Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

Day 1: Cusco – Salt mine – Huaran – Cancha Cancha

The mere excitement of the Lares trek to Machu Picchu will help you arise early for your pickup at 5:00am, either in Cusco or in the Sacred Valley. Within the hour, we will arrive at the Salt Mines of Maras. At the salt mines, water from an underground stream is channeled through ponds, or small pools, where it evaporates and leaves pure salt crystals. With thousands of white pools that stretch through the valley, the views are breathtaking.

Breakfast is served at the beginning of the trail Huaran, where you’ll find an amazing view of the Sacred Valley. There, we’ll meet our horsemen and horses, and begin our first 3 hours gradually ascending to Cancha Cancha. Once there, we’ll get a chance to replenish our energy for our trek ahead with a delicious lunch prepared by our trekking chef.

Cancha Cancha is one of the most isolated and self-sustainable communities, traditional to the core, with no bus route or electricity. After making your connection to the locals, it would be highly appreciated if you could share some toys, old useful clothes, notebooks, fruit or any items with them.

Two hours later, we will have completed our first trekking day and arrived at our campsite. Here, we’ll get time for rest, afternoon tea, and dinner. Afterwards, our guide will show you the Inca’s constellations, which they depended on for agricultural guidance, and still do to this present day!

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 12kms / 7 miles

Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Quishuarani

Feeling all revved up to begin our second day of the Lares Trek, and having eaten a delicious breakfast, we’ll begin our 4 hour hike northeast: an intense walk, accomplishing the three high passes to the highest point of our trek called Pachacutec Pass (4,700m /15,420 ft).

This is when you can pat yourself on the back and embrace the feeling of total exhilaration and self-achievement for making the summit. After enjoying the beauty that nature has to offer, we descend for an hour, taking lunch by the mirrored glacial lake, with its picturesque views of the Lares Valley.

After a siesta time, we descend for 2 hours until we reach our campsite located by the Quishuarani community, (3,700m/12,139ft). We’ll take the back roads to Machu Picchu Llama,
where herders are readily available and the local indigenous people will open their hearts and interact with you in the Quechua language (Inca language). Your guide will act as your mediator to translate and teach you some Quechua language, and then you’ll get a chance to enjoy a stunning waterfall.

At the campsite, everything will be ready. Enjoy afternoon tea time and dinner then snuggle in
for a comfortable night sleep.

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities with comfortable tents, inflatable mattress´s,
• blankets and pillows
• Distance: 14kms / 10.3 miles

Day 3: Quishuarani – Cuncani – Lares – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

Your adventure continues as you begin the Lares Trek’s most memorable day yet! We begin
our climb up for 3 hours until we reach the Hullkiccasa Pass (4,200m/13,779ft). Then it’s time to descend for 2 hours through the boundless farmlands and pristine lakes to the Cucani
community. Connecting with the local indigenous children, we will visit their school and spend some quality time with the students.

A little further on, we’ll be welcomed into the natural volcanic hot springs for an hour to soak,
have lunch and take a siesta.

Time for our goodbyes for our remarkable chef and cowboy, then take our van for 2.5 hours to
Ollantaytambo, where we will have dinner at a tourist restaurant. At 7pm or 9pm, we take our train to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night at our hotel. (private room with hot shower included) One more night to sleep before the big day!

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch  – Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel 3*
• Distance: 15kms / 9.3 miles

Day 4: Machu Picchu!

The fourth and final day is the most important day of our Lares Trek 4 days . To get the most out of the day, we encourage every group to have an early breakfast before catching one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu (starting at 5:30 a.m.). The hotel will hold your bags for you until you return from your tour.

The bus will take you for 30 minutes up to Machu Picchu, which will open at 6:00 am. We’ll
have a 2 hour guided tour of the site during which you’ll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel.

After your tour you’ll have free time to explore the site by yourself and, if you have the correct
permits, climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. According new rules of Machu Picchu you must leave at 12:30 pm. You take bus down to Aguas Calientes.

In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo for 2 hours from where you will then carry on another 2 hours by bus back to Cusco. Finally we will transfer you back to your hotel.

Includes

• Pick up from your hotel
• Professional English Speaking Tour Guide
• Assistant Tour Guide for groups of 9 or more trekkers
• Chef, porters and horseman
• Excellent buffet style
• 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners and 3 snaks. If you have a dietary request such as vegetarian food please let us knows.
• Dining tent with confortable tables and chairs
• 4 person tent used by only 2 trekkers
• Mules to carry cooking and camping equipment plus 7kg of your personal items.
• Sleeping mattress
• Oxygen bottle
• First aid kit
• Private Transportation by bus cusco to Lares and huaran to Ollantaytambo
• Expedition tourist claseTrain from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
• 3 star Hotel at aguas calientes on day 3 with private room(hot shower, wifi and storage where you can leave your luggage while you visit Machupicchu)
• Round trip bus ticket(Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu- Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu
• 2 hour guided tour of Machupicchu
• Return transportation by tourist train  from Aguas calientes to Ollantaytambo then van back to your hotel in Cusco

Does Not Include

• Sleeping Bag (Can be hired from us)
• Inflatable sleeping pad
• Trekking poles
• lunch and dinner on Day 4
• Entrance fee to Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machupichu Mountain
• Travel Insurance (for the duration of your trip). You are strongly recommended to take out for the duration of your trip.
• Tips

What you need to take

• Original Passport
• ISIC card (if you are a student and want to qualify for the discount)
• Day pack
• Sleeping bag( you can rent from Quinoa Expeditions )
• Walking boots
• Waterproof jacket Warm jacket
• Warm clothes: layers for variable temperatures, especially at night. Thermals:Hat, gloves.
• wool socks and wool hat for cold nights
• T-shirts for the intire trek
• Comfortable Trousers
• Sun hat
• Sunscreen (factor 35 or higher)
• Insect repellant
• Toiletries : poilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, wipes and hand sanitizer
• Personal medical kit
• Camera and film
• Torch with spare batteries
• Camel bag or wáter bottle
• Extra money for drinks,tips and souvinirs. Etc( soles  or  dollars). At least 300 extra soles.
• Bathing suits for the hot springs( optional) recommended for those who stay an extra night in Aguas Calientes)

Group Service Price

Price per person US$590.00

Private Service Prices

• 2 people     US$ 650 per person
• 3 people     US$ 630 per person
• 4 people     US$ 610 per person
• 5 +people    US$ 590 per person

Important: Prices Include 3 star hotel for third night  and mules to carry up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings

Discounts:

Student Discount: US$30 (Requires ISIC Card to qualify)
Under 18’s Discount: US$30
Important: Prices Include mules to carry up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings.

Equipment Rental:

Walking Pole US$15(pair)
Sleeping Bag US$20
Inflatable Mattress US$20
Single Tent Supplement US$30

 Optional Extras/Not Included (Need to book in Advance):

• Machu Picchu Mountain climbing:  USD 75.00 (Need to book in advance).
• Huayna Picchu Mountain climbing: USD 75.00 (Need to book in advance).
• Vistadome Train Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo: USD 50.00 (Need to book in advance).
• Extra Night in Aguas Calientes: Depends on the type of Hotel desired (Need to book in advance).
• How to book, Group or Private Service:

You can either book by emailing us or by using the Booking form provided on this site.

By e-mail:

Send us your main Departure date and back up date: By providing us with a main date and a back up date for your trek (classic Inca Trail, Lares, Salkantay, etc) you automatically authorize Quinoa Expeditions to use either of these dates for your reservation. Quinoa Expeditions within the next 24 hours (after you have sent us your booking form and confirm deposit was made) will send you an electronic receipt confirming your trek has been officially booked and also to confirm the exact departure date of your trek.

Send us your Personal Details for Booking: Your passport number and other information must be valid. Please advise if you change your passport number after booking the tour (especially for booking the classic Inca Trail as if we do not make a change in your official details, you may not be permitted to do the trek). Please Note changing passports’ numbers requires an extra fee (we are able to change passports numbers easily on our receipt but its also extremely important that we make the changes with the Inca Trail authorities)

Student rate: In order to obtain this discount you must have a valid ISIC card. It is important you scan and e-mail this to us at the time of booking and that it is valid on the date you are booked on the Inca Trail/alternative trek (you will need to show the real ISIC card upon your arrival here in Cusco and in Machu Picchu).

Payment of deposit: For any of our Adventure treks ending in Machu Picchu.

We request a non-refundable deposit per person along with personal details of each member participating in the trek:

• Full name
• Passport number,
• Gender,
• Nationality,
• DOB

Payment of deposit amount is:

• US$ 200 per person for the Lares Trek only Or
• US$ 275 per person for the Lares Trek + Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu climbing. Please confirm if you want to climb Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu as they need to be booked well in advance too; there are 2 time sessions:
• 7 – 8am or 10 – 11am – this also needs to be specified although you need to be flexible to either time.

Please note, if you get the permits for the 7am start you will probably have to miss the Machu Picchu guided tour.

ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALS FOR THE TREK:

• Valid, original Passport (a copy will not be accepted)
• Valid, Student Card (if you booked as a student)
• Trekking boots (light, comfortable and broken in)
• A good quality daypack (light, small and comfortable)
• Water storage for at least 2 liters; either a camel bag or water bottle(s)

FOR YOUR DAYPACKS:

Below is a list of items that we highly recommend you keep with you at all times in your personal backpack. Remember you will be carrying this with you everyday of the trek so we recommend you bring a good quality daypack which is both light and comfortable. It is important to note that due to local regulations, your backpack should not exceed 25L. All larger backpacks can not be taken into Machu Picchu and will need to be stored outside the gates.

• Hat and sunglasses
• Rain gear
• Warm layers (fleece / long sleeved tops)
• Sun cream, bug spray
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper
• Personal medication
• Band-aids, moleskin
• Camera, extra batteries
• Head Torch
• Extra snacks, power bars, chocolate
• Extra money for souvenirs, drinks & tips (small change is useful for paying to use the villagers’ toilets on the first day)

ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR YOUR DUFFEL BAGS:

During the trek will provide you with a duffel bag in which you can pack any items that you won’t need to keep with you during the day. Our porters will carry this bag for you throughout the trek. Please note this bag should weigh a maximum of 7 kg including the weight of your sleeping bag and air mattress (if you bring/rent one). When rented from us these two items weigh approximately 3 kg. During the Inca Trek, you will travel through different temperatures as you climb/descend, it can also be cold at night when at the campsite. Therefore layers work best!

• Sleeping bag for Inca trail (can be rented from us)
• Air mattress for Inca trail (can be rented from us)
• Some light, comfortable shoes for the camp
• Warm jacket, hat and gloves for Inca trail
• 2-3 t-shirts (wicking t-shirts are best)
• 1-2 hiking pants/trousers
• 4 sets of undergarments
• 4 sets of hiking socks
• 1 Fleece
• 1 Warm, down jacket for the coldest nights
• Quick-dry towel
• Soap
• Wet wipes
• Toothbrush and paste
• Face moisturizer
• Power pack / battery charger
• Plastic bags to keep wet or muddy clothes separate