Lares Trek to Machu Picchu — Self-Launched
8 days · Peru
Exodus charges £1,795
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of Exodus's 8-day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu. Same route — Cuzco acclimatisation, the Sacred Valley, a community weaving and pachamanca experience, three days of camping point-to-point through Quechua villages and high Andean passes, the Lares hot springs, and a guided Machu Picchu visit — but booked yourself using local operators, colectivos, and the tourist train. No Inca Trail permit required, and you control the pace and the budget.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cuzco — ease into altitude
Cuzco
Land in Cuzco (3,400m) and take it very easy. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in San Blas or the historic centre within walking distance of Plaza de Armas. Drink plenty of water and coca tea, avoid alcohol, and don't plan anything strenuous. In the evening, take a gentle wander around the plaza and grab dinner — a set-menu 'menú del día' at a local restaurant costs £3-5.
🚌Arrival by taxi from Alejandro Velasco Astete airport to centre, ~15-20 min, £4-6
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cuzco historic centre or San Blas (dorm £7-12, private £18-30)
- →Check into Cuzco accommodation
- →Gentle orientation walk around Plaza de Armas and San Blas
- →Menú del día dinner
Acclimatise in Cuzco — or hike Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain
Cuzco / Palcoyo
Your acclimatisation day. Option A: free self-guided walk of the historic centre — Qorikancha, the San Pedro market, and the Plaza de Armas cathedral. Option B: book a Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain day trip the night before — a quieter, lower-effort alternative to crowded Vinicunca, with three coloured ridgelines and a short easy walk. Tours include transport and a guide. Have a long, slow lunch and rest in the afternoon.
🚌Walking in Cuzco; Palcoyo tour includes minibus transport if booked
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cuzco
- →Self-guided Cuzco historic centre walk (Qorikancha, San Pedro market)
- →Optional Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain day trip via GetYourGuide (~£25-35)
- →Rest and hydrate for altitude
Sacred Valley — weaving community, pachamama lunch & Maras salt ponds
Sacred Valley / Urubamba
Either join a shared small-group Sacred Valley tour booked through GetYourGuide or arrange it directly with a Cuzco agency. Visit a Quechua weaving community near Chinchero or Pisac for a bracelet-weaving session, then enjoy a pachamanca lunch (meat and vegetables cooked on hot stones in the earth). In the afternoon see the Maras salt ponds and head to your hotel in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.
🚌Shared minibus tour from Cuzco (~£20-28 incl. some entries) or colectivo to Urubamba (~£3) + local taxis
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo (£12-20)
- →Community weaving workshop near Chinchero/Pisac
- →Pachamanca lunch with a local family
- →Maras salt ponds visit
- →Optional Pisac or Ollantaytambo ruins (entry separate)
Lares Trek day 1 — Huaran to Cancha Cancha
Cancha Cancha
Your trek starts. Arrange a 3-day Lares Trek with a local Cuzco operator (book online in advance or via your hostel). A support vehicle drops you at Huaran village, then you hike steadily uphill with your guide and muleteers. You pass grazing land and small settlements to Cancha Cancha camp (3,870m), a Quechua-speaking community where traditional life continues. The cook team prepares dinner at camp.
🚌Included transfer from Sacred Valley to Huaran trailhead in local trek package
🛏Full-service camping at Cancha Cancha (tents, cook, muleteers — included in local trek package)
- →Trek Huaran to Cancha Cancha (9km, ~5-6hrs)
- →Visit a Quechua village
- →Camp overnight at 3,870m with support crew
Lares Trek day 2 — cross the high pass to Quishuarani
Quishuarani
An early start and a gradual climb to the trek's high point at 4,625m. The landscape opens to high-altitude lakes and small waterfalls, with snowy peaks all around. Descend through scattered villages where traditional dress is still everyday wear, arriving at Quishuarani camp (3,800m) by afternoon. Dinner at camp under clear Andean skies — a great night for stargazing.
🚌On foot; support crew carries gear
🛏Full-service camping at Quishuarani
- →Trek over the Lares high pass (4,625m), 12km ~6-7hrs
- →High-altitude lake and waterfall viewpoints
- →Camp overnight at Quishuarani (3,800m)
Lares Trek day 3 — Huillquicasa Pass, hot springs & on to Ollantaytambo
Lares / Ollantaytambo
Final walking day. Cross Huillquicasa Pass (4,250m) past small settlements and grazing land — keep an eye out for llamas, alpacas and with luck the Andean cock-of-the-rock. Descend to Cuncani, where the vehicle meets you, then transfer to Lares village for a long soak in the natural hot springs. Continue by road (~2.5hrs) to Ollantaytambo and toast the trek with a chicha at a local bar.
🚌Local trek package transfer Cuncani→Lares→Ollantaytambo (~2.5hrs road)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (£12-20)
- →Trek over Huillquicasa Pass to Cuncani (15km, ~6-7hrs)
- →Lares hot springs soak
- →Evening in Ollantaytambo, try chicha
Machu Picchu — guided circuit, then back to Cuzco
Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes / Cuzco
Board the early tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (1.5hrs — book on PeruRail or Inca Rail well in advance, and book your Machu Picchu entry on the official government site early, tickets sell out). Take the shuttle bus up to the citadel and join a 2-3hr guided circuit — hire a licensed guide at the gate or book via GetYourGuide. Afterwards return to Aguas Calientes, then train back to Ollantaytambo and a shared van or train onward to Cuzco.
🚌PeruRail/Inca Rail Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes return (~£60-90 depending on class) + shuttle bus (~£10 return) + shared van Ollantaytambo–Cuzco (~£6)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cuzco (£7-18)
- →Tourist train Ollantaytambo→Aguas Calientes
- →Shuttle bus to Machu Picchu citadel
- →Guided Machu Picchu circuit (2-3hrs)
- →Return train and transfer to Cuzco
Depart Cuzco
Cuzco
Say adiós to Cuzco. If you have time, add an extension at your own pace — a side trip to Lake Titicaca via Puno (night bus ~£15) or a 3-4 day Amazon rainforest trip from Puerto Maldonado.
🚌Taxi to Cuzco airport, ~£4-6
🛏—
- →Airport transfer
- →Optional extensions: Lake Titicaca, Amazon rainforest, more Cuzco time
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,795 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,105 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Lares Trek to Machu Picchu — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 8 days in Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £1,795 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £1,105 (62%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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