Trekking trips in Peru are one of our hobbies. 3am, alarm clock. Time to get up. This time I do not object, I leave bed quite quickly. There is very interesting perspective for next two days. This time we are heading out to discover new trekking route in Cusco region. Trail with nice landscapes, which can be combined with sightseeing ruins in Pisac, Ollantaytambo and of course Machu Picchu. But that is not it. We want to find the route where apart from nice views, we would have a chance to get to know local communities and their daily life. See what package we have prepared for you after this discovery trip..
A little sleepy at 3:30 I am ready to hit the trail. Adrenaline kicks in. It is each time I am going to the unknown area. I am curious who I meet on the trail. Andes are very interesting, full of surprises. Each time I discover something new and learn a lot. It is even more interesting when I am doing discovery trek to find something unique for our trips.
Our trekking trips in Peru, how do we prepare them?
Trekking in Andes between Lares and Patacancha
We start with breakfast on the street. This is one of the things in Peru I fell in love since beginning. Where in Poland will you find something warm to eat at 5:00 am? There are not many places like this, but not here. Streets close to bus stops or markets are full of breakfast sellers. You can have hot drink like qinua, maka or qiwicha as a first meal of the day. You can mix them with avocado or egg sandwich. It is easy also to get tea or coffee.
This is the way we start our day, before going for new adventure.
Alpacas and lamas on our route
Lares Patacancha trek is much more than beautiful Andean landscapes.
We are reaching beginning of the trek at 8:00 am. We needed to travel for 4 hours through Andes and later have a small meal again. This time chicken soup at local stand on the street. It is 7:30. Yes, in Peru you get soup all day long. It is very common especially in the mountains. It is not surprise since at this elevation it is quite chilly in the morning, so something warm is a great solution.
After good meal we are hitting the road. We will trek for 7 hours to the village where we want to identify some cooperation options. Most of the route is going uphill. We start from 3200 m. above sea level and our final destination is at 3840 m. above sea level. We are reaching our village very tired, but also very happy. We had good weather and nice views.
First section on the trail Lares Patacancha
I liked the village since the beginning. Tiny one, but well-kept and made out of stones. I love technique for building houses here. With this one probably I would be able to build such cottage on my own. I am not sure of course till I have a chance to take a try. Building such house only with stones and making sure it won’t collapse, might be a challenge.
What is this special construction?
Houses in this part of Andes are being built very fast. You need only stones, some wood, nails and tinware or pacha, which is special kind of grass used for building roofs. And that is it.
Andean village in Peru on almost 4000 m. above sea level
Probably you are wondering how to connect all that elements?
It is very important to select proper stones and put them one on top of another. Without any mortar! When I was staying in one of the houses I was thinking if all this construction won’t collapse. It didn’t and all this has been tested and verified for years.
Andean house perfect for the accommodation during our treks
Whole construction have even advantages. It contains natural ventilation. Currently Andean people do not base their constructions on Inca’s practices and stones are not matched to each other perfectly. In the walls you have a lot of holes through wind can come through. Nothing bad, but on almost 4000 m. above sea level and during the month were there are temperatures below zero, this might be small problem.
I was sure it will be freezing cold during the night and I won’t have good time sleep. But I was wrong. It was quite warm and I was sleeping like a baby. I did not get up even once which is quite common for me at this elevation.
Andean family from stone village and my first night
When I am organizing tours my priority is to provide to my clients great portion of positive emotions. Each trail needs to be not only full of nice landscapes, but also should contain nice villages, Inca ruins, including Machu Picchu. We cooperate with local communities and choose the ones willing to get to know other cultures and exchange experiences. Everything to minimize transfer and the need to come back to the same places.
Children going to school in our stone village
It is sometimes quite challenging to find the route that will meet all listed elements. In some cases trail is too long and our clients might not have enough time to cover that. In other cases trail is too short and we would not be able to have attractions for the whole day. Sometimes local families are not ready for such cooperation or do not want have tourists in their house. In order to have buy in from the family we need to have multiple meetings with them, discussions. That is why we are so happy when at the end we have managed to put all elements together.
We were lucky on our new trail in Lares area which connects beautiful stone village with Patacancha village.
Andean youth in Patacancha area
The family with which we have started cooperation is a young couple living with their parents. Whole family is working with alpacas, lamas, sheeps and textile production. Thanks to that our clients will have a chance to get to know traditional textiles production in this part of the Andes. But we will have much more attractions here.
Alpaca scarf for almost 500 sols made by our host
In the evening we will get a change to taste different kinds of potatoes, with different colors, prepared on different ways. Also there will be option to taste cuy (guinea pig) or alpacas anticucho (popular and inexpensive meat dish). Andean food within the reach in local atmosphere!
Different kinds of potatoes in our Andean village in Andes
Morning at the end of the world is also great experience. Total silence, little chilly, but incredible.
We will start here our new trail. Lamas will accompany us to help to carry our luggage, food and other equipment. You can meet those animals in the south part of Peru on mountain trails and close to the roads. On our tours not only we meet them, but also some of them will travel with us.
Alpacas and lamas on Andean trail
And this way we will reach here 🙂
End of our first day of trekking
From here we need to walk a little or take local bus in order to arrive in another Andean village – called by me Red.
Our local taxi in Patacancha Valley
Why Red? Pictures will explain that the best 🙂
Local people in one of the villages in Patacancha Valley
All people living in this village wear colorful clothes where red color is the main one. If you look on this place from the top, everything is red.
On the way to our cottages in Patacancha Valley – second night during trekking in Andes
Red village in Patacancha Valley and second night
We will have full day adventure between one and other village. The place for second night is slightly different. The more new things, the better. This time you will stay in colorful rooms in adobe brick house. It will be interesting experience since adobe brick (dried in the sun) are not available in Poland. It is worth to sleep in such place and observe what is different with comparison with our houses.
Apart from that with a little of extra effort you can play here soccer game. Do not count on 90 minutes. It will be over probably after 15 minutes, because on this elevation nobody will survive longer time. You will get to know how is it to run on 4000 m. above sea level. Apart from that local people will be happy to play something for you and dance. But watch out. There is one rule here. If they do this kind of activities, you need to join as well. Before coming here it is worth to recall some famous song to be ready when you will be asked to sing something.
Soccer game between our team and local women with kids
Next day will have a lot of attractions as well. Light trekking and many Inca crops terraces.
Trekking in Patacancha Valley and views on crops terraces.
Apart from that less famous ruins Puma Marca and beautiful town Ollantaytambo with the ruins next to it.
But that is not it!
For a lunch we will serve you Pachamanka, the most famous dish in Andes. We will not only eat this dish, but also learn how to prepare it.
We will finish our day in Aguas Calientes, where the next day we will head towards famous ruins Machu Picchu. We will spend whole day there since this place is huge.
What is included in 2 days trekking package from Lares to Patachancha?
Trekking itself takes 2 days. Third day is dedicated for sightseeing Machu Picchu. For those requiring more attractions we have few more:
- Cusco sightseeing (whole day trip) – as usual not in a standard way. We will walk on few interesting walking routes, including Inca Trail. Also visit in newly discovered ruins is part of the program.
- Trekking/bicycle trip in Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Salineras de Maras (whole day trip) – there are many things happening here. Not only Inca ruins, but also textile lesson, mysterious agricultural laboratories and famous salt mine. All of that mixed with bicycle ride and walk in mountain scenery. To all of this we will add picnic on the way and getting to know corn beer production details.
- Trip to Inca Sacred Valley (whole day trip) – sightseeing beautiful town Pisc, zoo and also trekking through the ruins. At the end of the day, hot springs.
In order to complete whole program above you need only 6 days. You can experience real Andean life in Peru and get to know all the highlights of Cusco region.
How do you like such plan?
As each of our packages, you can modify this one, make it shorter, longer, replace with other attractions.
See our offers in Peru which contains trekking Lares Patacancha:
If you are interested in visiting the most beautiful places in Peru including great trekking connected with getting familiar with Andean live, let us know. We will design the package especially for you. We invite you to our trekking trips in Peru!
