Lares Trek

Day 1: Lares Trek – Cusco – Lares Hot Springs – Huacawasi Community

We will pick you up from your hotel at 5:30am and drive for 3 hours until we arrive to the trail head Lares the hot springs, at 3.200 meters. We will enjoy our breakfast before jumping in the hot spring pools (medicinal waters of Lares). After we enjoy for approximately 2 hours we will finally start our hike with a gradual uphill for 2.5 hours until we get to our lunch spot where our cook will feed you with a fresh, buffet meal. After lunch you will take a short siesta before trekking again. This section is again a gradual uphill for another 3 hours until we get to our campsite at the local village where we will get to spend time with the local people. Today we will have explored the amazing Valley of Lares with great views of the stream, valleys, waterfalls and of course, the exceptional flora and fauna. At camp you will be set you up in your tents. Later on your guide will take you on to visit a family house for a tour so you can experience the local life style of people at this high elevation. Finally you will enjoy your dinner and if you are not tired you can enjoy some star gazing and discover some amazing Inca constellations with your guide.
Walking distance: 11 km / 6.8 miles
Camp Elevation: 3800 meters

Day 2: Huacawasi- Condor Pass – Mantanay

You will wake up around 5:30am with a hot cup of coca tea. After you pack up your duffel, you will enjoy some breakfast prepared by your professional chef and receive some snacks and water. Around 7:30am you will take off from the camp towards the highest peak of the trek. This will take around 4 hours going uphill with great views of the snow capped peaks, valleys, alpacas, llamas, lagoons and if you are lucky enough some condors (biggest birds of the Andes). Finally you will reach the pass where you will enjoy some coca tea and the charming views of both valleys, the Sacred Valley and Lares valley. You will finally get to start descending at this point for 1.5 hours to arrive to our lunch spot where our chef will serve you hot drinks and family style food, all really delicious. After lunch you will have some time for a short siesta depending on the weather temperature and then it will be another 2 hours downhill in order to arrive to our campsite in the middle of trees and streams. After you settle back in your tents you can enjoy a small happy hour with hot drinks and then dinner, finally bed time as you might be tired after surviving the big mountain.
Walking distance: 15 km / 8 miles
Camp Elevation: 3600 meters

Day 3: Mantanay – Yanahuara – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

Wake up today is at 6:30am with a hot glass of coca tea or chocolate. After packing up, you will have a delicious breakfast and around 8:00am you will start walking towards the end of the trail. It will be around 4 hours downhill, exploring beautiful waterfalls, giant rocky mountains and one inca ruin where your guide will explain the history for you. Once you finish the trek you will say goodbye to your cook, horsemen, assistants and continue on with just your guide by car to Ollantaytambo to catch the train to Aguas Calientes. Dinner will be served in Aguas Calientes.
Walking distance: 10 km / 4.5 miles.
Aguas Calientes town elevation: 2000m.

Day 4: Machupicchu – Cusco

Day four is the most magical day: Machu Picchu. You will wake up really early to take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu to see the sun rise over the ruins.
Your guide will take you around for a 2 hour tour and then afterwards you will have time to explore on your own and hike Huaynapicchu if you choose (this is a separate entrance ticket and costs $25 per person). You will take a train back to Ollantaytambo, then bus to Cusco with transfer back to your hotel.
Walking distance: One hour up hill to Machu Picchu
Machupicchu: 2,400 meters above sea level
Area: High cloud forest
Weather: Warm and humid

What is included:

• Pick-up from your hotel
• Transportation by bus to Lares and from Yanahuara to Ollantaytambo
• Professional English Speaking Tour Guide
• Assistant Tour Guide for groups of 10 +
• Chef
• Mules to carry cooking and camping equipment plus 7kg of your personal items.
• Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
• Return transportation by train and bus to Cusco
• Boiled Water (from the first lunch)
• 4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners and snacks. If you have a dietary request such as vegetarian food please let us know.
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• 4 man tent for every 2 trekkers
• 1 Night accommodation in Aguas Calientes on Day 3
• Sleeping mattress
• Oxygen bottle
• First aid kit
• Entrance to Machu Picchu
• Round trip bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.

What is not included:

• Sleeping Bag (Can be hired from us)
• Walking stick (Can be hired from us)
• Lunch and dinner on Day 4
• Entrance to Huayna Picchu Mountain
• Entrance to Lares hot springs 10 soles
• Entrance to Hot Springs in Aguas Calientes 10 soles
• Tips
• Travel Insurance – you are strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

What you need to bring:

• Original Passport
• ISIC card (if applies)
• Walking boots
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
• Warm jacket
• Hat and gloves
• T-shirts
• Comfortable Trousers
• Sun hat
• Sun cream (factor 35 or higher)
• Insect repellant
• Toiletries and hand sanitiser
• Personal medication
• Camera and film cam
• Torch with spare batteries
• Travel Insurance – you are strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

Why choose Peru Wonder Travel?

– Since 2004 in the Tourism Industry, our goal is just to do our best to meet your expectations, with an excellent service to every person and are constantly looking for ways we can improve to make your trip of a lifetime. PERU WONDER TRAVEL do a sustainable tourism in Cusco, we feel that it’s our responsibility to keep Perú pristine and beautiful for all the future generations to come. On all our treks we do everything we can to ensure we leave as little impact as possible. In PERU WONDER TRAVEL you will find reliable, friendly and professional people ready to organize Custom Perú Trip Packages, Honeymoon trips and Family tours with Kids. Just choose from one of the Treks and Tours that we have carefully put together for you or get creative and mix and match our tours and extensions to design an a la carte package to accommodate your personal needs.

Do I need to be fit to do one of your treks?

– All of our treks are moderately difficult, long and mountainous. We highly recommend that you are relatively fit and acclimatised (a minimum of 2 days at altitude) before undertaking them. During the months (or at the very least, one month) before your trip, you should take regular, moderate exercise. We want you to have an amazing experience and the fitter you are, the more enjoyable will be the trek. People of all ages (from kids, teenagers to pensioners) complete the trek and age itself is no barrier if you are positive minded and live an active lifestyle. Before departing for your tour, we recommend visiting your doctor who will be able to provide you with more information.

What is the train time on Day 3 from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes?

– On the third day we will take train to Aguas Calientes from Ollantayatambo. Most of the time we will take the evening train which is at 7.00 pm but sometimes there is not availability so we will take the 3.36 pm train. If you are taking 7.00 pm train you will have dinner at Ollantaytambo but if you are taking 3.36 pm train you will have dinner at Aguas Calientes town.

What is the Train return to Cusco?

– The return train is the Expedition train which departs either at 2.55, 4.20, 4.42 or 6.40 pm. The train that is booked depends of the availabilty and is confirmed at your briefing. There is an option to upgrade the train to the Vistadome which is an extra $65 per person. Please let us know your preference at the time of booking. None of the trains go straight to Cusco, they only run either to Ollantaytambo or Poroy but in either case we will transfer you back by bus to your hotel.

How is the food on the Trek?

– Definitely one of the highlights of the tour is the food. It is always fresh and most of it is organic. There is always a lot to eat and lots of options including vegetables, meat, chicken, fish and other types of protein and carbohydrates. Everyone sits down to eat together and we go out of our way to accomodate all dietary requirements including vegetarian options and any food allergies. We do not provide any alcoholic drinks on the trek but if you would like you can bring your own.

How is the camping equipment?

– We provide 4 man tents for only 2 people and foam mattresses for everyone. Our dining equipment includes a spacious dining tent, tables and chairs, plates and utensils. We do not supply sleeping bags, air mattresses or walking sticks, but all can be rented at the office here in Cusco.
Please note that if you are over 1.95 meters / 6´4″ tall then you won´t be able to rent a sleeping bag in Cusco. In this case it is recommended to bring your own.

How will be our Guide, Cook?

– All of them are amazing, helpful, caring, and great people to be around with. Our guides speak good English and are patient and very professional. They speak spanish and quechua too, the Inca Language, they are all able to communicate with natives from around the area and of course they will have lots of history to share with you.
– Our cooks provide amazing family style food for you and everyone is impressed with what they can whip up in the middle of the mountains.

How can we book Huaynapicchu Mountain tickets?

-If you are thinking of climbing Huaynapicchu mountain you must book at the same time as your Lares trek. Only 400 people can hike Huaynapicchu per day so you will climb it on your own after the tour in Machu Picchu around 10:00am.

Where will we store our main luggage during the trek?

– You can either store your luggage at your hotel or you can leave it with us. You will receive a small duffle bag at your Inca Trail briefing (briefings are normally set for the evening before you start the trek) to pack clothes for 3-4 days. Your team of porters will carry these bags together with the food and equipment for the trail. Please note that you will not have access to these items until the end of each day as the porters will always be ahead of the group, you should therefore bring a day pack in which you can carry personal belongings such as your camera, water and sunscreen etc. By Peruvian law the duffle bag carried by the porters must not weigh more than 7kg (14pounds). You can either store your luggage at your hotel or you can leave it with us.