It is hard to go ahead and start comparing the Lares Trek with the Inca Trail<\/a>, since they are both so similar, in so many ways.\u00a0At the same time though, they are vastly different.\u00a0 They both include several kilometres of trekking up and down mountains at high altitude. If that doesn\u2019t take your breath away, there is the stunning scenery as well.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet, where one is more \u201ccommercial\u201d, the other rewards the hiker with a more intimate feel of locals living in small towns along its path.<\/p>\n Alright, before we begin to compare them, let\u2019s have a closer look of what our days will be like.<\/p>\n What is the Inca Trek? A full-on, 44-km hike that begins at Km 82 (with an altitude of 2700 metres) and takes you right into the Sun Gate and your first of many glimpses of Machu Picchu.<\/p>\n Let me tell you what \u201cfull-on\u201d means.<\/p>\n Day 1 usually begins with a moderate 3-4 hour walk to our first stop, lunch.\u00a0 They have porters that will beat you there. By the time you show up, tents are up, food is cooked and we may even get a massage.\u00a0 Although the last request never actually happened, it was always good to ask no?<\/p>\n Then more walking and our first of many passes.\u00a0 Uphill, about a 45\u00ba steep climb, where it\u2019s very intimidating at first, but once you conquer it with your baby steps and deep breaths, you are rewarded by a very picturesque look at the Andes.<\/p>\n We continue and explore our first of many Inca ruins, before eventually reaching our campsite (3000m). Tonight we spend our last night in tents.\u00a0\u00a0 We need all the rest we can before the \u201cbig day\u201d that awaits us.<\/p>\n Day 2 of the Inca Trek usually entails asking yourself why you signed up to do this. Where are the llamas to carry us up, and how in the pacha mama can those porters run UPHILL?\u00a0 As you challenge yourself, you start gaining momentum for what is the big pass, a 7-km uphill trek known to locals as Warmiwa\u00f1usca.<\/em>\u00a0We gringos just call it \u201cDead Woman\u2019s Pass\u201d aptly named, at 4210 metres above sea level.<\/p>\n The best thing is that you need to conquer this because the amazing lunch and our campsite (3600m) is waiting downhill, yes after all those Inca steps.\u00a0 Ok, the best thing is definitely looking back and seeing what you just did that morning.\u00a0 It is a tremendous feat and I am very happy to have done that several times.<\/p>\n Now the fun begins with Day 3 (the longest) with not one, but two passes.\u00a0 One at about 3950m and then other at around 3600m (which when you do pass it, you didn\u2019t realize it was one to begin!).\u00a0 A few more Inca ruins to be explored and then eventually, lunch, followed but more trekking.\u00a0 For some people, the most challenging part is yet to come.\u00a0 Those infamous Inca steps that eventually reach Winay Wayna (2650m) and our campsite, which for about $2, you can finally take a much-deserved HOT shower!<\/p>\n Finally, the day we are all waiting for.\u00a0 An early 4am start, to complete a journey that will be engraved in your memory bank forever.\u00a0 We reach the Sun Gate just before sunrise to admire one of the seven wonders, Machu Picchu (2750m).<\/p>\n After a 2km downhill breeze, we reach the restaurant, have a snack, coffee, and then off on our guided tour.\u00a0 We then have free time to climb (yes, some people are still up for it) Huayna Picchu to have a different perspective of Machu Picchu.\u00a0 \u00a0The day finishes with a bus ride down visit to the town below (Aguas Calientes, 2400m) where we can indulge in dipping into some hot springs or into the local bar.\u00a0 Lastly, we took the train back to Cusco<\/a> and what a feeling it is to have a long, hot shower and sleep in a bed after 3 nights camping.<\/p>\n The \u00a0\u201ceasier\u201d of the two, well that is the rumour anyway when I was approaching the town of Lares (3200m) for the start of our trek.\u00a0 By this time, I have done the Inca trail about 12 times, so I was really looking forward to conquer the Lares.\u00a0 We visited a small town, bought a few snacks and then it hit me:\u00a0 Where are all the tourists?<\/p>\n It was February and I know that the Inca trail is closed due to its yearly maintenance, so I would expect more tourists to be lining up and buying walking sticks and coca leaves.\u00a0 That was not the case.\u00a0 What came as a surprise too was the fact that we had lunch before our first step! Bring it on Lares, if this is any indication of what is to come, I bet I can trek it backwards.<\/p>\n We started our 2.5 hour trek and they told us it would all be uphill.\u00a0 We stopped in some local towns and still, no tourists, just locals living a simple, untouched life.\u00a0 This came as a shock because I didn\u2019t think we would be in<\/em><\/strong> the villages.<\/p>\n We continued to climb and climb slowly, effortlessly to reach our campsite for the night, Sondor at 4200m!\u00a0 Wait, isn\u2019t that the same altitude as Dead Woman\u2019s\u2026oh my!<\/p>\n We were told that Day 2 was going to be the longest, toughest and the most picturesque.\u00a0 Hey, look who you talking to? Can anything be worse than Inca\u2019s Day 2?\u00a0 Survey says: \u201cSame Same, but Different<\/em>\u201d, like they say in Vietnam.\u00a0 We started at 4200m, how much higher are we going?\u00a0 We walked, and slowly climbing up to reach Wacawasi (4520m) and that wasn\u2019t as bad as I expected.\u00a0 Then we descend to reach, according to me, one of most breathtaking views I have ever seen in my life.\u00a0 Situated in a very remote location, this lake shares the same view as the surrounding snow-capped Pumahuanca.<\/p>\n I just couldn\u2019t believe what I have been blessed with, what a beautiful country you are Peru.\u00a0 But there was more trekking involved and we just had to climb another 4520m pass.\u00a0 Wayruruyoc wasn\u2019t as bad, because it was a gradual climb that provided plenty of opportunities to admire the views. \u00a0But again, what goes up, must come down.\u00a0 Fortunately, there were no Inca steps, but it\u2019s still demanding, not so much on your knees, but on your calves.\u00a0 When we reached our campsite (3400m), I was totally blown away by the views on this trek.\u00a0 The towns are basically running without any Westernized amenities, and you meet so many local kids that run uphill to wave \u201chola\u201d to you because we may very be the first tourists they have seen in days.\u00a0 It really touched me because this all came as a surprise, and a good one it was.<\/p>\n Our Day 3 began early and this is the first time we get to visit an ancient Inca ruin while trekking, Pumamarca.<\/p>\n Today was going to be a short day because after our 2.5 hr walk down, we will reach the gorgeous town of Ollantaytambo.\u00a0 Here we get to take the train into Aguas Calientes and check into our hotel!\u00a0 A nice meal, a nice shower and a beautiful journey it\u2019s been so far.<\/p>\n Our Day 4 was another early start due to our request.\u00a0 We boarded the 15-min bus ride up to Machu Picchu to be some of the first people there.\u00a0 And low and behold, we were basically the only ones there around 6:30am.<\/p>\n We had our guided tour and there was still time to climb Huayna Picchu, or even the 2km uphill to the Sun Gate.\u00a0 We boarded the train back to Cusco<\/a> and the rest if history.<\/p>\n So now that we understand the treks and their Day-by-Day, it\u2019s time for me to start comparing the two.\u00a0 I have to start with the fact that both the Inca Trek and the Lares Trek have great guides and amazing porters, and the food is absolutely lovely on both treks.<\/p>\n In terms of difficulty, I can honestly say the Inca Trek is tougher due to its climbs (some steep, some with steps) and the descents (heaps of steps!).\u00a0 But I am not going to underestimate the Lares Trek, which has 2 of 3 passes over 4400m and you\u2019re trekking over 33 km (20.5miles) in honestly 48 hours.\u00a0 The Inca Trek is 44 km (27 miles) in three full days and about 2 hours in the morning of Day 4.\u00a0 But I can say that it\u2019s not about the distance, but the difficulty, and my personal opinion is that Inca Trek is tougher, but not that much tougher than Lares Trek.<\/p>\n You will see more Inca ruins on the Inca Trail vs the Lares, no doubt about that.<\/p>\n You will be amongst 400+ tourists along with the local guides and porters beginning on the trek.\u00a0 They do use different campsites along the Inca trail, but you will most likely be among other groups.\u00a0 The Lares Trek on the other hand, I don\u2019t think I saw another group at all (Feb 2009).\u00a0 So if you want to have a more solitude of a trek, the Lares Trail is your best bet.\u00a0 At the same time, you will come into contact with many locals from the towns.\u00a0 On the Inca Trail, you will see a few on the first day, then they don\u2019t show up until Aguas Calientes.<\/p>\n So after all of this, the question needs to be answered:\u00a0 If the Incas come out with a calendar saying the world will end in 2020, and one of these treks is on your bucket list, which one would you do?\u00a0 If you are looking for less tourists and a more authentic experience, then the Lares Trek is your option.\u00a0 However for me, after all my years of traveling and leading tours, people ask me what is one of my favourite things I have ever done, and I answer that the same way I end this.<\/p>\n The moment I rounded the corner at the Sun Gate and caught my first glimpse of Machu Picchu was the most uplifting, emotional and heart-stopping moment in my entire traveling life.\u00a0 My hair rose, my eyes got a little teary. I was still macho in Machu! It is an experience, a journey, that to this day still headlines my memory bank.<\/p>\n Regardless of what you think or decide, one thing we can all agree on is that any of these two treks are a MUST in a traveler\u2019s agenda.\u00a0 You will not regret it, I can promise you that.<\/p>\n About the Author:<\/strong> Tony has had extensive experience tour leading in most of Tucan Travel’s most popular destinations. You can find him on\u00a0Google+<\/a> or read his other contributions\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tony Perdomo, Sales Executive at Tucan Travel has hiked the Inca Trail between 12 and 14 times and the Lares Trek once. Here he compares the two and tries to decide which is better. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":5936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28,8,354],"tags":[49,50,24,13],"yoast_head":"\nInca Trek<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/100_0832.jpg\" "\\"100_0832\\"")
<\/strong>KM 82<\/p>\nDay 1 on the Inca Trek<\/h3>\n
Day 2 on the Inca Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Tony](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1050437.jpg\" "\\"Tony")
Day 3 on the Inca Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Winay](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1050494.jpg\" "\\"Winay")
Day 4 on the Inca Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Machu](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1000620.jpg\" "\\"Machu")
Lares Trek<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Day 1 of the Lares Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P10001931.jpg\" "\\"Peru")
<\/p>\nDay 2 of the Lares Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Pumahuanca\"](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1000266.jpg\" "\\"Pumahuanca\\"")
![\"Pumamarca\"](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1000343.jpg\" "\\"Pumamarca\\"")
Day 3 of the Lares Trek<\/h3>\n
![\"Pumamarca\"](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1000406.jpg\" "\\"Pumamarca\\"")
![\"Lares](\"https:\/\/www.tucan.travel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/P1000517.jpg\" "\\"Lares\\"")
Day 4 of the Lares Trek<\/h3>\n
Comparison<\/h2>\n
Difficulty<\/h4>\n
Crowds<\/h4>\n
Do I have a favourite?<\/h4>\n