Our Lares Trek and Quechua Family Homestay is a unique experience combining a day hike in the magnificent Andes Mountains with an intimate encounter with Quechua families in the village of Willoq Alto. On the Lares Trek you will enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains, deep valleys, llamas and alpacas, and you will enjoy the hike in the company of your Quechua host families. Back in their village, which is off the tourist path, you will experience the ancient culture of the Quechuas as you eat and sleep with your host families, learn their weaving and farming techniques, and perhaps even join with them in their music and dancing festivities.
We recommend you combine the Lares Trek tour with our Cusco City tour (add 1 day) and one of our Machu Picchu tours (add 1 to 4 days).
DAY 1: Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Patacancha – Willoq Alto
DAY 2: Willoq Alto – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
Highest Point: 4,300m/14,107 ft
Distance: 16km/9.9mi
Overall Difficulty: 1 2 3 4 5
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You will be picked up early at your hotel to begin our adventure. We will drive to the community of Ollantaytambo – Patacancha where we will meet local Quechua families at the trailhead for our day hike. It will take approximately 4 hours of intense hiking to reach Q´euña Lake, the highest point of our trek (4300 m/14107 ft). This is the time to pat yourself on the back and enjoy the stunning views of snowy mountains, llamas, alpacas, rugged valleys and undulating farmlands. Then our Quechua families will set up our lunch spot, and we will enjoy hot cocoa and coca tea with a delicious lunch overlooking the picturesque Lares Valley. After lunch we will descend 3 hours to reach our homestay in the Willoq Alto community where all the Quechua families will welcome you to their village. They are excited to “adopt” travelers into their families, and you will experience a living culture during your overnight stay with these Inca descedents in the Andes of Perú .
Meals: L, D
Maximum Altitude: 4,300m/14,107ft
Minimum Altitude: 3,700m/12,139ft
Distance: 12km/7.5mi
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours
We will wake up early to share breakfast with village families. The morning will be spent learning about the traditional weaving culture that sustains these families. They still use all-natural dyes made from plants, seeds, flowers, roots and cactus parasites to color their wools, and this is a terrific place to pick up some handmade souvenirs. Around 9:30 am our driver will pick us up and an hour’s drive will take us to Pumamarka – an amazing Incan archeological site that is seldom visited by tourists. You will enjoy the view of Incan farming terraces which extend over the mountains as well as their ancient houses and store houses. Exploring Pumamarka takes around 2 hours.
After our tour of Pumamarka we will head down to Ollantaytambo where you will have lunch. After lunch you will have time to explore the Ollantaytambo ruins along with the charming town itself. From here you will either return by private transport to your hotel in Cusco or continue onto one of our Machu Picchu tours.
Meals: B
Maximum Altitude: 3,800m /12,467ft
Distance: 4km / 2.5mi
Walking time: 2-3 hours
PRICE: $250 USD per person when booking 2 people
PRICE: $ 220 USD per person when booking 3 people
PRICE: $190 USD per person when booking 4 – 6people
PRICE: $ 160 USD per person when booking 7-10 people