Location: Lares Trek

Author: Maya Location: Lares Trek Today the group reached the highest point of the trip. We climbed up to 14,600 feet! Luckily we did the vast majority of the climbing yesterday. Originally the plan was to do a lot more uphill climbing today, but our hiking guide, Ronald, decided that we would finish the worst of it – without consulting us – a day early. Looking back, I realize that he made a very good decision and I am oh so relieved to have gotten this far.

According to tradition, safely reaching the top calls for an act of gratitude to the mountain. Most everyone in the group left either a rock, coca leaves, or something else of that sort in a pile at the top as an offering. After that, most of the way to the campsite was downhill.