Lares Trek & Inca Trail: A 5-Day Epic Journey to Machu Picchu

Can’t thank Trexperience enough for our incredible Ultimate Lares + Inca trail (5 days) experience. Elisban was our tour guide, he is funny, charming and an absolute wealth of knowledge. He of course speaks Quechua and Spanish, and his English is excellent. He knows so much about the Inca and pre-Inca civilisations and the history of Peru. Also being from Lares he knows the community and shared such valuable insight into everyday life for the highlanders. None of our questions went unanswered and we felt connected to him and his people, with a deep respect for their way of life. Elisban has many years experience trekking and leading groups, and it certainly shows. He is professional, but has a way of keeping things feeling fun and relaxed. He makes an effort to get to know everyone on the trek and we can call him a friend once we’re done. We miss him already. We wish Elisban all the best! Mucho gusto! Thank you for everything! All the food on the trek was made with LOVE by Leonardo and Margot, they are so kind and work so well together. The meals were literal feasts, each dish so full of flavour and fresh ingredients. We had two vegans (including myself) and vegetarian on our trek, which they were easily able to cater for and everyone had plenty to choose from. The food was 10/10 , could not have asked for anything better. The porters/horsemen Julián and Gregorio were great, they’d have everything set up and ready for our arrival at lunch or camp well before we arrived, and have the whole camp packed up before we could even finish breakfast. We camped next to Gregorio’s village on night and were able to visit a home there and experience life for the highlanders. We also passed through Julián’s village as well. The horses (mules) were beautiful and well taken care of. They and the chefs would run past us on the trail with a smile, the horses in tow, while we’d be struggling with our next step! Such respect for each one of them. I became very unwell during the trek (a stomach bug pick up in the Cusco then made worse by the altitude) and every one of the Trexperience team took such good care of me. Leo and Margot made me herbal teas to sooth my stomach and special soup when I felt I could keep food down. They knew exactly what to give me and we’re so sweet. Elisban would check on me frequently and made sure I was well enough to continue, he had first aid ready to provide hydration salt and other remedies. Special mention to Elvis, he is a guide in training and this was his first trek. He also took care of me for a few hours on the trail while I was sick. Throughout the trek he was only ever patient and kind. He was always chipper and willing to share stories of his own. We adored having Elvis with us, he will make a great guide one day. We felt like we got the best of both worlds with Lares and the Inca trail to Machu Picchu. Every bit of the tour/trek was so well organised and executed perfectly by the crew. If anything went wrong we didn’t notice. Trexperience ensures they employ women in their crew (something other companies don’t do) and are committed to sustaining the environment and community in the highlands. Also, a percentage of the amount you pay for the trek goes to the Trexperience library, a small room rented outside of Ollantaytambo with books and computers with internet access to support the local children’s education. We visited the library at the end of the Lares trek and got to meet the children at the library, it was wonderful. Trexperience are a newer and smaller company than some of its competitors, however prove that they are equal to any other trekking company out there. Many of the crew explained they moved from other companies to Trexperience because they support them personally and their communities. You get a local guide, a local chef and porters, and nothing could be better.

This was a trip of a lifetime. For my 40th birthday I wanted to see Alpacas and Llamas “en naturaleza” in the Andes in Peru. The Ultimate Lares Trek, which combines the Lares Trek with the two day short Inca Trail/Machu Picchu, did not just help me achieve my birthday goal but far exceeded my wildest expectations. We happened to have a guide, a guide-in-training, a chef and a sous chef and two horsemen for our wonderful group of 8. Our main guide, Elisban, was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable, responsive, patient, and very much a leader, was above all extremely good natured and a pleasure to be around as was our guide-in-training, Maribel. As an example, each morning, Maribel with her amazingly calm and gentle way, would come by our tent and offer coca leaf tea and inquire gently about our condition, as over three-fourths of us were coming from below sea level. No one was ever left behind. She was excellent and it was wonderful to trek with another woman. I think I only saw one other female guide on the fourth day on the Incan Trail. It was that kind of genuine, heartfelt attention to detail from every single one of the staff that we encountered really made this trip above and beyond. Even the horsemen, Julian and Juan, were so organized and so pleasant that when you are tired from the days’ hike, the two men and five steps ahead and have everything beautifully established upon arriving to camp. I think I ate better on the Trek than at home. Thanks to Timoteo, the chef, and José, the sous chef, we basically had four course meals: homemade soups, freshly cut fruit and vegetables, juices, desert, beverages, hit water, water for our hikes, the list goes on... Above all, I think one of the best times (it’s hard to pick) was when the entire staff set up this incredible Pachamama which goes to Incan times in this idyllic countryside. I think one of the extra special things about this trek is that every single one of the staff were specifically from the region, spoke Quechua and not only answered and shared information about the individuals and families we encountered in the countryside but facilitated the schedule so we could spend a little time with the adults as well as children in many of the communities, almost like a gateway into an ancient culture that lives and breathes but as a tourist and foreigner, you would never have access to any other way. I think this was so special. As an incredible bonus, you get to hike to the sun gate and go to Machu Picchu (which anyone reading is aware of) on day four as well as get an incredible guide like Elisban on day five to take you through Machu Picchu and give color, insight and context to the things you are seeing. You also get to visit the Lares Thermal Hot Springs which wasn’t very touristy the day we went as well as the salt pools. This tour was an incredible experience as well as an incredible value considering the amount logistics that are handled seamlessly between our guides and Trexperience. Dealing with Machu Picchu and the logistics of that regulated part of the trip alone is absolutely priceless as there are many moving parts to visiting Machu Picchu. If you are into the animals, the Quechua culture, beautiful, unspoiled nature with no other tourists around, getting to be around great people who work with Trexperience as well as getting to fully experience Machu Picchu, then this would be your trek and I would not go with any other outfitter. In the future I expect to do another trek with Trexperience.

It was amazing from start to finish. Parts were harder than I had imagined, but our guide was amazing and paced things well. When you finally walk through the Sun Gate, you feel an enormous sense of accomplishment. The food was amazing, the guide fantastic. I would highly recommend the 5 day over the 4 day, as it moves a little slower, giving you time to fully appreciate and enjoy the experience.

We booked ourselves on the ‘Ultimate Lares Trek and Inca Trail’ tour with Trexperience after finding that we couldn’t book the Inca Trail in Australia. I corresponded directly with Carlos who was able to organise everything without fuss. He even helped us out when we had a stolen passport incident four days before the tour, arranging for the replacement to be delivered to us mid trek. We didn’t really know what to expect with the tour, we were not experienced trekkers, but what we received was very special. We were part of a team. There were 4 trekkers in our party plus another three who booked separately. Our leader was Elisban who quickly had us settling in to the main task of putting some kms behind us, and gaining altitude. At our first camp we were introduced to the rest of the team, Gregorio the horseman (supplies and looks after the mules), Julian the camp organiser, Leonardo the chef and Margot the sous chef. We also had Elvis, trainee guide, and Pancho, the mule, who became part of our adventure at one point due to illness in our party. We were immersed into high Andean culture from the beginning, and by the end of the first three days of the tour we had experienced first hand what it was like for these people to live at such altitude in such isolation. Transport into these areas is either walk or take a mule if you have one. One tip, bring a some extra sols if you want to purchase some genuine home made colourful handiwork from the women who spin and weave them, and be prepared to bargain. Gregorio, Julian, Leonardo, Margot, Elisban and Elvis were tough, hard working, friendly and lot of fun. They made the whole adventure enjoyable, even though it was hard going. Leonardo and Margot served up a feast for each meal with multiple courses, and catering for two vegans and one vegetarian who were in our group. We just couldn’t eat it all. In the first three days of the trek we saw only three other groups, one going our way, two going the other way. In the last two days we joined the main throng on the road to Machu Picchu. The fourth day, climbing to Winay Wayna then joining the main Inca trail to the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu, seemed relatively easy going after the high altitude walking on the Lares trail. It was of course very exciting and the main point of the trek, but I must admit I missed the isolation and intimacy of the first three days. In the last two days we were definitely tourists, the first three we were adventurers. We also booked tickets to climb Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu), as the final part of the adventure. We were glad we did, though it nearly killed us. Others we met on the tour had not booked access to this peak and were disappointed. One bit if advice, get up to Machu Picchu a little bit earlier if you want to do Huayna Picchu, as we did end up a little bit rushed to start and finish this very difficult but rewarding climb. A special mention here to Elisban, our guide, who went to great trouble to keep us motivated, informed, entertained, safe and reasonably comfortable for the whole five days. Without his charm, cheekiness and care we would not have enjoyed the tour half as much. I would thoroughly recommend this tour ( Ultimate Lares Trek and Inca Trail Tour) and thoroughly recommend this company Trexperience. All of the Trexperience people, leaders and support crew, are local to this region with the support crew all from villages we trekked through. The Trexpereince leaders all have a great commitment to the local people and towns which they will tell you all about on the tour. Machu Picchu is very tourist driven, there is no getting away from that, but this tour balanced the very popular tourist destinations with some really enjoyable, genuine high Andean experiences. The other groups we encountered on the Lares trail seemed more interested in ticking a box, our trek was about taking our time, encountering the locals and having fun. I am sure that no two of theses tours goes exactly to plan, in the mountains there are always unexpected circumstances. What I do know is that we had a great adventure, a lot of fun and survived a number of memorable challenges. I am sure that if you do this tour with Trexperience you will have your own high adventure, create some wonderful memories, and find a great deal to enjoy and savour.

I had an unforgettable experience on the Ultimate 5 Day Inca Trail. The porters are incredible people, carrying everyone's belongings, food, camping equipment etc. It's a tough job however they were constantly laughing and joking which would indicate that they like their job and have good working conditions which is very important to me. They all wore TreXperience branded clothing with back supports and sturdy boots. The chef Jubenal was absolutely brilliant! I told him he was wasted on the Inca Trail and should be working in a restaurant but he said he loved the adventure! We never ate the same meal twice which is some feat when you consider all the ingredients are carried on the backs of the porters. I have a very sensitive stomach and was sure I would experience a bad belly however everything was so well cooked and the hygiene was good so I did not suffer at all! We had warming soups on cold evenings and pancakes with smiley faces early in the morning! Too much food actually, I think the altitude affected my appetite! You will certainly not go hungry on this hike! Our guide Victor was patient and encouraged plenty of rest stops, especially when hiking the difficult Dead Woman's Pass! Trexperience included a free airport transfer with my package which was greatly appreciated. The only negative point I can make is that the itinerary mentioned yoga and meditation on 2 of the days of which there was none and our guide seemed completely unaware of, however our days were jam packed with activity anyway so I didn't miss it too much! Also the toilet facilities are pretty grim at some of the campsites, and there were no porta-potty's as advertised on the website, however I would expect less than perfect facilities when trekking in a developing country so you just have to deal with it!

Our 5D/4N Ultimate Lares Trek with Trexperience lived up to and exceeded every possible expectation I had for this tour. From the ease of organisation beforehand, to the detailed briefing once in Cusco and of course the incredible tour itself, we could not have asked for anything more from the company. Starting with the Lares Trek, although less popular than the Inca trail, I would highly recommend the tour, encompassing mountain lakes, waterfalls and the spectacular Andes it does not disappoint in any way. As well as the scenic differences from the Inca tour, what is equally incredible is that the only people we came in to contact with along the way were local Inca communities, cut off from the rest of the world and living a completely different life to the one I am used to. Helping a young boy herd alpacas was a personal highlight. This community interaction was not only very special, but the lack of other tour groups just added to my experience. The food on this tour was also unbelievable, how the team produced such delicious food in such difficult conditions I will never know, but it was all great! The addition of the one day Inca trek I feel still gives a very good indication of the whole route, and of course to see Machu Picchu at the end is just the most spectacular finale. The transition from Lares to Inca trek was again managed seemlessly by Trexperience. What made the whole tour that much for memorable for me was our awesome guide Elvis Roque, who not only was an amazing guide answering every question we could throw at him with complete assurance, he was also a fantastic guy who did everything he could throughout to make sure we had the best experience possible. I would highly recommend anyone taking on a Trexperience tour to request Elvis and I can guarantee he will exceed your expectations. We owe a huge amount of the incredible experience we had to him, and are so grateful that we were lucky enough to spend 5 days with him. Thank you Elvis, and thank you Trexperience for 5 days that I will never forget.