoy hot drinks and a refreshing dinner before going to rest.
Highlight of the day: Explore the fascinating salt mines of Maras and enjoy the change of scenery.
Explore incredible sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
As every morning, we will wake you up with a hot drink to start the day off right. After breakfast, we will hike the last stretch of Lares; we will descend for four hours where you will be able to observe herds of sheep, llamas and alpacas. We will also pass through fields of potatoes, beans and other regional products; it is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Andean agricultural techniques.
We will descend into the warmer climate of the Sacred Valley. You will feel the drastic changes between the microclimates from the cold mountains to the warm valley. Corn, quinoa, kiwi, peach, avocado and many other fruits are grown here, making it extremely important for the Incas. You will also be amazed by its history. We will finish the Lares trek in the small village of Huaran (2,920 m / 9,580 ft), where we will say goodbye to the trekking team and have lunch before continuing through the valley.
We will arrive at the Salineras de Maras (3,000 m / 9,843 ft), where you can observe its more than 3,000 small salt pools, which are formed thanks to a mountain spring. This salt has been used since pre-Inca times and is still extracted by the locals. It has healing properties and thanks to its minerals it acquires a beautiful pink color. If you are interested, there is a small store to buy some pink salt. It is perfect for cooking and an excellent souvenir.
Later, our private transportation from Tunqui Expeditions will take us to Ollantaytambo (2,792 m / 9,160 ft), considered the last inhabited Inca village in Peru. In this picturesque place, you will have enough time to enjoy an excellent dinner at a local restaurant and rest in a hotel.
Remember to get an early night’s sleep, as in the morning our Inca Trail journey will begin at dawn.
Note: Depending on the time of arrival at Ollantaytambo and if time permits, we may visit the archaeological site (entrance ticket not included).
Highlight of the day: Travel part of the original Inca Trail and visit some of the most important sites of their empire.
Travel back in time and follow the footsteps of the Incas through historical sites.
After breakfast, we will head to the station to board the train and travel along the mighty Urubamba River. Our destination will be KM 104, the starting point of the Inca Trail, watching the sunlight gradually illuminating the shadows of the mountains. Once there, we will descend and go to the checkpoint to enter the trail.
From the checkpoint in Chachabamba, we will begin the trek along the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu for approximately 6 to 7 hours. You will visit the most outstanding sites such as Chachabamba and Wiñaywayna, and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by our chef with spectacular views and a variety of flora and fauna.
You will arrive at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) where you will get your first glimpse of this impressive archaeological site. After arriving at Machu Picchu in the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to see the wonder with fewer people when everyone is leaving.
Then you will take the bus to Puente Ruinas, where the chef and porters will be waiting for you to have dinner, spend the night and enjoy this camping experience.
Upon arrival at the camp, the tents will be ready; you can take a refreshing hot shower, enjoy tea time with the guide, and have dinner before sleeping in the comfortable private tents.
Highlight of the day: Enter the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, and explore its ancient streets and incredible architecture.
Discover the amazing Inca citadel of Machu Picchu
The most important day of this adventure is to visit Machu Picchu. We will wake you up very early from your private tent with a cup of coffee; after a nutritious breakfast, we will take the first buses to Machu Picchu to contemplate the sunrise. This will make this trip a unique experience, as it will allow you to arrive twice to Machu Picchu, for sunset and sunrise on this day.
The guided tour lasts 2 to 3 hours; we will explore the most outstanding sites of the citadel: temples, palaces and enclosures. If you have reserved tickets, you will have the option to do the additional hikes to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (which is different from the citadel of Machu Picchu).
After the tour, we will show you how to return by bus to Aguas Calientes, have lunch (not included) and board the panoramic trains to Ollantaytambo and the transport back to Cusco. Tunqui Expeditions will drop you off directly at your hotel around 7:30 pm.
