Day 1: Cusco – Lares – Cuncani – Quiswarani The excitement of your Lares trek to Machu Picchu will help you rise early for your pickup at 5:00am from your Cusco hotel. The first part of our journey is a drive of about 2.5 hours to the Cuncani community. We will stop along the way at the traditional Calca market to buy some provisions and to give you the opportunity to buy anything you might want to gift to the highland children you will meet along your trek. Breakfast is served high in the mountains, admiring the waterfalls, mountain peaks and awesome views of the valleys. Time to get our packs ready, put our boots on and begin our first 3 hours ascending to Willqaqasa Pass (4,200m/13,779ft). You will enjoy the amazing views of rugged Andean peaks, glacial lakes, valleys and much more. Afterwards, we will relish our gourmet lunch prepared by our trekking chef. Two hours descending to the next valley, we have completed our first trekking day and have arrived at our campsite. Our campsite is at the Quiswarani community, which is still very traditional and follows ancient agricultural practices. It’s time to enjoy afternoon tea with amazing views of the frozen Andean peaks and seven waterfalls. You will also have an opportunity to meet some of the villagers. It would be appreciated if you were able to share some toys, old useful clothes, notebooks, fruit or any items with the locals. After dinner, our guide will show you…
Day 1: Cusco – Lares – Cuncani – Quiswarani The excitement of your Lares trek to Machu Picchu will help you rise early for your pickup at 5:00am from your Cusco hotel. The first part of our journey is a drive of about 2.5 hours to the Cuncani community. We will stop along the way at the traditional Calca market to buy some provisions and to give you the opportunity to buy anything you might want to gift to the highland children you will meet along your trek. Breakfast is served high in the mountains, admiring the waterfalls, mountain peaks and awesome views of the valleys. Time to get our packs ready, put our boots on and begin our first 3 hours ascending to Willqaqasa Pass (4,200m/13,779ft). You will enjoy the amazing views of rugged Andean peaks, glacial lakes, valleys and much more. Afterwards, we will relish our gourmet lunch prepared by our trekking chef. Two hours descending to the next valley, we have completed our first trekking day and have arrived at our campsite. Our campsite is at the Quiswarani community, which is still very traditional and follows ancient agricultural practices. It’s time to enjoy afternoon tea with amazing views of the frozen Andean peaks and seven waterfalls. You will also have an opportunity to meet some of the villagers. It would be appreciated if you were able to share some toys, old useful clothes, notebooks, fruit or any items with the locals. After dinner, our guide will show you…
DAY 1: CUSCO – ANDAHUAYLILLAS – RACCHI – LA RAYA – PUNO We pick you up at your hotel at 6.30am to take you to the bus station (Inca Express or First Class). Both companies provide royal class service with an English-speaking tour guide, and a waiter who is ready to assist you with hot, and cold drinks on board. During the trip, you will stop to visit some Inca ruins, museums and the Andahuaylillas Church, which is considered to be the Sistine Chapel of South America because of its amazing frescos. Then, we stop at the Racchi Inca ruins, which used to be a religious and resting place for Inca travelers. The next visit is at La Raya, the border between Cusco and Puno, where the most traditional animals of Peru can be seen, llamas and alpacas. In Pucara, we will visit a museum where it is possible to see some pre-Inca remains. Finally, by 5.30 pm we arrive in Puno, where our representative will pick you up to take you to your hotel. Meal: Breakfast – Lunch Accommodations: Casa Andina Classic Puno 3* or Tierra Viva Puno 3* Accommodations: Casa Andina Private Collection 4* or Sonesta Puno 4* DAY 2: PUNO – UROS ISLANDS – AMANTANI ISLAND After having breakfast in your hotel, the tour leader will pick you up to take you to the port of Puno. There, you will embark on a 30-minute boat ride until arriving at the floating islands. You will be welcomed by the locals, who…
If you’re considering a trek or tour to Machu Picchu or a hike on the Inca Trail, you might be tempted to plan your own trip and go it alone. Before you make any decisions, however, it’s important to understand what you can and cannot do without a fully licensed tour operator. Do You Need a Tour Guide for an Inca Trail Trek? No matter how experienced you are as a hiker or how much you’d like to trek the Inca Trail without a guide, the official Inca Trail regulations require all hikers to be a part of an organized group led by a duly licensed and authorized tour guide. Because only a limited number of companies have the required licensing and authorization, you must do your research and choose your tour agency carefully. Only licensed providers can purchase the necessary permits. Double-check that your agency is purchasing the permits, because they sell out quickly. You must also be careful when booking your trek because, unless you book with a direct provider of a Classic Inca Trail Trek, you will be handed off to an unknown third-party tour agency. It’s also important to note that tour operators are allowed to book up to 16 hikers per trek. If you find yourself in a group that size, you may not have a good experience if not enough guides, porters and other support team members are present. Likewise, some companies have last-minute cancellation policies if not enough people book a trek. That…
