Lares Trek to Machu Picchu
Dear Marc overall, a fantastic trip, a great group, excellent leaders, well-thought planning, all went well. I’m ready to sign up for Africa! :)
Kate Cummins Peru 2006
LARES TREK TO MACHU PICCHU IN PERU - 10 Days
Hiking to Machu Picchu in Peru via the Lares Trail is a wonderful new Peruvian adventure offered by Bio Bio Expeditions. Our Lares Trek Adventure gives you a unique opportunity to experience a remote, relatively unexplored part of mystical Peru that very few outsiders have ever entered. You will be able to hike the Andes of Peru, an unforgettable experience, explore the spectacular ancient Inca ruins at Machu Picchu and Sacsayhuaman, relax in natural hot springs and experience first-hand vibrant native communities and indigenous cultures that still live as they have for hundreds of years.
Our Lares Trek trip to Machu Picchu begins in the historic seat of the Inca civilization. Cusco. Peru where we acclimatize to the elevation (11.000 feet), explore the ancient city and take an excursion up to the ruins called Sacsayhuaman is lead by one of our local guides. Here at Sacsayhuaman, you will see stone blocks 8.5 meters high weighing more than 361 tons. It has been said that these ruins are one of the most astounding megalithic structures of the ancient world; however, these ruins are a fascinating preview of what you will see at Machu Picchu!
After a day exploring the magical city of Cusco, we depart Cusco and explore the Sacred Valley, home to many Inca ruins and one of Peru's most vibrant Indian markets. We overnight at the beautiful lodge Mirador de las Incas, a private inn on the banks of the Urabamba River.
Our Peru trekking will comprise approximately 4 hours a day of hiking and porters will accompany our trip leaving us free to carry just a day pack. Our Bio Bio Expedition's camp provides full comforts of a dining tent, full camp kitchen and double-occupancy sleeping tents with your knowledgeable guides and cooks attending to your every need while en route.
We begin our Peru trek the following day through a fertile valley then follows the Huaran River up through a mountain corridor, as we keep an eye out for soaring condors. We continue our hike through high Andean glaciers and by brilliant lakes to the village of Cancahacancha with its thatch-roofed stone houses. As we move further away from civilization, we meet local llama herders and weavers that inhabit the remote villages in the surrounding Peruvian countryside who still wear the clothing styles originally brought to Peru by the Conquistadors from Andalucia in Spain during the 16th century.
We pass by two sparkling high Andean lakes. Suirococha and Yaruccocha, fed by a beautiful waterfall. Several bird species can be seen here including the Andean ibis, Andean geese and flamingoes. We trek over a 14,108 foot pass, high above the clouds, with spectacular views of the massive Pituseray and Chicon glaciers. We camp by small villages inhabited by the Andean Huaruros, recognized by their vivid hand-woven red ponchos and have the opportunity to mingle with local families, their children and towns folk.
An early start will take us to the hot springs at Lares where we finally pamper ourselves as we relax in the warm water. Later, we arrive at the community of Huacawasi where we can observe the shearing of llamas, carding of the wool, dying with natural colors and the weaving of the cloth into beautiful ponchos. The next morning, we ascend up to the Yanahuara Pass, just over 11.000 feet. The views are spectacular as we pass large rock formations, lagoons, and the snow capped Andes all around. We follow original Inca stone paths that once connected the Lares Valley with the Urubamba Valley. Our gradual descent will take us through the native community of Yanahuara in the Sacred Valley.
After descending back into civilization, we will board a train and travel through the impressive Urubamba River Gorge to arrive at the foot of Machu Picchu, a true archeological wonder. We will have all day to explore this man-made wonder of the ancient world with a knowledgeable guide that will introduce us to the fascinating city and the culture that inhabited it. A full day at Machu Picchu also provides with the opportunity to hike one hour to the amazing nearby ruins of Winay Wayna or up the dizzying ladder-stairs to Huayna Picchu. The next morning provides a few more hours to explore the ruins of Machu Picchu before our afternoon train back to Cusco where we end our Lares Trek with a festive farewell dinner to celebrate a successful journey into the heart of the Andes!
To Reserve Your Spot email us at info@bbxrafting.com or call 1-800-246-7238 now!
Bio Bio Expeditions is happy to arrange trip extensions to the jungle, Lake Titicaca or the Nasca Lines. Just give us a call and leave the details to us! We invite you to join us on an off the beaten trek and an adventure experience of a lifetime!
Machu Picchu is a perfectly preserved Inca city that was lost in the dense jungle for hundreds of years. Machu Picchu or “ancient peak” is perhaps the most famous and awe-inspiring of all the ruins discovered in the 20th century. Discovered less than a century ago, Machu Picchu allows us to step back in time and experience the wonder of living in a stone hewn ancient Inca city.
If the Incas were the Romans of pre-Columbian America, Cusco was their Rome. The Incas built a vast empire that stretched from modern Ecuador and Colombia to southern Chile. The empire, much larger in size than any previous new world empire, was called Tawantinsuyo - the “Four Quarters of the Earth.” Cusco was the heart of the empire, and its exact center was considered to be the main square of the city.
Cusco today is still laid out much as it was in Inca times. Seen from above, it takes the form of a puma, with the river Tullumay forming its spine, Sacsayhuaman the head, and the main city center the body. The center, the torso, was a tongue of land bordered on the east side by the Tullumay and on the West by the Huatanay (these two rivers now run under concrete). Cusco was more than just a capital city to the Incas and the millions of subjects in their realm. Cusco was a Holy city, a place of pilgrimage that was as important to the Quechuas as Mecca is to Moslems.
Cusco is a thriving market place where goods and services of all kinds imaginable meet the eye. The city has an impact on all the senses, as all the city sounds greet our ears and aromas of spicy local kitchens tantalize our noses. We observe truly colorful people displaying their wares as they busily draw our attention. Merchants smile and make a sale with characteristic cheerfulness. One place to relax and appreciate all the city has to offer is the “Plaza De Armas”, where on the second floor balconied terraces of the restaurants you can enjoy a beer or a cool drink and see the action from above.