One of the best lake hikes in the Sacred Valley is Kinsacocha.

This is a great hike for anybody who wants a stroll around a lake, but at high altitude. Kinsacocha is at 13,221 feet above sea level, (4,030 meters). If you’re preparing for a high altitude trek like Ausangate, Lares or Salkantay, this is a great way to see how you feel at high altitude, but without a backpack and without any steep uphill hikes.

The trail goes around the lake, and you’ll see lots of birds, like Giant coots, Andean gulls, Silvery grebes, and Huayata. Huayata are a kind of goose, and you’ll always see them in pairs. They mate for life, which is why many Andean weavers use them as symbols of love and commitment.

In Quechua, kinsa means three and cocha means lake. It’s one of a series of three lakes going up the valley. Calling it Kinsacocha lake would be redundant, so I’m just going to stick with Kinsacocha.

This is spring near Cusco. November is just the beginning of the rainy season. It hasn’t quite rained enough for the hills to be green again but you can see it was cloudy all morning. It didn’t rain until late that afternoon.

I recommend going up to Kinsacocha in the morning. Weather at high altitude tends to be better in the mornings, especially during the rainy season. Even in the dry season, a cold wind can kick up in the afternoons, so any time of year this hike is best in the morning.

Chahuaytire

After Kinsacocha, I recommend stopping by the town of Chahuaytire. Families here make beautiful weavings and it’s a great place to learn about how Andean people have always used natural plants and minerals to dye yarn. They’ll show you how dyes are made, how yarn is spun from sheep and alpaca wool, and how they weave with backstrap looms.

You can see the same sort of weaving demonstration in Chinchero, though you’ll have to contend with crowds there most of the year. At Chahuaytire you’ll likely have the place to yourself. This is mostly due to transportation. Chinchero is on the main road from Cusco to Urubamba, and a stop on many tour agencies’ Sacred Valley tours. Chahuaytire is north of Pisac and not on the way to anywhere. Getting transportation there is difficult, so you’ll have to hire a taxi in Pisac (s/100-150 soles is reasonable) or have your own car.

Pictographs

Nearby is a spot with pictographs. I’m not going to publish the exact location, because there isn’t really anything there to protect them. If you want to see them, ask in Chahuaytire.