LARES TREK AND INCA TRAIL 4 Days 3 Nights
The Trek from Lares to Machu Picchu is a bit equal to the Inca Trail hike but with more living culture intact and also has a challenging high pass, although there are many different routes you can take to make this hike. Local Trekkers Peru offers you a 4-day and 3-night hike that includes 2 nights of Camping and 1 night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes before visiting Machu Picchu on the last day. This is a great alternative route and something different from the Inca Trail, as you can experience local life and cross intact Andean villages where residents still wear traditional clothing, retain the Quechua native language and earn a living cultivating the land. In each step we take, we can see the farmers with their alpacas, llamas and sheep, as well as children dressed in colorful red ponchos. We offers the best service to know these places, and make of this route an unforgettable experience until you reach the citadel of Machu Picchu.
Itinerary
DAY 01: CUSCO – CALCA – LARES – WACAHUASI
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel lobby in Cusco at 05:30 am and travel for 1 hour towards the Sacred Valley we will stop at the lookout to take panoramic photos of the Valley and the tour guide will give you a brief explanation of the place, then continue to the village of Calca, where we will make a short stop and a visit to the local market where typical local products are sold, then we will transport you for about 2 hours to the village of Lares (3,100 mals / 10,170 feet) in this place we will welcome our road team (chef, carrier) before the walk we will have the opportunity to go to the medicinal thermal baths of Lares (3,250 mals / 10,662 feet) and enjoy a relaxing bath, the temperature varies between 28 Celsius degrees to 34 Celsius degrees. Then we will begin our adventure, walking Andean flat terrain for about 2 hours for better acclimatization to the bridge of Vilcabamba where our team awaits us with lunch, after lunch we will enjoy a short break and continue for 3 hours to the village of Wacahuasi (3,750 mals / 12,303 feet) during the trek find children from nearby villages using their traditional costumes to welcome us is a great opportunity to support and share good times with them. Wacahuasi is the place of our first day of camp, this camp the night will be colder recommend wearing warm clothes for the night, then we will have tea time ideal for sharing experiences in the day time. Later we will enjoy dinner and finally the night.
Total distance: 11 km (6,84 miles)
- Estimate Walking Time: 4 to 5 hours.
- Maximum Altitude Point: 3,750 mals / 12,303 feet.
DAY 02: WAKAHUASI – SACSALLAULLY PASS – YANAHUARA
Very early in the morning after breakfast we will start the 6:00 am walk, where we will have the best views of the incredible mountains of the Andes. We will walk uphill for 3 hours, arriving at Paso de Paso Sacsallaully (4,646 mals / 15,242 feet). This point offers a rewarding view of the valleys, snow-capped mountains and Lake Aruray Cocha. We will also appreciate species of native birds including geese (Cara Cara), ducks, etc. and other typical animals of the area such as llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos. From Aurora Cassa Pass we descend to the two lakes known as Aruraycocha and Yuraccoha, with the forest of Queunas (typical tree of the Incas). At the side of one of the lakes we will have our Andean lunch with beautiful views. During the next two hours of our walk and before our arrival in Mantanay (3,850 mals / 12,631 feet.) There will be a great change in the landscape. The rest of the walk is downhill through a picturesque valley of Queunares (native) with ample opportunities to take pictures of the Andean flora. Then we arrive at Yanahuara (2,780 mals / 9,120 feet.) A cozy warm village with a comfortable climate, located near Urubamba Valley (Sacred Valley of the Incas). Second camp site in Yanahuara.
Total distance: 18 km (11,18 miles)
- Estimate Walking Time: 8 to 9 hours
- Maximum Altitude Point: 4,646 mals / 15,242 feet.
DAY 03: YANAHUARA – SHORT INCA TRAIL – WINAYWAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES TOWN
Early in the morning after our breakfast, we will take your to the train station in Ollantaytambo and board the train that will take you to the km. 104 the journey is approximately 1 hour. It is here at Km 104 (2,200 masl / 7,217 feet.) where we will begin the walk, pass the bridge that is on the Urubamba river or Willkamayuc which translated from Quechua means (Sacred River) which was very important for incas. Upon reaching the checkpoint, you’ll have to show identification documents either Passport. 2–minutes walking there is the first archaeological center Chachabamba that is hidden in the semi-tropical forest, after this visit, we will begin the walk through stands in ascending up to the next place, on the way, we will observe the Sacred Valley, waterfalls and different types of orchids semi–tropical forest, after 4 hours walking, we will reach Winaywayna (2,650 masl / 8,694 feet.) which shows a perfect example of what was farming at the time of the Incas, as along its slopes lie a large number of farming terraces, where the Incas cultivated different agricultural crops. The name (Winaywayna) comes from a beautiful orchid that abounds in the area and whose meaning in Spanish “Forever Young” and has more than 20 buildings, one of them the (Temple of the Iris Rainbow) also called Temple of Fertility, the visit will be 1 hour on average, then you will enjoy the lunchbox to refuel and continue until we reach Winaywayna control. In this second part of the tour we will walk for 2 hours through an Andean plan, stone stairs and tambos (resting places) until we reach the Inti Punku – Puerta del Sol (2,720 masl / 8,923 feet) that during the Incas functioned as control of entry to the Citadel of Machu Picchu; From here you have an impressive panoramic view of Machu Picchu and the entire surrounding valley, then descend for approximately 30 minutes to the wonder of Machu Picchu world (2,490 masl / 8,169 feet) and finally take the bus to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu Town (2,160 masl / 7,086 feet) the trip lasts 25 minutes, here we will spend the night in a very comfortable hotel. If you are not very tired, you have the option of visiting the thermal baths that is 10 minutes from the town, the cost is 10 soles. For those who like to dance or have a drink in a bar, we inform you that Aguas Calientes has a wide variety of bars and restaurants, including an ATM, in case you wish to withdraw money from the bank. Here we will also have a delicious a la carte dinner in a very cozy restaurant in this town. Hotel night in the towns of Aguas Calientes.
DAY 04: MACHU PICCHU! – CUSCO
This day we visit Machu picchu again, after breakfast your guide will meet you by your hotel lobby and you go to the bus stop to board the bus, we will drive for about 30 minutes to reach the citadel of Machu Picchu we pass the control where you show your ticket and passport, you will have a private, guided tour, to visit the most important places in Machu Picchu such as the Main Plaza, the Sun Temple, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and cemeteries, the tour will be for more than two hours, After the visit, you will have free time to visit Machu Picchu on your own (optional, climb the Huaynapicchu or Machu Picchu mountain, this costs an additional $ 25 USD per person). You can also hike to the Sun Gate or the Inka Bridge, for these 02 places there are no additional payments. At the appropriate time, we will take the bus and descend from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes usual train departure to Ollantaytambo is in the afternoon, followed by car two hours drive to your hotel in Cusco.
Map
Inclusions
Includes:
- Bilingual and certified Tour Guide
- A briefing about the trek with your guide the day before
- Pick up from your accommodation in Cusco
- Private transportation to go to the Trail Head
- Horsemen and horses (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment).
- Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu
- 1 Night Hotel in Aguas Calientes
- A duffel bag where you can put inside 08 kilos from your personal stuff (it will be carry by the horses or mules)
- Transportations form Yanahuara to Ollantaytambo
- Touristic train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Private Transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
- Four season tents (2 trekkers in each one) you will have enough space to put things inside
- Camping equipment (Kitchen tent, portable chairs and table)
- Mattresses
- 3 Meals per day during the trek (food served in a buffet style)
- Professional Cook
- Availability of meals to your preference (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, pesquetarian, etc) for the lunch and dinner in Aguas Calientes
- Snack for each day of trekking
- Boiled water to drink during the trail
- Availability of meals to your preference (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, pesquetarian, etc)
- First Aid Kit, with Oxigen ballon.
- A Survivor T – shirt, for each member of the group
Doesn’t includes:
- Tips for the team (Is not obligatory but if you wish to do it, it will be welcome)
- Extra expense if you want to buy things along the trail
- Entrance fees to Waynapicchu Mountain or Mountain Machu Picchu. (it has an extra cost of 25 dollars per person)
- Sleeping bags (you can rent from us which cost 20 dollars for a professional one, which can support until -15 degrees celcius or 5 degrees farenheit)
- Walking sticks (you can rent from us which cost 15 dollars for a professional black diamond pair)
- Mineral water
- First Breakfast and last lunch and dinner
- Bus up and down from Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu (Round trip bus cost 24 dollars but just one way cost 12 dollars)
- Upgrade your Touristic Train to a Luxury Vistadome Train to Ollantaytambo (70 $)
packing list
- Original Passport
- A valid student card if you book this trek as student (25 years old as máximum)
- Travel Insurance card (This is just a recommendation)
- Day Pack
- Rain coat or Rain Poncho
- Cold Clothes (For the first and Second day)
- Trekking shirts and trekking pants
- Waterproof hiking shoes
- Bottle of Water
- Flash Light
- Toilet Paper
- Sun Block
- Sun Glasses
- Caps or Hats
- Gloves (for the first and second day)
- Insect Repellent (30% DEET Recommended)
- Sleeping Bags
- Walking sticks
- Camera with extra batteries
- Extra money especially in soles to buy thing along the trek
POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.
Price
PRICES FOR 2024 – 2025
Number of People for GROUP SERVICE : | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 3 | 4 | 5-6 | 7-10 |
Price USD$ (per person): | ||||
720 USD$ | 700 USD$ | 680 USD$ | 660 USD$ | 640 USD$ |
Number of People for PRIVATE SERVICE: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 3 | 4 | 5-6 | 7-10 |
Price USD$ (per person): | ||||
1100 USD$ | 1080 USD$ | 1060 USD$ | 1040 USD$ | 1020 USD$ |