- List priceUSD 698 per person, one option
- Complete≈ USD 800 with rental gear, tips and lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Mountain ticketHuayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain around USD 60, optional, book early
- Cash on siteTips, rental fees, drinks – soles; first ATM in Aguas Calientes
Full bill
Trek, Machu Picchu, back to Cusco, no mountain ticket. Rental fees are operator guide figures, tips a range from experience. Alongside for comparison: the classic Salkantay (5 days, USD 760) and the Inca Trail (TreXperience, USD 840), each priced out in full.
| Item | Lares 4D | Salkantay 5D | Inca Trail 4D |
|---|---|---|---|
| List price | USD 698 | USD 760 | USD 840 |
| Machu Picchu entry | included | included | included |
| Bus Aguas Calientes ↔ Machu Picchu | included (both) | up included, down ≈ USD 12 | down included |
| Train + transfer Cusco | included (Vistadome) | included (Expedition) | included (Vistadome) |
| Hotel night | included | included | – (tent) |
| Hot springs, salt pans | included | – | – |
| Sleeping bag, mat, poles (rental) | ≈ USD 50 | ≈ USD 50 | ≈ USD 50 |
| Tips crew | ≈ USD 50 | ≈ USD 50 | ≈ USD 80 |
| Lunch Aguas Calientes, drinks | ≈ USD 15 | ≈ USD 15 | ≈ USD 15 |
| Total without mountain ticket | ≈ USD 815 | ≈ USD 890 | ≈ USD 985 |
Guide figures as of 23 Sep 2026. Salkantay and Inca Trail: details on their cost pages. Base price plus known mandatory costs. Items marked “?” are not quantified but still real.
What the price holds – and what it does not
In: pickup in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, Calca market, Lares hot springs entry, weaving cooperative, all meals from breakfast on day one to breakfast on day four, horses and muleteers for the duffel (7 kg), tents, cook, Maras salt pans entry, train Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes, hotel, bus up and down, Machu Picchu entry with guided tour, Vistadome back, private transfer to Cusco.
Not in: sleeping bag, mat and poles (rental), lunch on day four, drinks, tips, mountain tickets, travel insurance. Breakfast on day one comes after the hot springs according to the itinerary – if you get hungry early, bring something.
The Machu Picchu ticket in the package
Entry is included, the circuit not stated. Machu Picchu tickets are tied to a circuit and time slot; which one the operator buys depends on when you book. Ask at booking about the circuit and whether a mountain ticket (Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain) is still available for your date – the operator lists both as optional.
Questions about cost and inclusions
Why is the Lares cheaper than the Inca Trail?
No permit, no mandatory porters with a weight limit, no state campsites: the Lares costs the operator less. The Machu Picchu inclusions are the same.
How much do I tip?
The operator excludes tips. For two camp nights with cook, muleteer and guide, USD 40 to 60 per person is usual, split on the last trek evening.
Can I drop the hotel night?
Not in this option. If you have your own hotel in Aguas Calientes, ask the operator for a reduction before booking – no guarantee.
Sources and check status
Show 3 sources
- docs.viator.com/partner-api/ – Viator Partner API, availability/schedules: list price, retrieved 23 Sep 2026 (accessed 23 September 2026)
- www.viator.com/tours/Cusco/Lares-Trek-to-Machu-Picchu-4-days-with-Pano – TreXperience: inclusions and exclusions (rental gear, tips, mountain tickets) (accessed 23 September 2026)
- www.gob.pe/70649 – Ministerio de Cultura: Machu Picchu tickets, circuits, mountain tickets (accessed 23 September 2026)