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 5 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 3 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 2 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 3 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

Our Peru adventure
Peru | Aug 31 - Sep 7, 2026

M
Michele B.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Sep 14, 2026
Io was so wonderful to work with throughout the entire planning process. I could not have planned this trip myself. There were many pieces and the trip was perfect!
Lisbeth was our wonderful contact while in Peru and she kept us well informed and was always available to answer all of our questions on WhatsApp.
Our tour guides, Natali and Nataly were excellent, very knowledgeable, and so friendly. We loved spending our days with them! Our drivers were always ready and waiting for us and got... Read more

Io was so wonderful to work with throughout the entire planning process. I could not have planned this trip myself. There were many pieces and the trip was perfect!
Lisbeth was our wonderful contact while in Peru and she kept us well informed and was always available to answer all of our questions on WhatsApp.
Our tour guides, Natali and Nataly were excellent, very knowledgeable, and so friendly. We loved spending our days with them! Our drivers were always ready and waiting for us and got us to our destinations safely. Our goal was to see Machu Picchu but we were treated to so much more of Perú. We are so very happy to have gone through KimKim and can’t wait to plan our next adventure!!

Hotel Reviews
Hilton Garden Inn Cusco
Cusco

We really enjoyed the Hilton. The staff was so helpful, friendly, and accommodating. We had an afternoon pickup for the airport and they allowed a late checkout and let us stay on property to relax until our driver arrived. The restaurant served excellent breakfast and dinner and everyone was so very welcoming.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
El Mapi by Inkaterra
Cusco

This was a fun hotel right in Aguas Calientes, excellent dinner and breakfast, located right in the middle of everything, The staff was so friendly, helpful, and efficient.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sonesta Posada del Inca
Urubamba

Beautiful hotel, and landscaping , friendly and accommodating staff, wonderful breakfast and many places outside to relax and unwind. The pizza and ice cream were delicious too!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Andina Premium Miraflores
Lima

Wonderful and friendly staff, great location in Miraflores, excellent breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sacred Valley’s Hummingbirds
Sacred Valley’s Hummingbirds
Sacred Valley

Beautiful and unique little garden with many different hummingbirds! Very quiet and peaceful.

Quality of Experience
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

Nataly walked us around Cusco beginning at Sacsayhuamán, then continuing down through the San Pedro market and a couple of other shops. We did a chocolate tasting and finished up at Qoricancha. She even walked us back up the hill to our hotel. She was so sweet! It was wonderful getting to spend 2 days of tours with her!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV
Peru

Visiting Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for many years. It was unreal, spiritual, fascinating, and just perfect! We were on circuit 1 to see the top view, then circuit 3 with our tour guide, Javier, to walk through the ruins. He was so knowledgeable and fun!! So very happy we were able to take this trip.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ollantaytambo Self-Guided Exploration with Pachamanca Farm Lunch & Scenic Observatory Train to Machu Picchu
Ollantaytambo Self-Guided Exploration with Pachamanca Farm Lunch & Scenic Observatory Train to Machu Picchu
Peru

We did not do the self guided Ollantaytambo piece. We chose to relax that morning. But we did go to the Pachamanca lunch which was a demonstration of how our lunch was prepared on hot stones buried underground, along with a brief tour of their coffee production and distillery. We had a tasting too!! Loved that! When lunch was ready, it was family style and so delicious! After lunch, we headed right down the path to catch the train to Aguas Calientes. So easy! Seating on the train was a bit tight but overall was a comfortable ride.

Quality of Experience
Pachamanca food and experience was outstanding and the train ride was so cool.
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero
Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero
Sacred Valley

Nataly took us on this tour and she was awesome! We climbed and shopped and she was so knowledgeable. We later grabbed a very nice lunch at a restaurant she recommended. We then were able you tour a hummingbird sanctuary which was very cool! So many different hummingbirds all around us!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Flight & transfer to The {{end_location}}: Private tour & Hacienda
Flight & transfer to The {{end_location}}: Private tour & Hacienda
Peru

Such a wonderful day. The tours were so much fun, our guide, Natali, was excellent, and lunch was delicious!

Quality of Experience
Food
Our lunch was amazing! We had a room to ourselves with an awesome view, excellent service, and delicious food!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We shared some Spanish conversations!
Transport
Local specialist: Io Gillhuber
Photo taken by Michele B
Io
Io Gillhuber
Local specialist in Peru, Cusco | Replied on Sep 14, 2026
Dear Michele and Craig,
It was such a pleasure to read your lovely review! Thank you so much for your kind words, they really mean a lot to all of us.
We’re so happy to know that you enjoyed your time in Peru and that we could help make your trip such a pleasant, enjoyable, and memorable experience. It was truly a pleasure having the opportunity to plan your journey and be a small part of your Peru adventure.
We hope you’ll always look back on your time here with many happy memories, and we... Read more

Dear Michele and Craig,
It was such a pleasure to read your lovely review! Thank you so much for your kind words, they really mean a lot to all of us.
We’re so happy to know that you enjoyed your time in Peru and that we could help make your trip such a pleasant, enjoyable, and memorable experience. It was truly a pleasure having the opportunity to plan your journey and be a small part of your Peru adventure.
We hope you’ll always look back on your time here with many happy memories, and we would absolutely love to hear from you again if you ever decide to come back to Peru or explore another part of South America.
Wishing you both all the very best, and thank you again for your trust and for sharing your experience with us.
Warmest wishes,
Io

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Everything was excellent from start to finish...
Peru | Aug 26 - Sep 6, 2026

C
C C.
the Cyprus | Reviewed on Sep 13, 2026
Everything was excellent from start to finish. Jimena and the rest of the team planned our trip down to every small detail. From airport pickups, arranging breakfast/lunch boxes while travelling and taking us to the excursions. The guides and drivers were punctual, knowledgeable and willing to adapt pace to the day. They even helped us dealing with the altitude sickness in Cusco. We would recommend without hesitation. Read more

Everything was excellent from start to finish. Jimena and the rest of the team planned our trip down to every small detail. From airport pickups, arranging breakfast/lunch boxes while travelling and taking us to the excursions. The guides and drivers were punctual, knowledgeable and willing to adapt pace to the day. They even helped us dealing with the altitude sickness in Cusco. We would recommend without hesitation.

Hotel Reviews
La Hacienda Bahía Paracas
Paracas
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hacienda Sonqori Centro Historico
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
need to improvement friendliness and customer service.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado
Urubamba
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción
Puerto Maldonado
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Innside Lima Miraflores by Melia Hotels International
Miraflores
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Jimena Salazar
Jimena
Jimena Salazar
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Sep 14, 2026

Thank you so much, Claudio! It has been a pleasure to design this journey for you and Konstantia. I’m so happy to hear you both enjoyed the experience and felt well taken care of throughout your trip. Wishing you both many more wonderful adventures together! 🇵🇪

Read all Peru reviews

Natalie, William and Javier were each terrifi...
Peru | Sep 7 - Sep 11, 2026

M
Mark O.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Sep 12, 2026
Natalie, William and Javier were each terrific guides. Read more

Natalie, William and Javier were each terrific guides.

Hotel Reviews
Inti Punku MachuPicchu Hotel & Suites
Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sueños del Inka Hotel
Cusco
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Shared Cooking Classes Ivanna Lescano (18:00 - 19:30)
Shared Cooking Classes Ivanna Lescano (18:00 - 19:30)
Cusco
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu Tour (Private Guided Tour) AM
Machu Picchu Tour (Private Guided Tour) AM
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town
Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town
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
Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Liz Karen
Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
Local specialist in Cusco | Replied on Sep 12, 2026

Hi Mark,

Thank you so much for your kind review! 😊 I’m really happy to hear that you had such a memorable trip to Peru.

I’m especially glad that Natalie, William, and Javier were terrific guides. I’ll be sure to share your kind words with them—they’ll be very happy to hear it!

It was a pleasure helping with your trip, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I hope you had an amazing time in Peru and that you’ll have the chance to return someday!

Warmly,
Liz

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