Destination Lares Peru

Young Quechua girl

Josh and I decide to drive to Lares which is a relatively close town near Calca. Lares, a small Quechua town is known for it's Thermal Mineral baths known as Los Baños Termales and it's spectacular hike to Machu Picchu.


The drive from Calca to Lares begins at calle GRAU which is a straight shot through Calca.  The road which is under construction sporadically changes from cement, gravel, dirt.... soft shoulder.  Climbing higher up the massive trek through the mountainous valley of "BLANK".  The road becomes steeper, thinner and totally unfinished.  That should be the scary part... it's not.  The drivers here are either fearless, don't know any better or just plain stupid.  Passing was our biggest challenge but we were lucky the entire way. But there was a time I thought my heart was going to explode with fright. 

Herds of sheep, alpac, and cows sometimes overtake the skinny road. We continue to switchback up the mountain, passing one ancient monument after another.  Some being discovered due to the new road. We pass the Inka graveyard Ancashmarca which holds a festival every year at the beginning of March.

Anacashmarca known as an Inka Cemetery

Winding high up through the mountain we witnessed the modern indigenous people living and flourishing in the very ancient architecture.  

An occupied ancient Inka house