- Lares Inca Trail 4 day Trek Itinerary -
Day 1 - Pampacorral to Huacawasi
We'll start our hike at Pampacorral, hiking for a couple of hours to our lunch stop amongst raging Andean rivers, towering snow-capped peaks and curious grazing llamas! We'll continue on this afternoon to our first camp in the tiny Andean village of Huacawasi. This remote village is the fist stop of many small communities populated by direct descendents of the Incas. Many villagers here have never seen a foreign face so there's a real opportunity to experience the local customs and ways of life of a unique culture.
When we arrive at camp, you'll be greeted with tea by our porters and find your tent already set up.Day 2 - Huacawasi to Patacancha
Today is an unforgettable day. We'll wake you up with a cup of coca tea, the local specialty, bought to your tent door. After a hearty breakfast we'll begin our 4-6 hour hike on what will be our most challenging day. Today we climb 2500 feet up to Ibsacocha Pass (14,500ft). The trail winds its way up through a beautiful mountain pass with stunning panoramic views of the alpine wonderland. It's a challenging hike up the pass, but the incredible views of the Cordillera Vilcanota make every step worthwhile. We'll have lunch next to an alpine lake on the other side of the pass and hike on to our lakeside camp for the evening near the village of Patacancha. If you catch a trout here it's on the menu for dinner!
Day 3 - Patacancha to Aguas Calientes
The scenery gets even better today as we descend the beautiful Lares valley on our way to the village of Ollantaytambo passing local farmers tending llamas, alpacas and their famous terraced crops perched on the steep mountain walls above us. We'll stop for lunch at the tiny mountain village of Pumamarca. This fantastic small community is famous for its red ponchos and people being the closest descendents of the Inca people.
When we arrive in Ollantaytambo we'll have free time to visit the towering Inca terraces overlooking the town - You'll feel like you've gone back in time as we look down on this ancient Inca town with its cobbled streets and thatched houses. Later we'll take the unforgettable afternoon train ride down to the Sub-tropical village called Aguas Calientes. We'll have a chance explore this colorful little town or soak in a hot spring before dinner!Day 4 - Machu Picchu
After a very early breakfast, we head up to enjoy sunrise at the ancient city of Machu Picchu. Today you can walk for about 2 hours or much longer if you like. We have all day to explore the many passageways and stone structures of this mysterious place. If you're keen to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, we'll hike up for spectacular views of the site and the valley below. It's a steep 90-minute climb, but the views are worth the effort. When we're done exploring Machu Picchu, we'll take a scenic train ride back to Ollantaytambo.
