Self-Launched Inca Discovery via the Lares Trek: Lima to Cusco
8 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 8-day "Inca Discovery—Lares" trip, run independently for a fraction of the group-tour price. You'll fly from Lima to Cusco, explore the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo, hike the less-crowded 3-day Lares Trek with a locally booked guide/cook/porters (or self-organise with a Cusco trek agency), then finish with a sunrise visit to Machu Picchu and a train/flight-free return to Cusco. Everything is booked direct or through GetYourGuide/Klook and local operators; costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & seafood
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and take an official airport taxi or the Airport Express Lima bus (approx S/20, ~£4) to a hostel in Miraflores or Barranco. Settle in, then stretch your legs along the Malecón clifftop walk and eat ceviche at a local mercado or a cheap huarique. Book your Lima–Cusco flight tonight for a couple of days out (Sky Airline, LATAM or Viva Air, ~£50-70 one-way booked ahead).
🚌Airport Express Lima bus or official taxi ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm in Miraflores/Barranco (~£12/night)
- →Malecón clifftop walk
- →Ceviche dinner in Barranco
- →Book Lima-Cusco domestic flight
Fly to Cusco — acclimatise and explore
Cusco
Morning flight to Cusco (~1h10). Take a cheap taxi or combi from the airport to your hostel in the historic centre. Spend the day gently acclimatising at 3,400m: coca tea, Plaza de Armas, San Blas lanes and the San Pedro market. If you feel good, join a budget walking tour (tip-based) or a GetYourGuide Cusco city tour (~£15) covering Qorikancha and Sacsayhuamán. Book your Lares Trek and Machu Picchu entry online or with a reputable Cusco agency today.
🚌Domestic flight Lima–Cusco ~£55; airport taxi ~£3
🛏Hostel private/dorm in Cusco centro (~£15/night)
- →Cusco historic centre walk
- →San Pedro market
- →Optional city tour (~£15)
- →Book Lares Trek and Machu Picchu tickets
Sacred Valley & Ollantaytambo (self-guided or small-group tour)
Ollantaytambo
Take a shared colectivo or a Klook/GetYourGuide Sacred Valley day tour (~£25-35 including transport and stops) through Pisac, Urubamba, the Ccaccaccollo weaving co-op and Ollantaytambo ruins. The Parwa community restaurant in Lamay is a good independent lunch stop (~£6). Stay overnight in Ollantaytambo so you start the trek fresh the next morning.
🚌Shared colectivo Cusco–Pisac–Ollantaytambo or tour van ~£8
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (~£14/night)
- →Pisac market & ruins
- →Ccaccaccollo women's weaving co-op
- →Ollantaytambo fortress ruins
- →Parwa community restaurant lunch
Lares Trek Day 1 — Lares to Cuncani
Cuncani
Early shared van to Lares town (~3h). Meet your locally booked guide, cook and muleteers (a 3-day Lares Trek package from a Cusco agency runs ~£220-280 per person including meals, camping gear, porters and guide — cheaper if you join a small group). Hike a gentle 4km through the Cuncani valley to Chancachaca for lunch at ~3,480m, then on to camp. Go slow, drink water and chew coca leaves for the altitude.
🚌Shared van Ollantaytambo–Lares ~£10
🛏Camping (tent provided in trek package)
- →Lares Trek Day 1 (4 km)
- →Quechua village visits
- →High-altitude camping
Lares Trek Day 2 — over Sicllaccasa Pass
Kuyoc
The big day: climb ~12km from the foothills of Sicllaccasa Mountain to the high pass at 4,800m, with views of glacial lagoons and snow-capped Chicon. Descend to camp at Kuyoc. Your cook prepares breakfast, lunch and dinner; pace yourself and take the altitude seriously.
🚌On foot (~12 km)
🛏Camping (tent provided in trek package)
- →Sicllaccasa Pass (4,800m)
- →Glacial lagoon views
- →Andean wildlife spotting
Lares Trek Day 3 — Pumahuanca descent
Aguas Calientes
Follow the trail through Pumahuanca valley past Inca storehouses, llamas and alpacas, meeting local Quechua families along the way. Finish the trek at the roadside, take a shared van to Ollantaytambo, then the afternoon PeruRail/Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes (~1.5h, ~£45-55 one-way — book early). Check into a hostel and buy your Machu Picchu bus ticket for the morning.
🚌Van to Ollantaytambo ~£8; train to Aguas Calientes ~£50
🛏Hostel in Aguas Calientes (~£18/night)
- →Lares Trek Day 3 descent
- →Inca storehouses
- →Scenic train to Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu at sunrise — back to Cusco
Cusco
Take the first Consettur bus up (~£10 return) for opening time at Machu Picchu. Enter with your pre-booked timed ticket (~£40, book via the official Ministerio de Cultura site or Klook months ahead — Circuit 1 or 2 plus Huayna Picchu if you're keen). Wander with a small-group guide (~£15) or independently, then walk to the free Inca Bridge. Afternoon train to Ollantaytambo and shared van to Cusco for the evening.
🚌Bus up/down ~£10; train to Ollantaytambo ~£50; colectivo to Cusco ~£5
🛏Hostel in Cusco centro (~£15/night)
- →Machu Picchu sunrise entry
- →Optional guided tour
- →Inca Bridge walk
- →Return to Cusco
Cusco departure
Cusco
Last morning in Cusco: coffee in San Blas, pick up souvenirs at the Centro Artesanal, then taxi to the airport for onward travel or your international connection via Lima. If you have time, add a free day for Rainbow Mountain or a cooking class.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport ~£3
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Blas morning
- →Souvenir shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,060 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
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 Inca Discovery via the Lares Trek: Lima to Cusco cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 8 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 £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £1,060 (61%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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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