Day 1: Cusco – Calca – Lares – Cuncani 

Early morning, as the sun begins to shine on the roofs of Cusco (3,400 m / 11,154 ft), you’ll be picked up from your hotel and you’ll head in the direction of the Sacred Valley. The Calca market will be your last stop before losing contact with big cities. This is your final chance to buy any last minute things you may need for the trek.

The road that leads to Lares and crosses the Willcapuncu pass (4,461 m /14,635 ft) is a very phenomenal drive which winds through arid landscapes, occasional rivers run across the road and the mountain views are breathtaking.

Your final destination is the town of Lares (3,200 m / 10,498 ft). Here you get ready and set the tone for this wonderful hike. From the starting point unfolds a small track, used by local children and community members. You’ll pass through hand-tilled fields and crops of quinoa and potato, amongst quaint stone houses.

After a gradual climb of a couple of hours, you’ll stop for a delicious lunch, before continuing on to the community of Cuncani (3,800 m / 12,467 ft), our camp for the evening. The night will be cold but charming.

• Meals included: lunch & dinner
• Maximum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
• Minimum altitude: 3,200 m / 10,498 ft
• Campsite altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
• Distance hiked: 9.00 km / 5.59 ml
• Approximate walking time: 4 – 5 hours

Day 2: Cuncani – Cruzccasa Pass – Wacahuasi Valley – Ipsaycocha Pass – Ipsaycocha Lake  

After a nutritious breakfast you start the toughest day on the route, since your aim is to climb up 2 mountain passes in one day. First, climbing uphill for about two hours to the Cruzccasa pass (4,200 m / 13,779 ft), the trail will take you through farmhouses and fields. The local inhabitants, descendants of the Incas, have maintained their traditional way of life, growing an amazing variety of potatoes nearly year-round and using their llamas as transportation and alpacas as food and clothing. Reaching the top of the pass, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view of Veronica snowpeak and the Cordillera Vilcanota, then have a two-hour descent to our countryside lunch spot at Wacahuasi valley (4,000 m / 13,123 ft).

You’ll then continue to climb for approximately 2 hours to the top of Ipsayccasa pass at (4,500 m / 14,763 ft), which is the highest pass along the trek. From here you get stunning views of the surrounding mountains. you’ll descend gently for about 1 hour until you reach our second night’s camp beside the beautiful Ipsaycocha Lake (4,200 m / 13,779 ft). You may be lucky enough to see Andean geese, Puna ibis and other wetland birds.

• Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
• Maximum altitude: 4,500 m / 14,763 ft
• Minimum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
• Campsite altitude: 4,200 m / 13,779 ft
• Distance hiked: 15.00 km / 9.32 ml
• Approximate walking time: 7 – 8 hours

Day 3: Ipsaycocha – Patacancha – Pumamarca – Ollantaytambo

After two days of hiking, today is much easier. Following an early breakfast you walk downhill through a wide-open valley for about two and a half hours until you arrive at the village of Patacancha. You’ll have a chance to see some locals wearing proudly their traditional dress made by themselves in this community, the high quality weavings are famous for their intricate designs reflecting aspects of their everyday lives and culture.

Before midday, you’ll reach the village of Patacancha (3,785 m / 12,417 ft). Sit down to rest and enjoy your farewell lunch on the Lares trek. After indulging in a well deserved lunch, your transport will take you down the valley towards Pallata, where you’ll begin a short, half-day hike to Ollantaytambo. Your trek will be via the scenic early-Inca site of Pumamarca (3,530 m / 11,581 ft) or “The Puma’s town”, in order for you to get the most out of this journey. This well-preserved Inca outpost was apparently a fort protecting the approaches to the Sacred Valley. From Pumamarca, you’ll continue to hike down a trail that winds gently across steep mountain slopes, through a stupendous series of agricultural terraces built by the Incas and now partially restored to agricultural use.

This evening, you’ll spend the night at a comfortable hotel in Ollantaytambo (2,800 m / 9186 ft). Enjoy a full night rest, before starting the journey to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu next morning.

• Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
• Maximum altitude: 4,200 m / 13,779 ft
• Minimum altitude: 2,800 m / 9186 ft
• Ollantaytambo altitude: 2,800 m / 9186 ft
• Distance hiked: 13.00 km / 8.07 ml
• Approximate walking time: 6 – 7 hours

Day 4: Ollantaytambo – Km 104 – Intipunku – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes

After breakfast, you take the train from Ollantaytambo, following the Urubamba river to Km.104 of the railroad, where you’ll get off the train and continue on foot. The Inca Trail adventure begins with crossing a footbridge to begin your hike at the Inca site of Chachabamba (2,200 m / 7,217 ft). After a brief visit to this lovely ruin with its water channels and fountains, you’ll start the three-hour ascent that will take you past spectacular overlooks above the great valley, then below a lovely waterfall near the delightful site of Wiñay Wayna (2650 m / 8694 ft), called “Forever Young”.

Before stopping for lunch, you’ll ascend through this largest and most exquisite of the Inca Trail sites, passing its chain of ritual baths and elegantly curved terracing, and then joining the main Inca trail.

When you’re done with lunch, you’ll follow this trail across a steep mountainside and up narrow stairways through lush, humid cloud-forest of giant ferns and broad-leaf vegetation. Suddenly, you’ll cross the stone threshold of Intipunku or the “Sun Gate” (2,700 m / 8,858 ft) and encounter an unforgettable sweep of natural beauty and human artistry, a backdrop of twisting gorge and forested peaks framing the magical city of Machu Picchu.

You’ll walk the last hour or so down the royal flagstone walkway, past outlying shrines and buildings and through the heart of Machu Picchu, taking a bus to the small town of Aguas Calientes (2,000 m / 6,551 ft), now called Machu Picchu Pueblo, where you’ll spend the night.

• Meals included: breakfast, boxed lunch & dinner
• Maximum altitude: 2,700 m / 8,858 ft
• Minimum altitude: 2,200 m / 7,217 ft 2,000 m / 6,561 ft
• Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m / 7,874 ft
• Aguas Calientes altitude: 2,000 m / 6,561 ft
• Distance hiked: 12.00 km / 7.45 ml (to Machu Picchu)
• Approximate walking time: 7 hours

Day 5: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco

The most anticipated day. You wake up early and after breakfast at the hotel, board a bus to Machu Picchu (2,400 m / 7,874 ft). After a 25-minute bus ride, you’ll arrive to this World Wonder. You’ll enjoy an unforgettable sunrise, this is the moment to take some fantastic souvenir photos. Then you’ll begin a complete guided tour of the Inca citadel that will take approximately two hours. As you explore the narrow streets and passages, you’ll understand why Machu Picchu is considered a masterpiece of architecture and engineering.

You’ll then have free time to walk around, climb up the Huayna Picchu Mountain (2,720 m / 8,923 ft), where you can experience spectacular views of all of Machu Picchu, the valleys and mountains that surround it, or visit the Temple of the Moon or the impressive Inca Bridge.

In the afternoon, at the end of your visit, you’ll take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch. From here you’ll board the train back to Ollantaytambo and once there take a bus to the city of Cusco and you’ll be dropped off at your hotel. 

Note: Huayna Picchu Mountain tickets are subject to availability

• Meals included: breakfast at the hotel.
• Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m / 7,874 ft
• Huayna Picchu altitude: 2,720 m / 8,923 ft
• Cusco altitude: 3,400 m / 11,154 ft

Transportation and tickets

• Transfer in from the airport to your hotel in Cusco
• Hotel pick up in Cusco
• Private transport to the trailhead in Lares valley
• Private transport from Patacancha to Pumamarca
• Entrance fee ticket to Pumamarca
• Tourist train from Ollantaytambo to the Km 104
• Entrance fee ticket to the Inca Trail
• Entrance fee ticket to Machu Picchu
• One way bus Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes 4th day
• Round trip bus ticket Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu 5th day
• Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
• Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
• Hotel drop off in Cusco
• Transfer out from your hotel to the airport 

Camping equipment

• Comfortable 4-season sleeping tent
• Two nights camping
• One night hotel accommodation in Ollantaytambo 3***
• One night hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes 3***
• Foam mattress
• Outdoor dining and cooking tents
• Food and drink utensils
• Portable chemical toilet tent
• Emergency medical first aid kit
• Emergency oxigen bottle
• Duffle bag for your personal items up to 8 Kg / 17 Lb
• Luggage shipping to Aguas Calientes
• Biodegradable soap and hand towels
• Portable transmitter-receiver radio

Team

• Pre-departure Lares & Inca Trail briefing
• Professional trekking Tour Guide
• Personalized service
• Small tour group max 8 people
• Private walking tour in Machu Picchu
• Professional and well trained Trek Chef
• Horsemen and mules to carry provided equipment and food
• Extra horse for emergencies only
• Guaranteed departure

Food

• High quality meals while on the trek 4B, 4L, 4D & snacks
• Drinking water to refill bottles while on trek
• Classic afternoon tea before dinner
• This tour offers vegetarian and vegan food options on request simply let us know the food option that you prefer

• Huayna Picchu mountain entrance fee ticket
• Machu Picchu mountain entrance fee ticket
• First day breakfast
• Meals after arrival to Machu Picchu
• Personal sleeping tent (available for rent)
• Sleeping bag (available for rent)
• Sleeping bag polar liner
• Insulated air sleeping pad (available for dinner)
• Hiking poles (available for rent)
• Rain poncho
• Extra expenses
• Thermal baths in Aguas Calientes
• Gratuities
• Travel insurance
• International or local airfare
• Hotel in Cusco or Aguas Calientes

The entrance to waynapicchu must inform at the time of making your reservation and is subject to availability of spaces. (maximum 400 places per day)