From June 5 to 16, five people took on the challenge of the Lares high-altitude trek in Peru. Nadia Loignon, Louise Giasson, Josée Ricard, Noémie Lespérance-Hudon and Denise Poirier have been able to experience the magnificence and diversity of Peru by way of an 11-day adventure through breathtaking landscapes, hiking, cultural sightseeing and local cuisine.
Days of Acclimation to the High Altitude
The first days of the trip were dedicated to visiting attractions and allowing the participants time to acclimatize to the high altitude and its effects. Thus, they explored the city of Cusco with its maze of narrow streets and colonial houses built on Inca foundations. They attended a traditional music show in addition to visiting the sacred valley and the vertiginous Inca site of Pisaq at 3400 meters of altitude. Finally, during this part of the trip, they also walked through the traditional market of Pisaq and discovered the Salinas de Maras—a magical spectacle with its sheltering of hundreds of salt ponds along the mountain sides.
Beginning of the Trek
After putting the luggage on the llamas, the team members proceeded to walk for nearly seven hours in the Lares valley to Rosa Plata, a small village overlooking the valley at an altitude of 3300 meters. They finally met the little family who welcomed them and accommodated them for the night, as was to be the case for other every subsequent night of the trek.
During the second day, the team had to turn back after starting the seven-hour trek because of the very bad weather, which was rather exceptional at this time of the year. There was snow, torrential rain, hail and clouds at ground level. So, the following day, the participants set out early as they were determined to climb the Cuypa pass at 4550 meters of altitude originally scheduled the day before. Then, they began day three of the trekking itinerary and walked towards the Patacancha Valley.
“It made me realize how pampered we are compared to Peruvians who have to walk for hours to meet their basic needs. Nevertheless, they are a proud people and are always happy to welcome the tourists… and their food is excellent”, testified Mrs. Denise Poirier.
Due to the extra trek, the day ended late and in the dark with headlamps worn for 1h 30 to reach the locals who were waiting for them for the night.
On day four of the trek, they walked for nearly six hours through the famous Pumamarca site, an ancient Inca village composed of magnificent terraces, before reaching the final destination: Ollantaytambo, another Inca village that remains almost unchanged since its birth in the fifteenth century.
