Hey fellow travelers,
Inca Trail is probably one of the most popular treks in the world, and around 500 people walk it every day, that’s why getting a permit results a nightmare sometimes. If you didn’t get your permit in advance or simply you don’t like much crowed places but you still want to walk thru the Andes, here you have an option well-known as Lares Trek.
This trek is 3 days and 2 nights camping in the other river bank of the Inca trail, and if it’s true that you won’t see archeological sites along the way or you won’t end up in the famous Machu Picchu, you will be almost on your own in the heart of the Andes.
AVERAGE ALTITUDE: 3600 m.a.s.l. / 11780 feet.
HIGHEST POINT: 4400 m.a.s.l. / 14391 feet.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE: 20 °c (Day time) and 3/-5 °C (at night)
If after this first information you are still on this trek, here you have a day by day description of an organized tour.
DAY ONE; OLLANTA-LARES-WAKA WASI
This trek has as starting point OLLANTAYTAMBO town in the sacred valley. The normal departure hour is at 8.30 am, but since the government is maintaining the road the departure time for the next couple of months (or years) is at 5.00 am. A bus will take you from OLLANTAYTAMBO to CALCA TOWN (one hour bus ride) where you will stop at the local market to buy bread or some presents for the kids you will see along the way.
Advice! Instead of giving the presents straight to the kids is better to give them to the parents.
After you optional shopping you will keep going to MACHACANCHA, place that you have to cross before 7 am otherwise you will wait until noon. You will be in a bumping road for the next two and a half hours, ask your driver to be careful since some parts of the road are normally covered in ice. Arrival to LARES TOWN, then ten more minutes to hot springs.
Hot springs price: S/.10 (Peruvian soles)
Towel rental price: S/.3 (Peruvian soles)
Hottest pool: 42 °C
Coldest pool: 30°C
Towel rental price: S/.3 (Peruvian soles)
Hottest pool: 42 °C
Coldest pool: 30°C
Your lunch will be ready a little bit earlier than normal and after lunch a first session of 10 km to the campsite WAKA WASI. You will walk in the high valley of Lares and in both sides of the river banks, crossing towns and enjoying the highlands. This is mainly uphill.
Once in the campsite, you’re going to have some hot tea or coffee with deep fried wontons and pop corn, sounds bad now but trust me you’ll love it. Then time to stretch your legs and relaxing until dinner time.
TOILETS!
In all the campsites your crew will set up a “toilet tent” basic but useful.
DINNER
Hot meals, normally soup, main course, dessert and drinks…you won’t believe how delicious it is.
DAY TWO; WAKA WASI-EPSICOCHA PASS-MANTANAY
Wake up with hot drinks and breakfast at 6.30 am then comes the longest walk session of 20 km, the first 4 hours is uphill, no steps only a gradual path than eventually is going to take you to the highest point of the trek, 4400 m.a.s.l / 14400 feet. Remember find your own pace and don’t rush this isn’t a race and the mountain is not going to go anywhere.
Once you achieve the pass; beautiful landscapes with lakes and rivers are part of the view, after this point is all downhill for about 40 min, until the lunch campsite. After lunch, one more hour downhill thru the “queñuas” forest. You will arrive to the second campsite; MANTANAY at 4 pm. Tea and dinner.
DAY THREE; MANTANAY-YANAHUARA-OLLANTAYTAMBO
Later departure at 7.30 am, then three hours downhill thru the forest next to the river, finally you will be in YANAHUARA low valley, very close of the Sacred Valley. Walk around town and get the main road. Lunch is still included in a beautiful and traditional “chicheria” where you can try the corn beer and play the frog.
This is a great trek during dry season (april thru December) in wet season is only for hardcore people since the weather conditions make it twice difficult.
WHAT TO PACK:
Normally agency will provide you a duffle bag. And you will carry your daypack.
· Warm clothes, thermals, gloves, wooly hat, scarf, rain coat.
· Hiking boots and flip flops ( to relax your feet after the walks)
· Three pairs of socks.
· Cap or hat. Sun cream.
· Insect repellent.
· Torch or flash light.
· Toilet paper and personal toiletries.
· Bathing suit.
· Travel towel.
· Some snacks, no too much because the food is quite filling and a bag of snacks are provided on the first and second day.
Nice Blog.
ReplyDeleteRealy in this blog infromation is perfect.
Thank you for your generosity in sharing so much of your knowledge.
Lares trek