The Hot Springs of Lares

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I woke very early today... while wandering why I had set my alarm for 5am, I remembered that today, we had planned to seek out the hot water springs of 'Lares'. Our first move was to take a bus to Urubama, and then on to the town of 'Calca' (halfway between Urubama and Pisaq). Heading to Calca bus terminal, we found a potato truck, who's driver said he was going to Lares, and would let us come along for 5 soles.

Lares is about a two to three hour drive along a mountain dirt track... it really was a special road, like the kind of twisting mountain path you see in movies (but without the safety barriers)... really spectacular views!

Lares itself is really small village... arriving there really felt like being in the middle of nowhere. We set off to find the hot springs, a little way out of town. We'd been walking for a while steady ascending a mountain path, when Anna pointed out a cluster of mysterious looking green/yellow pools in the Valley bellow us. I think we may have taken a wrong turn! From above the springs didn't look all that inviting, largely owing to the colour, and the fact that due to a reasonable quantity of Peruvian builders, they appeared to be under construction. But we headed down to take a look anyway. There were a few more people there by the time we arrived, mostly locals. I was still trying to work out if they were actually hot springs or murky, warm pools of water. When I saw bubbles rising from one of the pools, I decided that I was being cynical, and they probably were springs. It was kind of strange that they were right next to a river, I don't know why, but I'd expected them to be up in the mountains or something.

The pools were surprisingly warm once you got in... one of them was actually too hot. Some people managed to get all the way into it, but dipping my big toe was enough for me to decided not to! Some of the pools had pipe openings where the hot water entered, and others where it left. The water itself held a suspended sediment (very murky), which had deposited around the edge of the pools in smooth layers. It was a really nice place... I could do this more often, i thought, lying in a hot spring surrounded by mountains, with the sound of the river rushing by...

After a relaxing few hours at the springs, we headed back to the village of Lares. I was slightly convened to find no sign of a bus, not even a truck... just one private tourist tour group car. I asked if they were heading back to Calca, they said we could sit in the boot. It actually worked out really well... they were a small group of tourists from Quebec, on their way to Ollantaytambo, and they gave us a free lift all the way back! Which was nice. It was much quicker and more comfortable than the alternatives, and it was free! Ideal.

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Photos

Central Plaza, Lares
Where is everyone?

Comments

[rog]

Looks like your having fun. Bring us a back a stick of rock.

[claire]

greetings from bookham bennett dentons
Hi Tom-Have you grasped the lingo yet?We've returned from our hols- not as exciting as yours, but great all the same.Scorching heat, a mini tornado and hailstones the size of golfballs. Have been reading your blogs with interest- sounds much more exciting than uni!Take care, Lol CCJMO XXXX