Lares trek and Inca Trail, Pachacuteq Route 5 Days

Leaving Cancha Cancha, we continue trekking up the valley, passing small thatched stone houses, huge mountainous ranges and typical Peruvian layered landscapes. After 2 hours, the path plateaus out, and we arrive to the highest pass called Pachacutec Pass (4,758m/15,610ft). Filled with joy and relief over reaching the summit, and captivated by the superb views of Pachacutec Lake and the snowy mountainous peaks of Pitusiray, we take the moment to enjoy the stunning sites before us and allow the sun’s rays replenish us. We then head downhill for the next 2 hours in time to enjoy a refreshing lunch. After lunch, we continue downward for another 1.5 hours into the valley’s several glacial lakes, herds of alpacas, llamas, and sheep. Tonight we camp at (3,870m / 12,694ft) close to Quishuarani village, with its typical Inca stone and thatched homes.

As we reach the mid-point of our trek, it is time to take on the second mountain pass, Hillkiccasa Pass(4,200m/13,779ft). As we trek, we marvel over the views of the plunging and peaked Peruvian Andes Mountains, as nature surrounds us in its purest form. The majestic Colquecruz and Pitusiray Mountains are awe inspiring to watch from the pass. We continue our trek through the Puna grasslands, undulating and productive agricultural sites, and natural pristine lakes. After 5 hours of hiking, we reach Cuncani, a small Inca community. From Cuncani we head down through a lush valley with extensive agricultural areas, fruit-bearing trees, varied flora, and native flowers like begonias and wild orchids. Finally, we reach our destination, the Lares Village (3,100m/10,170ft), where we cannot wait to soak in the natural volcanic hot springs for an hour, have lunch, and take a siesta.

Early, we take our train to KM 104 (2,100m/6,927ft), Cusco-Machu Picchu way. With anticipation, we begin our first leg of the Inca Trail, passing the first checkpoint. Here we repack to carry only the essentials in your backpack for the 1 day of trekking on the Inca Trail. Afterwards, we initiate a moderate climb for three hours to the magnificent archaeological site of Wiñayhuana. (2,650m/8,747ft). Once there, we notice as we take in the spectacular views of the Urubamba Canyon, the stunning Inca sites around us, and the connection to the traditional four-day Inca Trail. We continue onward towards the long-anticipated Sun Gate (2,730m/9,007ft), where we finally get our first spectacular view of Machu Picchu in all its brilliance and its majestic monumentality. After a time to take many photos, we head for a one-hour downhill, to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, take the bus to Aguas Calientes, and find our hotel, where we spend the night.

After breakfast, we will board the bus to Machu Picchu, where we will have a guided tour of the different sections for approximately two hours, followed by a brief time to enjoy the citadel before descending by bus to Aguas Calientes to board the return train to Ollantaytambo and then on to Cusco.

Note: If you wish to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, you must book at least three months in advance due to limited availability. This activity is optional (US $70.00).