Soak in the Lares hot springs, walk through quiet Andean villages and past snow-capped peaks, then take the train to Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu.
Four Days from the Lares Hot Springs to Machu Picchu
The Lares Trek to Machu Picchu begins with a private drive from Cusco to the Lares hot springs, where you can soak in the thermal pools before you start walking. Then, for three days, you cross the high Andes and camp in the villages of Quiswarani and Cancha Cancha, among the families who live there. After the walk ends in Huarán on day 3, you drive to Ollantaytambo and take the train to Aguas Calientes. Finally, on day 4, you visit the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu with a guide. Choose a shared or private service, and we will also tailor-make every detail to your travel style, needs and budget.
Soak in the Lares hot springs before you walk
Andean villages and local families
Led by a local expert team
A guided tour of Machu Picchu
Route and Itinerary
Four Days, One Journey
Interactive map of the three walking days from the Lares hot springs to Huarán, with altitude changes.
On day 1 you walk 7.93 km from the Lares hot springs to Quiswarani. Next, you walk 12.27 km to Cancha Cancha on day 2, reaching 4,723 m a.s.l. Then, on day 3, you walk 6.26 km to Huarán before you take the train to Aguas Calientes. Finally, day 4 is a guided visit to Machu Picchu, with no walking route on the map.
Distances are measured by GPS and add up the three days you walk. However, the train and the Machu Picchu visit are not on the map.
A last walk down to Huarán, then the train to Aguas Calientes.
After breakfast and a visit with the villagers of Cancha Cancha, we set off at about 8:00 a.m. The walk then takes 4 to 5 hours, with views of the Sacred Valley, a variety of plants and orchids. We reach Huarán after midday for lunch, then drive to Ollantaytambo in private transport. Once there, be at the Ollantaytambo station at 4:06 p.m. The Voyager train leaves at 4:36 p.m. and arrives in Aguas Calientes at 6:09 p.m. Then we transfer to your hotel at 6:15 p.m. Finally, between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m., your guide meets you at the hotel.
Highlights
Visit with the villagers of Cancha Cancha.
Views of the Sacred Valley, plants and orchids.
Voyager train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
Night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Altitude comes from the route’s GPS track, while distance is measured along the trail.
A full day of Andean scenery and time with local families.
After a hearty breakfast, we walk for about 8 hours. Along the way you also enjoy the natural beauty of the Andes and spend time with the families who live in these high villages. Finally, we arrive in Cancha Cancha, where we camp for our second night.
Highlights
Andean landscapes along the trail.
Time with local families.
About 8 hours of walking.
Dinner and camp at Cancha Cancha.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Altitude comes from the route’s GPS track, while distance is measured along the trail.
A private drive to the Lares hot springs, a soak, then your first day on the trail.
We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 5:00 a.m. and drive privately via Calca to the Lares hot springs, a trip of about 3.5 hours. Then, after a relaxing soak in the thermal pools, we start walking. Later, after about 8 hours on the trail and lunch after midday, we reach the Andean community of Quiswarani, where we set up our first camp.
Highlights
Private transfer from Cusco to the Lares hot springs.
Then a relaxing soak in the thermal pools.
About 8 hours of walking, with lunch on the trail.
Dinner and first camp at Quiswarani.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Altitude comes from the route’s GPS track, while distance is measured along the trail.
A guided visit to the Inca citadel, then the train and the drive back to Cusco.
After breakfast, take the bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour of the Inca citadel, which lasts about 2.5 hours. Then ride the bus back down to Aguas Calientes and be at the station at 2:00 p.m. The Voyager train leaves at 2:30 p.m. and arrives in Ollantaytambo at 3:56 p.m. Finally, from the station, we transfer you to your hotel in Cusco between 4:20 and 6:20 p.m. If you wish, you can also add Huayna Picchu mountain to your visit or have lunch at Machu Picchu or in Aguas Calientes. Ask us for pricing.
Highlights
Guided tour of Machu Picchu, about 2.5 hours.
Bus up and down between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.
Voyager train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
Transfer from Ollantaytambo to your hotel in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast
Your price
What’s Included
On the trail
Professional English / Spanish guide.
Cook.
Muleteers and horses to carry the camping gear and your large backpack (maximum 6 kg per person).
Accommodation for the guides, cook and muleteers.
First aid kit.
Camping and meals
Comfortable double tents for two people (three-season, new this year).
Insulated sleeping mats and a sleeping bag.
Kitchen tent and dining tent, with tables and chairs.
All meals on the route, as listed in the itinerary, plus snacks.
Transport and Machu Picchu
Private transport from your hotel in Cusco to the Lares hot springs, via Calca.
Private transport from Huarán to Ollantaytambo.
Voyager train, round trip between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes.
Transfer from the Ollantaytambo station to your hotel in Cusco.
1 night in a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes, in a double or triple room.
Machu Picchu entrance ticket and round-trip bus.
Guided tour of Machu Picchu.
What’s not included
Tips for the guide and porters.
Breakfast on day 1 and lunch on day 4.
Optional extras: horse riding during the first three days (not available on descents), a single tent, a single room in Aguas Calientes, Huayna Picchu mountain with the Machu Picchu visit, and lunch at Machu Picchu or in Aguas Calientes. Ask us for pricing.
A higher train category or a different hotel category in Aguas Calientes: ask us for pricing.
Important Notes
Shared or private service, tailored to your dates and group size.
Bring your original passport.
Bring cash in soles and/or US$, also for tips.
Be at the Ollantaytambo station at 4:06 p.m. on day 3, and then at the Aguas Calientes station at 2:00 p.m. on day 4.
Also, students under 18 receive a discount. Ask us for details.
Times are approximate, but train times may change.
FAQ
Difficulty and altitude
The 4-day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu is rated Moderate. You walk on the first three days, about 26.46 km in total, and the highest point is 4,723 m a.s.l. on day 2. Days 1 and 2 take about 8 hours each, while day 3 takes 4 to 5 hours. Finally, day 4 is a guided visit to Machu Picchu.
Overall, good physical condition is recommended. Horses carry the camping gear and your large backpack (maximum 6 kg per person), so you carry only a small daypack, and your team travels with a first aid kit.
We recommend at least one full day in Cusco (3,399 m a.s.l.) or the Sacred Valley before you start, and more time if your schedule allows. This gives your body time to adjust before the trek. Because the walk starts at 3,251 m a.s.l. at the Lares hot springs and climbs to 4,723 m a.s.l. on day 2, take it easy on that first day and drink plenty of water. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor before you travel.
Packing and booking
Bring your original passport, comfortable waterproof trekking shoes, warm clothes, a rain jacket or poncho, gloves, a hat for the cold and one for the sun, sunscreen, insect repellent (minimum 20%), a flashlight or headlamp, two 600 ml water bottles, snacks, a swimsuit for the hot springs, and any personal medication. Also, the sleeping bag is included, and a walking stick is optional. Bring cash in soles and/or US$, also for tips.
Book as early as possible, so we can confirm availability for your dates.
You can choose a shared or a private service, and we tailor-make every detail to your travel style and needs. Since the price depends on your group size and the services you choose, request a quote.
Write to us on WhatsApp with your preferred dates and group size, and we will then confirm availability and explain how to secure your booking. We will reply as soon as we can.
Before and after the trek
Before the trek, your guide meets you for a briefing. Then, on day 1, we pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 5:00 a.m. and drive privately to the Lares hot springs, a trip of about 3.5 hours.
Carry your original passport. Also, breakfast on day 1 and lunch on day 4 are not included, so plan those two meals in advance.
On day 3 you walk to Huarán, then take the train to Aguas Calientes, where you sleep in a hotel. Finally, on day 4 you visit Machu Picchu and return to Cusco by train and private transfer. Also, bring a swimsuit and a towel for the hot springs.
Vegetarian meals are available, while vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free meals are available with advance notice. However, times are approximate.
Pack light
What to bring
The bag you carry yourself while walking.
Sun and rain
Sun hat and warm hat
Sunscreen
Waterproof poncho
Warm jacket, scarf and gloves
Insect repellent (minimum 20%)
Daypack essentials
Water (two 600 ml bottles)
Snacks
Toilet paper and wet wipes
Headlamp or flashlight, with spare batteries
Documents and health
Documents (original passport)
Personal medication
Camera and power
Camera / phone
Power bank
Your sleeping bag is included. Also bring several pairs of socks, sandals for resting, a small towel, binoculars if you like, a walking stick (optional) and a swimsuit for the hot springs in Lares and Aguas Calientes. Pack your clothes and sleeping bag in plastic bags so that they stay dry. Bring cash in soles and/or US$, also for tips.
On the trail
Food and dietary needs
Vegetarian options are available on this trek. Moreover, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free meals are available on request with advance notice. Please tell us about any food allergies when you book, so we can confirm what we can arrange for you.
Traveling responsibly
We buy local products whenever we can, to support the local economy. In addition, on the trail we take care to recycle, reuse and avoid single-use plastic.
Our muleteers and mules
On this trek our muleteers carry the camping equipment and your large backpack with pack mules. They work under the same conditions as our porters on other treks, except for the 20 kg weight limit that applies to porters:
Food: meals provided throughout the trek.
Equipment: uniform provided.
Animal care: load protectors on every mule.
Shelter: accommodation for all our staff.
That is why your large backpack is limited to 6 kg (13 lb).
Tripadvisor · 2026 Reviews
What Our Travelers Say
Recent Tripadvisor reviews of Santu trips in Peru, posted in 2026.
However, this is Santu’s overall rating, not a rating specific to the Lares Trek.
“The experience was incredible; we were 3 families and we loved it. The level of food, the tents, the guides. A ten.”
Edgardo C · Toledo, Spain Written 4 August 2026 · Translated from Spanish by Tripadvisor
“… Giuliana exceeded our expectations. She did an amazing job listening to our wants/needs, make recommendations and take care of all the steps along the way. We felt fully informed.”
“Giuliana who is an amazing travel agent who planned everything for Us and give us lots of great ideas and she came with an amazing package that it took care of all our needs …”
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