Lares Trek To Machupicchu With Thermal Baths 4Days

This is one of those Peru trips that strings together high-Andes trekking, village life, and a real shot at Machu Picchu without rushing. I love how the itinerary mixes community visits with big mountain moments, and I also like that the trip feeds you well during the trek, with a chef leading the way. The main drawback to plan for is the altitude and effort, especially the long pass days.

You start early out of Cusco and build up from cloud forest walks into big pass climbs, then you earn a soak at the Lares Hot Springs before training into Aguas Calientes. One more consideration: while the program includes a Machu Picchu visit, Huayna Picchu tickets are not included, so you’ll want to plan that decision ahead.

Key Highlights You’ll Feel Immediately

• Lares high-Andes trekking with very specific altitudes and pass climbs across multiple days
• Thermal baths included for muscle recovery right after a long hike
• Small group size, max 16, plus a full team of guide, chef, horsemen, and porters
• Spiritual offering at Pachacutec Pass, led by your guide
• Two nights camping with comfortable equipment, with llamas to carry luggage
• A full Machu Picchu day with a guided visit and time to explore on your own

Lares Trek Meets Machu Picchu in 4 Days: Is This Your Kind of Trip?

If you want a trip that gives you two different Peru experiences, this is a strong match. You get days of walking through remote Andean areas, plus a guided introduction to Machu Picchu, all wrapped into a single 4-day rhythm.

This tour fits best if you’re comfortable with a moderate fitness level and know that some days are leg work, not just scenic strolling. The altitude is real here, with multiple camps above 12,000 ft, and two big pass days that end with dramatic views.

If you’re looking for a super light itinerary, you might feel the steep parts. But if you want your effort to pay off, this format does exactly that.

Cusco Pickup and the Scenic Sacred Valley Drive to Huaran

You’ll get going early, with hotel pickup listed in the 6:00 a.m. range. You’ll also see a start time of 5:00 a.m., so treat the morning as very early and don’t plan breakfast plans for later.

From Cusco, Urubamba, or Pisac, you drive through the Sacred Valley toward Huaran. Expect about a 2-hour scenic drive, then breakfast served by your chef at Huaran (around 9,514 ft / 2,900 m).

This opening matters. It sets the pace and gets you acclimating before you start walking. I like that you’re not thrown into a grind immediately after landing in the Andes.

Day 1: Cloud Forest Ascent, Cancha Cancha Community Time, and Camp by Ríos Waterfalls

Day 1 starts with a gentle climb of about 3 hours through cloud forest. This is a different feel than later pass days, more birdwatching friendly and slower paced. At these elevations the air can be cool and change fast, so bring layers you can adjust without fuss.

You’ll stop for lunch near the high-Andean Cancha Cancha community. This is where the trip becomes more than hiking. You’ll visit the local school and learn about agricultural traditions from local families. It’s the kind of stop that adds meaning to the trail, because you connect what you see in the mountains to how people actually live here.

In the afternoon, the hike shifts into a final gradual climb of about 2 hours. Along the way you pass Ríos Waterfalls before reaching your campsite in Cancha Cancha (about 12,631 ft / 3,850 m). When you arrive, the team welcomes you with hot tea, then you get dinner and call it a night.

Practical note: you’re already gaining elevation today, so pace yourself on that first ascent. Save your big push for later days.

Day 2: Pachacutec Pass at 15,420 ft, Qoyalayccocha Lagoon, and Quishuarani Camp

Day 2 starts at Accopata camp (about 12,631 ft). After breakfast, you face the biggest challenge on this trek: a strenuous 3-hour ascent toward Pachacutec Pass (15,420 ft).

The top is the payoff. Your guide highlights the big views, including snow-capped peaks like Pitusiray and Sahuasiray. Then your guide performs a spiritual offering ceremony to the Apus at the summit. Even if you’re not sure what to do with ceremonies, you can still participate respectfully by watching, listening, and following your guide’s lead.

After that high point, you descend about 2 hours to Qoyalayccocha Lagoon (around 12,795 ft) for lunch. This is the kind of contrast that keeps trekkers going. You go from thin-air effort to a calmer, open-water moment.

In the afternoon, you hike another 2 hours to Quishuarani camp (around 12,103 ft). The evening includes a cultural immersion with a local family to learn about agricultural traditions, then dinner. The program notes possible Andean constellation viewing, which can be a special way to close the day if weather cooperates.

If you want the best chance of enjoying the view at the pass, don’t sprint up. Go steady. Altitude rewards patience.

Day 3: Willcaccasa Pass, Cuncani Stop, Lares Hot Springs Recovery, Then Train to Aguas Calientes

Day 3 begins with breakfast at Quishuarani (about 12,103 ft), then you climb for about 2 hours toward Willcaccasa Pass (14,399 ft). This is a demanding day, but you get big rewards on the way down.

At the summit, you’ll see expansive Andes views plus turquoise lagoons. After the pass, you start a long descent. There’s a brief stop in the village of Cuncani (about 11,811 ft), then you continue for around 3 hours to the Lares Hot Springs.

This is a key reason the tour includes thermal baths. After days of hiking, your muscles need something that feels like recovery, not just rest. The thermal waters here are described as medicinal and are ideal for muscle recovery. Even if you’re tired, you’ll likely feel the difference.

After lunch, there’s an emotional farewell to the trekking team, including horsemen, chef, and porters. Then you take a private van ride of about 3 hours to Ollantaytambo (about 9,160 ft). Dinner comes in Ollantaytambo, then you board the train to Aguas Calientes (about 6,692 ft).

Finally, you check into your hotel in Aguas Calientes, rest, and prepare for Machu Picchu the next day.

Why this day works: it turns the trek into a full experience arc. You finish the effort, recover, eat, then switch modes from hiking to trains and citadel views.

Day 4: Machu Picchu Guided Tour by Bus, Plus Optional Huayna Picchu

Day 4 is your Machu Picchu day. After early breakfast at your hotel, you carry only your backpack with what you need. The hotel stores your luggage while you’re in Machu Picchu.

You’ll take the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, about 25 minutes. Once there, your guide gives you a guided tour of about 2 hours. The focus is history and culture of the Inca Empire, plus practical orientation so you know where you’re standing and what you’re looking at.

Then you get time to explore on your own. This is important. A guided tour is great, but Machu Picchu is also the kind of place where you want your own pace, your own photo angles, and your own moments.

For timing, the program recommends returning to Aguas Calientes no later than 2 hours before your train departure. The train back to Ollantaytambo takes about 2 hours.

In Ollantaytambo, staff are waiting to take you back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.

The optional add-on: Huayna Picchu

There’s also an option for Huayna Picchu, which means young mountain. It’s listed at about 2,660 m / 8,724 ft. The route is steep and narrow, with stairs carved into rock along a vertical wall edge. The timing given is about 45 minutes to reach the top and another 45 minutes to descend.

Huayna Picchu tickets are not included, so you’re making a decision based on your comfort with height and steep stairs. If you want that extra viewpoint and you’re fit enough for it, it can be worth it.

Guides, Chef Energy, and the Names You’ll Hear on This Trek

This is a team-driven tour. The itinerary includes highly trained mountain tourism guides plus chefs, porters, and horsemen. You also get a first aid kit and a portable emergency oxygen tank, which is a big reassurance on high-altitude treks.

From the names that show up in the experience reports, you’ll likely meet guide Mesaias or Ali (and sometimes Alex). Chefs mentioned include Balero and Valerio. A horseman named Segundo shows up in the route memories as well. Even if your exact team differs, the pattern is clear: you’re not doing this with random support. You have a working crew that sets camp and keeps meals running.

I especially like the way the chef work shows up. Meals aren’t treated like a checklist item. There’s mention of excellent options for vegetarians, and in one case, the chef made a special tea for an upset stomach on day 2. That tells me the team is prepared for real bodies doing real travel.

Also, your camp setup is handled for you. That matters more than people think when you’re already tired. If your support is fast, you spend more time enjoying the trail and less time handling camp logistics.

Camping, Meals, and What You Need to Pack (and Rent)

Two nights are spent camping in the mountains, with comfortable equipment provided. Meals during the trek are included, and they’re made with local natural ingredients. This is one of the best value parts of the trip because high altitude hiking makes food and timing a daily priority.

The tour includes all meals during the trek (breakfasts and lunches and dinners) and breakfasts count across all 4 days. It also includes dinner on day 3 and dinner on day 2, plus lunch on day 1 and day 2, and lunch on day 3 up to the point you shift to recovery.

What’s not included: sleeping bags, air mattresses, and trekking poles. You can rent these with the operator, so if you’re traveling light, plan on renting rather than guessing what you might need.

What about your daily comfort? Bring layers and something warm for camp. At these elevations, evenings can cool off quickly. Your day might be active, but your camp time includes sitting and relaxing, which you’ll feel more if you’re underdressed.

Price of $600: Where the Value Really Comes From

$600 per person sounds like a lot until you look at what’s wrapped inside the price. Here’s the practical value story.

You get guiding by mountain guides for multiple hiking days, plus a full support team including chefs and porters. You also get two nights of camping with comfortable equipment. Food is included throughout the trek, which reduces a major travel headache.

On the recovery side, thermal baths entrance is included. On the Machu Picchu side, the program includes buses up and down to Machu Picchu, plus an exclusive train on the last day to return to Cusco.

So your money isn’t only paying for walking. It’s paying for the structure that makes a high-altitude trek and a Machu Picchu day actually work on a tight 4-day timetable.

Where costs can show up outside this price:

• Huayna Picchu tickets, not included
• Trekking poles and sleeping gear, unless you rent them
• Lunch on the last day, not included

Also, Machu Picchu entry ticket inclusion is not explicitly listed in the provided information, so confirm that piece when you book.

If you handle rentals and optional tickets carefully, the cost-to-experience ratio holds up well.

Should You Book This Lares Trek to Machu Picchu With Thermal Baths?

I’d recommend this if you want a blend of effort and meaning. The community stops around Cancha Cancha and the family agricultural immersion add a grounded, human side to the trek. The pass days give you the kind of big altitude views you chase in the Andes. Then the Lares Hot Springs finish gives your legs a chance to recover before you enjoy the Machu Picchu day.

Book it if:

• You’re okay with a moderate fitness level and can handle steep climbs and high-altitude walking
• You want a guided Machu Picchu visit with time to explore on your own
• You value included meals, camp support, and a structured plan that reduces guesswork

Consider skipping or adjusting if:

• You’re unsure about steep stairs, especially if you’re thinking about Huayna Picchu
• You want a mostly flat itinerary, because the pass climbs are a real part of this trip

If you do book it, plan for early mornings, bring the right layers, and treat pace as part of your training plan.

FAQ

What time is the pickup for this tour?

Hotel pickup is listed as 6:00 a.m. in the itinerary details. There is also a start time listed as 5:00 a.m., so expect an early morning and confirm your exact pickup time when you book.

How many days is the trek and trip total?

The tour is listed as 4 days, starting in the Cusco area and ending back at the meeting point in Cusco after the Machu Picchu day.

What fitness level do I need?

The information says travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level. The itinerary includes strenuous climbs to high passes, especially on day 2.

Are meals included during the trek?

Yes. The tour includes all meals during the trek with local natural ingredients, including breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, plus breakfast each morning of the 4 days. Lunch on the last day is listed as not included.

Are the thermal baths included?

Yes. Entrance to the thermo-medicinal baths is included, and you’ll visit the Lares Hot Springs on day 3 after a long hike.

Is Huayna Picchu included?

No. Huayna Picchu Mountain tickets are not included. The timing and difficulty are listed, but you’ll need a separate ticket.

What gear is not included for camping and hiking?

Sleeping bags, air mattresses, and trekking poles are not included. The information says trekking poles can be rented with the tour provider.