Lares & The Two Day Inca Trail

• Total Walking Distance: 12km
• Total Walking Time: 6-7h
• Minimum Altitude: 4200 m (13,780ft) / Maximum Altitude: 4450m (14,600ft)
• Altitude of camp: 4200 m (13,780ft)
• Approx. night temperature: 0°C (32°F) to -5°C (23°F)

We start off early from our campsite this morning, and head towards the Colquepata Pass (4450m / 14,600 ft), a strong uphill climb. From here, we continue along the ridge for most of the day, passing a series of stunning glacial lakes along the way.

Then, we turn and head down towards the village of Chaullacocha (4200m / 13,780 ft), arriving there in the late afternoon. Apus Peru has a long-time and close relationship with this community, and it is also one of the communities supported by Threads of Peru. Time permitting, we’ll have an opportunity to really engage with some community members, perhaps learning about their weaving tradition or visiting the school if it is a school day. In preparation for this community visit, we encourage you to read about being a Responsible Tourist. You can also ask for our Traveler’s Code of Conduct and read about appropriate gift-giving. We will camp here tonight.

For an extra-special experience, why not spend the night with a traditional Andean family! Ask about our Chaullacocha Homestay add-on!

• Total Walking Distance: 13km
• Total Walking Time: 7hs
• Minimum Altitude: 2000 mt (6,561ft) / Maximum Altitude: 2680mt (8,792ft)

It’s another early morning (5 am) as we get picked up in our private transport in order to drive about 2 hours to Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo, we travel by train on a very picturesque route for about 2 hours until we reach Km 104, the start of the Inca Trail for us. Shortly after crossing the bridge over the Vilcanota River we visit the site of Chachabamba (2050m / 6726 ft), a lovely archaeological site with water channels and fountains.

From here, we will hike upwards for about 8km (approximately 4 hours). The trail is well established, but there are many stairs and the hike is mostly upwards! While this is one of the easiest treks around the Cusco region, you still need to have a reasonable level of fitness to complete it. After our upwards climb, we arrive at what many consider the most impressive site on the whole Inca Trail: Wiñay Wayna (‘Forever Young’) (2680m / 8792 ft). This is an impressive complex made up of an agricultural center with numerous terraces, a religious sector and an urban sector.

From here, we continue for about another hour until we arrive at Inti Punku, the Sun Gate (2730m / 8956 ft), where you will have your first dramatic view of Machu Picchu (2400m / 7874 ft). After getting those classic photos, we will walk down the last part of the trail towards Machu Picchu, taking a detour before we reach the entrance to go down to Aguas Calientes. From here, we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. After checking into our accommodations for the night, we’ll enjoy a celebratory dinner and then it’s off to bed, in preparation for the next day’s early start.

After a very early breakfast at the hotel, we will take the bus up to Machu Picchu in the pre-dawn hours, allowing us to take in the sunrise over the site. During your visit to Machu Picchu, your guide will give you a 2-3h walking tour of the historic citadel.

If you’re feeling adventurous you may wish to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, but take note: this requires an extra permit, and they can sell out well in advance! Be sure to tell us at booking if you would like to add one of these hikes.

After visiting Machu Picchu, you can take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes (or walk down!). From there, we return to Cusco in the afternoon by the Expedition (tourist class) train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, where our driver will meet us and transfer you directly back to your hotel in Cusco. Total travel time is about 4 hours from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.