- Inca TrailRuins along the way, Sun Gate arrival, 4,215 m · permit months ahead, three tent nights, ≈ USD 985 complete
- SalkantayGlacier, lake, cloud forest, 4,630 m · no permit, fixed camps, hotel night, ≈ USD 890 complete
- LaresVillages, lakes, hot springs, 4,750 m · no permit, only two hiking days, hotel night, ≈ USD 815 complete
- Short on timeLares (two hiking days) before Inca Trail (four) before Salkantay (four to five)
- Sensitive to altitudeInca Trail before Salkantay before Lares
Altitude: the Lares is the highest, not the Salkantay
Many overlook this: the Lares' Condor Pass sits at 4,750 m, Abra Salkantay at 4,630, Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215. And the Lares does not descend – both camps lie above 3,700 m, while Salkantay and Inca Trail drop into the cloud forest from day two. If you handle altitude poorly, do not pick the Lares as the “easy alternative” just because it is shorter.
Scenery and character
Inca Trail: paved Inca road, a dozen ruins, cloud forest, the Sun Gate. It is the route with the history. Salkantay: the glacier peak ahead, Humantay Lake, then 2,500 m down into coffee and bananas. It is the route with the contrasts. Lares: highland valleys, lakes, alpacas, villages, hot springs to start. It is the route with the people. All three end in Machu Picchu – only the Inca Trail on foot through the gate.
Permit, lead time, availability
The Inca Trail needs a state permit, personal, sold out four to six months ahead in the dry season, closed in February. Salkantay and Lares need none; on both only the Machu Picchu ticket is limited, which the operator buys with your booking. If you plan at short notice, your chances on the Inca Trail are slim, on Salkantay and Lares usually fine.
Comfort and crowds
On the Inca Trail you sleep three nights in tents at state sites; porters carry 7 kg for you. On the Salkantay there are fixed camps with beds or domes and huts, plus a hotel night. On the Lares it is two tent nights – one by the lake, one in the village – and a hotel night; horses carry the duffel. Busiest is the Salkantay, emptiest the Lares.
The three routes side by side
| Criterion | Inca Trail (4 days) | Salkantay (5 days) | Lares (4 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest point | 4,215 m | 4,630 m | 4,750 m |
| Hiking days | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Distance | ≈ 43 km | ≈ 65 km | ≈ 33 km |
| Permit | yes, quota | no | no |
| Nights | 3 tent | 3 camp + 1 hotel | 2 tent + 1 hotel |
| Arrival Machu Picchu | on foot, Sun Gate | bus from Aguas Calientes | bus from Aguas Calientes |
| Signature | ruins, Inca paving | glacier, cloud forest | villages, hot springs |
| Trekkers per day | ≈ 200 (quota) | many | few |
| List price checked | USD 840 | USD 760 | USD 698 |
| Priced out in full | ≈ USD 985 | ≈ USD 890 | ≈ USD 815 |
Altitudes from the operators' product data; totals on the three routes' cost pages.
Questions about the comparison
Which route is easiest?
None is easy. The Lares is shortest but highest; the Inca Trail lowest but with the most stairs; the Salkantay longest with the longest single day. Fit and acclimatised, you can do all three.
Which route for families?
The Lares: two hiking days, horses, villages, hotel night. The condition is acclimatisation – three nights in Cusco or the Sacred Valley beforehand.
Can I combine Lares and Inca Trail?
Yes, some operators offer Lares plus the short Inca Trail from Km 104: two days of Lares, then the day to the Sun Gate. That needs the short-trail permit, which sells out less often. We have not yet checked such a product.
Sources and check status
Show 4 sources
- www.viator.com/tours/Cusco/Lares-Trek-to-Machu-Picchu-4-days-with-Pano – TreXperience, Lares 4 days: altitudes, inclusions, price (Viator Partner API) (accessed 23 September 2026)
- www.viator.com/tours/Cusco/Classic-5-Day-Salkantay-Trek-to-Machu-Picch – Salkantay Trekking, classic 5 days: altitudes, inclusions, price (Viator Partner API) (accessed 22 September 2026)
- www.viator.com/tours/Cusco/4-Day-Inca-Trail-Trek-to-Machu-Picchu-and-P – TreXperience, Inca Trail 4 days: altitudes, inclusions, price (Viator Partner API) (accessed 23 September 2026)
- www.gob.pe/70649 – Ministerio de Cultura: Machu Picchu tickets and circuits (accessed 23 September 2026)