Peru - Day 6: Lares Trek Day 2: Cancha Cancha – Quiswarani

On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, we began the second day of our Lares Trek, hiking from Cancha Cancha to Quiswarani. This was one of the more challenging days of the trek, covering about 7.5 miles. The standard itinerary estimated approximately seven hours of hiking, although our group took considerably longer because one of my friends and I hiked at a slower pace than the other two.

Leaving Cancha Cancha

We left camp around 6:00am and began making our way higher into the mountains. The trail climbed steadily toward Pachacutec Pass, the highest point of this section of the trek at approximately 14,800 feet.

As we gained elevation, we passed remote mountain scenery, high-altitude lakes, and wide valleys. This was definitely one of the more strenuous portions of the Lares Trek, especially with the altitude.

Laguna Pachacutec and Pachacutec Pass

Around 1:30pm, we reached Laguna Pachacutec, a high-altitude lake near the Mirador Lagunas de Cancha Cancha and Pachacutec Pass. The lake is also sometimes referred to as the Blue Lagoon or Yanacocha, depending on the route and tour operator.

After spending some time there and taking in the views, we continued along the trail and began descending toward Quiswarani.

Siete Cataratas Canchispaccha

We stopped for lunch around 3:00pm near Siete Cataratas Canchispaccha, a series of waterfalls outside Quiswarani. After such a long morning of hiking, it was a very welcome place to stop and take a break.

We also spent some time checking out the waterfalls before continuing on toward camp.

Quiswarani

We reached our campsite near Quiswarani around 4:30pm and got settled in for the evening. The campsite had basic camping facilities, including a bathroom building, and we were served afternoon tea and dinner after a long day of hiking.

After spending most of the day on the trail, we were definitely ready to relax for the evening.