Ultimate Lares Trek & Inca Trail 5 days

The quiet Andes reward patient walkers. This five-day route combines the remote Lares Trek with the Short Inca Trail, giving you mountain villages, high passes, hot springs, and Machu Picchu without spending every day in a crowded trekking group. I especially like the peaceful camps beside a blue lake and the chance to visit Cancha Cancha, a village with no electricity, internet, or cellphone service. The main caution is altitude: Condor Pass reaches 4,700 meters, so this is not a casual walk.

I also like the strong support team. Guides such as Manolo, Anthony, Gilbert, Sara, and Elias have been praised for patient pacing, local insight, and clear English. The cooks are another major strength, producing generous meals and even birthday cakes in mountain camps. Still, you need good physical fitness, early starts, and a tolerance for cold nights, steep climbs, and long days on rough paths.

Key points about this Lares and Inca Trail route

• 4,700-meter Condor Pass: The highest point arrives on Day 2, with a long climb followed by a descent to Cancha Cancha.
• A quieter route through Quechua country: You pass remote villages where traditional farming life remains part of the daily rhythm.
• Two very different trekking experiences: Lares is peaceful and lightly visited, while the Short Inca Trail becomes busier near Machu Picchu.
• A dramatic first view of Machu Picchu: You enter through the Sun Gate on Day 4, then return for a guided citadel visit on Day 5.
• Strong mountain support: Guides, chefs, porters, and horsemen carry supplies, prepare camp, and provide meals throughout the trek.
• A full five-day package: Transport, two camping nights, two hotel nights, most meals, and a seven-kilogram duffle allowance are included.

Why choose the Lares route instead of the standard Inca Trail

This trip is really two journeys joined together. The first three days follow the Lares Valley, far from the more famous footpath to Machu Picchu. The final two days use the Short Inca Trail, entering the Machu Picchu area at kilometer 104.

That combination works well if you want more than ruins. Lares brings you close to remote Quechua communities, high lakes, llamas, alpacas, and broad mountain views. The Short Inca Trail then supplies the classic stonework and the first view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate.

You should understand the tradeoff. Lares feels quiet and personal, but it has fewer known ruins than the full Inca Trail. The Short Inca Trail is easier in terms of altitude, but it has many stone steps and can feel busy. This route is best for someone who values culture and solitude, then wants a strong Machu Picchu finish.

The maximum group size is 12. That is small enough for personal attention, yet large enough to give the trip some company if the departure fills.

Day 1: Lares hot springs, Kiswarani, and a blue mountain lake

The morning begins early, with pickup around 5:30 am. The stated meeting time is 4:30 am, so you should confirm the exact pickup hour before bed. The drive heads toward the Sacred Valley, with a stop at a local market before continuing to the Lares thermo-medicinal baths.

The pools sit at different temperatures, and the water is promoted as soothing for muscles, bones, stress, and headaches. Even if you treat the pools simply as a pleasant warm-up, they make a sensible start before the walking begins. You then have breakfast and start uphill toward Kiswarani.

The first walking section takes about two hours. After lunch, you continue for another two hours to camp beside a blue lake at 3,750 meters. The total distance is about 9 kilometers, or 5.5 miles, with roughly four hours of walking.

This is described as the easiest hiking day, but the altitude still matters. You are sleeping high above sea level on the first night, so move slowly and drink regularly. Your tent and a hot cup of tea should be ready when you arrive. The evening is suited to resting, stargazing, and learning about Inca astronomy.

Camping equipment is included, and a duffle of up to seven kilograms can be carried by horse. Optional sleeping bags, mattresses, and trekking poles are available at an extra cost, so ask about those before departure if you do not bring your own.

Day 2: Condor Pass and the isolated village of Cancha Cancha

Day 2 is the physical test. Staff wake you with coffee or cocoa tea, followed by breakfast and the main climb to Condor Pass at 4,700 meters, or 15,354 feet.

The ascent takes about four hours. At this height, even fit hikers can feel slow and breathless. Your guide should set a steady pace, and the experience with guides such as Manolo suggests that encouragement and patience are part of the service. The useful local phrase poco poco, or little by little, fits this day perfectly.

At the pass, you have time to take in the high mountain scenery before beginning a three-hour descent. The day covers about 16 kilometers, or 9.9 miles, and takes roughly seven hours of walking. The published difficulty is moderate to challenging, and that rating deserves your attention.

The night is spent at Cancha Cancha, a village at about 3,750 meters. It is described as the only village in the Lares Valley completely cut off from modern technology. There is no electricity, drainage system, internet, computers, or cellphone signal. Quechua is the only language spoken there.

That isolation is one of the most valuable parts of the trip, but it also means you should not expect comfort in the usual hotel sense. Bring patience, warm layers, and a willingness to be present without a signal. Dinner is prepared at camp, and hot drinks help make the cold evening easier.

Day 3: Downhill walking and Ollantaytambo’s Inca streets

After another early drink and breakfast, you walk downhill for about four hours. The route ends in Huaran, at 2,700 meters, after about 12 kilometers, or 7.4 miles.

The lower altitude should feel easier after Condor Pass. This is labeled an easy day, but downhill walking can still test knees and ankles. One useful warning from the route experience is that the next stage toward Machu Picchu includes many steps, so anyone with ankle or knee trouble should take that seriously.

From Huaran, private transport takes you toward Salienras and Ollantaytambo. The latter is one of the most appealing towns in the Sacred Valley. Its old streets and water channel remain in use from Inca times, giving you a living sense of how the settlement was planned.

You have dinner in a local restaurant and sleep in a hotel. This change matters. After two nights in mountain camps, a proper bed and a lower altitude offer a welcome reset before the Machu Picchu section.

The itinerary describes this evening in Ollantaytambo as a visit to the Last Living Incan City. That phrase is promotional, but the old stone streets and working water channel do make the stop more than a simple overnight break.

Day 4: Chachabamba, Wiñay Huayna, and the Sun Gate

Day 4 links the Lares route to the Short Inca Trail. After breakfast, you walk to the station in Ollantaytambo and take a train for about 90 minutes along the Urubamba River to kilometer 104 at Chachabamba.

The train ride shifts the mood from remote mountain trekking to the cloud forest. At Chachabamba, you begin walking and first visit the Inca site there. The route then climbs for about four hours toward Wiñay Huayna, whose name means the place that never gets old.

A packed lunch and refreshments are provided. The path leads onward to the Sun Gate, where you get your first view of Machu Picchu. This arrival is one of the best reasons to choose the combined route. You do not simply arrive by bus and walk straight into the citadel. You approach on foot, after several days of effort, and see the ruins spread below from above.

From the Sun Gate, it is about an hour downhill to Machu Picchu. The group arrives in the afternoon, when the site may feel less crowded than during the main morning rush. You then take a bus down to Aguas Calientes, have dinner, and sleep in a three-star hotel.

There is an inconsistency in the published timing: the day is described as a four-hour walk, but the individual sections add up to more. Plan for a substantial day rather than relying on the shorter figure. You should also expect stairs and uneven stone paths.

Day 5: A guided morning inside Machu Picchu

The final morning starts early. You take a bus up from Aguas Calientes, with the possibility of seeing sunrise over Machu Picchu if the weather is clear.

Your guide leads a two to three-hour tour of the citadel. After that, you can continue exploring on your own, or climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you have arranged the required ticket in advance. Those mountain tickets are optional and should be booked as early as possible.

The guide explains how to return by bus to Aguas Calientes. Lunch there is not included. After lunch, you take the panoramic train and bus back toward Cusco, where the TreXperience team meets you at the train and returns you to your hotel.

This is a long finish, but the transport is handled for you. That makes a real difference after five days of walking. You are not left to figure out a train connection, a bus transfer, and a city return while tired.

Food, camping, and the people who make the trip work

Food receives some of the strongest praise attached to this experience. Chefs including Oscar, Vidal, Augusto, Tiburcio, and their assistants have prepared generous multi-course meals in difficult mountain conditions. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are included on the camping days, with four lunches and four dinners listed for the full trip.

You should tell the company about dietary needs when booking. Vegetarian food is available. The team has also prepared special cakes at camp, including a birthday cake made without an oven. That detail says something useful about the care put into meals, not just the novelty of dessert.

The support crew includes guides, porters, horsemen, chefs, and assistant chefs. Horsemen carry camping equipment and supplies, while staff set up camp and prepare hot drinks. You can pack a lighter day bag because the included duffle allowance covers up to seven kilograms of personal items.

Camping is comfortable by trek standards, but it is still camping at high altitude. Two nights are spent in the mountains, followed by hotel nights in Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes. Optional sleeping bags, mattresses, and trekking poles are not included, so check what equipment you need.

What the $980 price gives you

At $980 per person, this is not a bare-bones hike. The price includes transport during the trek, hotel pickup, guides, chefs, porters, horse support, two nights of camping equipment, two three-star hotel nights, and most meals.

The value is strongest if you want a managed trip. You are paying for the logistics between Cusco, Lares, Ollantaytambo, kilometer 104, Aguas Calientes, and the return to Cusco. You are also paying for a support crew that handles camp and food while you walk.

Read the entrance-fee wording carefully before paying. The information lists an entrance fee as not included, while also listing admission tickets within the daily itinerary. It clearly says that Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain tickets are optional and extra, but you should ask the operator to confirm exactly which standard Machu Picchu and trail permits are covered.

The tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for personal reasons. If poor weather or insufficient bookings cause cancellation, you are offered another date, another experience, or a full refund. Since permits and transport matter on this route, confirm names, passport number, expiry date, and country details at booking. A valid passport is required on the day.

Who should book this five-day trek

I would recommend it to you if you want a quieter Andean route, enjoy learning about local culture, and can handle a major altitude day. It also suits solo hikers, couples, and families with teenagers who want a guided experience rather than an independent trek.

The route is a good match for someone who values people as much as ruins. Guides such as Anthony, Gilbert, Manolo, Sara, and Elias have been praised for local knowledge, patience, and support when the walking gets hard. The food and camp service also make the trip feel cared for rather than purely rugged.

I would hesitate if you dislike early starts, shared camping, steep climbs, or limited communication. Condor Pass is high, the second day is long, and the route demands moderate fitness. You should also be comfortable with a change of pace from quiet Lares to the busier Machu Picchu area.

Should you book the Lares Trek and Short Inca Trail?

Book this tour if your ideal Peru trip includes remote villages, high mountain lakes, strong meals, and a memorable walk into Machu Picchu. The mix of Lares solitude and Inca Trail ruins gives you more variety than a route focused only on the famous citadel.

Skip it if you want a relaxed sightseeing trip or if you need complete control over your schedule. The altitude, early mornings, fixed permits, and non-refundable terms require commitment.

For the right hiker, $980 buys a well-supported five-day experience with a real sense of place. Confirm the entrance fees, optional mountain tickets, equipment rentals, and exact pickup time before booking. Then prepare for the big day at Condor Pass, because that is where this pleasant trek becomes a serious Andean adventure.

FAQ

How long is the Lares Trek and Inca Trail experience?

The experience lasts approximately five days. It includes three days through the Lares Valley and a two-day Short Inca Trail and Machu Picchu visit.

What is the highest point on the route?

The highest point is Condor Pass at 4,700 meters, or 15,354 feet, reached on Day 2.

How difficult is the trek?

Day 1 is rated easy, Day 2 moderate to challenging, and Day 3 easy. You should have a moderate level of physical fitness.

How many people can join the group?

The maximum group size is 12 people.

Are meals included?

Yes. The package includes five breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners, along with snacks on the trekking days. Dietary requirements and vegetarian meals should be requested at booking.

Where do you sleep during the trip?

You spend two nights camping in the mountains. The other two nights are in three-star hotels, one in Ollantaytambo and one in Aguas Calientes.

Are Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain included?

No. These are optional climbs, and their tickets must be booked in advance. Ask the operator to confirm the standard entrance fees and permits included in your booking.

What documents are required?

You must provide each participant’s passport name, number, expiry date, and country when booking. A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.