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 8 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 Jorge Ramirez
active 8 hours 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 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 Eduardo Ponce
active 6 hours ago

Eduardo Ponce

I am a travel agent specialized in creating tailor-made travel experiences designed around each traveler’s needs, preferences, and expectations. I take the time to understand my clients, their...

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Trip Reviews for Peru

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

A truly memorable trip to Peru
Peru | Aug 30 - Sep 8, 2026

K
Kavitha S.
Rye, NY | Reviewed on Sep 09, 2026
I felt like our local guide Liz really understood the sorts of travel experiences we wanted and she planned an excellent trip for us understanding what we wanted. The trip had a lot of moving parts and everything worked smoothly. The guides were great too, the drivers especially to cusco and the sacred valley were wonderful. Read more

I felt like our local guide Liz really understood the sorts of travel experiences we wanted and she planned an excellent trip for us understanding what we wanted. The trip had a lot of moving parts and everything worked smoothly. The guides were great too, the drivers especially to cusco and the sacred valley were wonderful.

Hotel Reviews
Casa San Blas Boutique
Cusco

The hotel is set very well...near a plaza. The decor is lovely too..lots of lovely textiles. The noise level though was really hard to sleep through. Every other guest coming up or down the stairs was so audible. Made sleeping hard.

Authenticity & Character
Lovely decor ...appreciated the textiles!
Location
Very close to all the main attractions
Staff
Everyone was very kind and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cleanliness was outstanding- noise though was a serious problem and made sleeping hard.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Machu Picchu

This hotel is just aesthetically gorgeous. Each cottage is decorated beautifully. The hotel sits in the most lovely gardens. We saw many many orchid species. If you bird this is heaven - saw the cock of the rock, Andean motmot, a brilliant barbet...the list goes on and on. And the restaurant is extremely fine! Definitely our favorite day in Peru!

Authenticity & Character
Lovely decorations
Location
Corner of town...tucked away in lovely gardens
Staff
It was pouring on the morning we had signed up for a birding tour and the guide did it anyway with us for an hour and a half...extremely kind!!!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Nothing to improve here
Casa Andina Premium Villas
Urubamba

Lovely location- awesome restaurant...HIGHLY recommend the inka astronomy experience the hotel offers

Authenticity & Character
Reminded me of some very lovely hotels in the American southwest
Location
Lovely quiet location
Staff
Polite and nice
Cleanliness & Comfort
All good except for the rooster who wanted to wake everyone at 4 :)
Tambopata Research Center
Tambopata

We chosea standard room which comes with no fan! I highly recommend upgrading to a comfort room - we got lucky 2 of 3 nights with the weather but it could be miserable if we were off by one night even. This is a very unique hotel in that the entire room is exposed to the jungle...no nets even. So cicadas moths and everything else can be in your room. That took a bit of getting used to...but it also means macaws wander in to the breakfast area to steal banana bread.

Authenticity & Character
You are camping in the amazon
Location
You are absolutely in the Amazon- no question about it
Staff
Dino the guide was super nice
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean but no fan in the Amazon or charging for it seemed a bit silly.
Dazzler Miraflores by Wyndham
Lima

Solid hotel very nice location in miraflores.

Authenticity & Character
Its the usual brand hotel
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Flight to Puerto Maldonado & Tambopata Research Center 1/4
Flight to Puerto Maldonado & Tambopata Research Center 1/4
Peru

Just a really long day ...and you get in just after dark. Keep headlamps handy!

Private Full-Day Excursion: Chonta Condor Viewpoint
Private Full-Day Excursion: Chonta Condor Viewpoint
Cusco

Fair warning - the ride there and back was rough rough roads and its long. The upside is that there is a family of condors that lives up at the cliffs and we were lucky enough to get a fly by at eye level! Very special.

Quality of Experience
The birds
Food
The hotel packed a sumptuous lunch for at least 2 people's appetite...very nice.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Driver managed that mess of a road...James is a very good guide.
Transport
Excursions at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Excursions at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Our birding tour was affected by bad weather but the guide gave us plenty of good pointers so we went back after the rain and saw a ton of stuff...

Observatory Train to Machu Picchu OW, Lunch at Tinkuy & Machu Picchu Tour
Observatory Train to Machu Picchu OW, Lunch at Tinkuy & Machu Picchu Tour
Peru

Loved MP but the guide was a bit of a story teller and spun some tales about what MP was built for. Train ride in was absolutely lovely - highly recommend the observatory. MP is well just exceptional..

Quality of Experience
Food
Didn't think that restaurant was very good - a lunch at inkaterra which we did the following day was far better!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Get guides who stick to facts?
Transport
Private Sacred Valley Tour: Hummingbirds, Ollantaytambo, Moray & Maras
Private Sacred Valley Tour: Hummingbirds, Ollantaytambo, Moray & Maras
Sacred Valley

Loved the ruins and Moray and Maras..very educational.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
James was excellent
Transport
Tambopata Research Center 3/4
Tambopata Research Center 3/4
Puerto Maldonado

LOVED the canopy tours and the tour of the bamboo forests...and the sunset cruise

Tambopata Research Center 2/4
Tambopata Research Center 2/4
Puerto Maldonado

Guide Dino was great - worked tirelessly with us from 4:45 until a night hike even!

Quality of Experience
Nice food too for being in the jungle
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dino the guide was great!
Tambopata Research Center 4/4 & Transfer to The Sacred Valley
Tambopata Research Center 4/4 & Transfer to The Sacred Valley
Peru

Loved this day seeing Ollantaytambo Moray and Maras...appreciate James very much for taking us salt and chocolate shopping!!!

Quality of Experience
Food
James suggested this place that was absolutely wonderful
Guides, Drivers and Staff
See above
Transport
Very nice driver tough roads!
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca

Amazing trip!!
Peru | Aug 22 - Aug 27, 2026

C
Caroline K.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Aug 29, 2026

Amazing trip!! Our local guide, Julio, was a gem and we thought of him as family by the end.

Local specialist: Jimena Salazar
Jimena
Jimena Salazar
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Sep 08, 2026

Dear Caroline,

Thank you so much for describing your journey as an amazing trip! That is exactly the kind of experience we hoped to create for you when we chose Julito as your main guide. He truly is a gem, and we are so happy to hear that, by the end of your journey, you came to consider him part of your family.

Overall, it has been a true pleasure coordinating all the details of this memorable journey for you and your family. We are grateful to have been part of such a special experience and wish you all the very best in your future travels.

Warm regards from Lima, Peru
Jimena

Amazing 10 days in Peru
Peru | Aug 18 - Aug 27, 2026

Barbara
Barbara H.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Aug 29, 2026
Just returned from a ten day trip to Peru with three friends. With help from KimKim, we planned our trip to be exactly what we wanted. Once in Peru, everything was taken care of and any questions handled basically instantly. Guides and the main office were available via What’s App message at all times. All guides were amazing, whether it was Nancy for a half day tour in Lima, Josleen in the Amazon, Eddie for Machu Picchu, or EJ, who went above and beyond and really did become like family in... Read more

Just returned from a ten day trip to Peru with three friends. With help from KimKim, we planned our trip to be exactly what we wanted. Once in Peru, everything was taken care of and any questions handled basically instantly. Guides and the main office were available via What’s App message at all times. All guides were amazing, whether it was Nancy for a half day tour in Lima, Josleen in the Amazon, Eddie for Machu Picchu, or EJ, who went above and beyond and really did become like family in the Sacred Valley and Cusco. All four of us would use KimKim again without hesitation.

Hotel Reviews
Tierra Viva Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel
Cusco

Beautiful boutique hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Finca Sachabacayoc
Authenticity & Character
Excellent eco-lodge
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Limade
Lima

Extremely well-located in Miraflores. Clean, comfortable, rooftop bar and a good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Finca Sachavacavoc -  Farewell Amazon
Finca Sachavacavoc - Farewell Amazon
Tambopata

Reviewing the rest of our time in the Amazon here - night hike, lake hike, and overall experience at the lodge - all excellent!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Finca Sachavacavoc - D2 - Chuncho Claylick and Condenado Lake
Finca Sachavacavoc - D2 - Chuncho Claylick and Condenado Lake
Tambopata

So many macaws and parrots to see! Worth getting up in the middle of the night for this experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Complete hot picnic breakfast by the side of the river.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kudos to the boat driver safely navigating the river in complete darkness.
Transport
Walking food tour at Barranco
Walking food tour at Barranco
Lima

Nancy was an excellent guide - tour is more accurately described as a food and art tour with a bit of history thrown in and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jimena Salazar
Jimena
Jimena Salazar
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Aug 31, 2026
Dear Barbara Thank you for such a nice review! We are so happy to have been part of this memorable trip with you and your friends. It has been a true pleasure coordinating all the services for your journey and working behind the scenes to ensure everything went smoothly and hopefully exceededd your expectations. I will make sure to pass along your kind words to each of our guides. I am sure they will feel very grateful to hear them! Peru is now your second home so whenever you decide to... Read more

Dear Barbara

Thank you for such a nice review! We are so happy to have been part of this memorable trip with you and your friends. It has been a true pleasure coordinating all the services for your journey and working behind the scenes to ensure everything went smoothly and hopefully exceededd your expectations.

I will make sure to pass along your kind words to each of our guides. I am sure they will feel very grateful to hear them!

Peru is now your second home so whenever you decide to return, we would be delighted to help you plan another memorable journey. Wish you the best in your future travels around the world with Kim Kim.

Warm regards from Lima, Peru
Jimena

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