Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N Including Hot Springs
Overview
This is a unique Lares trek as it takes you off the beaten path and through a trail not used by any others. You will pass isolated communities like Cancha Cancha, so high in the mountains that there is no road to the village. You will see stunning lakes and scenery and then enjoy a private, guided tour in Machu Picchu. This is a small-group tour including hearty and gourmet meals, the best camping equipment and the hot springs in Lares. You will be able to interact with the locals along the trail and be amazed when you visit the magical ruins of Machu Picchu.
Inclusions
- Pretrek briefing with your guide
- Private transportation from the hotel to Huaran - Trail head
- Licensed guide fluent in English, Spanish, and Quechua
- Expedition train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Caliente
- Expedition train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Hotel with private room and bathroom, hot shower, wifi, storage and buffet breakfast
- 4 person Igloo tents (for 2 trekkers), foam mattress and camping pillow
- Cook and cooking equipment
- Horseman and mules, to carry all camping and personal equipment (7 kilos of your personal items such as extra clothes, sleeping bag will be carried by our mules)
- Provision of a horse in case of emergency (With helmet)) such as illness, to ensure trek can be completed by all participants
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
- Boiled water to fill in your bottles
- Private guided tour in Machu Picchu
- Chef and cooking equipment and kitchen tent
- Rain poncho
- Transfer back to Cusco
- 4x Breakfast
- 3x Lunch
- 3x Dinner
- Accommodation included: 3 nights
- Entry/Admission - Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu
What to expect
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Huaran – Cancha Cancha
Pass By: Huaran, Huaran, Cusco Region
After pickup at 6am, you will travel by private bus to Pumahuanca (2, 840 m) located in the Sacred Valley between Pisac and Urubamba. Huaran is the start of the trail. Meet the horsemen and start trekking towards the north, on an uphill trail that is parallel to the small Cancha Cancha River. After a 4-hour trek, you will reach the small village of Cancha Cancha (3, 800 m) where you will spend the night. Total walking time on this day is 6 hours.
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at small village of Cancha Cancha
Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Quishuarani
Pass By: Pachacutec, Peru
You will leave Cancha Cancha and head east up the valley, hiking for about 3 hours when the path flattens. Then, you will start climbing up for 2 hours to reach the highest pass called Pachacutec Pass (4, 758 m). From here, you can admire amazing views of Pachacutec Lake and the snowy peaks of Pitusiray. Continue hiking for one more hour to reach a narrow ridge and then head down into a secluded corrie filled with glacial lakes. You will stop for lunch here and head to the next valley passing waterfalls to the village of Quisuarani (3, 700m). You will camp by the lake for the night. Total walking time on this day is 7 hours, reaching an altitude of 4, 550m/15, 017 feet.
Meals included:
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•
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Accommodation included: You will camp by the lake for the night.
Day 3: Quishuarani – Cuscani – Lares (Hot Springs) – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
Pass By: Lares, Lares, Cusco Region
On this day, you will hike up for about one hour and then follow the river valley downhill for about 3.5 hours. Before arriving to the town of Lares, you will have the chance to enjoy a soak in the open air thermal springs (bring a swimsuit). Then, you will reach the town of Lares (3, 100 m) and have lunch at 1pm. Then, you will take the bus to head to Ollantaytambo. There, you will have time to rest and see the town. You'll have dinner and then go to Aguas Calientes by train where you will spend the night at a hotel.
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Day 4: Machu Picchu to Cusco
Pass By: Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Peru
After an early breakfast, you will take the bus to Machu Picchu. Once there, you will enjoy a guided tour of the ruins and have plenty of time after this to explore the site on your own. You can take photos and climb Huayna Picchu Mountain (must be booked in advance), or head up to the Sun Gate. Then, you'll head up to Aguas Calientes and take the train back to Ollantaytambo in the afternoon. From there, you will take a private bus to Cusco.
Note: Meals are prepared by the cook accompanying the group. You can expect omelettes or pancakes for breakfast, snack packs of fruit or chocolate to eat mid morning, a two course lunch of soup and meat with pasta or rice, afternoon tea on arrival at camp with biscuits and popcorn and a three course dinner.
Meals included:
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 1: Cusco – Huaran – Cancha Cancha
Pass By: Huaran, Huaran, Cusco Region
After pickup at 6am, you will travel by private bus to Pumahuanca (2, 840 m) located in the Sacred Valley between Pisac and Urubamba. Huaran is the start of the trail. Meet the horsemen and start trekking towards the north, on an uphill trail that is parallel to the small Cancha Cancha River. After a 4-hour trek, you will reach the small village of Cancha Cancha (3, 800 m) where you will spend the night. Total walking time on this day is 6 hours.
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Overnight at small village of Cancha Cancha
Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Quishuarani
Pass By: Pachacutec, Peru
You will leave Cancha Cancha and head east up the valley, hiking for about 3 hours when the path flattens. Then, you will start climbing up for 2 hours to reach the highest pass called Pachacutec Pass (4, 758 m). From here, you can admire amazing views of Pachacutec Lake and the snowy peaks of Pitusiray. Continue hiking for one more hour to reach a narrow ridge and then head down into a secluded corrie filled with glacial lakes. You will stop for lunch here and head to the next valley passing waterfalls to the village of Quisuarani (3, 700m). You will camp by the lake for the night. Total walking time on this day is 7 hours, reaching an altitude of 4, 550m/15, 017 feet.
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: You will camp by the lake for the night.
Day 3: Quishuarani – Cuscani – Lares (Hot Springs) – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
Pass By: Lares, Lares, Cusco Region
On this day, you will hike up for about one hour and then follow the river valley downhill for about 3.5 hours. Before arriving to the town of Lares, you will have the chance to enjoy a soak in the open air thermal springs (bring a swimsuit). Then, you will reach the town of Lares (3, 100 m) and have lunch at 1pm. Then, you will take the bus to head to Ollantaytambo. There, you will have time to rest and see the town. You'll have dinner and then go to Aguas Calientes by train where you will spend the night at a hotel.
Meals included:
•
•
•
Accommodation included: Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Day 4: Machu Picchu to Cusco
Pass By: Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Peru
After an early breakfast, you will take the bus to Machu Picchu. Once there, you will enjoy a guided tour of the ruins and have plenty of time after this to explore the site on your own. You can take photos and climb Huayna Picchu Mountain (must be booked in advance), or head up to the Sun Gate. Then, you'll head up to Aguas Calientes and take the train back to Ollantaytambo in the afternoon. From there, you will take a private bus to Cusco.
Note: Meals are prepared by the cook accompanying the group. You can expect omelettes or pancakes for breakfast, snack packs of fruit or chocolate to eat mid morning, a two course lunch of soup and meat with pasta or rice, afternoon tea on arrival at camp with biscuits and popcorn and a three course dinner.
Meals included:
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Additional information
- Important: If you want to climb Huayna Picchu mountain, you must book this at the same time as your trek or tour to Machu Picchu. Only 400 people can hike Huayna Picchu per day. You will climb it on your own after the tour in Machu Picchu around 10am. Please contact the local tour operator upon booking to arrange this
- Horses and mules carry the food, camping equipment and your belongings up to 7 kg
- During the trek to Machu Picchu your main luggage will be stored in Cusco and you will receive a small duffel bag (on the day of your briefing) 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. By Peruvian law the duffel bag carried by the porters must not weigh more than 7kg (14 pounds). You can either store your luggage at your hotel or you can leave it with the tour operator
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
Lifra5980
March 2022
I looked at several Lares Trek tours and opted for Sam Travel because it ended with the hot springs...figured it was a good way to end a trek. What a great experience from the very beginning. They were quick to respond and answered all my questions. I was a last minute booking so I appreciated th...
I looked at several Lares Trek tours and opted for Sam Travel because it ended with the hot springs...figured it was a good way to end a trek. What a great experience from the very beginning. They were quick to respond and answered all my questions. I was a last minute booking so I appreciated that. So many details helped make this an incredible Trek. Our guide, Jean-Pierre, was incredible! He was fun, nice, and very knowledgeable on everything...born and raised in Cusco, he proudly shared his culture with us. He would share information throughout our trek related to the Andean people, flora, and fauna. I struggled on parts of the trail due to the altitude and being out of shape and he was always so encouraging and patient! Once at Machu Picchu, he guided us to better understand the multiple theories surrounding this community....the building, structure, beliefs and layout. This was my 2nd time to Machu Picchu and I definitely have a much better understanding thanks to Jean-Pierre. And....at Machu Picchu, he knew all the best places for pictures, too....which I was all about! He welcomed our desire to take pics and made sure we were happy. Even after our tour was done, he check to see if we needed transport or help with our covid tests. The rest of the crew was top notch and this trek couldn't have happened without them. Our chef Mario made magic at every meal! He created delicious masterpieces at every meal! How he and his assistant Merio produced such varied meals and works of art is beyond me with just a few pots and pans. We were definitely well fed!! And all the food was nourishing to give us power throughout our hike. We had a few dietary restrictions, no diary and seafood and they always made alternatives or worked around them. Nobody felt as if they missed out! Our horsemen and remaining crew Alberto and Cesar always made sure our supplies made it safe and our animals were well taken care of. I'm especially grateful for Cholo one of our horses/mules and Alberto that accompanied us on the trails. Cholo and Alberto helped carry my pack since I was so out of breath and slow on the big altitude days. Cesar always brought hot tea to our tents as our wake up call...such a nice way to wake up when its so early and cold out! And our driver Alfredo, transfered us safely and kept us on time. There are so many other details, like warm water and soap for washing, extra blanket, hot water bottle for sleeping with that were like icing on the cake. I know I'm forgetting more. Overall...I'm so glad I chose Sam Travel for the Lares Trek and hands down recommend them..they truly made my experience magical!Sandeep G
May 2022
We (7 adults consisting of family and friends) did the 5 day / 4 night Lares trek. It was an unbelievable experience! Our guide Dayvit was absolutely exceptional!! Our lives were literally in his hands and he took that responsibility seriously. His attention to every little detail was incredible,...
We (7 adults consisting of family and friends) did the 5 day / 4 night Lares trek. It was an unbelievable experience! Our guide Dayvit was absolutely exceptional!! Our lives were literally in his hands and he took that responsibility seriously. His attention to every little detail was incredible, including managing a crew of five. We didn’t know what to expect food wise in the mountains, but our head chef Leonardo prepared exquisite meals, including popcorn at tea time! We never imagined we would eat so well. Leonardo could be a head chef at any top restaurant. My wife and I were going to do this trip two years ago for our 30th anniversary. Somehow, Dayvit arranged for Leonardo to bake us a cake in celebration of our upcoming 32nd anniversary! The culture and people we were exposed to were just unbelievable. We can never properly thank Dayvit and the crew for the experience of a lifetime! A huge thanks also goes to the staff at Sam Travel Peru, especially Saul, who fielded so many questions over 2+ years. Whoever answered was always courteous, friendly, responsive and patient. The company is truly committed on delivering a safe and enriching experience!nicolerani
May 2022
Our group did the 5 day/4 night Lares Trek. It was an unforgettable experience. Our guide Dayvit was exceptionally knowledgeable, kind, detail oriented, and organized. He led us through the breathtaking views and provided incredible insights into the lives of the Andean people. Dayvit went above ...
Our group did the 5 day/4 night Lares Trek. It was an unforgettable experience. Our guide Dayvit was exceptionally knowledgeable, kind, detail oriented, and organized. He led us through the breathtaking views and provided incredible insights into the lives of the Andean people. Dayvit went above and beyond to take care of our group throughout the trek. The food prepared by our chef Leonardo was absolutely delicious and abundant. From booking until the conclusion of the trek Sam Travel Peru provided us with a seamless and highly organized experience. Overall, the Lares Trek was a magical journey full of breathtaking views. I can't thank Dayvit and his team enough for this wonderful experience.SeanTravels50
May 2022
This trip was amazing and fulfilling.. Our guide Dayvit was a big part of making this trip special by immersing us in the culture of the locals and sharing his understanding of the environment around us. We felt attended too and safe the entire trip. Thank you Sam Travel and especially thank you ...
This trip was amazing and fulfilling.. Our guide Dayvit was a big part of making this trip special by immersing us in the culture of the locals and sharing his understanding of the environment around us. We felt attended too and safe the entire trip. Thank you Sam Travel and especially thank you Dayvit.SunitaGo
May 2022
The most memorable and meaningful trip I have ever taken . Dayvit and Leonardo and staff were the best of the best . Food was 5 star and Attention to detail was amazing . Davit organized an amazing journey through the mountains introducing us to the Andean People . I was moved beyond words witnes...
The most memorable and meaningful trip I have ever taken . Dayvit and Leonardo and staff were the best of the best . Food was 5 star and Attention to detail was amazing . Davit organized an amazing journey through the mountains introducing us to the Andean People . I was moved beyond words witnessing their culture and work ethic . Dayvit took such great care of us . We felt so safe and had such a good education on the Incas. The food was so delicious. Leonardo is nothing less than a Michelin Star chef . I have left a part of my heart in Peru thanks to this incredible experience provided by Davit of Sam Travel Peru.I felt the magic of the mountains and Machu Picchu . Unforgettable. Thank you Davit , Leonardo and team . You are a part of our family forever .470devenk
May 2022
The views are spectacular, the cowboys and chefs are incredibly accommodating, and our tour guide Dayvit gave my group the best experience. He was very knowledgeable of the history and geography of the mountains, and he was very much a people person. Very friendly and made the experience fun! I’m...
The views are spectacular, the cowboys and chefs are incredibly accommodating, and our tour guide Dayvit gave my group the best experience. He was very knowledgeable of the history and geography of the mountains, and he was very much a people person. Very friendly and made the experience fun! I’m going to recommend this trip to everyone.