After Machu Picchu we returned to Cusco for a night.   At the Norton’s (Rat) Pub on the plaza we met Micha, Igor who I met in Medellin and Chessi who I’d been riding with in Equador and Peru.  On Saturday morning we left Cusco driving out through the bedraggled end of city and into the Sacred Valley heading towards Puno on Lake Titicaca.

Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru

Snow Peaks in Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru

We drove on a high grassland plain which is likely part of the Altiplano.  Despite sunny weather we ran into a tiny but fierce rainstorm which produced a good rainbow.

Rainbow, Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru

After a stop in a small town with friendly locals and fresh coffee-cake we continued on to Puno, which is on the shores of Lake Titicaca and a stop for tourists travelling by bus between La Paz, Bolivia and Cusco.  We arrived at dusk and after checking into the (US-motel style) America Inn we tried to walk up the hill to the mirador before nightfall and failed.

Sunset at Puno, Peru

Elevation and Distance Profile Cusco to Puno at Lake Titicaca, Peru

We left Puno at 7am or so planning on making it to La Paz, Bolivia.   After about 45 minutes we stopped in Juli to eat our breakfast of empanadas (we were running out of money so out intended lunch became breakfast).  A wedding and a large marching band of some sort was taking place in the square.

Marching in Juli Plaza, Peru

The border was quite empty on a Sunday afternoon and we checked out of  Peru and went across to Bolivia.   The policeman on the Bolivian side, after registering my license, asked me what I was going to pay. After I asked what for, I was told a ‘voluntary payment for the cooperation of the frontier police’ or some other nonsense. I raised my eyebrows and said no, this was met with a hard look from the policeman.  So I quickly took my documents and left the office and was anxious to get away from the border police.

Bolivian - Peruvian Border Bridge on Lake Titicaca

The customs office at the border was burnt two years ago and still does not process vehicle permits there so we were told to go to the truck bridge outside of town.  Unfortunately the officials were on their lunch break and so we waited quite unhappily for an hour or so from the to come back.

We stopped at the ruins at Tihuanaco and wandered about the sites for an hour and a half.

Monolithic Sun Gate, Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia

We arrived after a little confusion (due to following the GPS’ directions for the centre) in La Paz.  The city itself starts on the high plain and both of us were disappointed while driving in until the road suddenly drops into a huge round depression that contains the majority of the city.  The large snow-covered mountain in the distance provides a dramatic backdrop for the densely packed houses and towers of La Paz.

La Paz Dusk, Bolivia

We found a room at the well-known (‘party hostal’) Loki.  We were pleased at the time but quickly discovered many reasons why other hostels would likely have been better.  We walked about the centre following the Lonely Planet’s walking tour.  It passed through the ‘witches market’ which had among other things, some rather gruesome Alpaca foeti.

Arch Creepiness - Alpaca foeti, La Paz, Bolivia

Puno Peru to La Paz Bolivia Elevation and Distance Profile

Pisac, Peru	Pisac, Peru	Pisac, Peru	Pisac, Peru
Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru
Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru
Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru
Sacred Valley Outside Cusco to Puno, Peru	Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru	Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru	Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru
Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru	Rainbow, Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru	Rainbow, Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru	Rainbow, Towards Puno from Cusco, Peru
Sunset Outside Juiata, Peru	Sunset at Puno, Peru	Sunset at Puno, Peru	Juli Plaza, Peru
Juli Plaza, Peru	Marching in Juli Plaza, Peru	Marching in Juli Plaza, Peru	Marching in Juli Plaza, Peru
Juli to Bolivia border, Peru	Bolivian – Peruvian Border Bridge	Bolivian – Peruvian Border Bridge	Bolivian – Peruvian Border Bridge
Bolivian – Peruvian Border Bridge	Monolithic Sun Gate, Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Monolithic Sun Gate, Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia
Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia
Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Tiahuanaco Ruins, Bolivia	Nearing La Paz Bolivia
Nearing La Paz Bolivia	Nearing La Paz Bolivia	La Paz Towers, Bolivia	La Paz Center, Bolivia
From Church in La Paz Center, Bolivia	La Paz Center, Bolivia	Alpaca foeti, La Paz, Bolivia	Alpaca foeti, La Paz, Bolivia
Alpaca foeti, La Paz, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia
La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia
La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	La Paz Dusk, Bolivia	Altiplano Near Ururo, Bolivia

Cusco to Puno to La Paz, Bolivia GPX Tracks