LARES TREK 4DAYS-3NIGHTS

2018 DEPARTURES

Price per person: US$581 (Group tour)
Price upon Request: (Private tour)
The tour INCLUDES land tourist transportation from Cusco hotel to Lares village start of the Trekking, horses and porters to carry all the camping equipment, all meals & accommodation in tents, Machupicchu entrance tickets (US$43 + US$7.70 sales tax 18%) which is about US$51, Expedition class train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, land tourist transportation back from Ollantaytambo station to Cusco and others. Besides pre-trip information + organization and all local taxes. There are not hidden extras in our prices. Other local companies 2016 prices 04DAYS-03NIGHTS LARES TREK, by group service: US$650 (2016), US$585 (2016), US$600 (2016). The price includes all money transfer fees. For full details see below.

DAY 1: CUSCO – LARES:
Early morning our driver and guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Lares (3100m/10170ft) a small rural Andean village located in the sacred valley, which will take us about 04 hours, where on the way we will stop at Taray look-out to observe to Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Urubamaba River (Vilcanota), then we continue passing the villages of Pisac and Calca. We will see to the locals in traditional dress, in particular the variety of each community. Also the national tree called Puyas de Raymondi (a kind of Andean palm tree) that flowers once every 100 years. We reach in Lares village, we meet our cook, and then we leave our luggage and camping equipment, to start with our hike towards Choquecancha, an Inca archaeological site, with spectacular views to the valleys. After to visit this site, we return to Lares village. Evening free time for going to hotsprings. Dinner included in tents. Overnight in Lares.

• Land transport: Cusco – Lares 4hrs
• Walking distance: 12 Km / 7.5 miles
• Estimated walking Time: 4 – 5 hours
• Maximum Altitude: 3800m/12465ft
• Accommodation: Camping tents
• Weather conditions: Cold, rainy December-March, dry
• Trail Conditions: Rocky, narrow, slippery (trekking shoes required)

DAY 2: LARES – HUACAHUACASI – IPSAYQQOCHA:
Breakfast included in tents. We will meet our porters mule drivers (arrieros), who will be in charge of our camping equipment. Around 09:00am we leave our campsite, starting to walk uphill that will lead us to Huacahuasi community (3600m/11810ft) generally covered by clouds. This remote community still keep the Andean traditions, as the offering to mother earth, the lifestyle, where local people produce one of the finest textiles of Peru. We will have the chance to visit a country house to know its people, their brilliant skills and techniques regarding weaving. Lunch included during trek. Then we hike uphill for about 3hrs, toward the pass Ipsay (4450m/14596ft) which offers spectacular views to the snowy mountain Veronica (5750m/18860ft). Walking across Andean communities and high plains (pampas) we will see herds of grazing llamas and alpacas. We follow this path in direction to Ipsayqocha, just 1 hour walk to reach Ipsayqocha Lake, where we will camp next to the lake. We reach to the mysterious Lake of Ipsayqocha and its legends that surround it. Dinner in tents. Overnight at Ipsayqocha.

• Walking distance: 15 km / 9.3 miles
• Estimated walking time: 7 – 8 hours
• Maximum altitude: 4450m/14596ft
• Accommodation: Camping tents
• Weather conditions: Cold, rainy December-March, dry
• Trail Conditions: Rocky, narrow, slippery

DAY 3: IPSAYQOCHA – HUILLOC – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES:
Breakfast included in tents. We continue our 2hrs hike, following a downhill trail, towards a wide valley (Patacancha). Then descending into the valley we arrive to the community of Huilloc, this is a well-preserved authentic Andean community that still preserves the ancient traditions. Lunch at Huilloc community. After lunch you will say good bye to our staff (cook, porters). Finally we will visit Pumamarka, a hike of 2hrs, with impressive farming terraces formerly used at Incan times (potatoes, quinoa, barley and much more crops). Our private transportation which will take us towards Ollantaytambo village which is considered one of the most important living museums, where you can appreciate the archaeological remains from Inca period. We board our train from Ollantaytambo station to Aguas Calientes village. Arrival in Aguas Calientes, welcome by our representative, then you will be transferred to your hotel. Dinner in Aguas Calientes. Overnight at Aguas Calientes.

• Walking distance: 12km / 7.5 miles
• Estimated walking time: 5 – 6 hours
• Maximum Altitude: 3800m/12,467ft
• Accommodation: Hotel 3*** – Aguas Calientes village
• Weather conditions: Cold, rainy December-March, dry
• Trail Conditions: Rocky, narrow, slippery

DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO:
Breakfast included at Hotel. Early morning the guide will pick you up from your hotel and take to bus station, from where you will take the local bus up to Machupicchu ruins, which is about 25 minutes. (Machupicchu ruins opens its gates at 6:00am). Guided tour of Machupicchu ruins (2:30hours) with English-Spanish speaking guide as temples, palaces, priest houses, a sundial, the industrial sector and the farming fields. Then you will have extra time to visit the site on your own. Optional if you have booked Huaynapicchu Mountain (2720m/8920ft) which is a good choice for the ones who want to explore more this area, which takes 2:30hours round trip from the check point, (extra cost of ticket US$12 and pre-booked in advance). If entrance tickets for Huaynapicchu Mountain is sold out, we have more options as hiking to Sun Gate 2:30hours round trip, or to the Inca Bridge which is 1:30hour round trip. Once you had finished exploring Machupicchu and surroundings, you may go back to the buses and head down to Aguas Calientes to enjoy lunch in some restaurants. Then you will take the train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and finally transfer by tourist bus from Ollantaytambo station to your hotel in Cusco.

• Walking distance: 5 km / 3.1 miles
• Estimated walking time: 7-8 hours
• Maximum altitude: 2720m/8920ft
• Cusco city Elevation: 3400m / 11,1152ft
• Weather conditions: Cold, rainy December-March, dry
• Trail Conditions: Rocky, narrow, slippery (Machupicchu or Huaynapicchu)
• Land transport: Lares – Cusco 4 hrs

WHAT IS INCLUDED: The tour INCLUDES land tourist transportation & escort guide from Cusco hotel to Lares village (start of the Trekking), Machupicchu entrance tickets (US$43 + US$7.70 sales tax 18%) which is about US$51, English-Spanish speaking guide for 04Days Trekking, campsite fees, entrance fees to Lares hotsprings, horses and porters to carry all the camping equipment (spacious sleeping tents, sleeping bags, double thickness foam sleeping mattress, cooking equipment, dining tent, kitchen tent and tables), horses for riding in emergency cases, 7hg personal luggage allowance to put on the horses, experienced cook, all meals (3 breakfast, 4 lunches, 3 dinners), food (includes fresh fruit, avocados, fish, chicken, meat, pancakes, omelettes, pasta, soup and rice) recommended for trekking journeys, also hot drinks as coca tea and coffee, filtered drinking boiled water, hand soaps, dishwashing detergents used by our kitchen staff, land tourist transportation from Pumamarka to Ollantaytambo, Expedition class train ticket from Ollanta station to Machupicchu village, one night hotel in Aguas Calientes, guided visit of Machupicchu ruins with English-Spanish speaking guide, lunch, bus ticket dawn from Machupicchu ruins to Aguas Calientes village, Expedition class train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, land tourist transportation back from Ollantaytambo train station to Cusco. Besides pre-trip information + organization and all local taxes. There are no hidden extras in our prices. Our company, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco provides for our guest comfortable Tents as Eureka, North Face or Doite, in single & double occupancy, besides oxygen & first aid kit, exclusive for foreign.

NOT INCLUDED: Breakfast (1° day) but you can have in Mollepata village, sleeping bags for the trekking, dinner in Aguas Calientes (3° day) and lunch at the end of the tour (4° day), we recommend in Aguas Calientes village where there are restaurants. Optional hotsprings US$3.5 and entrance fees to climb Huaynapicchu Mountain (US$12) and gratuities for the guide, cook and porters. Our staff is well paid so tipping is voluntary, as desired.
Note: Machupicchu village or Aguas Calientes. In private or group tour insurance coverage is not included during trekking.

USEFUL INFORMATION:

You can see that in Rumbo Explora we have developed for you tailor-made itineraries with the best price as competitive as possible, providing an excellent service and paying our guides 10% above the legal wage agreed with association of the tour guides – Cusco. Our staff are some of the best paid in Cusco & Machupicchu, which allows us to attract only the Best Tour Guides and Land Transportation with national permit, to none other local company, that can only provide a cheaper price by providing a far inferior service and saving on staff costs, ¿How? Hiring tour guides in training without experience and not paying them, besides avoiding taxes to government.

Big Travel companies from Europe, North America, Australia and others work with the Peruvian Tour Operators located in Lima-Peru, who work as middlemen receiving from them good prices from the Tours & Packages, and paying to us 40 to 50% minor the normal price, besides 2 to 3 months delayed, being this the reason that Rumbo Explora have decided to offer tours & packages directly to travelers.

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Camping Equipment – Lares Trek

TENTS & LAMPS FOR OUR CLIENTS:
All of our tents are made of waterproof materials. Rumbo Explora, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco offer deluxe & private services for our demanding clients, supplying solar-powered lamps, for giving an excellent service at night, thus substitute the gas lamps currently employed for group tours by many local companies. The camping equipment with some brands or models:

• Eureka Tunnel Vision – larger groups
• Eureka Timberline 4 Outfitter – double occupancy
• Eureka Timberline 2XT – single occupancy
• Eureka K2XT – double & single occupancy
• Eureka Equinox – single occupancy
• The North Face VE25 – double & single occupancy
• Doite Cima 4 – single & double occupancy
• Doite Kailas 3 – single & double occupancy
• Doite Himalaya – single & double occupancy

TENTS & LAMPS FOR OUR STAFF (GUIDES, COOKS AND PORTERS):
Tents, sleeping bags, sleeping foams, rain ponchos and shoes for our staff are manufactured in Peru. We can guarantee the comfort of our staff during the excursion. For deluxe private Lares Trek our company, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco supply solar-powered lamps for our staff, to give an excellent service at night, thus substitute the gas lamps currently employed in group tours by many local companies.

COLLECTIVE TENTS:
For Salkantay Trek program it is employed dining tents, kitchen tents, and shower tents available. Additional to camping equipment we have porter backpacks, support belts, shoes, duffle bags, porter jackets, all manufactured in Peru. Besides our partner in Cusco have provided free insurance for all Lares Trek staff, we can guarantee that our staff are well paid in Cusco region, we consider them as the absolute minimum requirements for treating our camp staff fairly and as human beings.

SLEEPING MATS/PADS & SLEEPING BAGS:
For giving a top comfort service for all our clients at Lares Trek we work widely with three layers of orthopedic foamy pads, to guarantee a good rest, after a long hiking.
Our company, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco provide for our guests clean and comfortable sleeping bags (eureka), who offers different models in remote areas far away from city for different temperatures.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT / TABLEWARE & CUTLERY:
For ensuring a maximum hygiene and the best service possible, our company, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco buy all fresh produce and food directly from local markets, where we can find out fresh fruits, meat, fish, potatoes, vegetables and others. Also it is employed for Lares Trek cutlery which is stainless steel, dishes, cups and glassware made in China, as Lares community is located in the Andes, in remote areas far away from Cusco city, the weather is cold and plastic equipment not good. Besides the kitchen is equipped also with ovens, exclusive for our clients.

WATER FILTERS FACILITIES:
Rumbo Explora guarantee all meals and food along the journey. Travellers do not have to bring water purification tablets or water filters on the trek. Be sure that we operate in areas where water source is clean besides it is filtered for cooking and boiled for drinking purposes, and it is regularly monitored, for not put our clients’ health at risk. We use biodegradable soup and detergent, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco, exclusive for clients of Rumbo Explora.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSABILITY:
Toilet facilities: As Lares Trek program takes several days, our company, in shared operation with our partner in Cusco employ (toilet tent) portable toilet facilities including biodegradable bags (manufactured in United States). Some organic wastes are taken out and buried in remote areas far away from Trail, or carried back to Cusco. On the journey of Lares Trekking there are not proper flush toilets.

In Cusco & Machupicchu: On the Lares Trek (protected area) is not allowed drop-off rubbish or polluting the environment that is why our Company put in operation the collecting of garbage from all our excursions where we operate following the Peruvian regulations, respecting the protection to environment.

In Puno & Lake Titicaca: Rumbo Explora recommends to all our drivers during the excursions, put on tourist transportations and motor boats a small rubbish bin and all this will be taken to the garbage collector and then to the Municipal dump, to avoid the pollution in Lake Titicaca region.

In Arequipa & Colca Valley: As the excursion to Colca Valley takes 02Days or more, people carry water in plastic bottles for several days, which produces garbage against the environment. We decided to collect all wastes possible from all our tours, especially from our Trekking program in Colca Valley where we operate, taking back to Arequipa to send to Municipal dump

Lima & Nazca-Paracas and other places: Lima, Nazca and Paracas are towns located on the desert, where the temperature in summer gets warm up to 30°-35° degrees, and wastes produce contamination. We suggest to all our visitors put the wastes into the rubbish bin.

FOR EMERGENCIES – FIRST-AID-KITS & OXYGEN BOTTLES:
Inca Trail program, Salkantay, Ausangate, Lares Treks and others implies downs and ups along the trekking and not medical centers, in some areas our clients will cross hiking over 4300m/14,100feet, is our priority to carry for emergencies oxygen & first aid kit, exclusive for foreign. Our guides are trained in first aid, and we can guarantee the trekking for the Inca Trail program and all treks where we operate. In a future not far away we will provide satellite phone as a priority for our services on Inca Trail program, exclusive for our clients and staff, just for emergencies.