The Lares Trek is an alternative route to Machu Picchu citadel. It goes through the beautiful valleys located among the Andes mountains. This trek receives its name after the Lares valley, which is famous for its numerous glacier lagoons and small Andean communities.
The Lares Valley has an average altitude of 3150 meters (10335 feet) above sea level. It has a temperate climate, with an average temperature of 11° C (51.8° F) during the day. However, the temperature can drop to 1°C (33.8° F) at night.
Visiting Machu Picchu citadel via the Lares Trek is a great way to spend your vacation in Cusco. The Lares Trek is easier to traverse than the Classic Inca Trail and the Salkantay Trek. The mountain passes of the trail are the only sections that are difficult to hike.
Due to its high altitude, traversing the Lares Trek can cause altitude sickness. In order to avoid suffering from altitude sickness, it is recommended to spend some days in Cusco city before taking the trek. By doing this, you will help your body to acclimate to the Andean environment.
Also, the best season to hike the Lares Trek is during the dry season, between April and October. During this season, the trail is safer and easier to navigate due to the lack of rain.
At Sanvil Turismo we offer the best travel packages in the region of Cusco. Our tour guides are professionals authorized by the local government to guide treks and tours in the region. They are experts in the history and traditions of each destination you will be visiting.
We also offer small group tours to the Salkantay Trek, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and the Inca Trail. Explore the beautiful Inca sites of Peru with us.
Your Hotel in Cusco City
5:00 am
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 5:00 am. Then, we will drive to the Lares hot springs, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Once we arrive there, you will have a delicious Andean breakfast. If you want, you can also bathe in the medicinal waters of the hot springs.
Afterwards, we will drive for around 20 minutes to the Lares trek trailhead, which is located at 3300 meters (10826 feet) above sea level. Once there, we will prepare our equipment to start the trek. Then, our adventure through the beautiful Andean valleys will start.
We will walk for around 2 hours to Kiswarani town. During this first section of the trek, we will be hiking through a region known as the “Potato Valley”, famous for its numerous native potato fields. Then, we will stop at Kiswarani town to have lunch.
After having lunch, you will participate in an Andean ceremony dedicated to the llamas. The llamas are animals native to the Andes. They are used as pack animals in most Andean communities. During this ceremony, you will learn about the cultural and religious importance of the llamas.
Then, we will hike to the beautiful Kiswarani waterfalls. We will set up our campsite near the waterfalls, have dinner, and spend the rest of the night inside our tents. During the first day, we will have walked around 10 km (6.2 miles).
We will wake up early in the morning to have breakfast. Then, we will hike for around 3 hours to the Condor Pass, also known as Pachacute, located at 4680 meters (15354 feet) above sea level. The Condor Pass is the highest point to the entire Lares trek. From there, you will be able to get amazing views of the Lares valley.
Afterwards, we will descend to “El Mirador” viewpoint. We will stop there to have lunch. Then, we will continue descending for around 3 hours to the Cancha Cancha village, located at 3750 meters (12303 feet). We will set up our campsite near the village. Then, we will have dinner and spend the rest of the night inside our tents. During the second day, we will have walked around 14 km (8 miles).
After having a delicious breakfast, we will hike to the cozy town of Huaran, located at 2700 meters (8858 feet) above sea level. Along the way, you will start to notice that the climate becomes warmer. We will be walking among potato and quinoa farms. Then, we will stop at Huaran town to have lunch.
Afterwards, we will board a private vehicle to drive to the famous Maras Salt Mines, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Maras comprises hundreds of water ponds, which produce the famous pink salt. You will have the chance to buy some souvenirs at the nearby town of Maras.
Then, we will return to our private vehicle to drive to Ollantaytambo town. We will stop there to have dinner at a local restaurant. Afterwards, we will board a train to Aguas Calientes town, the entry point to Machu Picchu citadel. The train trip takes around 1.5 hours and follows the Urubamba river course.
Once we arrive at Aguas Calientes, our staff will transfer you to your hotel room. Then, you will have free time to explore the town and its famous hot springs.
We will wake up early in the morning to have breakfast. Then, we will board a bus to Machu Picchu citadel. After passing the security checkpoint, we will enter the Inca citadel. Once inside Machu Picchu, you will have a guided tour of the place.
You will explore the most famous monuments of Machu Picchu. You will visit places such as the Main Temple, the Temple of the Condor, the Temple of the Three Windows, among other Inca structures. If you have booked an entrance to Huayna Picchu mountain or Machu Picchu mountain, our staff will guide you to the respective entrance.
After the tour, we will return to Aguas Calientes by bus. Once there, you will have free time to have lunch at a local restaurant. However, the lunch is not included in the tour price.
Finally, we will board a train to Ollantaytambo town. Once there, our staff will transfer you in our private vehicle to Cusco city. You will be arriving in Cusco around 9:00 pm.
