Compare The Lares Trek by G Adventures vs Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - 2D/1N by Action Peru Treks
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 2 days |
| Price From | $ 1,063 | $ 500 |
| Price Per Day | $ 152 | $ 250 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners |
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner |
| Description |
There’s more than one way to earn your Peru hiking stripes. On the Lares trek, you’ll get three days of trekking through the mountains around the Sacred Valley, passing by remote communities, farms, and friendly faces. Forget just taking in the view — unique experiences are waiting for you at a G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op and local pottery community. And, since you’re this close already, we’ll get to you to Machu Picchu with a scenic train ride. |
This Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu hike is one of our most popular treks as it incorporates many of the highlights of the Classic Inca Trail but is completed in a much shorter time frame! This makes it perfect for explorers who want to experience this world-famous trail and the new 7th Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, but who only have a limited amount of time in the area. As well as many of the traditional Inca ruins and magnificent mountain views that make the Inca Trail famous, our route also takes us to the lesser known ruins at Chachabamba, and past the most magnificent waterfall that this area has to offer. It truly is a short itinerary that packs a real punch! |
Day 1 Cusco
Arrive at any time.
Arrive early and spend some time exploring the city. Meet the group at the welcome meeting, check for the start time on the welcome note at the hotel.
Please note: hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common in Peru (even in upgraded hotels and private homes). We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control.
Day 2 Cusco/Ollantaytambo
Enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Sacred Valley. Stop at the G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. Break for lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosco. After lunch, opt to head out on a hike to the Ollantaytambo storehouses and look out over the ruins. Or, wander around the cobblestone streets and visit a local Chicheria (corn beer bar).
Travel through the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting a G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op. Meet the women and learn about traditional weaving and dyeing. Opt to pick up some handmade souvenirs and textiles directly from the women who made them. Have lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa community restaurant. Learn about the G Adventures for Good project and eat a delicious buffet-style lunch. Proceeds of this meal go directly back to the remote community.
Day 3 Lares Trek
Depart Ollantaytambo by van to Lares town where the hike begins. Spend the first night at a G Adventures-supported campsite in Cuncani.
The Lares Trek is a scenic, less touristic route to hike through the Andes. It is one day shorter than the Inca Trail but higher in elevation. Enjoy G Adventures-supported handmade biodegradable soap products for use on the Lares Trek.
The locations and distances may change on this hike, as camping will be done in different places depending on pace, ability, and weather. The first night will always be spent at the G Adventures-supported, community-owned and managed campsite in an indigenous village previously bypassed by the tourism industry. In most cases, the CEO will hike the Lares Trek with the group.
Day 4 Lares Trek
Start early to hike from the foothills of Sicllaccasa Mountain to its high pass (4,800m/15,748 ft), providing scenic views of lagoons and the snow-capped Chicon Mountain. Celebrate after reaching the highest point by making an offering of coca leaves to the Andean gods. After the morning hike, stop to rest and take in the amazing view. Continue hiking downhill to our second campsite near the stream for the night.
Day 5 Lares Trek/Aguas Calientes
Enjoy the last few hours of hiking before travelling by van to Ollantaytambo and train to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a good night's rest at your hotel.
Day 6 Machu Picchu/Cusco
Rise early and enjoy a guided visit to Machu Picchu. Later, travel back towards Cusco by train.
Rise early to catch the first bus up to Machu Picchu with your guide. Enjoy a guided visit to the ruins, then head back down by bus to Aguas Calientes to meet up with the rest of the group. Take the scenic train back to Ollantaytambo to meet the van for the ride back to Cusco.
Day 7 Cusco
Depart at any time.
DAY 1: Cusco – Chachabamba – Wiñay Wayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes
We will pick you up from your Cusco hotel early in the morning (about 4 a.m.) and then transfer you in one of our mini-vans to the train station at Ollantaytambo.
Our train journey lasts about an hour before making a short stop at KM 104, the trailhead of the Short Inca Trail, and the start of our adventure to Machu Picchu.
Passing through the Inca Trail checkpoint we immediately see our first archaeological center, the magnificent ruins at Chachabamba. These ruins were one of the last shelters used by the Inca pilgrims before they reached Machu Picchu. Used for generations as a religious and administrative center, the site features several fascinating buildings, and our expert guide will be delighted to share the history with you.
Our trek begins with a steady ascent for around 3 hours climbing the original Inca stone steps. The ecosystems in this area are quite unique, and your guide will help you identify the different types of flora and fauna along the trail.
After passing the most spectacular waterfall we arrive at the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. Named after an orchid and meaning “Forever Young” in Quechua the site provides incredible views far across the Sacred Valley. We will enjoy a well-deserved lunch at the top of the ruins or somewhere around it, taking in the breathtaking scenery around us.
Wiñay Wayna is a fascinating place to visit as it is built into a mountainside and features experimental terraces that the Incas used to grow different types of crops. During our tour, you will visit a temple with 7 windows that was dedicated to the rainbow as well as observe the incredible engineering of the water channels that still function today.
Once the tour is complete we continue our hike for another 1-2 hours on a relatively flat section of trail. At around 4 p.m. we will reach the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu. This is the original entrance to the sacred city and is called “Intipunku” in Quechua. Intipunku provides our first views of the magnificent Machu Picchu. It is difficult to put into words the impact of seeing this ancient, sacred, and world-famous site for the first time. Suffice it to say you will want to have your cameras at the ready!
After taking some time to enjoy the views, and take those amazing photos, we make a final short walk down to the main entrance of the ruins from where we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes.
Arriving in Aguas Calientes we will take you to check in at your hotel. The town of Aguas Calientes is a thriving tourist town, with plenty of hustle and bustle to keep you entertained! The natural hot springs in town are also an unbeatable way to spend a late afternoon/early evening if there is time available before dinner.
Dinner will have been arranged at one of the local restaurants in town, and we will all dine together, sharing the excitement about the day ahead.
Meals: Box Lunch / Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel
Maximum altitude: 2,720 m/8,920 ft
Minimum Altitude: 2,040 m/6,691 ft
Distance to walk: 13 km/8 miles
Approximate walking time: 5-6 hours
DAY 2: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
The hotel will prepare an early breakfast for you before we meet to take a very early bus (5:30 a.m.) along the winding road to Machu Picchu. As we climb gradually to the sacred city we should be lucky enough to see the magnificent sunrise over the Andes.
All of our guides are experts and enthusiasts in the history and legends of Machu Picchu, so the 2-hour tour of the site will really bring the city to life for you. Of course, there will be plenty of time to take photos, of the city….and of the wild Llamas roaming the terraces!
If you have elected to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain, you will begin the hike at 10 a.m. (the price for hiking Huayna Picchu Mountain is not included in the trek price). If you are not climbing the mountain you will have some time to be at Machu Picchu before you return to Aguas Calientes by bus.
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, we board the expedition train to either Poroy or Ollantaytambo. From the train station, we will transfer you in our minivan to your Cusco hotel. Arrival time in Cusco depends on the time of your train ticket but is generally between 7 and 8 p.m. when your adventure on the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will be complete.
Meals: Breakfast
Minimum altitude: 2,040 m/6,691 ft
Maximum altitude: 2,440 m/8,052 ft
