Weather (Celcius)
Elevation (m)
Woke up
On our way!
Just Passed Through A Checkpoint
Stopped in Calca
Chef is picking up his stuff. There’s a market here as well. Pronounced cow-ka.
Arrived at the Hot Springs
And we're Off!
Lunch time!
Chicha Mora drink Garlic bread and sauce Pumpkin soup Corn carrots beans Rice and carrots Potatos with wedges of egg Fish with tomato and onions Lupenz incan food
And we're off again!
Arrived in a small village
Nap
We took a nap for a couple hours after arriving at our first camp and sadly missed the “give chocolates to the locals” exchange.
Dinner
- Vegetable soup and crackers
- Tea
- Mixed veggies: brocolli, carrots, potatoes, and beans
- Eggplant
- Chicken, potatoes, and carrots
- Rice
Sleep!
Got ready for bed and it was hella cold! Thankfully our sleeping bags were really warm and we had our Cusco toque and newly-acquired mitts to keep us warm.
Day Two
Woke up this morning at 5:30am to fresh coca tea brought to our tent.
Breakfast
- Pancakes!
- Toast
- Coca leaves
- Bananas
- Quinua
On Our Way
And so began day two!
Snack Break
We took a quick snack break in the fog to have some bananas and trail mix.
Tea Break
Took a ten minute break to have some coca tea.
Moo
The Pass
There is an ominous scarecrow that welcomes hikers to the Lares Trek’s highest point. We reached the pass just before 1pm and had a brief celebration. This was definitely one of the hardest hikes we’d done and we were only about halfway through!
At the pass!
Arriving at Lunch Camp
Lunch
- Corn soup
- Pasta with potatoes, carrots, and beans
- Trout
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Warm lemonade
- Meat with peppers and onions
- Quiche
Altitude Sickness
After descending the pass we were feeling pretty ok overall, but as soon as we sat to eat lunch a splitting headache took over our brains and knocked us out.
We could barely eat.
A few cucumber slices later we called it quits and tried to take a nap for a bit. We managed about half an hour before we had to be off again.
And off again
The View from Lunch
Our First Attempt at Camp
When we arrived at this camp we were still feeling the effects of the altitude. Our guide made the tough call to ask our team to pack everything back up and move down a few hundred meters to another camp site.
The Trail
A Gate
We had to cross this gate by tossing our bags over and grabbling the sides of the fence as we pulled ourselves around.
Smiley Face in the Mountains
Arrived at Camp Two
By decision of our guide we moved to a lower elevation in order to avoid having our altitude sickness get any worse. This involved having our team repack all of the gear sadly, but it was definitely the right decision given how much better we felt the next morning.
Dinner
- Asparagus soup
- Tea
- Rice with carrots
- Chicken with tomatoes and onion
- Carrots and beans
- Chicken breasts
Day Three
We slept for about 8 hours, from 10pm to 6am. The headaches we had the night before from the altitude thankfully disappeared and we were ready to take on day three!
Breakfast
- Hot chocolate
- Porridge
- Omelets
- Yuca potatoes
- Bread
"Choo Choo"
This dog followed us all the way from the first day, over the peak and all!
The View From Our Last Camp
Saw this view shortly after breakfast. Our goal was to get to the end of this valley by early afternoon. We left at about 9am and arrived at about 12:15pm.
Stream Crossing
Incan Ruins
On the last day of our trek we came across these Incan ruins and had an opportunity to explore them. They’re not maintained at all so they’re falling apart in a number of ways, but we could still get a sense of what they may have looked like long ago.
Caterpillars
Tastes like pork when fried.
Plaster
Many of the walls used to be covered in plaster as a means of decoration. Most of the plaster has fallen off by now.
13 Degree Slant
The trademarks of Incan architecture include thick walls and a lean of 13 degrees inward, apparently to survive earthquakes.
A Common Sight
Last Break
We took a long break at this part of the river. We watched three local kids catching fish with their hands while we ate apples and oranges.
Orange Peel Boat Races!
The river always won.
Unfinished Water Treatment Plant
Near the End
End of the Road!
After two and a half days of hiking we made it to the end of the Lares Trek!
A River Near the Last Camp
Lunch
- Orange juice
- Quinoa soup
- Chicken, potatoes, onions, and lettuce
- Chicken breast
- Yuca potatoes
- Carne, carrots, peas, and onions
- Pasta and cucumbers
- Lentils
The Shuttle from the Lares Trek to Ollantaytambo
| Totals | Totals |
|---|---|
| Total bus time | 0:45 |