Lares Trek to Machu Picchu: Four Days of Culture, Mountains, and Family History
4D/3N
A different path that leads you to the center of the Andes
The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu (4 days / 3 nights) is a real and very cultural experience that is perfect for people who want more than just a hike: they want to connect with nature, meet real people, and see amazing landscapes.
This route takes you through remote high Andean communities, where people still speak their language, wear their traditional clothes, and follow their ancestors’ customs. This is different from the traditional Inca Trail. You will walk through green valleys, turquoise lagoons, tall glaciers, and queñual forests, all while llamas and alpacas are nearby in their natural habitat.
Every day will bring you new landscapes, real cultural experiences, and quiet times under the Andean sky. The trek ends with a guided tour of Machu Picchu, a mysterious citadel that is one of the wonders of the modern world.
Why do you want to do the Lares Trek?
- Fewer tourists and more authenticity: Take a quiet, uncrowded route.
- Stunning scenery: glaciers, lagoons, high mountain passes, and cloud forests.
- Cultural exchange: Meet Quechua people and find out how they live and what their ancestors taught them.
- At the start of the trek, relax in the Lares hot springs.
- Epic ending: End your trip with an unforgettable trip to Machu Picchu.
Level of difficulty: Moderate
Good for people who are in good shape and have some experience hiking in the mountains.
Perfect for:
- People who want to take different paths to the Inca Trail
- People who love the culture and nature of the Andes
- Landscape photographers, ecotourists, and people who want to learn more about the world
Find out more about the Andes than ever before. Go on the Lares Trek and feel the lively energy of Machu Picchu.
Find the most real cultural way to get to the Wonder of the World.
As you hike a less-traveled path to Machu Picchu, you’ll see beautiful Andean landscapes, lively Quechua communities, and natural hot springs. The Lares Trek is a great mix of nature, culture, and adventure over four days.
Tour Location
Type of Tour
Duration
Difficulty
Trip Details
- Leaving Cusco early in the morning and stopping in Calca for breakfast on the way to Lares.
- Lares' hot springs (3,250 m) are a great place to relax.
- The trek to Huacawasi (3,800 m), where traditional Quechua communities live, begins.
- Hike: About 4 hours | Stay in a campsite.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
- The highest point of the trek is Ipsay Pass (4,450 m), which has amazing views of lagoons and snow-capped mountains all around it.
- Going down to Patacancha, a village that keeps its old ways of life.
- Hike: about 7 hours; sleep in a tent.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
- A short hike to Willoq, then a ride to Ollantaytambo.
- Time to look around the living Inca village.
- Panoramic train ride to Aguas Calientes.
- Stay the night at a tourist hotel.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
- Take the bus to the citadel of Machu Picchu early in the morning.
- A two-hour tour of the main archaeological sites with a guide.
- You have some free time to explore on your own or climb Huayna Picchu* (optional, depending on availability).
- Take the train and a bus back to Cusco.
- Breakfast was included in the meals.
- Professional bilingual guide
- Private transportation and tourist train
- Accommodation: 2 nights at a campsite / 1 night at a hotel in Aguas Calientes
- All meals during the trek
- Entrance fee to Machu Picchu
- Horses for personal equipment (up to 7 kg per person)
- Camping equipment (tents, sleeping mats, dining set)
- Sleeping bag (rental available)
- Trekking poles
- Tips (optional)
- Acclimatize in Cusco at least 2 days before the trek
- Bring warm clothing, a rain poncho, sunscreen, and insect repellent
- Light backpack for daily hikes
OPTIONAL
- Entrance fee to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
- Extra porter or personal horse
- Extra night in Aguas Calientes