Hike the Lares trek in Peru
You only carry a day pack.
Description of Hike the Lares trek in Peru
Trekking the Lares Valley provides insight into life in the Peruvian highlands that still reveals its Inca roots, from traditional textiles to ancient farming practices such as alpaca herding. Trekking between 3-8 hours a day, climb to high mountain passes and delve sub-tropical valleys, while enjoying lakes, natural hot springs and Inca memorials along the way.
After travelling through the Sacred Valley, your trekking begins with a climb to the thatched-roof village of Cancha Cancha, amid peaks such as the 5530m Chicon. On the days that follow, your progress through an Andean wonderland takes in a series of mountain passes, the glacial lakes of Suirococha and Yuraccocha (home to birds such as Andean Ibis), an Inca stone path along a dramatic ridge and dramatic cascades.
Descending into a lush pastoral landscape of ancient farms and lagoons where llamas and alpacas graze alongside Andean water birds, look out for the rare Peruvian Viscacha, a cousin of chinchilla that bounds through the surrounding crags. Following a foaming river, you enter a sub-tropical region of adobe house villages where, near the village of Trapiche, the hot medicinal geo-thermal pools at Lares soak away any hiking aches.
Transferring to Ollantaytambo, a train rattles you to Aguas Calientes from where you make an early morning guided visit to Machu Picchu – beating the crowds as well as enjoying the glory of a sunrise over the iconic ruins.
Price information
You only carry a day pack.
Check dates
Travel guides
Holiday information
Responsible Travel
Planet and people
On our treks we buy fresh local produce. In preference we choose local over imported goods, encouraging the use of Andean products in our cooking. We minimize waste by using products with minimum packaging, leaving no litter and keeping all water sources clean, leaving camp-sites cleaner than we find them. Rubbish is carried out.We operate our treks together with a Cusco company, owned and managed locally. We employ local staff and involved in their ongoing training. All our trek staff do not carry more than the maximum load and are provided with tents and food. We pay and treat our staff fairly. We support the Tourism Concern Porters Policy.
Clean burning fuel is used to cook meals. We use biodegradable detergents when washing the cooking and eating utensils. If any part of our tour or trek is operated by another company, we try to ensure that high standards are maintained.
We are continuing to undertake community projects such as clothing and school equipment donations. Each year we donate some money to the communities our Inca Trail porters come from.
We support a children’s health care project in Cusco. We are happy to distribute your donations of much needed warm clothes and shoes to Peruvian children through this organization - please contact us for details of how you can help.
Since 2006 we have been able to support the Huchuy Yachaq community project in the marginalised neighbourhood of Hermanos Ayar, on the outskirts of Cusco, with the help of everybody who has travelled with us. We donate USD $3000 a year to this community project.
The project has been set up by volunteer social workers and teachers to provide much needed social and educational support to the children and families of this neighbourhood. Children are encouraged to attend study and games sessions held each afternoon and participate in holiday projects. Our contributions so far have paid for educational books and games, tables and chairs, improvements to the structure of the basic community owned building and the addition of functioning toilets, materials for the children to take to school, school books, holiday programmes.
And we are planting trees as part of a reforestation project in Peru.
Popular similar holidays
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
From £3349 - £3949 17 days including UK flights
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
Peru walking and cultural holiday
From £2608 10 days excluding flights
Trek the cultural sites and mountain scenery of Peru
Hiking the Inca Trail holiday
From £2549 - £2999 10 days including UK flights
An unrivalled combination of history and spectacular scenery
