Fantastic holiday, a real adventure. We saw sights I had only dreamed about. Every day there was something new to wonder at, from…
Anonymous | Traveled in MayEvery route to Machu Picchu offers scenery. The Lares Trek offers something that the others don’t: the people.
This is the route that passes through Cancha Cancha — one of the most isolated indigenous communities in the entire Cusco region, with no road access and electricity connected only in December 2019. The same community where your guide translates Quechua for you while a local family explains what daily life looks like at 3,900 m in the Andes. The same route where the second day takes you past Caracara falcons in the thermals above the Pachacutec Pass at 4,700 m, through highland valleys where you’ll see shepherds in traditional dress herding alpacas to seasonal pasture — not as a staged performance, but because that’s what happens on a Tuesday morning in this valley.
The trek ends at the Lares Hot Springs, where natural volcanic water at the edge of the mountains is the best possible conclusion to three days of high-altitude terrain. Then Ollantaytambo, the train, a hotel night in Aguas Calientes, and Machu Picchu on the final morning.
Machu Picchu Peru Lovers runs this route with a maximum of 8 hikers, a pack horse team from the communities along the valley, and a guide who serves as cultural interpreter as much as trail leader.
Machu Picchu entrance tickets are limited. For high-season departures, book with adequate lead time.
Difficulty: Challenging | Max Altitude: 4,700 m (15,420 ft) | Distance: 39 km / 24 mi | Group Size: Up to 8 people | Transport: Private van · Train · Bus
Day highlight: The Pisac archaeological site and a first evening in Cancha Cancha — one of the most isolated indigenous communities in the Cusco region
The van leaves your Cusco hotel at 5:00 AM, heading through the Sacred Valley toward Pisac. On the way, the first stop is a classic viewpoint of the Sacred Valley — the agricultural terraces descending from the mountains, the Urubamba River in the valley floor, the early light hitting the stone.
At the Pisac Archaeological Site, the guided tour covers the three main zones: the largest Inca cemetery in the archaeological record — over 5,000 tombs carved into the rock faces above the valley — the extraordinary agricultural terraces that transformed the entire mountain into productive land, the Inca tunnel through the ridge, and the religious sector at the top. Your guide explains the site’s role in the broader Inca administrative system of the Sacred Valley.
From Pisac, the van drives to Calca for a stop at the local market. This is a functional market — produce, textiles, hardware, local food. Pick up any last supplies for the trek.
At Huaran, the horsemen and horses are waiting. Duffel bags transferred. Boots on. The hike begins: approximately three hours of gradual ascent through the Andean valley toward Cancha Cancha. Lunch is served along the river — the chef team prepares a full meal at a natural stop.
Cancha Cancha (3,900 m / 12,800 ft) — arrived at mid-afternoon. The community has no road access. Electricity came in December 2019. It has been self-sustaining for centuries: its own agriculture, its own water, its own rhythms completely disconnected from the infrastructure of modern Peruvian life.
After setting up, the afternoon includes a visit to a local family — your guide translates Quechua throughout. Then, after dinner, the guide takes the group outside in the dark for an Inca constellation session: the same sky-reading system that governed Andean agriculture for centuries, still used by the community today. The Milky Way at 3,900 m, away from any light pollution, is not something you need the guide to point out. But understanding what the community sees when they look at it changes the experience entirely.
Temperatures at night drop to around 3–5°C. Dress for it.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch (riverside) · Afternoon Tea & snacks · Dinner | Accommodation: Camping with bathroom facilities at Cancha Cancha
Day highlight: The highest point of the entire trek, high-altitude wildlife, and the human encounters on the descent that most people remember longest
Hot tea or coffee at the tent before breakfast. The day begins immediately with the climb — the trail heads northeast from Cancha Cancha and rises steeply toward Pachacutec Pass (approx. 4,700 m / 15,420 ft). The ascent is sustained and intense. The vegetation thins as altitude increases, shifting from highland grasses to open rock terrain. The air becomes noticeably thinner above 4,400 m.
At the pass: glacier views, remote high-altitude lakes spread through the valleys below, the mountain ridgeline of the entire Cusco cordillera visible on clear mornings. Caracara falcons work the thermals above. Andean geese move through the valley floor far below. This is a specific, raw altitude — cold, exposed, and entirely worth the effort.
The descent takes three hours through increasingly remote highland terrain. The trail runs through isolated valleys where the landscape is unchanged from what it looked like before any tourist ever walked through here. This is where the memorable encounters happen: indigenous herders in traditional dress, moving with llamas and alpacas through the same passes they’ve been using for generations. Your guide translates the Quechua exchanges. This is not arranged. It is what happens on this trail on any given day.
Near the campsite at Quiswarani (3,700 m), the Seven Waterfalls come into view — a series of cascades dropping across the mountain face above the valley. The sight of them, arriving near the end of a long demanding day, is well-timed.
Camp is set up on arrival. Hot drinks, appetizers. Night temperatures around 5°C.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon Tea & snacks · Dinner | Accommodation: Camping with bathroom facilities near Quiswarani
Day highlight: The mirror-image glacial lakes at Willqaqasa Pass, a school visit in Cuncani, and a long soak in the Lares volcanic hot springs before the train to Aguas Calientes
The third day starts with a three-hour ascent to Willqaqasa Pass (4,200 m / 13,779 ft). The climb is demanding but shorter than day two. At the pass, the most remarkable feature is a series of glacial lakes that sit below the mountain faces in a way that produces near-perfect reflections — the mountains appear twice, once above and once below. The Colquecruz and Pitusiray peaks are visible from this point.
The descent from the pass moves through open puna grassland and agricultural zones — land that communities in this valley have been farming continuously for centuries. The trail is wide and gradual in the lower sections.
At Cuncani, if timing allows, the group visits the local school. The children here don’t see many outside visitors, and the interactions are unscripted — drawing, exchanging words in Quechua and English, sharing a few minutes in the classroom. What this looks like in practice depends entirely on the timing and the day. But when it happens, it’s one of the experiences on this trek that doesn’t fit neatly into a travel itinerary description.
From Cuncani, the private van meets the group for the drive down to Lares Hot Springs (3,100 m / 10,170 ft). The natural volcanic thermal pools here have been used by Andean communities for their medicinal properties for centuries. The water temperature is consistent and warm. After three days of high-altitude terrain and cold camp mornings — an hour in these pools is not a luxury, it’s a physiological necessity.
The chef and horseman team says goodbye at Lares. The van takes the group to Ollantaytambo (2,792 m) — the best-preserved living Inca town in existence, where water channels still run through stone-paved streets and the fortress temple above the town was never completed because the Inca Empire ended first. There’s time for dinner in town before the train.
The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes follows the Urubamba River through the canyon — the light fades into the jungle as the elevation drops. Check in to the hotel. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Afternoon Tea · Dinner (Ollantaytambo, restaurant) | Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes — Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu or similar (private room, private bathroom, hot shower, buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi)
Day highlight: Machu Picchu from the inside — guided through all three sectors with four days of Andean cultural context already in the bag
Early breakfast at the hotel, then one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. The 25-minute switchback ride deposits you at the citadel entrance in the early morning light.
The two-hour guided tour covers the agricultural, residential, and religious sectors: the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana stone, the Room of the Three Windows, the residential compounds, and the main viewing terraces. Your guide — who spent the past three days interpreting Andean communities and Inca agricultural traditions for you — explains Machu Picchu not as an isolated wonder but as a node in a functioning system. The Lares valley you just walked through was part of that system. This context changes what you see.
Free time after the tour for personal exploration and photographs. Those who booked Huayna Picchu Mountain in advance check their entry window — the climb is done independently. Steep, rope-assisted, approximately 45–60 minutes up. Not suitable for those with a fear of heights.
Walking poles and large backpacks are not permitted inside Machu Picchu. Stored at the control point.
In the afternoon, the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for free-time lunch (own expense). The Expedition Train departs at 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM (subject to availability), following the Urubamba River back to Ollantaytambo through the narrowing canyon. Private van from the station to your Cusco hotel.
Arriving approximately 7:00 PM.
Meals: Breakfast (hotel) | Accommodation: Return to Cusco hotel
Trip went very smoothly and was very well organized. Easy to highlight is Machu Picchu, but our visit of Amantani island on Lake Titicaca was a real interesting and unique experience. Read more.
This was an excellent well-organized tour at a great value with plenty of variety and lots of free time to explore. Read more.
This was our first trip with Bookmundi and we are extremely happy. From start to finish the experience was excellent. Read more.
We saw all the highlights, the guides were excellent and the trip flowed nicely. The pacing was just right. Read more.
Months before the trek:
A few days before:
During the trek:
On payments:
| Option | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| With 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes (included) | $627 USD |
| Without hotel (arrange your own accommodation) | $597 USD |
| Groups of 5 or more | $607 USD / $577 USD (save $20 per person) |
Who group service is for:
Group service is the right option for solo travelers, couples, and small groups who are comfortable walking with 2 to 8 people from different parts of the world on a shared schedule. The maximum is always 8 hikers — this is not a 20-person coach tour. Most departures run 4 to 6 people.
What traveling in group service actually looks like day to day:
The $597 USD option (without hotel):
If you prefer to arrange your own accommodation in Aguas Calientes on night three — whether you have a specific property preference or are extending your stay — the $30 reduction applies. All other inclusions remain unchanged. You receive the train ticket to Aguas Calientes and the bus tickets for day four; accommodation is managed by you.
Documents:
For your duffel bag (carried by pack horse — max 7 kg):
2 kg sleeping bag + 1 kg sleeping pad = 4 kg remaining
For your day pack (carried by you on the trail):
Additional notes:
Airport transfer
Cusco airport to your hotel is included on any arrival date. A Machu Picchu Peru Lovers representative meets you at the arrivals terminal exit with a sign bearing your name. They wait outside — exit the arrivals hall to find them. Send your flight details to our reservations team at least 14 days before arrival.
Hotel pick-up on day one
Pick-up from your Cusco hotel at 5:00 AM on day one. Confirm your hotel name and room number at the evening briefing.
Luggage storage
Main luggage stays in Cusco — at your hotel or our office — during the four days. Pack only what goes into the duffel bag and day pack.
Payment conditions
Return from Machu Picchu to Cusco
Day four return: bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes → Expedition Train at 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM → Ollantaytambo → private van to Cusco hotel, arriving approximately 7:00 PM.
Optional upgrade: Vistadome Train at $67 USD per person — panoramic overhead glass, snack service, on-board cultural performance. Runs to Poroy (near Cusco), private van for the final 25 minutes. Must be requested in advance.
Hotel drop-off in Cusco is included. Sacred Valley accommodation (Ollantaytambo, Urubamba) also arranged on request.
The Lares Trek is available year-round on any date, with a minimum of 2 participants.
No government trail permits are required for the Lares route. The limitation that does apply is the Machu Picchu entrance ticket on day four:
Circuits at Machu Picchu: The standard included visit covers Circuit 1 and Circuit 3 (or similar available combinations at the time of booking). Circuit 2 is available as an additional purchase ($55 USD). For private service clients with specific circuit preferences, contact us at booking.
Pisac Archaeological Site
Day one includes a fully guided visit to Pisac — the largest Inca archaeological complex in the Sacred Valley and one of the most significant Inca cities in the Cusco region. Key areas covered:
The Pisac visit is included and guided. It is not a bus stop. Expect 1.5 to 2 hours here.
Lares Hot Springs
The Lares thermal pools (3,100 m) are natural volcanic hot springs with a consistent warm temperature. They have been used by Andean communities for their therapeutic properties for centuries. Located at the end of day three, immediately before the drive to Ollantaytambo. Bring your bathing suit in the duffel bag.
Trains to Machu Picchu
The train is used on days three and four:
Accommodation in Aguas Calientes
One night at the 3-star included hotel (Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu or similar) — private room, private bathroom, hot shower, buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi.
Upgrade options:
Transport summary
Physical fitness requirements
The Lares Trek is classified as challenging. Day two is the hardest: 7 hours of hiking, a sustained ascent to 4,700 m, and a long descent through isolated terrain.
Cultural conduct
The Lares Trek passes through living indigenous communities — Cancha Cancha, Quiswarani, Cuncani — whose daily life is the core experience of the route. A few practical guidelines:
Strikes and demonstrations
Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru and can affect road access and train services. We will always try to keep the trip as originally planned, adjusting timing where necessary. If tours must be significantly changed or canceled due to civil disruption, our operations team coordinates directly with you. Your safety is the deciding factor in all such decisions.
Lost items
Pay attention to your belongings at campsites, in transport, at the Pisac site, and in Aguas Calientes. Once the horses move ahead or the van leaves a location, retrieval is not practical. You are responsible for your own items throughout the trek.
If you have a question about this or any other trip, our travel experts are ready to help with dates, availability and private options.
