A hiker's high: The ultimate journey to Peru's Lares Valley and Machu Picchu

If you are heading off to Peru and Machu Picchu soon for some hiking, lucky you! You are in store for some stunning views and we’ve put together a guide for some of the things you should do while visiting the breathtaking country.

If you are really looking to experience nature in Peru and you’re up for a challenge along with a bonding experience, the Ultimate Inca Trail Trek offered by Contiki is right up your alley.

During our six-day journey with a group of 16 people from all around the world, we hiked our butts off, and if you are gearing up for a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu, we’ve laid out some reasons why hitting up this trek is a must.

Visiting the city of Cusco

Chances are, wherever you are travelling from, this part of Peru’s elevation is MUCH higher, with Machu Picchu landing shy of just 8,000 feet, while the city of Cusco sits at a whopping 11,152 feet above sea level.

Trust us, you do not want a case of altitude sickness to completely derail your dream trip!

This trek allowed us to spend two days exploring Cusco, and we highly recommend visiting a doctor before your trip who can prescribe you acetazolamide, which speeds up how fast your body gets used to the higher altitude.

Nifedipine (Adalat) and dexamethasone are also used for altitude sickness, and you will certainly feel the altitude difference!

In Cusco, you’ll get to meet your guide and fellow travellers who will spend the next few days conquering Lares Valley and Machu Picchu with you, with plenty of hiking and tenting in your future.

But for now, enjoy the chance to explore the local markets, shops, and food, too! We were wowed by Cusco Main Square as well as the Coricancha and Convent of Santo Domingo. 

On top of the city sightseeing, the start of the trip is also a perfect chance to grab those souvenirs for your family and friends. When you’re high in the mountains for the next couple of days, shopping will be the last thing on your mind.

The Lares Valley hike

After you get to explore Cusco, you’ll be up bright and early to catch the bus that will transport you and your group to Cancha Cancha, the first destination of the Lares Valley experience.

The drive to Cancha Cancha allows for a couple of stops along the way, including a local market to grab a cup of coffee and any last-minute supplies you may have forgotten to pack with you. Toilet paper is a big one, folks.

Once you reach the trailhead, you’ll be greeted by the porters and additional guides who will be carrying the tents, food, sleeping bags, and your supplies (up to a certain weight limit) during your journey. All you have to worry about is your backpack, which is a huge plus!

After a few hours of uphill hiking, you arrive at Cancha Cancha, where you’ll get to have a bite to eat and rest up.  If your team is fast, there’s a chance you get to keep going a little further on the trail before setting up camp and enjoying dinner.

Have your camera ready along the way — there are plenty of llamas and alpacas to be spotted!

After you wake up bright and early in your tents for day two of the Lares Valley Trek (be sure to pack accordingly for what time of year you are doing this hike — we were in the mountains before the rainy season set in, and it was BRISK overnight), you’ll be served breakfast and handed your snack for one of the biggest days of your whole trip: Summit Day!

During the seven-hour hike, you’ll pause often not only to catch your breath as you battle at 12 to 15,000 feet, but also to take in the stunning scenery. Along the hike there are, of course, alpacas, but also lakes, glaciers and gorgeous mountain views.

At 15,700 feet, you reach the peak of Lares Pass, and it’s all downhill cruising from here, but not before lunch and photo opportunities with the dazzling glacier behind you.

You’ll arrive at camp early that afternoon, with tents already set up like usual, and a much-needed rest and downtime before dinner.

The third and final day of your time in Lares Valley is coming to a close, and after you finish a delicious breakfast, it’s off to traverse down the valley into some local villages, with a stop at the dazzling Qanchispacca, or Seven Waterfalls, along the way down to where the bus will pick your group up.

As a treat for powering through and completing the Lares Valley trek, a stop at the Lares Hot Springs is in order, where you can soak in warm pools nestled in the mountains at an altitude of nearly 10,600 feet.

You’ll enjoy a late lunch there and, after a few hours, it’s time to get back into the bus, where you’ll arrive in Ollantaytambo nearing sundown.

The hotel we stayed at, Tunapa Lodge Hotel, even had alpacas chilling throughout the property!

Enjoy a dinner in the town before heading back to your hotel for the big day ahead of you — visiting Machu Picchu.

Before the day even breaks, you’ll depart your hotel in Ollantayambo to catch the train to the Inca Trail, before jumping off it at the last leg of the classic Km104. Sure, you could take the train right to Aguas Calientes and hop on a bus that takes you right to Machu Picchu, but where’s the adventure in that?

It’s heavily stressed to not leave your passport behind and keep it close — you need to show it to be approved to get onto the trail that leads you to Machu Picchu. As for the permits, don’t worry, Contiki already has that covered when you book this trip!

The trail is just 6,000 feet above sea level, and after spending the day prior at much higher elevations, the hike may seem like a relief. However, since you are nearing the rainforest, it is quite a humid hike as you twist and weave along the trail. Before hitting Machu Picchu, you can explore Wiñay Wayna, an Inca ruin.

You may be giddy to get to Machu Picchu, but be sure to spend plenty of time here — roaming around it is marvellous, with the archaeological site holding upper and lower house complexes connected by a staircase.

The last thing in the way before you get to lay your eyes on Machu Picchu at the Sun Gate is a steep set of stone stairs going practically straight up, which our guides jokingly called “The Gringo Killer.” It was tough, but knowing what was at the end of those steps, we had a good time!

Exploring Machu Picchu

You have made it to the tail-end of your Inca Trail Tour, and it’s the crown jewel of the trip for many. It’s Machu Picchu time, and here are some tips we discovered while there.

Prepare for sudden weather changes

When we first laid eyes on the legendary location that is in rare company among the New Seven Wonders of the World, storm clouds were brewing in the distance, and in under 20 minutes, the first raindrops were falling on our heads.

If this is the case for when you first arrive at Machu Picchu, fear not. During our time there, we experienced a downpour followed by low cloud cover, and by the end of the trip, we were bathing in sunshine and a lovely blue sky.

We heard on the trip that if you don’t like the weather at Machu Picchu, wait 15 minutes and it’ll change — and it’s so true!

With weather changes comes preparedness for the elements, and we highly recommend bringing along sunscreen, bug spray, a good sturdy pair of shoes, and, of course, a rain poncho.

Time your visit right to avoid crowds

While others may wake up at the crack of dawn to get that sunrise view of Machu Picchu as it sits on the eastern slopes of the Andes, we suggest hitting it up at the tail end of the day.

The grounds seemed to wind down as we approached the late afternoon, and by almost 4 pm, it felt like we had it all to ourselves! Another reason to trust the tour guide pros who are included with a trip by Contiki. Having our guide, Elio (pictured below), around to guide us through and inform us all about Machu Picchu made the experience just that much better!

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife

On top of the amazing and serene beauty that Machu Picchu has to offer, be on the lookout for the wildlife that can be spotted in the area.

We got the chance to see a couple of cute vizcachas, which are a type of chinchilla, chasing each other around, as well as — you guessed it — llamas and alpacas. There are also a variety of birds to be spotted, including hummingbirds and condors.

Take plenty of photos

You very well may only visit “The Lost City of the Incas” once in your life, so be sure to take as many photos as possible. Get those selfies, group photos and scenery photos in while you can to capture it and remember it. If you arrive when the weather is bad, don’t worry. Even rainy Machu Picchu is better than no Machu Picchu!

Remember to soak in the views

Travelling all the way to Machu Picchu might make you a little frazzled (we definitely were), so remember to take a deep breath while you are there and be present in the moment. You made it to a bucket-list place for so many travellers, embrace it!

So, there you have it.

If you are looking for a breathtaking experience, we highly recommend booking with Contiki for your trip to Machu Picchu. Safe travels!

The author of this article was hosted by Contiki.