USD $815 / per person

Lares Trek Machu Picchu 4D/3N

Overview

The Lares Valley is located in the Urubamba mountain range, high above the Sacred Valley of the Incas. During this trek we will visit traditional Andean communities and experience awe-inspiring views of the major snow-capped peaks. We will hike through these ancient forests, of native trees and camp beside pristine highland lakes. Visiting local communities, we will have the opportunity to witness traditional ways of life and handcraft techniques. At the end of our trek there will be time to relax in the waters of the natural hot springs of Lares, before going to Machu Picchu. The Lares tour is a diverse one, since it leads us to waterfalls, condors, cultural highlights and of course Machu Picchu.

4 Days

Lares

12+ age

Departure:

Pick up from your Hotel
Destination:

Lares
Departure Time:

06:00 AM
Return time:

6:00 PM (Approximately)
Clothing required for the tour:

Sandals or plastic slip, warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping
Included:

Briefing, Hotel pickup, Private transport (Cusco to trailhead, Cachora to Cusco), Choquequirao entry, Guide, 2-person tent, Basic mattress, Cook, Toilet tent, Optional vegetarian meals, Bio-degradable soaps, Horses with horsemen, Emergency horse, Dining and kitchen tents, Staff tents, First aid kit with oxygen, Textile snack bag, Hot water, Boiled water (morning, night, lunch with notice).
Not included:

Breakfast on the first morning, Dinner on the last night, Sleeping bags (available for hire), Tips (optional, as agency staff is well-paid).

Itinerary

DAY 1: CUSCO–PATACANCHA-PALCA–CHAULLACOCHA–CHUPANA

We will leave Cusco at around 6:00 a.m. for the drive in our private vehicle through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, as far as the village of Ollantaytambo, where we will stop to eat. There will be time to explore this fascinating village, with its original Inca street plan. From Ollantaytambo we will continue for about another hour as far as Palca, where we will begin our hike, enjoying fine panoramic views of surrounding mountains, lakes and plains grazed by llamas and alpacas. After about three hours, at the small village of Chaullacocha (4,121 meters / 13,520 feet) we will stop to rest and eat a good lunch consisting of traditional Peruvian food. We will also take the time to visit the local village school and to observe how local people produce traditional Andean handcrafts and weavings. Leaving the village we will descend for a further 1½ hours as far as the small community of Chupana (3950 meters / 12,960 feet), where we will camp for the night.

DAY 2: CHUPANI – VILCABAMBA

Today we will begin our hike by descending through a valley, passing through Chaupipampa, with its abundant native flora. We will stop for lunch at Machaypampa, before continuing up to the Quellok’asa Pass, from where there are fine views of the surrounding area. We will pass waterfalls on this section of the trail, as well as a magical place called Condorhuachana (“condor’s nest”). We will also pass through the small villages of Rosaspata, Choquecancha and Cachin on the way to our final destination for the day, Vilcabamba, where we will camp for the night, relax, and take in the natural scenery surrounding our campsite.

DAY 3: VILCABAMBA – LARES HOT SPRINGS – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU

From our campsite the village of Lares is just visible. We will leave our campsite in Vilcabamba at around 7:00 am, heading down and then ascending once more for around 2½ to 3 hours until we reach the hot springs at Lares, where we will have plenty of time for a relaxing soak in the thermal baths, the waters of which are said to be medicinal. After a dip in these pools, we will have a delicious traditional Peruvian lunch. In the afternoon we will continue our journey as far as Ollantaytambo. It will take us around 3 hours to get to this village with its original Inca street plan, from where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. Here, beneath the ruins of Machu Picchu, we will spend the night in a comfortable hostel with private bathrooms and breakfast included. In the evening, we will meet for a dinner to celebrate the completion of our rewarding trek and look back at our experiences.

DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO

Today we will finally visit the magnificent ruins of Machu Picchu (2453 meters / 8045 feet). Our plan is to leave the hotel at around 5:30 am for the fifteen minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu, so we can be among the first visitors to reach the ruins, but we can set off a little later on if you are too tired. Your guide will allow some flexibility in this regard, after discussion with the group the night before. We will spend the day visiting what has been hailed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is situated on a forested mountain peak amid spectacular scenery. During a guided tour of the site the guide will talk about historical and cultural aspects of this lost city. Our visit to Machu Picchu will begin shortly after sunrise, and in the afternoon we will take the train to Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, from where we will head back to Cusco by road in our private vehicle.

NOTES ON THE ITINERARY

The times given on this itinerary are approximate.
Hiking times depend on how the group progresses.
The trip offers plenty of adventure.

INFORMATION

For complete information, please send us an email.
We will have a meeting at your hotel before leaving to give you complete trek details and to answer any questions.

Available discount these discount are not cumulative.

Students: US$ 29 students require a valid International Student Identity Card. Please note that Youth Travel Cards are not valid
Teenagers: US$ 20 up to 16 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings
Children: US$ 46 up to 10 years of age, passport

DEPARTURE DATE

copy required for all bookings.

Departures are available along the year although due to weather conditions, the recommended period for this trek is April to November.

Inclusions

What is included?

Pre trek briefing
Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure
Transport from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the trek in private car
Entry fee to Machu Picchu (Huayna Picchu $15 extra) and Salkantay trek (if charged)
English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide (you will have an assistant guide for groups over 6 people)
Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks
Basic foam mattress
Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups)
Toilet tent
Toilet paper, packin &pack out
Meals (optional vegetarian food). Our professional cooks prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and also traditional Peruvian delicacies. (Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes) Salads, if served, are washed in boiled wáter
Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
Horses (for equipment and personal items) including horsemen. They carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 7 kg/15lbs per person)
1 emergency horse which can be ridden if you are feeling ill or if are a little slower
Dining tent with camp tables and chairs & Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals
Tents for our staff to sleep in
First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
Private transport form Lares to Ollantaitambo
Train ticket (Expedition service) form Ollantaitambo to Aguas Calientes
Bus up and down from Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
Train ticket (Expedition service) from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
Celebratory dinner in Aguas Calientes
Lunch on the last day is included
1 night accommodation in Aguas Calientes in a basic hotel
One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead

What is not included?

Dinner on the last night.
Huayna Picchu entrance fee: if you would like to climb this mountain an additional fee of US $16 per personal applies Breakfast on the first morning
Entrance to the thermal springs.
Sleeping bags – If you haven’t got a sleeping bag or you don’t want the hassle of bringing one all the way to Peru with you, then we have sleeping bags for hire
Tips: please note that our agency staff is well paid so please feel free to tip or not as you wish.

What to bring

What we recommend that your bring :

A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature
Sandals or plastic slip on thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breath in the evenings if you wish to carry them.
Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping
Sleeping bag (we can hire these to you)
Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
Sun block
After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported
Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters etc
Small towel
Swimsuit (if you wish to go to the hot springs
Cash in soles and/or US$
Original passport
Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended
Flashlight/headlamp and batteries
Camera and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
Water container and water for the first morning. Important notice: plastic water bottles are no longer allowed into Machu Picchu. Plastic water containers (ie. Nalgene) or metal ones are recommended
Optionally: water- sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route. Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far
Original International Student Identity Card (in case you have applied for a student discount
Optional: walking sticks or poles (rubber covers required in order not to damage archaeological sites)

Prices

Prices 2019

# People	2	3	4	5-6	7-8	9-12
Price USD (per person)	US$ 1545	US$ 1170	US$ 1035	US$ 940	US$ 865	US$ 815

Optional Extras

Sleeping back $5 per day
Walking Pole $2 per day
Inflatable Mettress $5 per day.

How to make a booking

If you would like to make a reservation for this program, please go directly to the Booking Online section of this website.

Once you have chosen your tour, please read the Booking Terms & Conditions, as your booking is subject to these terms.
Then fill out and submit the Reservation Form that you will find in the Booking Online section of this website.
In case your reservation is confirmed, a money deposit will be requested to secure your reservation.
Once we confirm the deposit reception, your booking is confirmed. A Service Confirmation Form will be sent to you including all the details of your program.

In case you have any doubts, queries or require additional information, please contact us, we will be very glad to assist you. Your request will be answered by return mail