Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

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Peru Travel Insights

Lima, Cusco & Lares Trek to Machu Picchu - 6 Days
Map of Lima, Cusco & Lares Trek to Machu Picchu - 6 Days
Lima, Cusco & Lares Trek to Machu Picchu - 6 Days

A shorter alternative to the Inca Trail, the Lares Trek offers an experience just as stunning. Despite the high altitudes, this trek follows a less rigorous route through local communities, making it ideal for those who are looking for something accessible, unique, and immersive.

Beautiful Andean landscape
Map of Lares Lodge-to-Lodge Trek to Machu Picchu - 5 Days
Lares Lodge-to-Lodge Trek to Machu Picchu - 5 Days

The five-day Lares Trek takes you high up in the Andes, hiking during the day and overnighting in luxurious lodges along the way. Providing impressive views of snow-capped peaks and glacial lakes, it’s a relatively demanding hike that will test your fitness.

Girl walking home in the Lares Valley
Map of Lares Valley Trek & Short Inca Trail - 8 Days
Lares Valley Trek & Short Inca Trail - 8 Days

Trek through the Lares Valley, where you'll pass between glacier-capped mountains where llamas and alpacas graze in the surrounding hills. You'll visit the town of Lares, a colourful traditional town in the heart of the valley. Combined with the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, this is a trek that combines two wonderful valleys & mountain ranges with very different ecologies & landscapes.

View from the Santa Cruz trek in Peru
Map of Best 10 Treks in Peru
Best 10 Treks in Peru

Peru — a nation with abundant natural diversity, from coast, to mountains, to jungle — has long attracted lovers of the Great Outdoors. The Peruvian Andes, running like a backbone down the centre of the country, contain mesmerizing variations in landscape that make for some of the best trekking in the world. Cloud forests, 5000m+ cordilleras (mountain ranges), the world’s deepest canyon and the striking remains of ancient civilizations all await.

Making a pilgrimage to Machu Picchu on one of these two treks makes your arrival even more spectacular
Salkantay Trek vs the Inca Trail: Which is Right for You?

Trekking to Machu Picchu is a dream for many travelers—but there's more than one way to get there. The classic Inca Trail lets trekkers walk in the steps of the Incas, while the more remote Salkantay route offers solitude and wildlife. Compare your options for getting to Peru's most famous place on foot, from distance and cost to overnight options.

Huchuy Qosqo
Map of Best Day Hikes in the Sacred Valley near Cusco
Best Day Hikes in the Sacred Valley near Cusco

Peru is famous for the Inca Trail and other multi-day hikes, but if you are short on time, there are plenty of excellent day hikes throughout the Sacred Valley. These hikes are a great way to visit some of the rural communities and lesser-visited ruins throughout the Valley.

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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Peru
Travel specialist Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
active 21 hours ago

Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca

Peruvian food, culture, and history aren’t just things I love—they’re a part of who I am. As a proud Cusqueñian, I carry my roots with pride and love sharing my culture with others. I've lived...

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Travel specialist Jimena Salazar
active 3 hours ago

Jimena Salazar

For me, traveling is about much more than just visiting places. It’s about opening new paths in your life—through the people you meet, the flavors you try, and the landscapes that take your breath...

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Travel specialist Jorge Ramirez
active 3 days ago

Jorge Ramirez

I believe the best journeys start with truly listening. When I design a trip, my goal is for travelers to feel that every detail reflects who they are—their interests, their pace, and the kind of...

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Travel specialist Hilda Aguinaga Sara
active 3 hours ago

Hilda Aguinaga Sara

I design personalized travel experiences with a thoughtful, human approach. My focus is on creating meaningful, well-balanced trips, especially for couples and families, by listening closely,...

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Trip Reviews for Peru

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Peruvian perfection in a fantastically planned trip!
Peru | Jul 14 - Jul 23, 2026

Jessica
Jessica S.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Aug 05, 2026
Our trip that Jimina helped us plan was incredible, well thought out, and supported our style and pace while traveling with our child.
- We adored Blanca's food tour in Lima and learned so much from her while taking in the sights and delicious food. We truly felt like she found us the best spots and also chose locations that were welcoming to our little one.
- Wilson was our guide for Machu Picchu and he was so upbeat and spirited, filled with knowledge, and so kind and supportive.
- The...
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Our trip that Jimina helped us plan was incredible, well thought out, and supported our style and pace while traveling with our child.
- We adored Blanca's food tour in Lima and learned so much from her while taking in the sights and delicious food. We truly felt like she found us the best spots and also chose locations that were welcoming to our little one.
- Wilson was our guide for Machu Picchu and he was so upbeat and spirited, filled with knowledge, and so kind and supportive.
- The pottery class in the Sacred Valley was lovely and a family favorite activity.
- Visiting the Misminay community felt special and intimate.
- Another favorite activity was Piuray Lake; Carolina was one of the kindest people we met and while boating and paddle boarding was great, the meal and sitting by the lake painting the bulls is something we all remarked how enjoyable it was. In fact, my husband and I commented how lucky we are to be traveling with a little one because we're not sure we would've done that part of the activity otherwise. At one point, our little one ran off and went back to painting her bull while we sat and talked over our meal and drinks. It was perfection!
- My daughter tells everyone that her favorite activity was the horseback riding. We are SO thankful to Javier and his guys for helping make this happen.

Above all else, we could not be more thrilled with Guido and Christian. They were both incredible!
Guido went above and beyond for us, was so knowledgeable and passionate, and truly became a friend on this journey. While everyone was incredible, I'm not sure that our experience would've been quite the same without him. He is a gem and I'd recommend him to friends and family without reservation!

Hotel Reviews
Palacio del Inka Cusco
Cusco

We traveled with our 5 year old and overall felt like this hotel did a really wonderful job making sure we were all comfortable and taken care of. The service at breakfast in the mornings wasn't consistently spectacular; perhaps, coming from Tambo del Inka, is why the breakfast spread and service fell flat (their's is far superior). The bar was wonderful and the Pisco class was fantastic. On our final night we brought down a deck of cards and ordered drinks and some food. It was the perfect, relaxed experience!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International
Miraflores
Authenticity & Character
More of a generic hotel feel. Not in a bad way, but certainly not filled with character.
Location
We felt like there were some good walkable destinations, including a great park! Neighborhood also felt safe to navigate.
Staff
No one went above and beyond but they were all very pleasant.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
Urubamba

This hotel and the grounds are incredible and the staff were wonderful! Brunch was an absolute highlight; the staff, food, and just how wonderfully luxurious but comfortable everything felt. We ate at Hawa once; however, unanimously agree that it would've been nice to have another option that was perhaps less stuffy and upscale. After a long day of traveling and hiking, Hawa felt like an extra task to get ready for in the evening, especially with a little one. We found several incredible restaurants in walking distance that fit that bill though!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
The individuals at the front desk and front door were all so warm and helpful, the servers in the restaurant (both breakfast and at Hawa) were all quite lovely as well. The only people that seemed less than impressed to be there were the hostesses; no matter when we arrived, morning for breakfast, or evening for dinner, they pretty consistently seemed annoyed.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Jimena Salazar

An Absolute Dream
Peru | Jul 1 - Jul 11, 2026

Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn R.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Aug 05, 2026
This entire trip exceeded all of my expectations. Every tour guide was knowledgeable and kind. Our agent from KimKim made sure we had everything we needed and more. The communication, preparedness, and organization of this trip was phenomenal. 11/10!!! Read more

This entire trip exceeded all of my expectations. Every tour guide was knowledgeable and kind. Our agent from KimKim made sure we had everything we needed and more. The communication, preparedness, and organization of this trip was phenomenal. 11/10!!!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Limade
Lima

great roof top bar, great location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hacienda Regocijo
Cusco

I loved this hotel!! Great food at the restaurant for dinner / breakfast. So beautiful and so clean.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado
Urubamba

An absolute dream stay. The stars, the spa, the restaurant. Everything was amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
some of the staff in the restaurant were rude
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hatun Inti Classic Machupicchu
Machu Picchu

This hotel was terrible! Mold in the bathrooms, broken glass in common areas. small rooms. loud location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain
Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain
Cusco

This was quite the doozy! Stunning views, but the "easy" hike was actually very difficult!

Quality of Experience
Food
The food stop was not good. Got food poisoning after and I know it was from that place.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
the driver was not good. Almost hit a cow and multiple cars. The guide was great though.
Transport
Misminay Community,  lunch and hike to Moray
Misminay Community, lunch and hike to Moray
Sacred Valley

This was cute, but going to two different communities seemed very similar. I also felt a little weird about the pressure to buy things from the community. Still a great experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Horseback Riding through Cusco Outskirts.
Horseback Riding through Cusco Outskirts.
Cusco

I loved Gabriel and his tour! Seeing the moon temple was incredible. Exceeded expectations

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Maras Salt Ponds
Maras Salt Ponds
Peru

Didn't realize this would be a mile hike, but it was great! Julio was so informative.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Anne Godoy

Great experience working with Kimkim...
Peru | Jul 24 - Aug 2, 2026

G
Gaurav C.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Aug 04, 2026

We had a great experience working with Kimkim team on this trip. Our tour guides, Juan and Martin were both very good. They were knowledgeable, funny, and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable. E.g. helping us making frequent breaks to pick up supplies as needed, giving us lot of tourism tips and guiding us to the right food and shopping places. Most importantly, they had a deep sense of Peruvian histroy and helped us to get a really immersive experience.

I would heartily recommend the Kimkim team to anybody looking to have a great experience.

Local specialist: Jimena Salazar
Jimena
Jimena Salazar
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Aug 05, 2026

Hello Gaurav!

It's wonderful to hear that you had such a great experience with us and that Juan and Martin helped make your journey so memorable. We're truly happy that you were able to experience Peru through its people, nature, and culture, that's exactly what we hope every traveler takes home with them.

As I mentioned before, Peru is now your second home, and it would be our pleasure to welcome you back whenever you decide to return!

I wish you many more unforgettable adventures on your future travels around the world.

Warm regards from Lima, Peru
Jimena

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