DAY 1: INDIGENOUS LIFE – THE VALLEY OF LARES.

• The Lares trek and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will help you rise early for your pick up, at 5:00am we will collect you from your Cusco hotel. Within an hour, we will arrive at the ancient Pisac Inca Citadel, we have a great view and we continue our way to the head trail crossing Calca, we have a small break and visit the local market, driving onward for 40 more minutes to Huaran, we meet your horsemen and horses. Time to get ready, boots on, and 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.
• We cross Cancha Cancha and them We continue for about 1.5 hours to settle on camp, we spend the night with the company of the mountains.
• The Cancha Cancha comunity (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 on last year.
• After settling into your tents and having afternoon tea, you will have the option 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’s constellations on which they depended for their agricultural guidance.

Distance: 9kms / 5.6 miles -Moderate +

Minimum Altitude 3,100 m. (9,400 ft.)

Maximum Altitude: 3,950 m. (12,030 ft.)

Time: 5 to 6 hrs. approximately

DAY 2: INCA CHALLENGE.

• Feeling all revved up to begin our second hiking day, after breakfast, we begin our 7-hour hike northeast. It starts out as an intense uphill, accomplishing high passes on our way to the highest point of our trek at Pachacutec Pass (4,500m /14,763 ft). This is where you pat yourself on the back and embrace the satisfaction for making it up to the summit. Motivating you along the path for this intense part of the trek are the views of glaciers, remote glacial lakes, alpaca herds, rugged valleys.
• After we reach the top, we descend for 3 hours until we reach our campsite located by the Quiswarani community, (3,700m/12,139ft). On the way, 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 open their hearts and interact with you in the Quechua language (Indigenous language). Your guide will help you 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 dinner together and stay the night.

Distance: 12kms / 7.5 miles – Difficult / Challenging.

Minimum Altitude (3, 700m/12,139ft).

Maximum Altitude: (4,500m /14,763 ft).

Time: 7 to 8 hrs. approximately.

DAY 3: ORIGINAL INCA TRAIL TO MACHUPICCHU – SUNGATE

• After your early breakfast, you will walk  to Ollantaytambo the train station. The walk is around 1 hour and then you will enbark on the train.
• The train goes through the stunning landscapes of the Sacred Valley to the station at KM 104. We begin the original path of the Incas through the beautiful Andean mountains.
• The first Inca place you will encounter are those of Chachabamba, a small archaeological complex believed to have once been a guard house to Machu Picchu. From here the trail ascends at a gradual incline for about 2.5 hours until you reach 8,690 feet (2,650 meters). You will visit the site of Wiñay Wayna, which means “Eternal Youth” in the local Quechua language. Wiñay Wayna is consider the most beautiful place on the Inca Trail. It is also the last urban center before arriving to Machu Picchu.
• Wiñay Wayna consists of 3 main sectors: the urban sector, located in the lower part and containing 25 buildings; the terraced sector for crops; and the tower sector, which boasts the site’s finest architecture and was a place of religious importance dedicated to the Rainbow God.
• After touring the Inca site and lunching, you will continue on to the “Sun Gate,” from where you can see Machu Picchu in all its majesty and grandeur. From Inti Punku view point you will hike downhill for roughly 45 minutes toward the citadel’s principal constructions, taking in magnificent panoramic views along the paved trail. finally take a bus into the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have dinner and spend the night in a comfortable Machu Picchu hotel.

Inca Trail Distance to Machu Picchu: 8 mi (13 km).

Minimum Altitude:  6,660 ft. (2,030 m).

Maximum Altitude: 8,690 ft. (2,650 m).

Approximate Time: 7 hrs.

DAY 4: MACHUPICCHU WONDER AND HUAYNAPICCHU

• Early breakfast and head to the bus station for the 25-minute drive up to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, where you will embark on an amazing guided tour of the citadel. If you choose to go at 5 a.m., you can reach the citadel in time to see the sun rise over the Inca site.
• The magnificent handiwork of the Incas is abundantly evident even centuries; this was first set into place by engineers and architects. The precision of the carved walls contrasts sharply with the wild, green mountains and steep highlands.
• Machu Picchu can be divided into 2 areas: the urban, and the agricultural zones. In the urban sector you can find all Temples, as the temple of the Sun, Royal Tomb, ceremonial fountains, Royal Palace, Temple of the Three Windows, Main Temple, Intiwatana and more. The agricultural sector includes the cemetery and the Funeral Rock.
• The Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Huayna Picchu, and the Drawbridge are optional places to see and visit around. You have more time if you get a double entrance to Machupicchu.
• The more adventurous will take a 45-minute climb up the nearby peak of Huayna Picchu. Note: if you wish to climb up, keep in mind that the park officials limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu to 400 per day and tickets need to be purchased in advance.
• After your Machu Picchu day, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes and return to Cusco by train, where you will be met by our representative for a transfer to your hotel.

*Customize: Hike up Huayna Picchu, a peak overlooking the Machu Picchu ruins. This hike is steep and takes about 2 hours’ round trip, but has amazing views. Please let us know if you’d like to add this to your itinerary, it cost USD $75.

* Customize: Spend another day at Machu Picchu. Stay overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu, allowing for a third visit to the spectacular Sanctuary on the following day.

Note: The LARES TREK TO MACHUPICCH itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or other events which are beyond our control. At Inca Soul we will always do our best to follow the itinerary as closely as possible.