Lares Trek to Machu Picchu.

One of the most beautiful treks in Perú, it´s a 4 day and 3 night trek on the Peruvian Highlands. It starts in Lares town and walk along the mountains, visit local villages and see lakes and white capped mountains. After 3 day hiking and 2 nights camping you will  get to Ollantaytambo town and then take the train to Aguas Calientes town (next to Machu Picchu), spend the night in a hsotel and next day take the bus to Machu Picchu ruins, you will have a guided tour around the ruins and then come back to Cusco by train. This trek is famous because the amazing landscapes and also because there are not many tourists around, just you and the mountians.

Day 1

Bus  to Calca ( 40 hr), visit local bakery and the local market. You can buy  bread rolls to  give to the  kids along the trail. Continue to Ankas Marca (Archaeological site) where we stop for half hour and then to Lares town (last chance to buy supplies).

Continue to Trapiche for lunch and meet the porters and llamas and then start the trek.

After lunch start walk about 13.30. It’s about a 4hr walk in total. Walk 1½ hours to Huaca Wasi which is at 3800m, then walk 2½ hours onto Sonda which is at 4220m and is the first campsite.

, here we will have dinner.  This campsite is very cold and can sometimes be as cold as -3 degrees C in the tent.

Day 1 = 11km and 4 hours walking

Meals: Lunch and Dinner.

Day 2

This is the hardest day of the trek, early start and hike  for 2 hours to the first  pass (4560m ) after this pass you will see a nice lagoon.  Then walk a further 2 hours to the second pass (4520m). Then is about  1½ hours to lunch and then 2 hours to our second campsite at  3400 mts. at Marcacocha.

Day 2 = 20km and 7½ hours walking

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 3

Leave camp early and say goodbye to the porters. It is flat for about 1 hours walk then walking up for 1 hour (about 200m up) to the Inca ruins at the top. You will have a guided tour around the ruins.  Then continue walking  for 1 hour downhill (700 steps to go down). It is then flat for 1 hour further into Ollantaytambo.

Then you will meet your guide in a restaurant where they can pick up their duffle bags.You can  buy lunch in Ollantaytambo town. Lunch and dinner are not included today.

After lunch you will take the train to Aguas Calientes (train takes 1 hour 20 mins).  Arrive in Aguas Calientes in the afternoon and get a transfer to the Hostel. Afternoon free, at night you will meet  the guide, he will explain you the plans for the next day.

Day 3 = 10km and 4 hours walking.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 4

Today you will take an early bus (time dependent on weather) up to Machu Picchu ( 25 minutes, bus ticket included). Have a 2 hour guided tour of Machu Picchu and then have free time. Meet down in Aguas Calientes at about 14.00. In the afternoon you will take train back to Ollantaytambo and then the bus back Cusco which takes about 1½ hours. You will arrive to Cusco at night.

Meals: Breakfast.

Total trek distance – 41km

Titicaca Lake, Puno.

Titicaca Lake is located between Perú and Bolivia, the Peruvian side is in Puno region and it´s one of the main destinations in this country. This is the highest navigable lake in the world, it´s located at 3800 meters after sea level and has 80 Km. wide and 190 Km. long. On this lake are more than 40 islands, the biggest are Isla de Sol in Bolivia  and Amantani Island in Perú. There are another islands on this lake like the Uros floating islands and Suasi island. Some of this islands have hotels or guesthouses.

You can a boat trip to this lake, the full day tour goes to Uros floating Islands and Taquile Island, but the best way to see the lake and the people who lives there is a 2 day and 1 night excursion. On this trip you will visit Uros floating island and then will sail for 3 hours more to Amantani Island and stay with a local family.

Amantani island is the biggest on the Peruvian side, it has about 4000 people divided in 10 communities, the locals offer a great experience, this is a homestay with a local family for one night. The locals will cook for you and will introduce their kids and family, you can also have a walk around the community and see their farms, animals and an amazing landscape. In the afternoon you have the chance to play football with the locals for a few minutes, even if the island is located at 3800 meters after the sea level. Then you can make a hike to the top of Pachatata mountain and enjoy the sunset. 

In the afternoon the weather gets cold so the family will make some hot soup for you and then will give you the traditional dresses to go to a local party and dance with them. It’s a great experience to see how the local people live, they have a simple live and are always happy to have guests. Travelers always bring some presents to the families like food and toys for the kids.

The next day you will have an early breakfast with the local family and then will sail for 1 hour to Taquile Island and do a hike to the top and see how the locals live. You can have trout from the lake and a coca tea (mate de coca). After this visit you will take the boat back to Puno (3 hours journey).