Lares Trek 4-day tour
Descripción:
An excellent alternative to the Inca Trail, this fabulous trek provides an authentic glimpse into the life of Andean communities while enjoying breathtaking mountains, lakes, and valleys. Venturing off the beaten path allows you to immerse yourself in the everyday life of the people of Cusco and experience customs as they were in the past. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get a firsthand understanding of the traditions.
Day 1: Cusco - Lares - Huacahuasi.
We will pick you up from your hotel at 06:00 and travel in our tourist transportation to Lares for three hours. Along the way, we will pass through the Sacred Valley and make a stop in the town of Calca, where we can visit the local market. We will then continue until we reach Lares, which is the starting point of the hike and is located at an altitude of 3,260 meters (10,695 feet) above sea level. Here, you can enjoy the thermal baths to warm up your muscles before the hike. After enjoying the hot springs, we will have lunch in this place. Then, we will begin the approximately 4-hour hike to the first campsite. We will gradually ascend for 30 minutes, and then the path is relatively flat. We will cross a small stream and continue through the valley until we reach the community of Huacawasi. During the hike, we will see local people wearing traditional attire, including colorful ponchos and hats. We will arrive at our first campsite, which is located at an altitude of 3,880 meters (12,730 feet).
Day 2: Huacahuasi - Patacancha
After breakfast, we will start climbing for an average of 3 hours through the puna zone, where there are no trees, towards the highest pass called Ipsaykassa, located at an altitude of 4,450 meters (14,600 feet) above sea level. As we ascend towards the pass, we will see alpacas, llamas, and sheep grazing, as well as traditional stone houses with thatched roofs. At the pass, we will take a moment to rest and enjoy the incredible view before beginning a 30-minute descent to the beautiful Ipsaycocha lagoon, where we will have lunch. We will then continue walking to our campsite for an average of 2.5 hours. This path is relatively flat with some ups and downs for about an hour. Afterward, we will gradually descend for an hour and a half until we reach the traditional village of Patacancha. Our campsite is located at an altitude of 3,780 meters (12,140 feet).
Day 3: Patacancha - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
The following day, after having breakfast, we will take a local car for 40 minutes to Pallata, where we will start ascending a path for approximately 45 minutes to the archaeological site of Pumamarca. This place was an important site for the administration of this entire area. After the tour of Pumamarca and some free time to explore, we will continue walking for 3 hours along a relatively flat path. This path will take us through the valley, following the ancient Inca trail until we reach some agricultural terraces. We will then descend to the bottom of the valley and continue along a path beside the Patacancha River until we reach the town of Ollantaytambo. Here, we will have lunch and have some time to rest briefly. We will then take the train to Aguas Calientes, which takes an average of 2 hours. In Aguas Calientes, we will take you to your hotel where you can rest.
Day 4: Machu Picchu - Cusco.
included
- Transportation to Lares (where the trek starts)
- Train tickets Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo
- Camping equipment: tents, sleeping mats, dining tent, kitchen, tables, and chairs
- 01 night of hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes
- Round-trip bus transportation to Machu Picchu
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
- Professional guide
- First aid kit and oxygen
- Horses or mules for equipment transportation
- 01 canvas bag (7 kg) for personal belongings, carried by the horses
- Meals (03 breakfasts, 03 lunches, 03 dinners)
- Professional cook
- Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
not included
- First breakfast
- Last lunch
- Sleeping bag and walking sticks
- Entrance ticket to the Lares Hot Springs
- Tips for the staff