Our Classic Lares Trek 4 days to Machu Picchu, is the perfect option for those who want to escape from the big crowds, walk among impressive landscapes and witness rural Andean life up close. You can choose this trek whether you are traveling alone, as a couple or in a group.
The trek traverses the golden Polylepis forest in the valleys to the snowy peaks, an autumn trek north of Cerro Pumahuanca in the Sierra Occidental of Cusco, overwhelms with its beauty and the immensity of the landscape full of llamas and alpacas. with the locals in colorful costumes.
You will stop at different small communities and share some special moments with the people who live there. You will be able to learn some of their customs and traditions and witness how they live in these rural parts of the world and live off the land.
After these magical days in the mountains, you will end your trip with a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World: the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu. Explore this incredible site with your guide and then on your own as you discover its secrets and feel its incredible energy. Do not miss this epic trip of the classic Lares trek 4 days to Machu Picchu!.
Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then we will go to Calca, a small town in the Sacred Valley. Here you will have your last chance to buy last minute supplies. Continuing, we will drive for about three hours in the direction of Lares, passing the highest point of the day at (4,265 m – 13,992 ft), where the Sawasiray and Pitusiray mountains rise. Then we will descend to the Lares Valley until we reach the small town of Lares.
In Lares we can take advantage of the local hot springs, famous in the Cusco Region for their healing properties. These natural springs are said to be excellent for stomach and rheumatic ailments, conditions such as arthritis, as well as treating fractures, muscle pain, and more. Today we will have our lunch half way to the first camp.
After lunch, the adventure continues, along this section of the trail we will see some herds of llamas and alpacas, and we will arrive at our first camp located in the town of Wacawasi 3,800 m / 12,464 ft. At the camp after our arrival, we will have our tea time and dinner. Wacawasi is a community of traditional weavers, and you’ll be able to spend some time watching the local weavers at work, and maybe give it a try yourself.
We will start the day early in the morning with a hearty breakfast, to boost our energy levels for what will probably be the most difficult day of our trek. Starting off, it’s a steep uphill climb to Paso Puerto at (4,420m/14,498ft), the highest point reached on our Lares trek. The view from up here is sublime, with views of the surrounding mountains and the beautiful Lake Aruraycocha below us. perfect to offer some coca leaves to the spirits of the Andes making an apacheta mark a limit or path.
We will then descend towards the lake, stopping to admire its crystal clear glacial waters.
We will then drive through the Mantanay conservation area, where the natural environment changes. This region has forests of polylepis trees, locally known as queuñas, which provide an important refuge for many species of birds, including some in danger of extinction. Mantanay is also dotted with lagoons, around which various species of hardy shrubs and trees grow. We will have lunch on the shores of one of these beautiful lakes. If we are lucky, we might even see a huge Andean condor as it swoops down on us.
After lunch we will continue our walk downhill until we reach the town of Mantanay, a valley with beautiful Andean trees called Queuña (a typical tree from the highlands of Peru that grows between 3400 m / 11 152 ft to 4300 m / 14 104 ft, polylepis “Rosaceae” is a genus of low trees with rough, scaly bark).
our second camp, at about 3,800 meters. This is another great opportunity to interact with the local villagers and see how they live their lives in this remote region. In Mantanay we will have a tasty dinner and sleep at night.
Our last day of lares trek to machu picchu 4 days will be a relatively easy walk of between four and five hours. After having our breakfast, we will descend for approximately 3 hours to Yanahuara, a nice colonial city of Yanahuara in the Sacred Valley, passing through more spectacular landscapes where the Incas once roamed. The weather should be warmer as we descend towards Yanahuara, passing near fields of white corn typical of this region. Once we reach Yanahuara, we will have our last meal together. At this point, our cooks and porters will leave you in the capable hands of your guide. This marks the end of our trek to Lares.
After having lunch, we will take our private transport to the train station in Ollantaytambo, from this place we will continue by train to the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town) for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, where we will spend the night. in a hotel, not far from our final destination: the magnificent Machu Picchu.
To better appreciate Machu Picchu, we will get up early in the morning to be able to arrive at the citadel on time. You will first have time to have breakfast and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel around 5:40 am. We will then walk to the bus starting point for the short but zigzagging climb up the road to Machu Picchu.
We will then pass through the gates to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. Here you will start your guided walking tour with an experienced and very knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last approximately two hours and will take you to all the most famous and spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian, the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza, and other key locations. And as we walk, we will have spectacular views of the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains and deep gorges. After the guided tour, you will have time to explore Machu Picchu at your leisure, perhaps walking to some lesser visited parts such as the Inca Bridge.
Once we have finished our tour of Machu Picchu, we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where you can relax and have lunch (not included) before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo. Upon your arrival at the station, we will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you will finish the entirety of your incredible Lares trek to Machu Picchu 4 days trek.
The views on our hike were absolutely incredible. My 17-year-old son says it may be the most beautiful place he’s ever been. The food was fantastic. I have never eaten so well on a camping trip. Our guide Juan was the best! There was a general strike that closed the roads and may have derailed our visit to Machu Picchu, but Juan moved heaven and earth to get us there. I would definitely work with Juan again and book with PERU TREK.
It was an incredible experience, our guide Alex taught us a lot, the views and freedom we had on the trip were unmatched, the chefs fed us 3 times a day as if we were in a restaurant, we made great friends with the PERU TREK group it will be a trip I will never forget.
Wow…where do I start. I came across PERU TREK reviews based on the words of many other travelers. We originally booked it before Covid so our trek was a long time coming. Not a word of lies, it was worth every second of waiting. My four companions and I did the Lares Trek (4 days/3 nights) instead of the Inca Trail. More culture, more down to earth… less touristy and it was more than we could have hoped for. The mountains, the glaciers, the views, the towns, the culture, the laughter, the pain (it’s worth it) and wow, wow… what food!! The chefs outdid themselves at every meal. You really made the trip what it was, it wouldn’t have been the same without you and your hilarious banter and caring. If you wonder which company to book your Trek with, look no further. You just found it.
