LARES TREKS

This remote and rarely visited region offers the trekker an insight into the real lives of the Andean farmer, dressed in their traditional brightly colored ponchos. You’ll have the opportunity to see thatched stone houses surrounded by herds of llamas and alpacas. Inside the houses you’ll see guinea pigs running loose. The advantage of this trek is that permits are not required and, in theory, you could just turn up in Cusco and make a booking 2 or 3 days in advance. However most companies are combining these treks with a visit to Machu Picchu and therefore train tickets between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes are best bought several weeks in advance.

Trekking in this area takes you into the remote and rarely visited Lares Valley with the spectacular backdrop of the Urubamba Mountains, and has several snow-capped peaks, the best know of which is Veronica (5,750m. The Lares Valley lies to the east of the Urubamba range and its easily accessible from Cusco. The Area offers moderately strenuous trekking, though small mountain villages, crossing passes of over 4,000m with spectacular views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks of Pitusiray, Sawasiray and Chicon.during the trek you will have opportunity to see how the Quechua-speaking Indians of the high mountain villages live by farming potatoes and oca, and herding llamas and alpacas on the inhospitable flanks of the towering peaks.

The Lares Treks valley is one of the most picturesque villages in the southern part of Cusco. Lares Valley is particularly well know for its very high-quality, brightly coloured weavings and characteristic upturned hats, many of the popular tourist markets being supplied from here. The trek itself is rated moderate, similar to the Inca Trail. There are, however, one pass over 4000m so it is essential that you are well acclimatized to the altitude. This 4 day, newly developed itinerary offers an outstanding combination of amazing mountain scenery in a remote area and visits to authentic Quechua communities such as Wacawasi, Willog, Patacancha and reaches Aguas Calientes on the third day. The last day is devoted to the visit of the impressive Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

http://www.lares-peru.com/