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The Lares Valley, also known as "The Last Place of Inca Survivors" is a less-traveled path through the Sacred Valley. To make the trek with llamas, the camel-like beasts of burden of the Incas is to follow in the steps of a great civilization.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Wikipedia - HakanSvensson
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 This is an account of a llama trek through the Lares Valley in Peru as a possible itinerary for my travel company, Llama Expeditions. There are many routes for this trek. We had chosen one sometimes known as "The Other Inca Trail" that begins at the Lares hot springs and weaves its way through several picturesque remote communities to end at Patacancha. We would hike for roughly a day and a half. It seemed like this would be a manageable hike for someone with an intermediate fitness level. |
My exploratory adventure started when my trek team picked me up at 7 a.m. from my hotel in the quaint Inca village of Ollantaytambo. The team was made up of my guide Marco, our cook Pedro, our llama handler Ruben, and our driver Bernardo. Bernardo would drive us to Lares hot springs at the start of the trek and drive us back to Ollantaytambo (from Patacancha) at the end of the trek. The llamas were waiting for us at the trailhead.
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LEFT CREDIT:Wikipedia = Stevage / CENTER: Wikipedia / RIGHT: Wikipedia = Stevage
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| Ollantaytambo was once the royal estate of Inca emperor Pachacuti. Today, it exemplifies living Inca culture. Many of the streets and buildings exhibit Inca stonework and building technique that have remained untouched over the years. Inca stone walls rise majestically creating a maze of homes, restaurants, and tiny shops that eventually spill onto a main square. Walking the streets I could hear the echo of the river rushing by and could see bright white stars marking the Southern Cross in the sky above. |
| PHOTO: Creative Commons License / CREDIT = dachalan |
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An hour or so after we left Ollantaytambo, we stopped at the market in Calca, deep in the heart of the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley is home to archeological ruins, Inca terraces for planting (some are still in use today), farms, and rivers. Mountains, some topped by glaciers, ring the valley.
While Pedro shopped for supplies, Marco and I strolled through the many stalls. Marco told me that during our trek, we would meet various children who were traveling to and from school. It is common in this part of Peru for children to walk two hours one way to school. Marco thought it would be fun to have some little gifts to make their long journey seem a bit shorter. We purchased small rounds of bread and many colored pencils that we stuffed into our already full daypacks. We also bought some alfalfa as a treat for the llamas.
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Almost immediately, I could feel the effects of the altitude. The first part of the trail was relatively flat, but I couldn't seem to catch my breath. My only distractions were the incredibly beautiful countryside that surrounded us and the llamas that had by now caught up with us. I fed them sprigs of alfalfa while we walked.
About an hour into the hike, I flopped down on the soft grass. Marco handed me some muna leaves that he had plucked from the side of the trail. While I vigorously chewed the muna leaves, a burro wandered over to inspect us. Muna leaves, like their better-known cousin the coca leaf, assist with acclimatization to altitude. By constantly chewing the muna leaves, I was able to get my breathing under control.
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Ipsaycocha Pass: Ascending:
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The following morning I awoke to the same music playing as Pedro brought a cup of steaming coca tea and bowl of warm water for washing to my tent.
Today would be a big day. We would summit Ipsaycocha Pass at nearly 14,000 feet. Having seen how slow I was yesterday, Marco was anxious to get going. We would hike for nearly 10 hours today. He told me the llamas would catch up with us on the trail.
The landscape was treeless. Animals grazed in the distance. The green of the grass faded to a gray brown as we climbed the trail. I was counting steps by now. 50 steps; stop and breathe; again and again. I wanted to ride a llama to the top of the pass. But, I was too heavy. Llamas can only safely carry about 40 pounds.
I felt frustrated by my body's increasing demand for more air than seemed available. So, I rested on a hilltop while Marco went to talk to Pedro and Ruben.
I pulled off my daypack, dropped my hiking poles, and sunk down on the damp grass with relief. I gratefully breathed the fresh mountain air. The soft gray mist that had descended that morning muffled sound and created stillness across the verdant countryside. A small herd of dirty sheep milled about a watering hole below. A mud-brick house with a straw roof sat to my left, the door propped open in spite of the fact that it appeared no one was home. I listened to my heart beat.
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A couple of dogs barked, and I turned around to see a stout Quechua woman approaching. The white of her hat and dress stood out vividly against the green of the pasture she was crossing. A small pack of dogs bobbed and wove around her.
She greeted me in Quechua and sat down to keep me company. Her dogs nestled protectively around her. After a few attempts to communicate in Spanish, I realized that she could understand me, but she could only speak Quechua.
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And, of course, I can't speak or understand a word of Quechua. For a moment, a wave of frustration washed over me. I was curious about her life in the Peruvian Andes, and I am sure she was curious about me. We were a study in contrasts: the city girl with her high-tech hiking gear and the Quechua woman still living according to the ancient ways of the Incas.
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I unzipped my daypack and pulled out a small plastic bag of coca leaves. When I offered it to her, she chose three leaves and put the rest in a pocket in her skirt. She fanned out the three leaves between her thumb and forefinger. Then, she gently blew on the leaves to share the gift with the Pachamama Mother Earth before placing them in her mouth to chew.
In the distance, Marco appeared as he crested a hill. His call to me broke the spell. The woman slowly got up and ambled to her home to resume her daily chores as Marco reached me.
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The wind picked up. I was fighting the lack of oxygen and gusts of wind that threatened to stop me in my tracks. I inched my way zigzagging across the trail as Marco cheered me on from the top of the pass. It was so close.
I sunk to the ground with my last step as I reached the summit of the pass. Marco and I constructed a stone tower, an offering to the mountain, called an apacheta. Technically speaking, I was supposed to carry the rocks in my daypack to the top of the mountain. But, had I done so, I would never have made it to the top!
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Ipsaycocha Pass: Descending
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From here, the trail trended mostly downhill. As we descended into a watershed, we spotted Andean geese. I was so tired from the effort, I barely noticed them.
We spent the afternoon trekking through the valley to Patacancha, our last campsite. Along the way, we met several local children, attired in their traditional colorful dress, coming home from school. Their eyes lit up as we gave them the rounds of bread and colored pencils that we had bought at the market in Calca.
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Patacancha is more easily accessible than Huacahuasi. There is a road that goes directly to Ollantaytambo; although, no heat and a shared outdoor bathroom are still the norm.
Pastures surrounded adobe homes and a small store. Animals, milling about with their young, provided ready entertainment. A chicken wandered in while we were enjoying our afternoon snack of popcorn.
The next morning, I bade goodbye to the llamas. Ruben had arranged to have a local woman take them home.
Marco and I were then invited to visit a local family while we waited for Bernardo to arrive with the van. The family lived in a one-room home. A small stove stood in the corner. Guinea pigs scurried across the floor. Guinea pigs are a rich source of protein for families in the Lares Valley.
From here, it was back to Ollantaytambo and then onto the train to the crown jewel of the trip, Machu Picchu.
The best time to hike the Lares trail is between April and October. Don't forget to bring some alfalfa for the llamas!
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Trekking with Llamas in Peru:
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Llama Expeditions uses both horses and llamas on our treks. Horses are able to carry heavier loads than llamas. Llamas can only carry approximately 40 pounds. We also like to take an 'emergency' horse with us in case one of our guests needs to ride because they are not feeling well. Contrary to some YouTube videos I've seen, you cannot ride a llama! So, why use llamas at all?
When I first started the company, I named it Llama Expeditions because I had heard that llamas symbolize unconditional love in the Andean religion. They provided so much to the Andean people: meat for food, fur for warmth, and transport for heavy loads. They were even sacrificed to the ancient Andean deities. In fact, at Qenko, an Inca archeological site on the outskirts of Cusco, there are carvings of llamas on a sacrificial table. Since the company had a philanthropic mission (with plenty of fun adventure thrown in), Llama Expeditions seemed fitting.
Given our name, it seemed natural to use llamas on our treks whenever possible.
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There are several additional benefits to working with llamas as well.
1) Using llamas supports and honors the traditional way of life of the indigenous people of the Andes. This seems especially important given how infrequently indigenous traditions are appreciated in the modern world.
2) Llamas create less wear and tear on the trail. Llamas have soft feet like cats, so they have less of an impact on the trail than horses and mules. With Peru becoming a popular vacation destination, especially among hikers, I think trail impact will become increasingly important in the future.
3) Llamas provide great photo opportunities. Let's face it. Llamas are cute. This is especially true when their owners gussy them up with colorful wool on their ears and bells around their necks. And, what says, "I had a unique and fabulous vacation in Peru" more than a photo of you with your llamas in the background?
4) Llamas are fun. I'm always entertained by llama behavior whether it is the male asserting his authority over other members of the pack (and sometimes his owner) or the baby lifting her head to display a milk mouth after nursing. I also enjoy interacting with the llamas by feeding them the "llama treats" we bring along on the trail.
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