3-Day Lares Trek with Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

We will start at 6:00 a.m., where we will pick you up directly from your hotel in Cusco and drive 2 hours to the town of Huaran (Punta Carretera 3,250 m) located in the Sacred Valley between Pisac and Urubamba. Before starting your walk, you will meet your horses and horsemen (arrieros). After you get ready, we’ll go through the beautiful Huaran valley toward the lares andes. The first 4 hours will be gradually uphill until lunch. After lunch, we will continue leaving the Sacred Valley behind us, heading north following a path that climbs gently alongside the small river for 2 hours to reach our campsite (4,125 m) “Accopata” in the small village called Cancha Cancha where we spend the night. Cancha Cancha doesn’t have modern technology and people still practice real Inca traditions. In this Inca town, 85 percent of the houses are still made up of original, old buildings, made of stone, with thatched roofs. Unlike any other town in the Lares Valley, this town has no electricity or cars. Your porters will set up your tents while you have time to meet with locals.

In the evening, relax with hot drinks and a freshly prepared dinner before an early night. If conditions allow, enjoy an unforgettable stargazing experience beneath the crystal-clear Andean sky and the brilliance of the Milky Way.

As part of our True Impact Experience, your guide will take you to a local family home, where you’ll connect with the living culture of the Andes.

Learn how families raise guinea pigs, discover the traditions behind handwoven textiles made from llama and alpaca wool, and enjoy a genuine cultural exchange.

Through our True Impact Project, we support educational initiatives for local children. Read more.

This is not a performance—it’s a real connection that creates a positive impact.

Without a doubt, one of the most meaningful highlights of your journey.

Leaving Cancha Cancha, we continue northeast through the valley, passing small stone houses with thatched roofs. After approximately one hour of gradual ascent, the trail levels out briefly before a steep three-hour climb to the highest pass, Paso de Pachacutec (4,685 m).

From here, you will be rewarded with magnificent views of Lake Pachacutec and the snow-capped peaks of Pitusiray. After taking time to soak in the scenery, we continue for another three hours, passing beautiful lakes and waterfalls, before reaching the village of Quishuarani (3,870 m) for lunch.

After lunch, we transfer by private transportation to Ollantaytambo, where we will check in to our hotel.

You will wake up in your hotel at 4:20 a.m. and walk for 10 minutes to the Ollantaytambo train station from where we will depart on the 5:05 a.m. train. The train follows the Urubamba sacred valley River, until we reach Km 104, where we’ll begin the hike. Along the way, you’ll see spectacular views of farmlands, snow-capped mountains and the mighty Urubamba River, one of the sources of the Amazon River. At Km 104, we will begin our trek. Once you have everything you need, we’ll take a group photo before visiting our first Inca site. After orientation and a tour of the Incan ruins, we are going to begin hiking upwards, as we head up to reach the Classic Inca Trail. If the weather is clear, we’ll have tremendous views of Machu Picchu mountain, the Urubamba River and other surrounding Incan sites.

After hiking for 3-hours, we reach the most beautiful archaeological site on the Inca trail, Wiñay Wayna (meaning ‘Forever Young’) at 2,600 m. Most people do not get the opportunity to see the elaborate water fountains, temples and agricultural terraces, which provide a perfect opportunity to learn about the history of the Incas. The site is bordered by steep drops, allowing you to see the stunning mountains surrounding the area. From Winaywayna, we’ll walk to the Sun Gate, from where we’ll see the picturesque landscape of Machu Picchu. After taking in the once-in-a-lifetime views, we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu itself.

A big advantage of this hike is that, by the time we reach Machu Picchu, most of the day travelers will have returned home, so you will have the area nearly to yourself. After taking the classic photos of Machu Picchu on the Circuit 1 – Upper Terrace Route, your private English-speaking guide will explain you the importance and history of the Inka citadel before you take a bus, or walk, down to Aguas Calientes for dinner (not included). Afterwards, you will take the 6:20 p.m. train back to Ollantaytambo, and then transfer to Cusco, where you will be brought back to your hotel around 10:30 pm.