+ Machu Picchu tickets & guided tour
+ 2 nights camping and 1 night in 3-star hotel
+ Return by Vistadome train
- Last day lunch not included
The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is an amazing 4-day trek that takes you through some of the most breathtaking scenery in Peru. You'll start at the hot springs in the town of Lares, located near the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and make your way up to the highlands. You'll pass through picturesque villages, lakes, and stunning landscapes along the way. On the final day of the trek, you'll reach Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Lares Trek is a great way to see Peru's best scenery and experience its rich culture.
Important: Passport details for all participants are required in order to obtain official Machu Picchu permits, issued by the Peruvian government. The permits are personal and non-transferable, and subject to very limited daily availability. Once you have made your booking, we strongly recommend uploading your passport information to the My Bookatrekking Portal as soon as possible using your personal account. This enables our local team to check availability and speed up the process.
We’ll start early, picking you up around 4:30 am from your hotel, hostel, Airbnb, or private address in Cusco or in the Sacred Valley near Pisac. After a scenic drive, we arrive in Calca, where we visit the local market to select fresh ingredients for the trek and enjoy a first look at daily life in the Sacred Valley.
From Calca, we continue uphill to the rarely visited Inca site of Ancashmarca. You’ll enjoy a short guided walk among ancient storehouses and terraces while your guide explains how this hilltop complex once helped control trade routes through the valley. We then continue to a high-altitude area where you can see the impressive Puyas de Raimondi, giant native plants that bloom only once in their lifetime.
Descending toward Lares, we reach the famous Lares Hot Springs. You’ll have time to relax in the warm mineral pools while your trekking chef prepares a fresh breakfast. After the hot springs, we visit a local weaving project, where Andean artisans share traditional techniques, natural dyes, and textile knowledge passed down through generations.
A short drive takes us to Pampacorral, the trailhead. The afternoon hike begins gently, following quiet valleys, potato fields, waterfalls, and herds of alpacas and llamas. After about 2 hours, we stop in Quiswarani for lunch prepared with fresh ingredients. Then we continue uphill beside the beautiful Quiswarani waterfall toward our first campsite by the Blue Lagoon, at 3,900 m. Your tent, hot drinks, and a peaceful mountain setting will be waiting.
Start the day with a steaming cup of coffee or coca tea in your tent, then get up early to start packing for the most challenging day of the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu. After breakfast, you will receive a snack from our chef and start a 4-hour trek to the highest point of the trek, the Condor Pass at 4750m. Beautiful lakes full of wallatas, also known as Andean geese or "lovebirds", mountain caracaras, llamas, alpacas, and unobstructed views of the Andes await you along the way.
Once at the summit, you will enjoy a 360° view of the mountains and lakes while your guide leads a spiritual offering ceremony to the sacred mountains above the Condor Pass. As a reward for your efforts, we will bring you a cup of coca tea. From there it's a 2-hour trek down the mountain to Acopata, where you'll have a delicious lunch.
After lunch, you'll have another 2-hour descent through stunning scenery to the village of Canchacancha (3750m), where you can relax in your tents with hot drinks and take in the mountain scenery as soon as you arrive. You'll be able to interact with the locals as you wander around the village, chasing llamas and alpacas, playing football with the kids, teaching a few words of English, or learning a few words of Quechua.
After crossing the highest mountain pass, we enjoy breakfast with beautiful views and prepare for the descent into the Sacred Valley. Before leaving Canchacancha, there may be time to walk through the village and learn more about local life, farming, weaving, and the traditional rhythm of this remote community.
The trail descends gradually from cold highland landscapes into warmer and greener valleys. Along the way, you will see how the scenery changes from potato fields and mountain pastures to corn and avocado-growing areas. This natural transition is one of the most beautiful parts of the Lares Trek.
The trekking route ends in Huaran, at around 2,700 m, where we enjoy a scenic picnic lunch and say goodbye to our chef and muleteer team. After lunch, private transportation takes us to the Salineras of Maras, where thousands of salt pools are still harvested by local families using traditional methods.
Our final stop before the train is Ollantaytambo, known as one of the best-preserved living Inca towns in the Sacred Valley. We’ll walk through its ancient streets and original water channels before dinner at a local restaurant. In the evening, we board the Expedition train to Aguas Calientes, where a comfortable 3-star hotel will be waiting.
The final day starts early with breakfast at the hotel before taking the bus up to Machu Picchu. After several days of walking through living Andean culture, mountain landscapes, and quiet villages, this is the unforgettable finale of the journey.
Your guide will lead you through the assigned Machu Picchu circuit, sharing the history, architecture, sacred spaces, and meaning of this extraordinary Inca city. Circuit 2 is included by default whenever available because it offers one of the most complete visits. If Circuit 2 is sold out, we will secure the best available alternative, usually Circuit 1 or Circuit 3.
After the guided tour, and if you booked the extra ticket in advance, you may hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. These optional hikes take about 2 to 3 hours round trip, depending on the mountain. Once back in Aguas Calientes, you can have lunch at your own pace before boarding the panoramic Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo.
From Ollantaytambo, our private transportation will take you back to your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley. The expected arrival time in Cusco is around 7:30 p.m.
+ Lares Trek and Short Inca Trail combined
+ Machu Picchu tickets & guided tour
+ Arrive in Machu Picchu twice, once hiking to the Sun Gate
+ 2 nights camping and 2 nights in 3-star hotels
+ Return by Vistadome train
- Last day lunch not included
+ Machu Picchu tickets & guided tour
+ 2 nights camping and 1 night in 3-star hotel
+ Return by Expedition train (upgrade possible)
- Last day lunch not included
