Lares Trek – Authentic Andes

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Cusco - Lares Trek - Ollantaytambo - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Duration:
4 days / 3 nights
Price:
From £ 665.- pp (excluding flights)

Take the mountain paths less travelled on the Lares Trail. A great alternative to the busy Inca Trail, you’ll pass remote villages and lakes nestled between snowy peaks. If you’re after an authentic taste of life in Andes, this is the trek for you. It's big on adventure and small on crowds.

After your trek, you'll spend a night in the charming village of Ollantaytambo before taking the train to see Machu Picchu in all its glory.

Day 1 – Cusco – Lares – Kiswarani

Early this morning you’ll be picked up by your guide and the rest of your group for the scenic drive to Lares, the starting point of the trek. It’s a small colonial town filled with fruit trees and is famous for its hot springs, so you take a quick dip before breakfast is served.

You’ll then continue to Punta Carretera at 3300m above sea level, where your trek begins with a couple of hours uphill hike until you reach your lunch spot near the village of Kiswarani. After lunch, your llameros (the horsemen) will tell you about llamas and their importance to the indigenous people. After some more free time spent exploring the village and chatting to the locals, you’ll continue for another couple of hours until you reach your camp site. After a hearty freshly-made dinner, you’ll settle into your tent for a night sleeping under the stars.

Day 2 – Kiswarani – Condor Pass – Cancha Cancha

This morning, you’ll set off early to trek up to the Condor Pass, which will take about 4 hours to reach the summit above the clouds. You’ll be treated to a spectacular 360 degree view of steep mountain peaks and the clouds below you. After a hot drink, you’ll begin your descend to El Mirador, your next lunch spot, before continuing your way to the Cancha Cancha village, where you’ll sleep tonight. On your way you’ll be passing by the lakes and grazing llamas and alpacas. When you reach your campsite and settle in, your guide will take you to the local home, built using the traditional Inca technology. At the end of your day, dinner is served at your camp site.

Day 3 – Cancha Cancha – Huaran – Salt mines – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

Today after breakfast you’ll visit a local primary school, where Quechua, the ancient Inca language is still taught. Then it’s time to start the last leg of your journey. Today the trail leads mainly downhill, giving your aching muscles a bit of breather. The trail passes mountain villages that feel lost in time, and after 3-4 hours you’ll arrive Huaran village in the Sacred Valley. here you’ll jump in a van and drive to Salineras salt pans near Maras. Here you’ll witness the pre-Incan way of crystallising salt, with thousands of small evaporation chambers attached to the side of the mountain next to the salt water spring. Next you’ll be driven to Olllantaytambo where, after dinner, you’ll board the train to Aguas Calientes – the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. Here you’ll stay in a comfortable hotel before tomorrow’s action.

Day 4 – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco

You’ll be up before dawn to reach Machu Picchu, but it’ll be well worth it. Arriving early, you’ll see the wisps of cloud rise from the valley to reveal the Lost City in all its glory. It really is as spellbinding as people say…

In keeping with Peruvian Law introduced to protect the site, you’ll explore the ruins as part of a group, along with an official guide. In the afternoon, you’ll catch a train back to Ollantaytambo and then travel by bus back to Cusco, where you’ll be then transferred to your hotel.