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 23 mins 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 4 mins 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 14 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 Eduardo Ponce
active 13 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

KimKim and Andean Travel Experience - highly recommended for a fun, fantastic, and seamless Peru adventure!
Peru | Oct 2 - Oct 8, 2026

Michael
Michael M.
Norristown, PA | Reviewed on Oct 20, 2026
The experience planning and going on our trip to Peru utilizing KimKim and Andean Travel Experience was outstanding! LizKaren was our point of contact during the planning stages and she provided great recommendations, strong guidance, answered all our questions, and was extremely responsive. Once on the ground in Peru, Lisbeth took over as our primary contact and was always available whenever we needed to reach out via WhatsApp. The trip itself was seamless. Our drivers and guides were... Read more

The experience planning and going on our trip to Peru utilizing KimKim and Andean Travel Experience was outstanding! LizKaren was our point of contact during the planning stages and she provided great recommendations, strong guidance, answered all our questions, and was extremely responsive. Once on the ground in Peru, Lisbeth took over as our primary contact and was always available whenever we needed to reach out via WhatsApp.

The trip itself was seamless. Our drivers and guides were always on time and communicated well. In addition to the obvious highlight of exploring Machu Picchu, other highlights included our ATV tour to Maras and Moray and our Michelin-quality lunch at Hacienda Sarapampa.

Thank you LizKaren and Lisbeth for all your help!

Hotel Review
Tierra Viva Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo

We really loved this hotel. The rooms were great but the highlight was walking out in the morning and being surrounded by the Andes mountains. The bungalow style buildings were very attractive and well-maintained.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Ollantaytambo is a very cute town with lots of good restaurants and shopping. It is a bit challenging to get to, but I believe that is true for Peru in general.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
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We really appreciated all the planning and de...
Peru | Sep 12 - Sep 19, 2026

Meredith
Meredith J.
At | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2026
We really appreciated all the planning and details that wen into our trip to Peru. The trip was amazing and the team we interacted with was great! Enfrain was a great guide throughout Cusco and the surrounding areas. Sergio was amazing at Machu Picchu. We really did enjoy everything that got booked and all the hotels we stayed at. Thanks for all the help to make sure we made the most amazing memories! Read more

We really appreciated all the planning and details that wen into our trip to Peru. The trip was amazing and the team we interacted with was great! Enfrain was a great guide throughout Cusco and the surrounding areas. Sergio was amazing at Machu Picchu. We really did enjoy everything that got booked and all the hotels we stayed at. Thanks for all the help to make sure we made the most amazing memories!

Hotel Reviews
Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
Urubamba
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa San Blas Boutique
Cusco
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
The best staff we came across on our trip. Really stood out with trying to make sure we enjoyed our stay and were taken care of.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International
Miraflores
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Shared Full Immersion Cooking class
Shared Full Immersion Cooking class
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Llama trek, Ancestral Weaving & Salt Flats of Maras
Private Llama trek, Ancestral Weaving & Salt Flats of Maras
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu exploration with a private guide
Machu Picchu exploration with a private guide
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Sergio was an amazing guide!
Transport
Private tour to Awanakancha, Pisac Sites & Market: Hacienda Lunch
Private tour to Awanakancha, Pisac Sites & Market: Hacienda Lunch
Peru
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market
Private Half-Day Cusco Walking Tour: Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha & San Pedro Market
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shared Half-Day Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs
Shared Half-Day Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs
Lima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Io Gillhuber
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Easy planning and great service throughout our trip
Peru | Sep 30 - Oct 9, 2026

Donna
Donna D.
Columbus, OH | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2026
Jorge was very helpful and responsive while planning our trip! Our guide, Julio, in Peru was very dedicated and knowledgeable, it was a pleasure spending time with him. In Bolivia, our guide Frans, and driver Ivan, were great! We really enjoyed both of them for our tours of La Paz and the Bolivian side of Titicaca. All of our guides, including the daytrip guides, were good. Read more

Jorge was very helpful and responsive while planning our trip! Our guide, Julio, in Peru was very dedicated and knowledgeable, it was a pleasure spending time with him. In Bolivia, our guide Frans, and driver Ivan, were great! We really enjoyed both of them for our tours of La Paz and the Bolivian side of Titicaca. All of our guides, including the daytrip guides, were good.

Hotel Reviews
GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno
Lago Titicaca, Puno
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel de Sal Luna Salada
Uyuni
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mitru Sur Hotel
La Paz
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Novotel Cusco
Cusco
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa del Sol
Machu Picchu
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
Urubamba

Very beautiful grounds, nice breakfast. Unfortunately we stayed only one night and left first thing in the morning

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Uyuni Salt Flat Adventure
Uyuni Salt Flat Adventure
Bolivia

The salt flats are very unique. I have mixed feelings about traveling so much just to see the area for one day, but it was a beautiful day and interesting scenery. There isn't much else to see or do in the area. The guides fixed us a nice lunch on the flats. We took the popular silly pictures. The hotel we stayed at, (The Salt hotel) was amazing. Unfortunately I was sick and didn't get to enjoy the hotel much.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sillustani tombs
Sillustani tombs
Puno

Beautiful setting, and pretty drive to the tombs. Perfect stop to occupy us since we had time before our flight. The tombs are interesting

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lake Titicaca 2/2: Sun Island, Copacabana & Puno
Lake Titicaca 2/2: Sun Island, Copacabana & Puno
Bolivia

We really didn't have much time, just enough to arrive in Puno and spend the night there. Beautiful view from our hotel

Lake Titicaca 1/2: La Paz to Sun Island via Copacabana
Lake Titicaca 1/2: La Paz to Sun Island via Copacabana
Bolivia

It was all beautiful. Unfortunately we had to rush this excursion because of being stuck in Uyuni the day before

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
City tour & Valley of the Moon
City tour & Valley of the Moon
La Paz

We enjoyed seeing La Paz and the Valley of the Moon was beautiful. We really enjoyed the cable cars

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Free day in Cusco
Free day in Cusco
Cusco

We really enjoyed having a leisurely morning and exploring the town on our own

Quality of Experience
We found a small family-run restaurant in San Blas neighborhood where we had coca tea and amazing ceviche. Hiking up the steps in the San Blas area gave us an amazing view of the city
Machu Picchu Exploration
Machu Picchu Exploration
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Of course Machu Picchu is an amazing place, which is why it is so popular. Despite the number of tourists there it didn't feel too crowded. The transport to and from was pretty well organized and ran smoothly.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Pisac Archaeological Site & Village Tour
Pisac Archaeological Site & Village Tour
Peru

the archaelogical site was interesting, beautiful setting. The town of Pisac was in a beautiful area, I wish we could have spent more time in the town. I don't always love when we're taken to a particular store but hopefully it's for good reason.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jorge Ramirez
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