Self-Launched Lares Trek & Machu Picchu
7 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,400
No-markup version: ~£520 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 7-day Independent Lares Trek: colonial Cusco, a 3-day high-altitude trek through remote Quechua villages and over a 4,800m pass, then Aguas Calientes and a sunrise visit to Machu Picchu. Book the trek through a licensed Cusco agency (or arrange a guide and horseman directly), take the train yourself, and stay in hostels and guesthouses for a fraction of the group-tour price. Note this is a demanding, high-altitude route — allow real acclimatisation days in Cusco before starting.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cusco — acclimatise gently
Cusco
Fly Lima–Cusco (book early with LATAM or Sky, roughly £45–85 one way) or take the long bus if you're on a tight budget. Take a taxi or the airport colectivo to your hostel in the historic centre (San Blas is the backpacker heart). Spend the day doing almost nothing: coca tea, short flat walks, an early night. Cusco sits at 3,400m and the next three days decide whether the trek is enjoyable or miserable. Pick up a local SIM (Claro/Entel, ~£8) and confirm your trek briefing.
🚌Flight Lima–Cusco (~£45–85) plus airport taxi (~£5–7); colectivo combi option ~£2.50
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Blas/Cusco centre, private or dorm (~£12–18/night)
- →Settling in at altitude
- →San Blas neighbourhood wander
- →Coca tea and early night
Cusco free day — Sacred Valley or adventure option
Cusco / Sacred Valley
Use this as your second acclimatisation day. Cheapest quality option: take a colectivo to Pisac (~£2) for the Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday market and the hillside Inca ruins (entry via the Boleto Turístico, ~£18 for multiple sites over 10 days). Alternatively book a full Sacred Valley day tour (~£20–25 via GetYourGuide) or get the adrenaline going with rafting on the Urubamba (~£25–35 booked direct in Cusco) or mountain biking. Keep it moderate — you're still acclimatising. Back in Cusco, buy your Machu Picchu entry ticket online in advance and sort your trek briefing tonight.
🚌Colectivo to Pisac ~£2 each way; local buses/taxis ~£3
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cusco (~£12–18/night)
- →Pisac market and ruins
- →Optional Sacred Valley tour
- →Optional Urubamba rafting or mountain biking
- →Buy Machu Picchu entry ticket
- →Trek briefing
Cusco → Lares → Cuncani (trek day 1)
Lares Trek — Cuncani
Take a shared van or local bus from Cusco via Ollantaytambo/Calca to Lares town (~3 hrs, ~£6–10, or included if you book a trek package). Start hiking at a gentle pace through the Cuncani valley — about 4km to Chancachaca for lunch, camping around 3,480m. Most travellers book this 3-day trek through a licensed Cusco agency (~£150–200 all-in including guide, cook, horseman, tents, meals, and transport), which is the practical way to do it independently — or you can hire a local guide and muleteer in Lares directly for less. Drink water constantly.
🚌Shared van/bus Cusco–Lares ~£6–10 (usually bundled into trek cost)
🛏Camping with trek crew (or community campsite in Cuncani)
- →Scenic drive to Lares
- →4km acclimatisation hike to Chancachaca
- →Cuncani community campsite
Over Sicllaccasa pass (4,800m)
Lares Trek — Kuyoc
The big day: an early start from the foothills of Sicllaccasa, climbing ~12.2km to a high pass at 4,800m with views of glacial lagoons and the snow-capped Chicon mountain. Make a coca-leaf offering at the top, rest, then descend to a stream-side campsite for the night. This is a hard, exposed day — pace yourself, use sun protection and layers, and listen to your body on the altitude.
🚌On foot (no transport today)
🛏Camping near Kuyoc with trek crew
- →12.2km high-altitude hike
- →Sicllaccasa pass at 4,800m
- →Coca-leaf offering
- →Lagoons and Chicon mountain views
Descend to Pumahuanca → Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes
Lares Trek to Aguas Calientes
Walk the last few hours down through the Pumahuanca valley, past Andean flora, llama and alpaca herds and Inca storehouses (qollqas), meeting Quechua families along the way. A van picks you up at the end of the trail and takes you to Ollantaytambo, where you catch the PeruRail or Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes (~1hr 30min, ~£45–60 for the standard backpacker fare — book as soon as you have dates). Check into a guesthouse, hot shower, early dinner, done.
🚌Van from trailhead to Ollantaytambo (~£5, often included) + PeruRail/Inca Rail train ~£45–60
🛏Basic guesthouse/hostel in Aguas Calientes (~£18–25/night)
- →Descend Pumahuanca valley
- →Inca storehouses and Quechua villages
- →Van to Ollantaytambo
- →Train through the Urubamba gorge
Machu Picchu at sunrise → back to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Take one of the first buses up the switchbacks (~£10 each way, buy tickets in town) or walk the stairs for free if you're feeling strong. You need an entry ticket booked in advance online (~£40 for the basic circuit, more with Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain — these sell out weeks ahead). You can hire a licensed guide at the gate (~£20–25 shared) or self-tour with your own research. Circuit 2 (classic view) is the sweet spot. Bus down, collect bags, catch the afternoon train to Ollantaytambo (~£45–60) and a shared van or bus back to Cusco (~£4).
🚌Bus up/down ~£20 + train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo ~£45–60 + van to Cusco ~£4
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cusco (~£12–18/night)
- →Sunrise bus to Machu Picchu
- →Machu Picchu citadel and classic viewpoint
- →Optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb
- →Afternoon return to Cusco
Depart Cusco
Cusco
Breakfast, last wander around San Pedro market for souvenirs and a cheap breakfast, then take the taxi or colectivo to the airport for your onward flight. If you have time, a day trip to Rainbow Mountain or the Sacred Valley sites makes a good extension.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£5–7 or colectivo ~£2.50
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Pedro market
- →Departure from Cusco
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£520 | £1,400 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £880 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£520
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 Self-Launched Lares Trek & Machu Picchu cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £520 per person for 7 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £520 — a saving of roughly £880 (63%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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, hiking, culture 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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