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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Experienced travel agents with a passion for Peru
Travel specialist Jimena Salazar
active 20 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 Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca
active 59 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 Io Gillhuber
active 4 hours 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 2 hours 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

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
Read all Peru reviews

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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Least stressful vacation planning EVER
Peru | Jun 11 - Jun 18, 2026

Candi
Candi S.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jun 24, 2026
We started planning very early & Jimena was amazing from the very start. She asked about our preferences and curated 2 starting off points. From there we were able to customize the exact activities we wanted. Jimena was incredibly supportive through it all, moving activities around & determining how much was possible each day. Once we got closer to our travel dates Jimena got on a call with us to answer any of our outstanding questions. During this call we asked about adding another activity... Read more

We started planning very early & Jimena was amazing from the very start. She asked about our preferences and curated 2 starting off points. From there we were able to customize the exact activities we wanted. Jimena was incredibly supportive through it all, moving activities around & determining how much was possible each day. Once we got closer to our travel dates Jimena got on a call with us to answer any of our outstanding questions. During this call we asked about adding another activity & although it's a super uncommon option, she made it happen for us! We ended up with issues commuting to our destination & were delayed a full day. Jesus & Jimena were able to rework our itinerary so we didn't miss any of our planned activities even though we arrived a full 24 hours late!

While in Peru, we hit the ground running with Edwar (guide) & Wilmer (driver). Edwar was the PERFECT guide for us. He was honest and straight forward. He kept us on track without us ever feeling rushed, if things were running early or late we never noticed because he was taking care of everything in the shadows. He knew exactly when to call our driver back so the whole time in Cusco was effortless. Edwar even stayed with us all the way to the security check point for our domestic flight, to make sure we had no airport hiccups. I recommend KimKim 11/10 & plan to come back for any future travel like this.

Hotel Reviews
Finca Sachabacayoc

How special to have a full cabin in the rainforest?! Every need is considered & the staff does a fabulous job at making sure you are aware of everything - timing, requirements, options...

Authenticity & Character
When we arrived there was a bunch of bananas hanging from the tree outside out cabin, it was harvested one of the days we were there. You know what's being grow here isn't for show or waste, it's being utilized.
Location
Since it was a bit cool during our stay I didn't LOVE the multi-hour boat rides....BUT, after the 1st one they offered us blankets for future rides, which helped, ALOT. Also, the staff was very good at pointing out animals along the river rides & slowing down to allow us to see & take pictures.
Staff
No matter who we asked or what the question, we were helped. The staff was very knowledgeable & available to help. I loved that the tables are assigned by guide so there isn't any guessing where to sit, so smart! Our guide took special care to try make all of our Rainforest dreams come true.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado
Urubamba

This room was massive with breathtaking views on 2 sides!

Authenticity & Character
We were excited to walk the grounds to see the native plants & the restaurant has a small garden on the patio.
Location
You're nestled in the Andes, it feels a million miles from everywhere when you're inside.
Staff
The staff was friendly & very attentive. During one meal another table dropped a piece of silverware, I watch a staff member take notice of it, while talking with a different table, and quickly excuse herself to pick it up & offer the diner a replacement. By the time she got there (approx 20 seconds) another staff member was doing the same.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean & comfortable.
Casa San Blas Boutique
Cusco

The staff here is exceptionally friendly. They have 24/7 drinkable water, on-tap in the lobby. The breakfast was delicious & fresh. The rooms were clean & provided things I didn't know I needed (like a towel to clean my hiking boots). They heard me mention I was cold so showed me how to work the room heater & showed me the extra blanket.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel provided explanations of the room at check in, I appreciated that each room was individually designed.
Location
We were in walking distance of everything we wnted to do in downtown Cusco.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Jimena Salazar
Jimena
Jimena Salazar
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Jul 02, 2026
Hi Candi! Thank you so much for your kind words. Reading your review truly made my day! It was such a pleasure helping you plan this adventure from the very beginning and tailoring every detail until it felt just right for you. I'm so happy we were able to make that extra activity happen and you enjoy it! I'll also be sure to share your wonderful comments with Edwar and Wilmer, they'll be thrilled to know they helped make your time in Peru so special. Thank you again for trusting me with... Read more

Hi Candi!

Thank you so much for your kind words. Reading your review truly made my day!

It was such a pleasure helping you plan this adventure from the very beginning and tailoring every detail until it felt just right for you. I'm so happy we were able to make that extra activity happen and you enjoy it!

I'll also be sure to share your wonderful comments with Edwar and Wilmer, they'll be thrilled to know they helped make your time in Peru so special.

Thank you again for trusting me with your trip. It was a pleasure getting to know you both, and I truly hope to help you plan another unforgettable adventure in the future. Wishing you all the best for your upcoming trips!

Warm regards from Lima, Peru
Jimena

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