Lares valley hike Itinerary:
Day 1: Cusco -Urubamba- Pumahuanca – Cuyoc.
Pick up from your Hotel in Cusco. Our private van leaves Cusco at 6:00am for a scenic drive through the Sacred Valley, passing through Chinchero with a short stop in the town of Urubamba, (2,800 masl) for a toilet break and you also have chance to buy any last minute suplies, water, etc,. Departing from Urubamba you will have a further 20 minutes’ drive to the trail-head at Pumahuanca Valley, land of the famous white corn crops and the Chicha, the Inca´s favorite corn beer.
This is the place where we will meet our horses and handlers, (arrieros), and trek staff. 4 hours walk to the Inca complex of Inca–Kancha for a guided visit, and where we stop for our first lunch. Our expert cook will indulge you with delicious Peruvian dishes. Time to relax or a little nap, Continuing afterward along the way you will be able to observe native trees of qeuñas, eucaliptus, then we reach a small Andean community of P´accha, spectacular mountain landscapes, herds of llamas, alpacas, sheeps and goats. Then final 2 hours further we will reach a series of small waterfalls and beautiful campsite named Cuyoc.
- Meals: B, L, D – Snacks
- Accommodation: Camping Tents for 2 ppl
Maximum Altitude: 4,000m/13123ft
- Minimum Altitude: 2,800m/9186ft
Distance Travelled: approx 14km
- Approximate Walking Time: 7 hours
Day 2: Cuyoc – Cuncani – Chancachaca
Early wake up at 06:00 am with a cup of coca leaf tea, then a good breakfast with quinua panqueques. At 07:00 am we recommence our trek with scenic views of Chicon, San Juan and Veronica mountains. Surrounded by a native forest for a challenging 4 hours climb along a dirt road with some stone steps, in some parts there are zig zag switchbacks toward the Pumahuanca Pass located at 4,580 masl.
Once we get to the pass we honor the top of this mountain with coca leaves as is the local customs. Enjoy the amazing views of part of Moray, Maras and Salineras. Then we are ready to descend for for 2 more hours mainly downhill and enroute we will meet some local campesinos (people of the local village) in colorful costumes as is traditional with all villages around Lares. Impressive landscape views, mountains, flocks of llamas and alpacas. Our camp for today will be at Chancachaca, which is lower altitude than Cuncani. So it will less colder for the night.
Day 3: Chancachaca – hot springs – Ollantaytambo
We will have a relaxing morning, after breakfast there wil be an easy hike for 1hour 30 minutes to the hot-springs of Lares, once we arrive to the pools, we can soak in the springs and our crew will bring lunch for us here. In the afternoon you will have 3 hour drive to arrive to Ollantaytambo town. We will overnight at this picturesque Inca town in a hotel.
Day 4: Ollantaytambo – Km 104 – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes
After an early breakfast at the hotel you will walk 10 minutes to the train station in Ollantaytambo. Here we board the Expedition train, travel by train for 1 hr and 45 minutes to Km 104 (start of our trek). At Km 104 after submitting passports at check control point, we began to walk softly around meters Vilcanota River then gradually to walk up around 600 mts. Starting we will see the ruins of Chachabamba. After visiting Chachabamba, we continue the path south and started a gradual climb to the mountain, before entering a cloud forest, overgrown, then the trail leaves the forest and goes west while continuing uphill in an open meadow.
After walking 3 hours, the road descends into a forest amazing. Here you will find a beautiful waterfall, then get to the bottom of the ruins of Wiñaywayna. Appreciate the beauty of this place, information from our expert guide. After lunch at Wiñaywayna, we will continue in the afternoon in the cloud forest, filled with bromeliads, orchids and tree ferns, until we reach Inti Punku ( ” Sun Gate ” ) . From this point, you can see and observe this wonderful place. Descend to the entry of Machu Picchu where we board the bus to Aguas Calientes.
- Accommodation and Dinner included.
- Meals:L breakfast, Box lunch and Dinner
- Hostel in Aguas Calientes,
Maximum Altitude:2680m/8792ft /
- Minimum Altitude:2100m/6888ft
Day 5: Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
Breakfast from 04:30 am then board the first bus to Machu Picchu at 05:20, the park opens at 6:00 am. We have a guided tour of Machu Picchu, this enigmatic and mysterious city is explored for about 2-3 hours explained by your expert guide , you can visit the most amazing places as the Royal Mausoleum , the Temple of the three windows , the main temple , the Sacred Plaza , the famous Intihuatana where wise Inkas tied to the sun in the winter solstice in June , stairways , plazas , fountains, etc. ( You usually have about 5-6 hours after extra time off ).
Optional walks to Inca Bridge and Huayna picchu MT (check availability at your booking time).
After finishing our masterful visit to Machu Picchu you will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you can have lunch before to board the train back to Ollantaytambo. Then you will transferred to Cusco hotel by car.
Meals: BL /
Maximum Altitude: 2400m/7872ft
Minimum Altitude: 2100m/6888ft /
