Community Pampacorral
LThe Peasant Community of Pampacorral has a unique ecosystem in the Lares Valley, and its main attraction is the Puya stand that, through the conservation area, the community people as a whole, aware of the great importance of this species and the values it represents for the environment, made the decision to conserve it, and, at the same time, to promote the development of sustainable tourism that will contribute to improve the quality of life of the families and the population in general.
In the upper part, the area also preserves the presence of snow-capped mountains, lagoons, wetlands, which through good management of headwaters of the basin will ensure that these water reserves serve to agriculture and the consumption of communities settled in the valley. Hence its protection is important and tourism is a part of sustainability over time.
The Peasant Community of Pampacorral is located in the district of Lares, province of Calca, between 3,000 and 4,500 m.a.s.l. From the city of Cusco, there is a 55 km asphalted route. From Calca to the Peasant Community of Pampacorral there are 40 km. of an affirmed road that takes one to two hours approximately. From the Pampacorral community itself, the conservation area is accessed through a bridle path after 20 minutes of trekking.
Geographic Characteristics
The conservation area presents a topography of very pronounced reliefs with snow-capped mountains and typical hills of an Andean ecosystem, where the forests of Polylepis or queuñas and the Puya raimondii stands live, and together with them, a diversity of birdlife associated with the forest, and other species of mammals that can be seen as the Andean cat, deer, puma, Andean fox, and montane viscacha.
Tourist Aspects
The tourist circuit within the Pampacorral area offers a diversity of natural landscape that can be seen through the following routes:
The route of the puyales
The tours along the route of the puyales (Puya raymondii), starts from the city of Cusco to the community of Pampacorral passing through Calca. The service can be by public or private transportation. Before arriving to Pampacorral, in the sector of Maucau, the journey of one or two hours begins, along a wide path until you see the stands of puyas. After the trekking, you return to the road to continue towards the Mapacocha wetlands where there is a camping area and you spend the night, or to arrive to the community of Pampacorral to stay in the communal lounge, or to continue towards Lares where you will find all tourist services, including thermal baths.
The Colque Cruz route - Pampacorral
The route starts at Hacienda Huarán, which takes about three days. The first day you can rest in the camping area of the community of Cancha Cancha. The second day you will visit the Qhapaq Ñan to the Pachacútec pass, observing the majestic snow-capped mountain Colque Cruz, and then you take the path to Mapacocha - Pampacorral. On the way, you can see Andean landscapes, such as the Hatun Cunayoc waterfall, the lagoons Turucoccha, Yanacoccha, Pituccocha, and Azulccocha that give origin to Huarmihispana River. Then, you can arrive at the Mapacoccha camping area, rest and continue towards the community of Pampacorral, and, later, to Lares, to enjoy the thermal baths.
It is important to hire a local guide, as the area is wild and you need to take safety precautions.
