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 Jimena Salazar
active 1 day 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 Io Gillhuber
active 1 day ago

Io Gillhuber

Growing up in Germany, I was lucky to spend several vacations in different places in Europe. When I finished school, I started exploring the world on my own, and I couldn’t get enough of it....

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Travel specialist Hilda Aguinaga Sara
active 1 day 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

Our tour guides and driver were very friendly...
Peru | Jun 29 - Jul 4, 2026

Agnieszka
Agnieszka G.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jul 11, 2026
Our tour guides and driver were very friendly and personal. We felt well taken care of, our guide Esmeralda in Cusco and Roy in Macchu Pichu were very knowledgeable, great for helping with family pictures. Our driver Ramiro was very helpful and friendly. Read more

Our tour guides and driver were very friendly and personal. We felt well taken care of, our guide Esmeralda in Cusco and Roy in Macchu Pichu were very knowledgeable, great for helping with family pictures. Our driver Ramiro was very helpful and friendly.

Hotel Reviews
Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu, Cusco

Nothing to mention about this hotel. It’s just a place to get some sleep before heading to Macchu Pichu. Our room was above train tracks, noisy, hot, no air conditioning. Bathroom are not properly ventilated so they smell moldy.

Sol y Luna Hotel (Relais & Chateaux)
Urubamba

This hotel was amazing ! Grounds are beautiful full of trees and flowers! Staff goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome. Great customer service and frendly staff, Coleen and Sector were our hosts. Thank you for helping our son with his altitude sickness.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Abittare Hotels
Cusco

Hotel location is spot on, in the center of the city, very walkable. However hotel is an old building, our room had no windows, heating is not great so it gets chilly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Center of city and easy to walk
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Johanna Fabian

An Unforgettable Journey Through Peru
Peru | Jun 16 - Jul 1, 2026

Yasemin
Yasemin T.
Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye | Reviewed on Jul 06, 2026
We can honestly say that our trip exceeded our expectations🎉🙏✨. From the very beginning, our travel specialist, Io, was wonderful. We had many ideas, many questions and, of course, many little details that were important to us. She listened to everything with incredible patience and really tried to understand what kind of trip we wanted. And the final itinerary truly felt like our trip, not just a standard tour. We also loved Io’s warmth, honesty and obvious love for Peru. Everything... Read more

We can honestly say that our trip exceeded our expectations🎉🙏✨.

From the very beginning, our travel specialist, Io, was wonderful. We had many ideas, many questions and, of course, many little details that were important to us. She listened to everything with incredible patience and really tried to understand what kind of trip we wanted. And the final itinerary truly felt like our trip, not just a standard tour. We also loved Io’s warmth, honesty and obvious love for Peru.

Everything during the trip was very well organized too. The transfers, hotels, activities and all the logistics worked very smoothly.

We were also very happy with our guides and drivers. Our guides were knowledgeable, kind and professional, and their love for their country made our experiences even more special.

One of the best examples of how well the team took care of us came at the very end of our trip. We decided to make a major last-minute change to our itinerary, and in a very short time they arranged a completely new plan for us. And, everything worked perfectly as well.

From the first days of planning until we returned home, we felt that we were in very good hands. For us, this was not just a well-organized holiday. It was a very personal and unforgettable journey.

A big thank you to Io, the operations team, our guides, drivers and everyone who helped make our trip so special. We would happily recommend Io and her team to anyone planning a trip to Peru.

Hotel Reviews
Sonesta Posada del Inca
Urubamba
Authenticity & Character
Location
P
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Hacienda Bahía Paracas
Paracas
Authenticity & Character
Location
Ş
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Io Gillhuber

All our guides were great and definitely help...
Peru | Jun 26 - Jul 5, 2026

Ramiro
Ramiro R.
Savannah, GA, USA | Reviewed on Jul 06, 2026
All our guides were great and definitely helped us learn and really helped us embrace the true essence of Peru and its culture. Read more

All our guides were great and definitely helped us learn and really helped us embrace the true essence of Peru and its culture.

Hotel Reviews
Eco Amazonia Lodge
Las Piedras
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sol Natura Hotel
Ollantaytambo
Tika Wasi Casa Boutique
Cusco
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel El Tambo
Lima
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
EcoAmazonia  Lodge - Lago Sandoval 3/3:  Flight to Lima
EcoAmazonia Lodge - Lago Sandoval 3/3: Flight to Lima
Peru
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shared Ziplining & Via Ferrata in The Sacred Valley
Shared Ziplining & Via Ferrata in The Sacred Valley
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shared Interactive City & Gourmet Lima Food Tour (AM)
Shared Interactive City & Gourmet Lima Food Tour (AM)
Lima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
EcoAmazonia  Lodge - Sandoval Lake 2/3
EcoAmazonia Lodge - Sandoval Lake 2/3
Puerto Maldonado
Quality of Experience
I
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Flight to Puerto Maldonado: EcoAmazonia Lodge - Sandoval Lake 1/3
Flight to Puerto Maldonado: EcoAmazonia Lodge - Sandoval Lake 1/3
Peru
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore  Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Io Gillhuber

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