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Mountain lakes and Andean alpacasRoute: Cuzco - Machu Picchu - Sacred Valley - CuzcoThe five-day Lares Trail is a great alternative to the Inca Trail, trekking through the scenic Andean countryside of rural villages, llamas and alpacas. If you’re looking for a more in-depth experience of life in the Andes on your Peru holiday, and providing you’re relatively fit, this Lares trek to Machu Picchu still offers enough of a challenge, though its a lot less strenuous than the Inca Trail. You’ll spend three days trekking across the Lares Valley to the north-east of Cuzco, through a landscape of mountain peaks, rock formations, clear mountain lakes and herds of fluffy Alpacas. You might even spot the Andes Ibis and the vizcacha, the Andes rabbit. Passing through several small villages you’ll get a taste of daily life in the valley. Your Lares trek ends in the village of Ollantaytambo where you’ll board the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. You’ll spend the night here so you can get up to Machu Picchu early the next morning before the crowds arrive and take the train back to Cuzco later that day. If you're interested in another route through the Andes and to Machu Picchu, then check out our other Salkantay trek or the popular Inca Trail trek, In the footsteps of the Incas. Alternatively, our Sacred Valley tour module is a great way to see more of the Sacred Valley around Cuzco at the end of the Lares Trail. |
| Duration |
5 days / 4 nights Departure daily April - November, other months on request only |
Accommodation |
2 nights in double tent, basic facilities, 2 nights in double room incl. breakfast. |
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Price |
£480 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
Transport by scheduled bus and train, camping equipment (excl. sleeping bag), full board during trek with guide and Machu Picchu entrance fee. |
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Transport |
Scheduled bus and train |
Excludes |
Other meals. |
Day 1: Cuzco - Lares - Cuncani - QueullacochaOn day one of your Lares trek, the trail begins early in the morning in Cuzco. You can leave your bags in storage at hotel reception, so just pack the essentials for the next couple of days. After breakfast, you'll head to Cuzco bus station where you’ll meet up with your guide and together take the local bus (can be pretty full) to Calca. At Calca the bus will make a 30 minute stop, enough time to buy some snacks at the local market. After about 3 hours, you’ll arrive in the colonial town of Lares, where this Peru trip gets its name from. The area has a comfortable warm climate, there are fruit trees everywhere and the town is famous for its hot springs - so don’t forget to bring your swimming trunks! |
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From here it’s a short 20 minute walk to Trapiche, where you’ll stop off for lunch before the real hard work begins; a 4 hour climb to the Cuncani pass at 3780m. Here, your Lares trek leads through a lush green countryside of wild orchids and begonias and several small villages where the locals still wear the traditional dress. If you’re lucky, you might even spot an Andean Ibis or alpaca on the way. At the end of the long climb, you’ll reach the crystal blue lake Queullacocha (4150m) where the porters will have already set up camp. You can help prepare dinner or find a nice spot to watch the sunset. In the evening you can swap travel stories of your Peru adventures with the other trekkers in your group. The nights at this altitude are very cold, so make sure you have plenty of warm (layered) clothes and a good sleeping bag. |
Day 2: Queullacocha - Abra Huilquikasa - Soroy CochaAfter breakfast it’s time continue your Peru trekking holiday and lace up your boots again for the next challenge on your Lares trek. It’s not a long trek today, but it’s a tough one, seeing as it’s another steep climb to the Abra Huilquikasa pass at 4400m. Once you reach the top you’ll forget all about the hard work as, stretched out before you lie the snow-capped Andes and the shimmering lakes. On the way up you might see a couple of vizcacha, a type of Andean rabbit, or the Andes goose.Near the pass you’ll make a lunch stop and, once you’ve regained your strength with a full stomach, you’ll make your way downhill to the next camp at Soroy Cocha at 3800m altitude. You’ll pass a couple of glacial lakes and small waterfalls and follow a stretch of the famous Inca Trail to the camp site near a lagoon. When you get to the camp you'll find the tent already pitched up for you and a hot cup of coca tea brewing on the fire. |
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Day 3: Soroy Cocha - Huaran - OllantaytamboIt's another early start for day three of your Lares trek. Your feet might still be aching from yesterday’s climb, so you’ll be pleased to know it’s mainly downhill today. The trail leads past several traditional mountain villages where it seems like time has stood still. After about 5 hours, you’ll arrive in Huaran at 2280m where you’ll stop for a picnic lunch. On a clear day you can see the Chinchero and Maras plains in the distance. After lunch you’ll follow the trail further downhill to Ollantaytambo, a small Inca village on the railway from Cuzco to Machu Picchu, where your Lares trek ends.Tonight you’ll sleep in the village in a very basic hotel, but there’s a shower and a warm bed so, compared to the past couple of nights of your Peru trip, it’s an absolute luxury. If there’s time, you can visit the fortress, the only citadel in the area where the Incas managed to fend off the Spaniards. In the village you’ll find a couple of small restaurants, a bar, a museum and a local market. |
Day 4: Ollantaytambo - Aguas CalientesToday is the fourth day of your Peru trip and, depending on what time your train to Aquas Calientes leaves, you can visit the fortress again. Your ticket’s still valid and if you’re feeling up to it, it’s worth climbing up there early in the morning around 7am. Perched on a rock ledge high above the village, you can watch the sunrise and see Ollantaytambo slowly creaking to life.Later in the morning, take the train to Aguas Calientes, the village at the foot of the Machu Picchu. The journey takes about 1 ½ hours. Aguas Calientes is a lot more touristy because it’s an obvious stop for everyone visiting Machu Picchu. Once you’ve checked in to your hotel, spend the rest of the day exploring the village. Instead of having a main square, Aguas Calientes is centred around the railway that runs straight through the town. The railway is lined with dozens of restaurants so there’s plenty of choice for lunch or dinner. If you want to soothe your aching muscles, visit the local hot springs (translation of Aguas Calientes) or go for a short walk through the surrounding area. Have an early night tonight as you’ll be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow for your visit to Peru's star attraction, and the real highlight of your Lares trek…. |
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Day 5: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - CuzcoYou’ll need to be up before dawn today to be one of the first at the gates of Machu Picchu. Buses to the ruins leave from Aguas Calientes from 5.30am. It’s a 20 minute drive up a steep sandy road. You could continue your Machu Picchu trek by walking, it takes about an hour. If you get here early enough you’ll be able to enjoy the ruins in relative quiet before the hoards of day-trippers arrive from Cuzco around 10.30am. Besides, the ruins are at their most magical at this time of day, as the sun slowly creeps up behind the mountains and the veil of mist lifts to reveal the ancient Inca city in all its glory- sure to be a highlight of your holiday in Peru.Only when the mist has lifted can you begin to grasp the sheer size of the complex. You’ll visit the ruins without a guide. The history, the purpose and even the decline of this Inca city still remains a mystery, so no guide would be able to tell you exactly what happened here. Wandering among the temples, houses and corridors you can decide on your own theory. If you’d like to have an English-speaking guide anyway, you can book one at the entrance. |
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The fact remains that the Incas managed to keep Machu Picchu hidden from the Spaniards and it wasn’t until 1911 when an American archaeologist stumbled upon the overgrown and deserted ruins completely by accident that Machu Picchu was finally revealed to the outside world. As you walk among the ruined buildings, the city really comes alive and the terraces, temples, houses and structures show how sophisticated the Incas were for their time. Still, this ancient city complex is shrouded in mystery and even today scientists and historians have different theories on the Inca empire, none of which have ever been proven. Early in the afternoon, you'll collect your bags at the entrance and take the standard train back to Cuzco. Leave the train at Poroy, the last stop on this route and take a taxi back to Cuzco, about 15 minutes’ drive, where this Peru trip will finish. As you’ll arrive in Cuzco late in the evening feeling exhausted, we recommend booking the hotel in advance for this last stop on your Lares trek. |
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What to pack for your Lares trek (you can leave the rest of your bags at the hotel in Cuzco) |
•Water bottle and water purification tablets | •Sun hat/cap | •Toilet paper |
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