Lares Trek to Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu Lares Trek

We will be leaving from Cusco early in the morning in our private transport. We will be driving through the Sacred Valley of Incas to a small town called Pumahuanca. This is the starting point of the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu. 

We will begin the Lares Trail by hiking all the way up the Pumahuanca valley to get the first lunch place – Paqcha Pata “Waterfall”. On the first day, we will be covering approx 14 km in total. Along the trek, there is a small Inca ruin “CHUPANI”. Here we will be giving you a guided tour. 

You will also have the opportunity to see native plants, spectacular rocky/sharpy mountains, and a small crystalline stream along the trek. 

For the night, we will be camping at our campsite in Puyoc (4150m).

Meal Includes Lunch – Dinner (Extra snack in the mornings and happy hour before dinner).

After breakfast, we will start ascending for three hours to reach the highest point of the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu “Siclla Qasa” pass at 4850m – 15,682 ft above sea level. We will be spending a few minutes here so you can see the beauty of the valley. 

We will then hike down to our lunch camp at “Yanacocha” or Black lake. Here you will see beautiful sceneries, landscapes, Andean lakes, potato fields, vizcacha “Andean rabbit” and local family dressed in their traditional bright red clothing. The campsite is going to be close to a small traditional village – Cuncani.

Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner (Extra snack in the mornings and happy hour before dinner).

After a traditional breakfast, we will be hiking through traditional villages. You will have the opportunity to meet locals. You will also get to see typical Andean huts and farming lands. 

It takes about two hours to get to the hot springs. After enjoying the hot springs we will have the last lunch with our Happy Gringo team.

After lunch, we will be transferring you to Ollantaytambo. Here, you will be embarking on a two hours train ride to Aguas Calientes town. We will be accommodating you in an ensuite hotel room. 

Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner (Extra snack in the morning and dinner in Machu Picchu Pueblo).

Note: We accommodate our guests in the Presidente hotel or similar in Aguas Calientes town.

Early in the morning, we will be taking a bus to visit Machu Picchu citadel. It will be a 30 minutes drive up the hill. Our tour guide will assist you in clearing the security control and entering the citadel. 

Once inside the citadel, you will be rewarded with a spectacular sight of the citadel while the clouds clear by and the golden rays of the sun shimmer on the walls of Machu Picchu. 

We will be giving you a two hours guided tour. After the tour, you will have some free time to explore the citadel on your own. If you have booked to hike Huayna Picchu or hike to Machu Picchu mountains, our guide will be directing you to the trailhead. 

You will need a permit to hike to these peaks which are often sold six to seven months in advance. 

Alternatively, you can hike to Sun gate or Intipunku. This is the entrance to the citadel for those on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. 

After exploring Machu Picchu, you will be taking a bus back to Aguas Calientes. Here we will be serving lunch at a local restaurant. At around 04:00 PM, we will be taking a train back to Ollantaytambo. 

Our representative will be meeting you on arrival and will be transferring you back to your hotel in Cusco. We will arrive in Cusco by 09:30 PM.