Following an eventful but spectacular journey, Rachel Ricks arrived in Lares, a village approximately 40 miles north of Cusco, to take a dip in its famous hot springs.
Living in Peru’s Sacred Valley for a few months, I had heard about Lares’ hot springs from many people, to the point that they’d become almost legendary in my mind. They are one of the most popular in the Sacred Valley area around Cusco in south-western Peru. The only problem is, they’re situated in an isolated valley and most people reach them via a multi-day trek, otherwise it’s a good four hours away by public transport. But finally one weekend, Carlos and I decided to make the trip.
Little did we know that we were to embark on a hellish journey to Lares from Calca, the Sacred Valley’s capital town and transport hub. We were sat in the second-from-back row of the ancient bus; how the five people managed to sit in the back row behind us I have no idea, as there was no room for legs. Even in our seats, Carlos and I had to sit with either legs wide apart or with knees up to our chests. There was some considerable kerfuffle with passengers boarding and loading luggage onto the roof, while the inside of the bus got hotter and we got more edgy, not helped by the fact that the handle on our window had broken off, with Carlos managing only to inch a gap open with the help of his pocket bottle-opener.
Things didn’t improve once we finally set off. The road began; the unpaved, stony, rocky, uneven, bumpy, potholed, windy, bendy road. From our vantage point at the back, it sometimes looked like the bus was about to tip right over on particularly steep and tight hairpin bends. Bumps in the road made us launch three feet out of our seats every 10 minutes or so throughout the three-hour journey. In the meantime, the driver selected increasingly screechy and shrill songs to penetrate through the large speaker just above our heads.
As we wound higher into the mountains, the clouds got thicker and darker, and soon enough we were driving through heavy rain, increasing my concern at the integrity of the gravel road that negotiated its way along the edge of the mountains.
Despite all this, I have to say, this must be one of the most beautiful routes I have ever travelled along. Winding through a sprawling green valley, we passed a couple of settlements of small houses with stone-wall pens for sheep, which almost reminded me of the Peak District or the Highlands of Scotland. Fuzzy alpacas grazing along with the sheep, and soaring jagged and snow-capped peaks visible over the gentler, rounded green ones soon reminded me of my true location.
Finally, with huge relief, we descended the other side of the valley into the clustered mountainside settlement of Lares. The heavy rainclouds had brought dusk early and we began to walk through the gloom, regaining our inner-ear balance slowly. A couple of enquiries in grocery shops directed us out of the other side of the town onto a muddy mountain road that leads to the hot springs site, where we would also hopefully get a room for the night.
We trudged through the increasing darkness in constant drizzle, still feeling nauseous and dizzy from the rollercoaster journey, not forgetting the increased altitude. Without another soul to be seen, nor a sign of any sort, we started to question if we were going the right way. After about a mile, however, our hopes lifted a little at the sight of a faint glimmer of electric lights and suddenly we reached the ticket office and entrance gate for the hot springs. Run by the local government, the springs are manned by rather intimidating-looking staff dressed similar to the local police.
We were lucky – we managed to get one of the only two rooms on the site. The guard led us past the steaming pools up to a Swiss-style cabin on a hillside terrace above. The room was basic, with a lumpy mattress and questionable eiderdown, but unbeatable for location, plus a wrap-around balcony overlooking the pools and the mountains beyond. We munched on the bread, cheese, fruit and biscuits we’d brought with us (there is no shop, café or even kiosk on the site, strangely) before passing out fully clothed and under five blankets, plus the eiderdown – it was icy cold.
In the morning, we couldn’t wait to slip our bus-rattled bodies into the warm waters. Over two attractive paved terraces there are six pools, all of different temperatures and sizes, and including one of swimming-pool size so you can get some exercise, too.
We started off, unknowingly, in one of the hottest. I have never fainted before, but this was the closest I came. As I pulled myself out from the pool my eyes filled with white spots and I knew what was going to happen, so I quickly sat and got my head between my legs. It’s important not to spend too long in the pools and there are cold jets of water blasting out at the side of the pool area, which you must go and revive your body with every 10 to 20 minutes.
We spent a couple of hours lounging in the pools, drinking in the serene mountain views, before reluctantly heading back into town for the journey home. We decided to take a colectivo (minivan that takes about 10 people) rather than the regular bus on the way back – for a couple of soles more, we had a marginally more comfortable ride, and a bit quicker than the bus as it didn’t stop for drop-offs in the middle of thunder-clouds at remote and vertiginous mountain settlements.
We arrived back home drained, exhausted, and uncertain whether any amount of hot water was worth that journey.
Lares Hot Springs Factfile
- Most tourists who visit Lares are on a trek – some travel onwards to Machu Picchu, but you can easily organise your own trip there independently.
- The bus runs from Calca to Lares (two to three hours approx.): S/.7-8; colectivo (minivan): S/.8-10. First buses leave early in the morning, otherwise they leave again at 15:00 until 19:00, but it can be dependent on how many passengers turn up. In Calca, organise at the terminal; though the buses will drop and pick up on the other side of the town; in Lares, buses drop and pick up in the Plaza de Armas (main square).
- Entrance ticket to the hot springs: S/.4 for Peruvians; S/.10 for all other nationalities (bring ID).
- Rooms on the hot springs site are S/.50; double, en suite. There is also a small camping area. Otherwise there are several basic hospedajes (accommodation) options (S/.10-15 per person) in the town.
- Bring plenty of snacks and drinks.
- Exchange rate at time of writing: £1 = S/.4.16
- For further information, visit the Lares municipality website.
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You can read more about Rachel’s travels on her blog.