Lares Trek + Short Inca Trail
(5 Days)

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    Duration

    5 Days/4 Nights

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    Difficulty

    Challenging

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    Starting Point

    Cusco

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    Ages

    10+

From: $725.00

This trek is the adventurer’s dream.  A 5 day/4 night trek that’s the perfect combination of our standard Lares Trek and our Short Inca Trail Trek.

Get the best of both worlds with an off-the-beaten-path trek combined with the end of the famous Inca Trail.  A trek fit for a true adventurer!

This five day package allows you to experience a challenging mountain trail and a piece of the classic Inca Trail with only two nights of camping.   You’ll be treated to views of snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, and hot springs while witnessing the traditions and customs of the local Quechua culture.  This is an opportunity for a truly unique and intimate look at the Andean way of life that should not be missed if you have the time.

This is a full-service trek where you only carry a day pack.  All gear, food, and tents are carried by porters and pack animals.

What's Included

  • Tent
  • Professional guide
  • Meals on hike
  • Sleeping mat
  • Accommodations in Aguas Calientes
  • Transportation
  • Entrance fees
  • Porters/Horses
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Gratuity
  • Hotel in Cusco
  • Optional Huayna Picchu climb

Departure/Return Locations

Your hotel in Cusco

Departure Time

5am

Day 1: CUSCO- HUARAN- CANCHA CANCHA

Hiking Time: 6-7 Hours (includes time for breaks and photos!)

  • We’ll spend the day hiking all uphill as we work our way toward the our big mountain summit.  It will be a challenging hike, but we’ll pass farming fields full of rich varieties of vegetation and snow-capped peaks along the way that will be a great distraction.
  • You’ll have time to interact with the local people at our first campsite in Cancha Cancha before our Peruvian feast under an amazing sky.

Day 2: CANCHA CANCHA- QUISWARANY – LARES HOT SPRING

Hiking time: 7-8 hours (includes time for breaks and photos!)

  • Today is the day you earn your reward!
  • A 3 hour climb leads you to the stunning views at the summit of Pachacute (patch-a-coo-tay) Mountain.
  • After celebrating this huge accomplishment, you will start descending and get some sweet relief on your lungs. We’ll pass a beautiful lake and other small villages until we get to the campsite at Lares Hot Springs for dinner and rest.
  • Feel free to take a dip in the healing waters – you earned it!

Day 3: LARES HOT SPRINGS – ANKASMARKA -OLLANTAYTAMBO

Hiking time: 3-4 hours (includes time for rest and photos)

  • Today is a little more relaxing since you start the day with a car ride to the Ankasmarka Inca ruins.
  • This sprawling site is where they stored grains and other items after the harvest.  You will have plenty of time to explore the site on foot before walking on a private footpath further downhill to the waiting van.
  • Tonight you get to have a hot shower and sleep in a comfy hotel bed in the town of Ollantaytambo.

Day 4: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104- AGUAS CALIENTES

Hiking Time: 6-7 Hours (includes time for breaks and photos!)

  • Today you finally get a taste of the famous Inca Trail!
  • We will take the local train to KM 104 and hike the last leg of the ancient trail.
  • Four hours of hiking brings you to the incredible Inca site of Wiñay Wayna before we continue on the home stretch to the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu.
  • Your first glimpse of Machu Picchu will give you the energy you need to continue on the path into the citadel.  You will have a little time to explore before dinner, but don’t worry and don’t rush – you’re one of the lucky ones who gets to come back to see more tomorrow.
  • A good night’s sleep in a hotel in Aguas Calientes will refresh you for the big finale.

Day 5: MACHU PICCHU- CUSCO

  • It’s the day you’ve been waiting for – your tour of Machu Picchu!
  • You’ll have a guided tour of the whole city while feeling the magic and energy that make this place one of the most incredible places on Earth.
  • After the tour, we’ll head back to Aguas Calientes, or if you’ve purchased a permit to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Must be purchased separately in advance), you will go there at the designated time.
  • You will get lunch or a snack in Aguas Calientes on your own before we catch the train back to Cusco.  At your hotel, we will say “hasta luego” to you, our new friends.

Price

2 Trekkers (Private): $1160 USD per person
3+ Trekkers: $725 USD per person

Price quotes above include tax and exchange fees.

Only your $200 non-refundable deposit is due today to reserve your space!  A confirmation and details about completing your final payment will be sent to you within 24 hours of your deposit.

Views from the Trail: