Trek Lares Valley to Machu Picchu (4 days / 3 nights)

“Our trip on the Lares Trail to Machu Picchu was really wonderful.
It was a beautiful trek and we really enjoyed every minute.
Ernesto was the best – he was incredibly informative,
very enjoyable to spend time with and so easy going,
which suited our style perfectly.”
Ryan Schafer and Hadley Cotter – Australia (July 2007)

A trek through the dramatic high Andean scenery of the Urubamba range to the east of the Sacred Valley of the Incas; visiting highland villages where life goes on much as it did centuries ago and local inhabitants continue the ancient textile traditions of their ancestors. From these high, open spaces we descend by train into the lush forests around Machu Picchu, where our trip ends with a visit to this most famous of “lost cities”

You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco at around 7 a.m. for the drive to the village of Quishuarani (3,700 m) in the Lares Valley. From here we climb to the Willkaqasa Pass (4,200 m), from where we will have fine views of the surrounding Urubamba range, before descending to the village of Cuncani (3,750 m), near which we will make our first camp.

After breakfast, we will continue our trek through unspoilt high Andean scenery to the community of Huacawasi. Here the villagers are renowned for their fine textiles, including ponchos and hats which they themselves wear. Leaving the village, we continue over the Condor Pass (4,100 m), with its excellent views of snow-capped Mount Veronica (5,750 m), before descending to Lake Ipsaycocha (3,800 m) where will camp.

After breakfast we will leave our porters to strike the camp and begin our final day’s hike towards the picturesque Patacancha Valley, arriving at the village of Willoc at lunch time. The villagers of Willoc are famous for their superb “Indian red” textiles and their traditional way of life. We will have plenty of time to observe the local way of life as well as the work of local weavers. Our vehicle will be waiting for us in Willoc to take us to the village of Ollantaytambo, with its important temple ruins and fascinating original Inca street plan. From here we will take the late afternoon train to Machu Picchu station (2, 040 m), where we will spend the night in a local hotel.

We will get up early to visit this “lost city” hours before most other tourists arrive on the morning train from Cusco, in the company of those trekkers arriving from the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Standing at the top of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until the historian Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been restored and even if it has lost some of its mystery it still remains an unforgettable sight. Our tour includes a visit to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses and residential areas and will also leave you time to explore the ruins on your own.
In the afternoon: Return to Cusco by train, transfer to hotel.