Inca Trail Lares trek to Machu Picchu
Overview
Inka trail is a unique way to see the Andean world, to connect with the quechua people and with nature, share the spiritual World, link the present with the true essence of the past, revive the Andean mysticism of this magical and majestic world trough the living experience of meeting some communities and the quechua people. Explore remote inca trails and isolate landscapes.Trek trough the Urubamba mountain range with massive glaciers,lagoons and incredible views of the cordillera and snowpeaks.Explore different ecosystems,observe the flora and fauna while appreciating the uniqueness of the Andes,one of longest mountain range in the world.
Difficulty of the trek: easy to moderate , good physical conditions.
Day 1: Distance: 11km-Altitude: 2900 to 3900 mts-hours 7-camping 3900mts.
Day 2: Distance: 13km-Altitude: 3900 to 4700 mts-hours 8-camping 3200mts.
Day 3: Distance: 14km-Altitude: 3200 to 4400mts-hours 8-camping 3700mts.
Day 4: Distance: 8km-Altitude: 3700 to 3100mts-hours 5-hotel 2060 mts.
Day 5: Distance: 7 km-Altitude: 2060 to 2450mts-hours 6-Cusco 3200mts.
Ecosystems: Scrub bush vegetation, andean semi dry forest, cloud forest, inter andean valleys. grass land, alpine, glaciers.
Highlights: Some Inca remains. High biodiversity, flora, fauna. Ancient Inca road, sacred mountains, amazing landscape.
Climate:The temperature varies in between below cero ºC to 2ºC,morning ,night to 20ºC,middle day to 25ºC day.mountain weather sunny to cloudy,windy.
The Inca road system called Capac Ñan (beautiful road or Great Inca road) it was the most extensive and complex ancient system in the new world. It is believed that this main road built it by the Incas was the main net work system that connected the four cardinal points in this part of the world. This sacred road was also part of the Inca empire high way of the Tawantinsuyo( the empire of the four corners).Chinchaysuyo(the north region,Contisuyo( the south region),Collasuyo (the west region) and then the Antisuyo( the east region )ending in the jungles of the unexplored Amazon
It use to run from south to north and from west to the east parts of the Andes with several primary and secondary roads that were connecting several sacred places, Inca cities, shires and administrative places as well military stations.All of them with great scale, beauty and functions, providing also all kind of sources for the people, helping the redistribution and spreading around the messages of the Incas, carried by Inca runners who where coming from the capital Cusco. The Capac ñan was a great web and work system with all the communication well organize with imperials and government messages and member in duty, used by the Inca people .In this way the Incas achieve a well organize empire and only with one language, one religion and one culture ,The Inca culture.
The Capac ñan covered a distance of over 40 thousand kilometers of primary and secundary roads made it by the Incas or added to their sistem from preInca civilizations and over 3000 kilometers long in a territory filled with one of the longest mountain range called the Andes over 9000 kilometers long, one of the densest jungle in the world the Amazon and one of the dries places in the world the dessert of Peru and Atacama. With elevations in between 100 to 5000 mts providing access to different ecosystem and territory estimates in over 5,000,000 square kilometers of territory, where the Incas built and crossed mountains valleys rivers and glaciers. The main road of the Incas was also beginning in the great capital of the Inca empire Cusco or Qosqo (navel of the world).According with the evidence found in this capital .There was the four main roads beginning in the sacred plaza of Aukaipata in the heart of the Inca capital city and used to go to the four directions of the empire ending in the places like the jungle and the high plateau of the Andes. Others covering valleys and then deserts ending close to the ocean.
It went in to places like Ecuador and Colombia in the north .as well to places like Bolivia, Argentina and the deserts of Atacama in between Peru and Chile. To access to those Inca roads it was mandatory to get permissions because many of f those Inca roads were used by members of the high classes and soldiers as well many representers of the government in duty. In some bridges taxes where charged as well many messagers were running through stations to deliver the messages that were connecting the different places.
The most spectacular and scenery road is found near Cusco that connects some sacred cities like Machu picchu, Choquequirao, Vilcabamba, Vitcos, Espiritu pampa.as well Sacred mountains called Apus like the Mythic Ausangante (6384 mts) and the Salcantay (6221mts).Finally some of those Inca trails are connecting communities in the area of Lares and the sacred valley ending some of the in the jungles of the department of Cusco.
itinerary
DAY 1 – Huaran, Cancha Cancha
We pick you up in the capital of the Inca Empire and drive northeast for about 2 hours, to the Sacred Valley, arriving at the small town of Huaran, at 2900 meters, and the nearby trailhead. After preparing ourselves and all our equipment, we load the supplies onto the horses and mules and we are ready for the hike. We start in the Andean semidry forest, where we will see some Andean flora and fauna typical of that ecosystem. As we go up through the different Andean valleys, following the Cancha Cancha River, we will enjoy picturesque waterfalls falls cascading into the Wilkamayu “Urubamba River”.We arrive at the Andean community of Cancha Cancha, at 3900 meters. Our camp in the grassland area near the village will have incredible views of the snow peaks. Cancha Cancha Casa rises to 4984 meters and the Chicon, to 5530 meters, are both part of the Urubamba Mountain Range. Here we will see flora and fauna typical of the high Andes.
DAY 2 – Cancha Cancha, Abra Pachacutec, and Quiswarani
We start the day off with a good breakfast. We begin our trail with the incredible views of two glacial lakes, Suirococha and Yuraccocha, where we will explore the fauna and flora of the grassland and see the grass called “Ichu Stipa” which was used by the Incas for ropes in the construction of suspension bridges and also to transport rock from the quarry to building sites in the city. There will also be some Puyas “Puya Densiflora” and some native Queoñas “Polilepis”. Among the local bird species we are likely to see Puna Ibis “Pklegadis Ridgwayi”, Andean Flickers “Colaptes Rupicola”, and the Andean Goose “Chloephaga Melanoptera”. After enjoying our nature walk, we will continue upward for another 2 to 3 hours until we reach the pass at 4700 meters. When we arrive to the top there will be incredible views of the Urubamba Mountain Range, some snow capped peaks including Pituriray at 5750 meters and Chicon at 5530 meters. We descend through a succession of small inter-Andean valleys on original Inca stone pathways with amazing views of the glacial lakes and Andean grassland until we reach the scrub bush vegetation ecosystem or “Andean Semi-dry Forest”. When we arrive at the camp we will meet native Quechua people in their home community.
DAY 3 – Quiswarani to Cuncani
On this, our third day, we take a small trail going west that cuts through the mountains and the small valleys, zigzagging up our second pass called Huillquijasa, 4400 meters. From here we will see part of the expansive Urubamba Mountain Range. On the way down we will pass small glacial lakes and trek through various inter-Andean valleys where we will see native flora such as Quiswar “Buddleja Longifolia”, the Tancar tree “Duranta armata” and the Colle tree “Buddleja Coriacea”. Perhaps also some species of Finches like the white winged Diuca Finch “Diuca Speculifera” and Collared Warbling Finch “Poospiza hispaniolensis”. In the grassland area we will see herds of Alpacas and Lamas as well some Montane Vizcacha “Lagidium Peruanum”. Our day ends at the village of Cuncani, at 3700meters, where we will camp through beautiful landscapes.
DAY 4 – Cuncani, to Lares, to Ollantaytambo
We will be up today in time for sunrise and the incredible view of the distant, snow capped peak Colque Cruz, at 5818 meters. After breakfast we continue descending along the river creek through the different Andean Valleys for a couple of hours, enjoying nature in the Andean forest with the scrub bush vegetation. We will see Andean bush called “Chilca Bacharis Peruviana” and the Andean bush called “Checche Berberis”. If the time is right we will see the Rufus Collared Sparrow “Zonotrichia Capensis” and some hummingbirds like the sparkling Violet Ear “Colibri Coruscans” and Giant Hummingbird “Patagoniagigas”. After a while we have time to enjoy a quick bath in the river nearby. After this refreshing experience we go to the town of Lares, at 3100 meters, where we can enjoy hot baths and lunch. After bathing in the hot springs we will enjoy something cold to drink then drive to the village of Ollantaytambo where we will board our late afternoon train and ride for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.
DAY 5 – Machu Picchu, Cusco
Depending the time of the yearwe may have an early breakfast and go up to Machu Picchu to see the sun rise in the archeological site and then begin our tour for about two hours.
Original discover by Agustin Lizarraga a Peruvian local from Cusco who inhabit a farm and explorer who discover Machu picchu in 1902.Nine years after Hiram Bingham rediscover Machu picchu in 1911.
Machu Picchu is situated at the beginning, or “eye brow”, of the cloud forest. This allowed access to different altitudes, each with unique ecological conditions. The crops found at Machu Picchu include different varieties of corn, chilies, quinoa, tomatoes, trees, potatoes, suggesting that this was a good place to acclimate and domesticate species from the high and low jungles that later would be successfully introduced into the hanging valleys and elsewhere.
This small valley was suitable for the building of temples and astronomical observatories, plazas,palaces, streets, utilitarian and functional buildings
ceremonial places, granaries, store houses and terraces for agriculture, Inca roads.
By analysis of soil, seeds, wood, and bones, Carbon Dating situates Incas in the area during the mid-1400s to mid-1500s. Machu Picchu was built by the Inca number 9 who named it “Pachacutek” or “Cusi Yupanqui”. Throughout the site, there is fine masonry and beautiful stonework, all of which is done without mortar. Construction used outside sources for laborers and two large granite quarries nearby. It is believed that the site was occupied by royalty and dignitaries, and that it was visited by the Inca and his entourage or royal court. Even though it was never quite completed, local scholars and historians believe that within a mere 100 years Machu Picchu was built, inhabited, and abandoned.
Several roads connect to bring pilgrims and essential supplies to Machu Picchu, the site of temples and astronomical observatories dedicated to the sun, moon, stars, the universe, the mother earth “Pachamama” and the creator “Wiracocha”.
There will be time afterwards to relax and enjoy the site on your own or go for a optional hike to the Sun Gate to enjoy incredible views of Machu Picchu from above. There will be a good opportunity to see cloud forest flora and fauna as well as part of the Inca original stone path that connected the city of Cusco with the Citadel. In the afternoon we return to the town for lunch and then we take the train back to Cusco.
Includes
We Provide and Include: Itinerary transport roundtrip from Cusco-Licensed, Bilingual, history and naturalist Tour Guides-All Itinerary Meals, including vegetarian & snacks, Safety orientation and Equipment for optional activities-First Aid kit and Oxygen-Tour specific Sleeping bags, air mattresses and Expedition grade tents-Dining tent, Cook & Services-Horses,Mules,Llamas for tour outfitting, wrangler staff, and emergency or back-up horse-Ecological, portable toilets-All Entrance Tickets-Bus up and down for Machu Picchu-Pre-purchased Return Train connections to Cusco.optional hikes in Machu picchu and Huayna picchu mountains and the Intipunku Inca trail.
Note
We can recommend the best and more comfortable hotels or we can take care of the reservations for you.
For adjusting to tour altitude, we suggest one day tours like the Sacred Valley hike,one day River Rafting before the Apurímac River and the City Tour of Cusco hike. As Guides we offer 100% Gauranteed Information, for your sensibilities – about the best specific hotel rooms and services around Peru, like extra windows and other amenities.
What to bring
This is a list designed to advise you what equipment is appropriate to bring according to the weather conditions predominating at the time of your trip:
Jeans and other pants are good as well.as well any clothes that cover the request of being water proof or resistance to water or cold are fine as long they are resistance to the conditions are fine.
- Flashlights (at least one headlamp among them).
- Sun Block; Insect Repellent.
- Towels (Small; cotton and hygienic).
- Rain Gear (Pants and Jacket)
- A couple of pairs of socks, perhaps even an extra pair.
- One pair of trousers for the evening plus two more pairs for trail use (zipp-offs).
- Sandals for River OR DRYSHOES.ASWELL use or CAMP OR HOTEL use (Teva types).
- Low ankle height hiking shoes or regular hiking boots (check the season).
- Reading material.
- Binoculars (always useful regardless of season and activity).
- Bathing Suit.
- Water Bottle (I liter capacity).
- Good Sun glasses, perhaps two sets.
- A bandana for neck protection.
- A couple of sets of underwear (perhaps an extra pair).
- Camera and plenty of film.
- Passport (plus a couple of Xerox copies).