For hikers who want to get off the well-beaten path and escape to a part of Peru that has changed little over the last 500 years, the Lares hike is a must. In this remote and rarely visited region, you will meet real Andean farmers dressed in traditional brightly-colored ponchos. You will pass through local communities and see thatched roof stone houses surrounded by herds of llamas and alpacas. In the kitchens, you’ll see guinea pigs running loose, ready to be captured and cooked. (We’ll have the opportunity to eat guinea pig for lunch or dinner, if you’re up for it!) During the low tourist season, from October to April, you might not see another tourist during your entire hike. For its remoteness and incredible beauty, Lares is the favorite hike for most of our guides.
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Huaran – Canchacancha
At morning we start with the daylight pick up at your hotel at 06:00 am, drive by private car to huaran (, during the car drive there we will stop the in calca town the last chance to shop the some basic equipment and snack, as well good place to buy have hot drink… Following the trip lunch.
After have a nap are climbing up following the narrow trail crossing the small hut and farmers houses by 4 hours, there are school children smile to the trekkers, let´s remember boys and girls no have all the school tool part of the trek is bring some help for them, (pencil, pen, eraser, notebook, etc), before the sunset we will visit the local familys there we will interact with local people doing some activities with them and cancha cancha Village (3900 masl) where is start windy and coldest night (-5°c).
- Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
- Accommodation: Camping facilities
- Distance: 12kms / 7 miles
- Time: 6hrs approximately
- Difficulty: Moderate
Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Kiswarani – Lares hot spring
Second day wake up early, the snowcapped mountains, and llamas walking around the camp ground, there are green landscape, waterfall noise property to have Andean breakfast, on this day along the way up by 3hours stopping Arriving at the highest place called pachacutec (4700m/15419f) we will have the view of the glaciers(majestic apus) sawasiray and pitusiray(5800m/19028f) and an unforgettable panoramic view of the Andean landscape, In this sacred place we will leave our offerings as respect for the Andean tradition, Then we will resume our walk about an hour the road will be undulated, always with the view of the majestic apus.
After the pachacutec pass, will have breathtaking views of the lagoon and waterfalls Two hours downhill it will take us to reach kiswarani (3800m/2467f) We will see alpacas, llamas, vizcachas agricultural fields and people with traditional colorful clothing of the zone We have lunch siesta then we will visit the local comiunity kiswarani.
- Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
- Accommodation: Camping facilities with comfortable tents, inflatable mattress´s, blanket´sand pillows
- Distance: 14kms / 10.3 miles
- Time: 8hrs approximately
- Difficulty: challenge
Day 3: kiswarani – Kuncani – Lares hot spring – Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu
Early in the morning we will have two hours approx. To the second high point called, Hullkiccasa Pass, (4200mt/13779ft) from the pass we will have a very impressive view of th of the vilcvanota range as well as beautiful lagoons., llamas, alpaca and fields of crops. Then we will descend approximately 2 hours downhill to the community of cuncani. Then we will take transport to the medicinal hot springs Lares, transport will take 30 minutes aprox, then we will have the lunch, after lunch we will say goodbye to the team of chefs and Cowboys. Then we will take our transport to ollataytambo 3 hours approximately there will have dinner
Really unforgettable day
In the night, we will catch a train to Aguas Calientes. This is a spectacular journey that starts in the Quechua highlands and slowly descends to lush tropical vegetation as we near Aguas Calientes. Total journey time by train is about 1½ hours. We’ll spend the night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes. Where you’ll no doubt enjoy the opportunity to soak under the hot showers!! We will make it an early night to bed to prepare for your Machu Picchu visit the following morning.
- Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
- Accommodation: Hotel
- Distance: 15kms / 9.3 miles
- Time: 6hrs approximately
- Difficulty: Moderate
Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
The ancient day on the trek is start as early possible to go up by bus or walk, on the clear sky days is able to see the sunrise even when is cloudy is mysteries and majestic, explore with the guide 2 hours after that explore by yourself or to do extra hike surround the city, chance to climbing to huayna picchu and Machu Picchu mountains you need book a ticket for those last ones, on the afternoon back down to Aguas Calientes to return by train until Ollantaytambo (16:20 pm) and transport by car to Cusco arrive hotel (8:30) pm aproxm).
Inclusions
Included:
- Professional English/Spanish Speaking guide
- Private Bus in and out to the beginning of the trail
- Doubles Occupancy Tents
- Camping Equipment: Bathroom tent, kitchen tent, dining tent, stools, tables and comfortable mattresses
- Cook/Muleteer
- Horses and Mules to carry our equipment
- Coffee breaks in the afternoons
- First Aid kit/Oxygen
We recommended to bring
- Personal Sleeping Bag (you can rent from us)
- Backpack and Daypack
- Hiking shoes or boots
- Raincoat/poncho
- Water bottle, flashlight, hat, sun block, sunglasses
- Warm/Thermal clothes
- Chocolates, candies or other snacks
- Camera + Film, Binoculars
