Itinerary – Lares trek + Short Inca Trail to Machupicchu

 

Day 1:  Cusco – Huaran – Cancha Cancha

The Andean Mountain adventure through the Lares Valley to Machu Picchu begins early with a pickup at 7:00am from your hotel in Cusco. Then drive for 1 hour toward Huaran, meet your horsemen and horses. Time to get ready, boots on, begin our first 3 hours gradually ascending towards Cancha Cancha. Along the way, your lunch will be served next to the river, replenishing your energy for the trek ahead with a delicious meal prepared by your trekking chef.

Cancha Cancha (3,900m/12,800ft) is one of the most isolated and traditional communities, self-sustaining as it has been for hundreds of years. There is no road to the community and they were recently connected to electricity in December, 2017. After settling into your tents and having afternoon tea, you will have the opportunity to visit a local family. You will learn all about life in a traditional Andean village, with your guide as your interpreter. After dinner, your guide will show you the Inca constellations on which they depended for their agricultural guidance and still do to this day.

• Meals included: Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities with bathroom building
• Distance: 9kms / 5.6 miles
• Time: 4 to 5 hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Moderate

 

Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Quiswarani – Urubamba

Our staff will wake you up with a hot coca tea to begin our second day, after another delicious breakfast, we begin our 7 hour hike northeast. It starts out as an intense walk, accomplishing high passes on our way to the highest point of our trek at Pachacutec Pass (4,500m /14,800 ft). Motivating you along the trail for this intense part of the trek are the views of glaciers, remote lakes, alpaca and llamas herds, rugged valleys and spectacular mountain views. Keep your eyes on the sky for the Caracara falcons and Andean geese. We also have a big chance to see the famous Andean Condor.

After enjoying the summit, descend for 3 hours until we reach our final destination located by the Quiswarani community at (3,700m/12,139ft). On the way to the community you will have lunch with amzing views, after a good rest and Delicious lunch, we will be taking an isolated trail where we will see indigenous highland people in their traditional outfits herding their llamas and alpacas. The local indigenous people will interact with you in Quechua (the Incas’ language). Your guide will act as your interpreter to translate and teach you some Quechua. When you arrive at the spectacular seven waterfalls, you are almost to the end of the trail!

Finally we arrive to Quishuarani and take our transportation for 2 hours to Ollantaytambo where we will have a good night after this amazing hike.

• Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch
• Distance: 12kms / 7.5 miles
• Time: 7hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Challenging

 

Day 3: Ollantaytambo – KM 104 – Wiñayhuayna – Sun Gate– Machupicchu

We start early in the morning after you breakfast at the hotel; the guide will pick you up at your hotel in Ollantaytambo at 7:10am to walk to train station by 10 minutes,  The expeditions train departs Ollantaytambo at 7:45am and you will have just over an hour on the train to enjoy the scenery.

You get off the train at the famous Km104, where your trek begins! (2,000m/6,560 ft.). After crossing the Urubamba River on a picturesque foot bridge, show your passport at the checkpoint and visit the first Inca site nearby. The first hour and a half are a gentle upward climb. Along the way, you will stop at several outlooks where you have an expansive view of the Urubamba River. You also pass through a cloud forest, so be ready for damp or even rain at any season of the year. The next hour and a half are a slightly steeper uphill with a beautiful waterfall as your reward at the end of the hike!

When you cross the bridge below the waterfall, be sure to take some time for photos and as you do find yourself gazing up at the spectacular Wiñay Wayna! (2,600m/8,500ft) These amazing Inca ruins have a fascinating history and some parts are still hidden by dense jungle. you are hiking through lush sub-tropical jungle. The guide will tell you all about the ruins, plus the incredible flora and fauna and answer any questions you have before a short 10 -minutes walking to your lunch spot.

After lunch the Trail is mostly flat walk to the Sun Gate, here you have your first view of Machu Picchu! Though the hour-long walk is a gentle rolling up and down, it does end with a set of steep stairs carved directly into the bedrock by the Inca. As you turn the corner from the Sun Gate, you will enjoy your first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. So, take some time to savor the moment and take photos. The last 60 minutes down from the Sun Gate provide many opportunities to take more photos of Machu Picchu from this unique vantage point. There are also a couple more important Inca sites between the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu.

Once you reach Machu Picchu, you will have time to take more photos from the viewing platforms above the site,“House of the Guardians”where you can take the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu. You will arrive in the afternoon, as the archeological area starts to empty of tourists, which gives you the opportunity to take beautiful photos in the afternoon light with fewer people in your shots. Take your time to enjoy this magical experience before you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes to check into your hotel. Have a delicious dinner after this spectacular day.

• Meals included: breakfast - box lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel Tara Machupicchu in aguas calientes town
• Difficulty: moderate
• You duffel bag will be transported by train, after your hike you will find them at your hotel.

 

Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Cusco

This is the day you’ve been waiting for! After an early breakfast at the hotel, take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! The guide will give you a guided tour of Machu Picchu, which takes about 3 hours. You will see the most important parts of Machu Picchu Citadel.

When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, following the spectacular Urubamba River. Close to Aguas Calientes, the canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. Back at Ollantaytambo, the driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private  transport. You can expect to arrive at your hotel by 7:00pm.

• Meal included: Breakfast

Included – Lares trek + Short Inca Trail to Machupicchu

 

SERVICE INCLUDED:

• Private transportation from the hotel to Huaran – Trail head
• Licensed guide fluent in English, Spanish and Quechua.
• Round trip Expedition train ticket from Ollantaytambo to KM 104 and Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
• 3 Bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and return to Aguas Calientes
• Admission ticket to the Machu Picchu Archeological Complex
• Entrance tickets to the Inca Trail National Park
• 2 nights hotel with private bathroom, hot shower, wifi, storage and breakfast included
• 3 person  tents for 2 trekkers
•  Air Therm-a-rest mattress
• Delicious meals during the trek, as indicated in the itinerary
• Cook and cooking equipment
• Horseman and mules, to carry all camping and personal equipment (10 kilograms of your personal items such as extra clothes, sleeping bag, these will be carried by our mules) (on Lares Trek portion only)
• 1 saddle horse in case of emergency (With helmet) in case of illness, to ensure the trek can be completed by all participants (on Lares Trek portion only)
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
• Boiled water to fill your drinking bottles on lares trek
• Guided tour in Machu Picchu
• Chef, cooking equipment and kitchen tent
• Transfer back to Cusco

 

NOT INCLUDED

• Sleeping Bag: $20 USD per person per trek
• Walking Poles: $20 USD per pair per trek (Professional Poles that can be extended)
• Personal tent: $30 USD – (Please request when you book your trek)
• Vistadome Train Upgrade: $80 USD per person (Return only)
• Huayna Picchu Mountain : $100 USD per person
• Dinner after inca Trail hike
• Dinner after lares trek
• Lunch on the last day in Aguas Calientes after machupicchu
• Tips for the crew, guide, cook and porters of APURIMAC ADVENTURES

**Huayna Picchu Mountain is optional trek within Machu Picchu Citadel which do not include a guide. The climb is usually done on your own after your tour of Machu Picchu Citadel. If you would like the extra hike to be guided, please request in advance. There is an extra cost for this extra guided tour.

 

PACKING LIST WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH YOU

• Original passport
• Valid university card (if you booked as a student)
• Day pack
• Water storage:  2-3L (Please bring reusable, not disposable bottles)
• Comfortable hiking boots with ankle support
• Sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
• Headlamp: essential
• Toilet paper
• Good rain gear.

 

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR DUFFEL BAG

As a Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and it would be going on the horse   10 kgs.

• 2 T-shirts
• 2 hiking pants at least
• 4 sets of undergarments
• 3 sets of hiking socks
• 2 fleece/ thermals
• Warm clothes, down jacket — 2nd campsite temp around 3º C
• Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
• Comfortable shoes for camp
• Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might prefer something larger
• Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to wash
• Battery Charger: No electricity along the trek
• Large plastic bags will be provided it — Please ask for them
• Sleeping bag: It has to be at least -8ºC – This can be rented from us

 

TOILETRIES

• Face moisturizer
• Hand sanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Personal medications
• First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc

Prices – Lares trek + Short Inca Trail to Machupicchu

 

• PRICE: 750 USD$ per person when booking 2 - 3 people
• PRICE: 690 USD$ per person when booking 4 - 5 people
• PRICE: 650 USD$ per person when booking 6- 7 people
• PRICE: 590 USD$ per person when booking 8- 12 people