Lares Valley and Machu Picchu Trek

I genuinely think that I have walked more in the past 4 days than I have in my 26 years combined! 

We set off at 5am on Monday morning and met our fellow hikers and our guide Armondo for breakfast. We then made our way to the start of the Pumahuanca Valley in the Andes where we met our porters and horses, and we were ready for off. 

Truthfully, I wasn't expecting the trek to be so physically tough and the altitude really affected me, which meant I spent most of my time behind the pack with our guide Armondo coaching me on how to regulate my breathing (I could not have done it without him, I miss him already!). But every so often when it felt really hard, I just had to stop and look around me and realise where I was, then it all seemed worth it:

After a few hours of walking we stopped for lunch and could not believe how the porters worked their magic half way up a mountain with just a cylinder of gas and a tent - we ate like kings three times a day every day, it was unbelievable! 

We walked for a few more hours until we reached camp at 4,000metres. It was really cold but we had plenty to eat and lots of tea and we were in for one massive treat that we weren't expecting. The sky. None of us had ever seen so many stars in such a clear bright sky, we were dumbstruck. Good aul Armodo broke the silence with "stars like these are hard to find...and even harder to forget". 

We woke up at 4.30am in a tent covered with frost and some very cold feet. But that didn't last long as we treked above the clouds to the 4,850metre summit: 

Jesus was there too

Going back down came as a sweet relief as I could feel my lungs full with air and could finally keep up with the rest of the gang. There was some pretty sweet views on the way down too: 

After lunch looking up at a massive glacier, we set off on our final hike to the village of Lares, which is famous for its medicinal hot springs. The springs look a bit off-putting because they are full of sulphur which turns the water a murky shade of yellow, but my god they were just what the doctor ordered for our weary bones. It was much warmer that night at a lower altitude and we even had a LIE IN until 9am, imagine! 

There was no more walking as we made the journey to the town of Aguas Calientes via a scary bus around the cliff face with a drowsy driver, followed by a very cool train with panoramic views. 

At 5am on Thursday it was finally time to make the final trek to Machu Picchu. A bus goes from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu every 15 mins, but for some reason we decided to hike the 2,000 steps up to the ancient site. My advice, take the feckin bus!! 

Of course it was all worth it once we arrived, and I have millions of pictures of Machu Picchu to show for it! 

And finally, me and Armondo, my new bestie, thanks for everything! 

Other bits and pieces:

We booked our trip with SAS travel before we left home. We were a bit miffed when we got here and saw so many other cheaper options, but after comparing experiences with other people we definitely made the best choice. Absolutely everything was included in ours (tickets, food, the hostel, guides, porters, the works) and they were so professional, I 100% recommend them. 

It gets super cold once the sun goes down so pack thermals.

Pack a few snacks to keep your energy up in between meals (also serve as a good excuse to stop for a while!) 

Trekking poles are really really recommended for the Lares trek as there is a lot of downhill slopes wth loose stones. They made it so much easier. They aren't necessary for Machu Picchu though.