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Lares Trek Peru - The Best Alternative to Machu Picchu

By Rintsje Bosch

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Lares Trek Peru - The Best Alternative to Machu Picchu

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You want to do the Lares Trek in Peru. Why else would you be here? You’ve done all the research about the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. You’ve found out the permit situation is real or you just know that the Lares Trek is better than all the other treks to Machu Picchu. Good on you! You are right. The Lares Trail will deliver. Nature, history, the altitude, remoteness, no crowds and the beautiful Quechua culture on and next to the trails. Are you hearing Machu Picchu calling? Choose the Lares Trek.

Most people end up choosing the Lares Trek because they started researching their dream destination Machu Picchu, ended up at the Classic Inca Trail and then found out there are no more permits available for their dream dates. If Machu Picchu is the goal and you realize the Incas built trails all over the place, you will understand that the alternative Inca Trails are maybe not so alternative at all. They served a purpose, just as that famous Inca Trail did.

See what we did there? It doesn’t really matter which trek to Machu Picchu you choose. But what does matter, is that if you have to compare all the treks, the Lares Trek will likely become your favorite.

What Is The Lares Trek?
Lares Trek vs Inca Trail - Why the Lares Trail?
Best Season for the Lares Trail
Costs of the Lares Trek and Machu Picchu
Lares Trek Peru Itinerary
How High is The Condor Pass?
Lares Trek Altitude - How High Is The Lares Trek?
Packing List for the Lares Trek
How To Get Fit for The Lares Trek
Where To Book the Lares Trek?

What Is The Lares Trek?

The Lares Trek is one of many Inca Trail options leading to Machu Picchu. The trail, however, doesn’t stop at Machu Picchu, but every Lares Trek includes some transport from Huaran to Ollantaytambo and from there you take a train to Aguas Calientes. Although you can do the trek in 5 days, most people choose to do it in 4 days. Of those 4 days, you are effectively only trekking for 3 days. The 4th day is spent in Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. In terms of the actual route itinerary, there are in fact a number of variations on the Lares Trek, most finish at Ollantaytambo.

The Lares Trek isn’t just an alternative for an overbooked Classic Inca Trail. The Lares Trek has a lot to offer for people who are looking for a combination of nature, history and local culture. Treks depart in Cusco and take you to the Lares Hot Springs. Before you actually get to tie your laces and get ready for the trek, you will relax your muscles in the thermal bath. After having enjoyed the warm water, you still want to take it easy and thus the first day you only trek for about two hours.

From the village of Quiswarani (Sometimes also Wacawasi) the trek continues via the 4300 meter high Condor Pass to the Canchachanca community. This is where the Lares Trek sets itself apart from other treks in the Cusco Region. Chances are you will be interacting with local Quechua people a lot. The last bit to Huaran or Pumamarka is the crown on the trek. Here you slowly get yourself ready for your personal discovery of the cherry of the cake Machu Picchu.

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Lares Trek vs Inca Trail - Why the Lares Trail?

The Lares Trek is dubbed the Ultimate Cultural Trek. On the Lares Trek, you don’t just get to experience the thrill of hiking a part of the Inca Trail system, you actually get to meet the descendants of those people who built the Inca Trails and Machu Picchu. It gives your Inca Trail experience so much more color and it also adds context to your visit to Machu Picchu.

Another drawcard for the Lares Trek is the fact that you don’t need any trekking permits. You just need a ticket for Machu Picchu, but this isn’t as much of a hassle as the permits for the Classic Inca Trail. All trekking packages for the Lares Trek include tickets for Machu Picchu.

The Lares Trek is also considered to be easier than most of the other treks on the Inca Trail system. Compared to the Classic Inca Trail, for example, there are a lot fewer steps and this makes for a more gentle trekking experience.

On top of all of that, the Lares Trek is simply a lot quieter. Fewer numbers of people on the trails make this trek the calm way to get to Machu Picchu. On the Lares Trek, you can experience the Andean for yourself.

Lares Trek vs Inca Trail - Why the Lares Trail?

Best Season for the Lares Trail

The best time to hike the Peruvian Andes is from April to October when the weather is relatively warm. In the months of June, July and August the nights are cold and a four season sleeping bag is recommended. The rainy season lasts from November to March, with February as the highlight. In this month the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance. Rainy season or not, prepare for sun and rain. The mountains make the weather pattern unpredictable.

Dry season (April – October)

Day: 20’C – 25’C / 68’F – 77’F

Night: -1 – 7’C / 30’F – 45’F

Rainy season (November – March)

Day: 17’C – 22’C / 62’F – 71.6’F

Night: 4’C – 7’C / 39’F – 45’F

Costs of the Lares Trek and Machu Picchu

A typical Lares Trek can be done in 4 or 5 days. The number of days depends the price of the trek. Prices vary between 500 and 700 EUR or USD per person. This always includes accommodation, transfers, food, and entry to Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Inca. Here you can find different offers for the Lares Trek.

Lares Trek Peru Itinerary

There are a few different ways to the Lares Trek. There is the Lares Trek via Wacacasi and Pumamarka and then there is the way via Canchacancha. The latter is one of the best sellers at Bookatrekking.com and it is a route we can highly recommend. Below you can find an outline of a standard 4-day itinerary for the Lares Trek. This itinerary is based on the Lares Trek as offered by Trexperience.

Day

Cusco – Lares Thermal Baths – Kiswarani Falls

Duration: 05:00 h

Distance: 12.4 km

Ascent: 940 m

Descent: 60 m

Lowest Point: 3240 m

Highest Point: 4120 m

The team will pick you up from your hotel at around 5:00 am (depending on your location) and drive you through the beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the famous Lares thermo-medicinal baths – arriving at approximately 8:00am. We will jump straight into the medicinal pools – all of which are set at different temperatures. The water is great for your bones, muscles, stress and headaches and therefore this is the prefect way to prepare for your trek! After soaking our bodies we will enjoy breakfast in a beautiful location surrounded by the majestic Andean mountains. After breakfast we have time for an energising meditation session to help you feel at one with nature and take in your beautiful surroundings. Today’s route is relatively easy with a mellow trek uphill until we reach Kiswarani village. Our chef will be waiting with a delicious lunch that has been freshly prepared using natural, organic, local produce. It’s then another couple of hours walking to our campsite, located on the bank of a beautiful blue lake at (3750 m/ 1230 ft). Along the trail we will pass picturesque landscapes adorned with traditional Andean houses made of adobe bricks and thatched roofs. Here local villages survive by farming potatoes and raising llamas, alpacas and sheep. We will pass beautiful streams and a waterfall which is the source of the Amazon river – the largest in the world. On reaching our campsite your tents and a hot cup of tea will be waiting for you. This is a perfect place to relax, stargaze, and learn about Inca astronomy.

Kiswarani Waterfall Campsite

Info

Day

Kiswarani Falls – Condor Pass – Cancha Cancha Village

Duration: 04:10 h

Distance: 9.2 km

Ascent: 540 m

Descent: 710 m

Lowest Point: 3960 m

Highest Point: 4660 m

We will wake you up bright and early with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa tea. This is our longest and most challenging day and after breakfast it is a tough hike uphill to Condor Pass (4700 m / 15354 ft) – the highest point of this journey. Along the way we will enjoy beautiful lakes where Wallatas (Andean geese or ‘love birds’) swim in the crystal clear waters and pass the imposing Andean mountains of Pitusiray, Sawasiray, Qolquecruz, all of which are over 18,000 ft. At the summit of Condor Pass we will serve you a well-deserved cup of hot tea and you can take some time to rest while your tour guide performs a spiritual offering ceremony to the sacred mountains. It is then a long descent through the breathtaking scenery. You will be able to see lagoons, exotic birds, llamas, alpacas, vizcachas (which look a lot like rabbits) and wallatas along the way. Our campsite is located at Cancha Cancha (3750 m / 12 303 ft) – the only village in the Lares Valley that is completely isolated from any modern technology. This includes no drainage system, electricity, computers, internet connection or cellphone service. Here they speak only Quehua – the ancient language spoken by the Incas. You will have the afternoon free in Cancha Cancha meet and interact with the local people, visit a local school and help teach and play games with the children. The villagers will welcome any donations of food, school supplies or anything else you would like to give to help support the health and education of this isolated community. Late in the afternoon your guide will take you to visit one of the families’ homes. Here you can experience first hand their traditional lifestyles passed down from the Incas, sample traditional food and see how they raise guinea pigs, llamas and alpacas. By the evening our chef will have prepared dinner for us to enjoy together before a well-earned nights rest.

Cancha Cancha Village

Info

Day

Cancha Cancha Village – Huaran – Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes

Duration: 04:20 h

Distance: 11.1 km

Ascent: 90 m

Descent: 1120 m

Lowest Point: 2920 m

Highest Point: 3950 m

Starting the day with a beautiful view of the mountains and a delicious breakfast we then prepare for our final decent from the highlands into to the sacred valley. First we will say goodbye to the last remaining village still practicing Inca traditions, and isolated from all modern technologies, before we begin our 4 hour trek downhill. Along the way you can observe different types of ecosystems – from the colder highlands, where only potatoes are grown, to the fertile soils of the sacred valley, where maize is the main produce. Our trip concludes in a small town called Huaran (2700 m / 8856 ft), and from here a private bus will drive us to Ollantaytambo; “Last Living Incan City”. Or as it is sometimes known; “World Capital of the Native American”. We will take some time to explore these ancient streets and the water channel that has been in use since Inca time. We will have dinner in a local restaurant in Ollantaytambo before catching the 7:00 pm train to Aguas Calientes, where we will spend the night in a hotel.

Aguas Calientes

Info

Day

Machu Picchu (Lost City of the Incas)

On our final day after the Inca trail we have to get up very early to prepare for the highlight of your Inca Trail Trek; visiting Machu Picchu – the Lost City of the Incas. We will go straight to the line to wait for the first bus going up to Machu Picchu at 5:30 am. Arriving at the sky brightens on a clear day, you can watch the spectacular sunrise over Machu Picchu. This is truly an unforgettable sight. Your guide will take you on a 2 to 3-hour comprehensive tour of the city before leaving you in Machu Picchu to explore on your own or climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (tickets must be booked as far in advance as possible). Your guide will explain how to take the bus from Machu Picchu back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included) and then take the train and bus back to Cusco. The Team will meet you off the train and return you safely to your hotel.

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How High is The Condor Pass?

The Condor Pass is your biggest obstacle during the Lares Trek. The pass has an altitude of 4,300mt/14,107ft above sea level. On a typical Lares Trek, you are most likely to cross the Condor Pass on the second day. It is key to take it easy while crossing the pass. If you are prone to altitude sickness, then this is where it can happen. Fortunately, once you have crossed the Condor Pass, you will descend pretty quickly. This will aid your acclimatization and should settle the worst symptoms of altitude sickness.

Lares Trek Altitude - How High Is The Lares Trek?

The Lares Trek is high. It is basically as high as the Salkantay Trek and you could say it is also just as difficult. The highest point, the Condor Pass, is about 300 meters lower than the highest point of the Salkantay Trek, which lies at 4600 meters.

During the Lares Trek, you also sleep at fairly high altitude. The first two nights you will be staying at around 3700 meters and the last two nights you will be spending at around 2700 meters. It is high, but with the right acclimatization, the Lares Trek is definitely doable.

Packing List for the Lares Trek

If you are planning to take a guided tour in Peru, you made the right decision. Everybody knows that when you hike solo you put too much stuff in your backpack. And, surprise! No one is going to carry that weight for you. Not when you book your trek with a local trekking agency. They will take care of (almost) everything on your behalf; from food and tents to sleeping bags, mats and much more. If this applies to you, here is a detailed packing list with everything you will need in the Lares Trek:

Essentials
For your daypacks
Additional items for your duffel bag

How To Get Fit for The Lares Trek

One sure way to get good at what you do is to practice. The best practice for hiking is hiking. Seeing that you are interested in the Lares Trek, we assume that you already like hiking. Hike a bit more. If you are lucky enough to be surrounded by hills or even mountains, it is time to see them more often. When? If you are new to this, we suggest starting six months before your planned departure by simply going for an hour (or two) hike a week. When you get the hang of it, after about three weeks, it’s time to beef up your intensity. Bring a pack of 10 to 15kg and add a longer hike of three hours to your week. If this lifestyle is new to you, you will soon reap the benefits of trekking.

After a good few months of solid hiking, it is time to put your endurance to the test. Do back to back long hikes. You can simulate a few days of constant trekking by going hiking for a few days. Easy at that. Plan a smaller trekking holiday or keep it simple by hiking your favorite route on repeat. If you are comfortable hiking for 4 hours a day, 3 days in a row while carrying a 10kg to 15kg backpack, you will be fine.

Moderate Strength Exercise

You will need to get a bit stronger. One way to get stronger is to do some basic strength work. You don’t need a gym membership, as merely using your bodyweight can already give you the results you are looking for. Once or twice a week, depending on how you are feeling, you can do two sets of 10 lunges, 10 squats, and 10 step ups. If you want to push yourself a bit more, you can try to add some pull ups and push up to your routine. Going the extra mile in your strengthening is, however, really not necessary. You can already enjoy trekking when you just stick to the basics. This is not a fitness competition.

That should get you fit!

Not sure yet or want to discuss your plans for the Lares Trek with one of our trekking experts? Get in touch today and turn your dreams into memories!

Where To Book the Lares Trek?

You can book the Lares Trek in Cusco during your travels but it is better to book your Lares Trek in advance. The Lares Trek always includes Machu Picchu at the end of the journey. For Machu Picchu you need tickets and they need to be organized in advance. Trekking companies always need some time to book these tickets. It is therefore convenient to book in advance, online.

On Bookatrekking.com you can easily compare and book local providers and hikes. In addition, we have the lowest price guarantee. Have you found the Toubkal ascent of your dreams? In that case, you can proceed with the booking. At Bookatrekking.com you pay a deposit of 15% of the total amount. You pay the remaining amount on location prior to the trek directly to the trekking company.

Find here all our trekking options for Peru and check this page to get all our quotes for the Lares Trek. Have you checked our Peru travel guide yet?

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