One of the most visited and magical destinations in the world is Peru, especially for trekking lovers, with breathtaking landscapes and views and a vast Inca history. Two of the most demanding and rewarding routes are the Salkantay Trek and the Choquequirao Trek. While t ...
Lares's Last Inca Communities
LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU
This hiking Trail is located in the Peruvian Andes mountain range, nestled between the Sacred valley and Lares Valley. It offers a unique experience as you traverse the Andes Mountains either from the Sacred Valley to Lares's Valley or vice versa. Along the way, tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in authentic Inca communities' activities and hike along ancient Inca trails still used by these communities. The landscape is adorned with manificent glaciers and colorful lakes.
The Lares Trek offers multiple versions, including a 3-days tour, a 4-days one and finally a 5-days trek, with some of the best options being the 3-days tour and the 4-days hike that culminate at Machu Picchu on the final day. It is considered the third-best alternative trek to Machu Picchu, concluding in the Sacred Valley near Ollantaytambo. From there, tourists catch a train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu's town, where they spend the night before exploring Machu Picchu the next day
EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY AND VENTURE COMPLETELY OF THE BEATEN PATH WHILE EXPERIENCING THE BEAUTY OF THE LARES REGION IN CUSCO.
What I should know about Lares Trek?
There are few communities with old people that always ask for coca leaves, Kids running by the hillsides trying to reach you. So if you want to share some things with them you should buy some staff in Cusco or Calca before you start the Trek.
Lares Mounatains are the only ones very safe during the rainny season in terms landslides. But you need to get a proper rain staff.
There are a lot hikking trails on Lares treks but we only recommend the route Huaran to Cuncani or vice versa, because by this route you Will be able to hike super close of the glaciers mountains, very nice colorfull lakes, hundreds of llamas and Alpacas, and you Will be hiking on top of the Andes Mountains for a while.
When is the best time to hike lares trek?
April – Setember
The best time to hike Lares trek to Machu Picchu is during the dry season from. April to Setember Also, if you do not like the crowdes Lares is the best option for you.
September - November.
the days are frequently sunny, but it sometimes just gets cloudy threatening to rain but it either rains or fades, overall it is still a good season.
December – March
The most comoon period of rainy season from December to March is always Rainny Days and snowing days on the mountains
It is Rainny season but is still safe for hiking you Will only need a good rainny jackets and pants.
overall it is still a good season
Who should choose lares trek?
Lares Trek is for nature lovers, culture lover, group of friends, families, couples, and any intrepid traveler who want to experince an authentic hike through the Andes Mountains and indigenous incan communities.
Those people should have a good fisical conditions and at least few experience hiking on the mountains by hight altutud it is considered challenging hike
Tourists Will have a chance to learn about Our wisdom, religion as well as Our philosophy, sharing a bit of Our living and you Will be able to explore one of their homes.
How fit do you need to be?
Most all the tourists get hard the altitude and most all of then they get altituded sickenss but if you prepare few weeks before your hiking trip, trying to do cardio exercises and you may plan enough time to get acclimatised to the altitude in Cusco, you Will be ready for your Lares Trek to Machu picchu, that means so anyone can do it just you need to get litle preparation before your trip.
Altitude sickness can be harder for some people therefor, if you consider to take the right medication that is going to help you much better.
For any situation regulary all the tour guides have first aid kits and oxigen tank for any situation, no problema.
Lares trek Weather
Lares Trek campisites is located by hight altitude like near to the glaciers, that is why is very cold during nights and early hours in winter running from May-August (during this period the temperatura could goes down below “0” )but once the sun is out start heating and is warm, the rest of the year is mild depending what period a year you are coming for Lares trek.
But please consider the rainy periods as well to prepear for your rain gear.
Do you need to book the Lares trek in advance?
Definitely you must book your lares Trek at least 2 moths before, in order to book your Machu Picchu tickets because we have new regulations for Machu Picchu on 2023 that means if you want to have the best Machu Picchu tickets for your tour after Lares Trek, book in advance please. And if you also want to add Huayna Picchu mountain hike so we recomend to book your tour at least 3 months in advance. That is to get the best options for your Lares Trek and Machu Picchu tour.
Do I need hiking poles?
Yes you do, Lares Trek terrain has step up hills and step down hills and also rocky paths, that is why you really need hiking poles (we included them for free for all our custumers)
Is there internet on Lares Trek to Machu Picchu?
No, there is not Internet conection while you are hiking on Lares but as soon we get back to Sacred valley we have internet.
Is There Any Water?
No, the streams are not clean and we have many animal and people contaminating the natural springs, so what we recomend you is to bring your camel bags or reusable wáter bottled to take your wáter while you are in hike so the first half day you Will get your own wáter (you can buy by the shoops) after that the companies Will refill boiled wáter every day and all the time for you.
What about medications?
What medication you should bring just in case, acording the specialists and pharmacists, it is essential to have some Paracetamol and ibuprofen as pain killers. The next thing that could get annoying on a trek is diarrhea, so to help it halt, consider taking Imodium pills, and of course, Acetazolamide for altitude sickness.
Lares trek villages and local people
Lares it is a big district and has a lot of communities while you go hikking we Will see the llama and alpaca herders by the camping sites we Will see their local hauses and schools, regulary they do not have school uniform, they Use their traditional colorfull clothes, they are always exiting t osee tourist by their villages sharing some thing with them.
Camping Establishments
Lares communities have all the campsites well stablished because they already kown tourism industry that is why they organized to build up campsites and toilets for turists regulary they are located inside their village and they also are selling suveniers in case you want to buy any thing that may be the best place because you Will be suporting directly their bussines.
Thermal Hotsprings
Lares Trek is interesting because you can end your hike by the Lares Hot Springs, that may be the best for you but that depends which route of Lares are you taking we recomend you to Star Lares Trek via Huaran and ending on Lares Hot Springs this lares hike is 4 days and if you want to do Lares 3 days same shorter shorter route you are not going to be able to reach the hot springs. But if you are starting the hike from Lares Hot springs I do not recomend you to jump in the pool because you Will be so exhausted well you can decide which route you want to go.
Lares trek without a guide
Of course you can do lares Trek in your own but you have to consider the next info:
Altutud:
Lares altitude is very hight, goes to 15000 feets or 4700 meters. That means you have to prepare before you go.
You have to think seriously about mountain hiking experience.
Take enough time in Cusco to acclimatize.
Get a good map for your Lares Trek route, because as you know lares has many trekking routesand each of them have different difficulty level.
Weather conditions on lares are very changeable and wet season make it difficult, some times the heavy snow cover all the pathway.
You have to speak at least spañish because the local people speak only Quechua as their native language but you can find people that understands Spanish and those people are very friendly.
Becarefull with countrysite dogs they could be aggressive some times.
Lares trek distance
In general Lares Trek covers 37 KM or 60 miles.
From Huaran to Lares Hot Springs (car to be pick up)
From Hot Springs to Patacancha (car to be pick up)
Hot Springs to Yanahuara (car to be pick up)
Short Lares Trek is 3 days with Machu Picchu is from Huaran to Quishuarani is about 26 KM 41 miles (car to be pick up)
All of this routes are ending by the Sacred Valley in Ollantaytambo most all of them needs to be pick up car pick up and involves a 3-day trek, and then after the 37 Km hike, the adventure ends with a magical visit to Machu Picchu park on the fourth day.
Lares trek highest point
The hights point on Lares Trek is 15000 feets or 4700 meters this is pachacuti pass
But each treking route on Lares have diffrent altitude they are in between 4700 meters and 4400 meters above sea level. And regulary the hightest point in each route is by the second day this mountain hike is completed on the second day of hiking, and subsequently the train ride to Aguas Calientes town.
Lares Trek Difficulty
Lares it is consider diffucult to challenging hike.
Cosidering that 1 is easy hike and 10 is very difficult hike, so Lares Trek is can be consider 7 to 8 but it is most about the altitude. But of course is really beutifull and impresive views that you are not going to see in any other trekking route that is why Lares is unique experience.
Lares routes Options
Cusco - Lares – cuncani - Quiswarani – Huaran.
Lares – Huacahuasi – Patacancha- Ollantaytambo.
Quishuarani – Huacahuasi – Patacancha- Ollantaytambo.
Quishuarani – Huacahuasi – Yanahuara- Ollantaytambo.
Huaran – Huacahuasi – Yanahuara – Ollantaytambo.
Lares Trek to Machu Picchu, amazing 3 Day Tour
This will be a once in a life time experience, you will visit Lares which is one of the last ancient Inca communities in the middle of the Peruvian andes; enjoy the wild life seeing llamas, alpacas, waris, pacochas and many other animals considered South American camelids.
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