Lares Trek

One of the things that we have been looking forward to the most on this trip is our trek to Macchu Picchu. The classic trek is the Inca Trail, but in recent years, it has become so popular that there are 500 people on it at any one time. Additionally, you have to book it 3 months in advance this time of year. We decided on a less trekked route that seemed much more natural and peaceful. I have to say, this is by far one of the favorite things that I have done on this trip. It was so amazing. The people, the scenery, the guide, the food - everything was perfect! Hopefully the next few blogs can show you a little of what we experienced.

The first day was pretty easy, where we took a bus ride, a trek, another bus ride and another trek. We got to know the other 6 wonderful people in our group and saw some great scenery. We also stopped at a hot springs in the middle which felt great. We got our first taste of the amazing cook, Julio at a lunch outside. We saw even more over the next 3 days about how much he could do with what could be carried on a donkey and cooked on a little tent range. ¡Que Rico! - This means 'yummy' in Spanish.


There is one picture here that is a beautiful view of a snowey mountain range that we looked at while we ate lunch. If you look closely, you can see two little girls up on the hill. They became known to us as the Ninjas because they kept appearing in different spots. The ninja joke was an ongoing one for the rest of the trip. The guys especially cracked up.


We walked on actual trails that the Incas walked on in their time. We thought the scenery was beautiful in Ecuador, but nothing compares to Peru. The mountains and gorges and changes in color - everything is so amazing to look at! Another great thing about this trek was the fact that we got to see Andean families and their homes. These people live so simply, yet seem to be incredibly happy. We could really learn something from them. We also met many lovely kids along the way. They were so sweet. Many of them did not speak Spanish, but only Quechua. Luckily, Aldo (the best guide EVER) could translate for us. Poor things have such dirty feet and hands because the only water they have to wash in is incredibly cold. I think they are able to stay warm through their lovely hearts, though.

Along the trek, we could see old graves of the Incan people up on the mountainsides. Not only did the Incas want to live very high and close to the gods, but they wanted to be buried there too. They were all mummified before they were put into the graves. They were put into a fetal position because this was supposed to help them get to their next life with the gods. They were made as mummies and wrapped in the colorful blankets that they weaved.

We also saw many local animals along the way. Here are a couple of llamas, but we also saw al paka, sheep, goats, donkeys, etc.