Tour Lares to Huaran 5D/4N

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Highlights: When you hike into the Lares Valley, you can enjoy the colorful and typical dress of the communities. There are also spectacular high alpine lakes and wildlife.

Location: Lares district in the province of Calca. There is a 4-hour drive to the starting point.

Duration:  5 days/4 nights, including Machu Picchu on the 5th day. It is also possible to do just the hike.

Level: Moderate to challenging.

Adventure Rating: This trek can be quite popular in high season but still has very few tourists.

Departure Dates: Any day with two people. We offer affordably-priced tours for 2 people so that you can depart whenever is best for you. This trek can be done in both the dry and rainy seasons.

Acclimatization: Minimum 2 days at altitude recommended.

Combos & Upgrades: Combine with one of our tours for a best experience in Cusco,and get free Comfort Camping or Huayna Picchu Mountain.

Trekker’s Dream: If you want to form your own tour group, please see Trekker’s Dream. That can be also advertised on this page. Maximum group size: 12.

Day 1: Cusco – Lares – Cuncani

To start this tour, we pick you up from your hotel to ride 3.5 hours to the town of Lares, passing different and colorful villages surrounded by the massive snow-capped peaks of the Andes. We then arrive at the Lares hot springs, where you can enjoy the baths. After lunch, you will hike approximately 5 hours up through the valley, hearing the natural singing of the river, until you get to Cuncani community (3750 meters/ 12300 feet) Here, you can see the colorful dress of the comuneros camping in the village.

Day 2: Cuncani – Quishuarani

From here, we climb again through a small valley, appreciating incredible blue lagoons, and then start a steep zig-zag climb up to the first pass, known as Abra Huillquijasa (4200 meters/ 13776 feet), which is about 4 hours from the village of Cuncuni. Hiking down, you will see another nice lagoon. We have lunch beside this lake before continuing to the village of Quishuarani (3700 meters/ 12136 feet).

Day 3 : Yanaqocha – Canchacancha – Aguas Calientes

We continue climbing, surrounded towering mountains. The trail climbs steeply for about 3 hours to the second pass, Pachakutec (4460 meters/ 14628 feet), from where you can  appreciate views of the snow-capped peaks of Pitusiray (5750 meters/ 18860 feet) and Chicon (5500 meters/18040 feet). Then we begin the descent, passing by two brilliant glacial lakes, Yuraqqocha and Suirococha, where you will see several bird species, such as Andean Ibis and Andean geese. From the lakes, the path continues down for an hour to Cancha Cancha, which has stone houses with thatched roofs (3800 meters/ 12464 feet).

Day 4 : Cancha Cancha – Huaran –  Machu Picchu

We continue descending, passing through pretty farmland while following a small river. After walking about 3 hours, we arrive to Huaran, where we will have our lunch. We then take transportation to Ollantaytambo, from where we catch our train to go Machu Picchu Town, where you will receive accommodation in a hotel.

Day 5 : Machu Picchu – Cusco

Today is the day to visit the wonder of the Incas, Machu Picchu. The guided tour lasts approximately 2.5 hours, as we explore this fascinating citadel, passing through the narrow streets and witnessing the mysteries that the Incas left us. After the tour, you will have more time  to Hike huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain( to hike any of this 2 mountains you need to buy a separate ticket which needs to be booked months in Advance) before the return trip to Cusco.

What’s Included?

• Private transportation to Lares (day 1), train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (day 3), train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (day 4 ), and bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco (day 4)
• Horses to carry all the camping equipment, food and fuel, cooking equipment, and 8 kilos of luggage per person that needs to be in duffle bag
• Meals during the trek. If you are vegetarian please let us know when you reserve the trek
• Expert bilingual guide in English, Spanish and Quechua
• Cook, horsemen
• Camping equipment, confortable tents for two people and mattresses
• Dinning tent
• Boiled water is provided during the trek
• First aid kid
• One night in a 3 start Hotel at Machu Picchu Town (the accommodation is in a double room if you wish to have a single room there is an extra cost )
• 1 dinner in Machu Picchu Town in one of the best restaurants.
• 1 Lunch in one of the best restaurants of Machu Picchu Town
• Round trip Bus tickets to Machu Picchu
• Entrance fee to the Machu Picchu sanctuary
• Entrance fee to the Lares hot spring

What Is Not Included?

• Breakfast first day (day 1) and the lunch last day (day 4)
• Hotels and food in Cusco
• Medical insurance
• Sleeping bag
• Walking sticks.
• Chocolate bars, dried fruit, other snacks
• Back pack ($15 if you want to rent one)
• Alcoholic drinks, laundry and any other personal expenses
• Optional Tips (guides, horsemen, cooks, etc)

When to book a trek: trek permits are not required for this trek. Departure dates depend on availability of the group.

Group size – Minimum: 2 people. Typical group size: 7 – 8 people. Maximum 12 people

SUGGESTED ITEMS:

• Insect repellent (20% deet)
• A duffle bag to transport your belongings
• Sleeping bag
• Hiking boots, strong footwear
• Trekking poles: poles with metal tips are allowed on this trek.
• Layers for variable temperatures, especially at night
• Wool socks and woolen hat for cold nights (-3 -5 c)
• T-shirts and trekking pants that zip off to short pants for a confortable day hike
• Flash light or torch and batteries
• Camera and extra batteries (batteries are consumed rapidly under cold conditions)
• Sun block, sunglasses, and hat to protect you from the sun
• Personal medical kit
• Rain jacket or poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
• Toiletries, toilet paper, small towel
• Two liter water bottle: disposable bottle are not recommended
• Original passport
• Extra money for drinks, tips, souvenirs etc. (soles or dollars) and emergency money
• Bathing suits optional
• Thermal rest inflatable mattress
• Snacks, biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, fruit, etc.