Mountain Lodges of Peru - Lares 6 Day

On arrival, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it. Please note this service is with a driver only.

Cusco, set at an altitude of 3,400 metres in the Peruvian Andes, was once the capital of the Inca Empire. It is known for its Spanish colonial architecture and Incan remains. Narrow, cobble-stoned streets lined by Inca walls stretch out from the main plaza in every direction. Many of the colonial buildings were built on top of Incan foundations and the stonework is unparalleled in its precision and beauty.

This evening at 1800 hours (6pm) Mountain Lodges of Peru will hold a pre-trek briefing at Hotel Andenes. You will meet your guide and fellow travellers and receive a detailed briefing of your upcoming adventure.

Begin your journey from the busy streets of Cusco to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, full of lush green fields surrounded by striking mountain peaks. Start your day with either an invigorating hike from the village of Amaru to the community of Viacha, or a visit to the Awanakancha textile centre followed by an exploration of the lively town and colourful artisan marketplace of Pisaq.
Midday, both cultural explorers and hikers will reunite in the village of Viacha to learn about traditional Andean farming before a hike or drive to the Pisaq archaeological site for a guided tour.
From there you will continue to Lamay Lodge for your overnight stay.

The day begins with a visit to the small town of Lamay followed by a scenic drive into the heart of the Lares Valley. Your first stop will be Ancasmarca for a guided tour of this seldom-visited archaeological site. Afterwards, choose a visit with the expert textile weavers in the remote village of Choquecancha or a hike amidst turquoise blue lakes and towering peaks to the remote village of Huacahuasi, where both groups meet again to spend the night.

The Huacahusai Lodge, is run in joint venture with the local community and aims to protect the cultural heritage and the environment, provides an interesting insight into the evolving role of the original Andean people in both the culture and commerce of modern-day Cusco.

Begin the day with a scenic drive from Huacahuasi to the remote village of Huilloc. From there, choose a morning hike from Huilloc to Pumamarka, or explore the village and nearby sheepherding community of Marcacocha before regrouping for lunch and a midday exploration of the Pumamarka archaeological site.
After lunch, choose to hike from Pumamarka to Ollantaytambo or drive and spend the afternoon exploring Ollantaytambo’s maze-like alleys and passageways.

Note: Afternoon hikers will meet the rest of the group at the hotel upon arrival in the Sacred Valley.

Begin your day with an optional early morning hike to the Inca storage houses high above the town for an impressive view of the Ollantaytambo fortress and ceremonial site. Afterwards, the entire group will meet at the entrance of the site for a guided tour before embarking on a scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu.
Alternately you can opt for an all-day hike from train marker KM 104 to the Machu Picchu Sun Gate on the classic Inca Trail (subject to additional cost).

At dawn, you begin your journey to Machu Picchu with a short and rollicking uphill bus ride followed by a guided tour of the Machu Picchu citadel. After the tour you will have free time to explore on your own or hike up Huayna Picchu (at an additional cost)*, the iconic mountain that looms overhead.
After the visit you will have lunch in Aguas Calientes before the return train ride to Ollantaytambo (approximately 1.5 hours) and vehicle transfer to your hotel in Cusco (approximately 1.5 hours).

*Note: Permits for Huayna Picchu are subject to availability; please advise if you would like to include this experience when you confirm your reservation. In the event that Huayna Picchu permits are not available for your desired date, Machu Picchu Mountain (the second peak within the sanctuary) is an alternative option.