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 1 day 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 2 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...

read more...
Travel specialist Jimena Salazar
active 4 days 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 Anne Godoy
active 1 day ago

Anne Godoy

I fell in love with Peru's landscapes, culture, food, and people—not only because of what I learned in college but also because of what I had seen and lived my whole life. That passion and love...

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Trip Reviews for Peru

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

We had an amazing time! Thanks Nancy for sh...
Peru | Sep 14 - Sep 21, 2026

Janine
Janine F.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2026

We had an amazing time! Thanks Nancy for showing us Lima and talking archaeology. Thanks Julio for sharing your stories we had a great time in Cuzco and Sacred Valley. And Jimena we had a great time appreciate all the planning you did to ensure a great trip.

Local specialist: Jimena Salazar

Highly recommended! Loved my Peru experience!
Peru | Sep 20 - Sep 25, 2026

Anne
Anne C.
Pittsburgh, PA, USA | Reviewed on Sep 30, 2026
Liz Karen was fantastic and thorough in planning out my itinerary, and all the guides and drivers were wonderful! They were reliable and helped me with every stage of my trip. Peru is truly beautiful and I loved my time in Cusco and Machu Picchu! I enjoyed seeing Pisac and Ollantaytambo -- the views and the history! I felt the altitude and breathlessness, so I highly recommend hiking preparation for all the steps, drinking lots of filtered water and coca tea, and taking altitude meds. I... Read more

Liz Karen was fantastic and thorough in planning out my itinerary, and all the guides and drivers were wonderful! They were reliable and helped me with every stage of my trip. Peru is truly beautiful and I loved my time in Cusco and Machu Picchu! I enjoyed seeing Pisac and Ollantaytambo -- the views and the history! I felt the altitude and breathlessness, so I highly recommend hiking preparation for all the steps, drinking lots of filtered water and coca tea, and taking altitude meds. I didn't have much time to acclimate so those helped. Javier was my guide for my circuit at Machu Picchu and provided a lot of interesting info about Incan culture. If you plan to hike Huayna Picchu, I suggest taking the 8 am slot because I took the 10 am slot and it was hotter and I got dehydrated from the intense climb. The guards also close the HP trail at 1 pm so you'll have more time to summit and not feel rushed if you take the first entrance. Pablo was our terrific guide at Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain and helped us with nose spray and trekking poles to adjust to the altitude. It was worth the views! I would've needed more time to acclimate so I'm glad I chose Palccoyo and not Vinicunca (but I'd love to visit there as well). Lastly, driver Dionicio was fantastic and took me around Cusco to the Inca Museum, Cristo Blanco, and an alpaca textile shop, as well as a restaurant where they served cuy and had a great view of the city. The hotel staff at Tika Wasi were very helpful and friendly and assisted me with ordering food delivery when I was tired after my day tours. Watch out for unauthorized taxi drivers at Lima Airport and only use the free shuttle to the hotel! From start to finish, Peru was magnificent and I'd love to return! Thank you to kimkim and Andean Travel for a great experience!

Hotel Reviews
Pucara Machu Picchu Hotel

Comfortable and clean for my one night there, and it's located very close to the train station! I walked from the hotel to the thermal baths, and that was very relaxing after a day at Machu Picchu!

Authenticity & Character
Nicely decorated.
Location
Close to the train station and a short walk to the thermal baths.
Staff
Friendly and helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tika Wasi Casa Boutique
Cusco

Tika Wasi was charming and comfortable, and the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful in assisting me with storing my luggage while I went on tours, and with ordering food delivery. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character
Charming view of the Cusco and a nice garden for relaxing.
Location
A hilly walk to the hotel but all of Cusco is! :)
Staff
Very friendly and helpful!
Cleanliness & Comfort
A comfortable room, nice morning breakfast, and a heater for my room to stay cozy :)
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca

Trip to Peru
Peru | Sep 11 - Sep 20, 2026

H.
H. N.
Huissen, Netherlands | Reviewed on Sep 27, 2026
Everything was amazing! We loved the trip Read more

Everything was amazing! We loved the trip

Hotel Reviews
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción
Puerto Maldonado

Perfect hotel

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
Urubamba

I love this hotel, beautiful en everything was good

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pullman Lima Miraflores
Miraflores, Lima

Nice hotel, breakfast was perfect

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Cusco Walking City Tour
Cusco Walking City Tour
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lunch at a local restaurant
Lunch at a local restaurant
Sacred Valley
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pisac Archaeological Site & Village Tour
Pisac Archaeological Site & Village Tour
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Final Evening with Peru’s History and Flavors
A Final Evening with Peru’s History and Flavors
Peru

We had a lunch/ no dine! We are at 19:30 on the airport, but the flight was 00:55 yet. We have to wait very long

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
First afternoon at Hacienda Concepcion
First afternoon at Hacienda Concepcion
Peru

Everything was perfect

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu Exploration
Machu Picchu Exploration
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Amazing so beautiful

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Maras Salt Ponds
Maras Salt Ponds
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Cusco & The Sacred Valley!
Welcome to Cusco & The Sacred Valley!
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Time to depart from Hacienda Concepcion
Time to depart from Hacienda Concepcion
Tambopata
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Third day at Hacienda Concepcion: Botanical Garden & Inland Collpa
Third day at Hacienda Concepcion: Botanical Garden & Inland Collpa
Tambopata

Amazing

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Second day at Hacienda Concepción: Sandoval Lake & Canopy Walkway
Second day at Hacienda Concepción: Sandoval Lake & Canopy Walkway
Tambopata
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Misminay Community,  lunch and hike to Moray
Misminay Community, lunch and hike to Moray
Sacred Valley

Very nice

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo
Morning Visit to Ollantaytambo
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transfer to Cusco Airport
Transfer to Cusco Airport
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Inca Megalithic stonework in Cusco and surroundings
Inca Megalithic stonework in Cusco and surroundings
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transfer to Lima Airport
Transfer to Lima Airport
Lima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lima: History, Culture & Local Gastronomy
Lima: History, Culture & Local Gastronomy
Lima
Quality of Experience
Food
Perfect
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jimena Salazar

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