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

En-route to Piscacucho, Peru

Descending into Sacred Valley en-route to Piscacucho, Peru

The bus route goes through the former Inca town of Ollyantambo which has significant ruins perched on a hill above the now very touristy town.

Ollyantambo, Peru

Our ‘Vista-dome’ train wasn’t much use as it was dark when we set out for the 35 km journey that took 1 hour and 20 minutes.  We arrived in Aguas Calientes and set the alarm for 5am in order to be one of the first 400 people to be allowed to climb Huayna Picchu (the ruins perched on a steep rock above Machu Picchu. Unfortunately the phone alarm volume was low and we didn’t set out until about 6:30am.  We walked from Aguas Calientes to the base of the site and hiked up about 1 hour to the site to the parking lot of minibuses disgorging hordes of tourists.

Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru

We walked to the Sun Gate at the start/end of the Inca trail and got some good views of the valley and Machu Picchu itself.

Machu and Huayna Picchu Seen From Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru

River Valley View From Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru

Then with some trepidation I agreed to hike to Cerro Machu Picchu (the highest mountain rising from the site itself).  It was worth it as it gave sweeping views of the entire site as well as most of the river valley that defines Machu Picchu.

Sitting on the Peak of Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru

Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru

By 3:30 we finally made it into the ruins themselves and walked about the site fairly crowded with other tourists.

Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru

The following day we took the motorbike and drove around the Sacred Valley stopping in Pisac – an entirely tourist driven town.  Neither of us had much inclination to explore the other ruins in the valley because after the Machu Picchu site, it was quite clear that they would be disappointing and none would have the same grandiose natural setting.

Not So Inspiring Pisac, Peru

Cusco Sacred Valley Loop Elevation Profile

Cusco Square, Peru	Cusco Square, Peru	Cusco Square, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru
En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru
En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	En-route to Piscacucho, Peru	Ollyantambo, Peru
Agua Calientes, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru
Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru
Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru
Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru
Starting hike up Machu Picchu, Peru	Bird, Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru
Inca Bridge, Machu Picchu, Peru		Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru
Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru
Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru
Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru
Hike to Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Huayna Picchu, From Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Huayna Picchu, From Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, Peru	Flowers Machu Picchu, Peru
Flowers Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Lichen, Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Fighting Lizards, Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Fighting Lizards, Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru
Hiking Up Cerro Machu Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru	Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, Peru

Cusco to Sacred valley

Andahuaylas to Cusco, Elevation Profile

Above Andahuaylas, Morning Cloud, Peru

Without breakfast and quite bleary-eyed we rounded corner after corner on the pass until we came across views of the Andes that I had fantasized about seeing since embarking on the trip – ranges of snow-capped sharp peaks that dropped into cloud layers semi-obscuring lower mountain ranges.  As freezing as we were the remote vastness of these mountains managed to hold our attention for a few photo stops.

Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru

Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru

We stopped for breakfast at an indigenous family’s house that didn’t have any power and seemed to be almost permanently under cloud cover.   The little girl, through a trucker-cum-translator, asked me to teach her English and I tried to remember the few Quechua-language phrases she said to me.  However the trucker also told me that the road further on after Abancay (the first low point in the elevation graph) also had a closure point at 12:30, so cold and miserable we got back on the bike and continued down into the pretty valley of Abancay.  Kai was started to shiver somewhat violently and was not looking very well.

Above Abancay, Peru

After the second pass, nearing 4,000 meters, we passed the second closure point in time and a huge valley opened up in front of us which I took to the famed Sacred Valley.  We wound down through this and became increasingly desperate to reach Cusco after having driving on dirt roads for about 24 hours in 3 days.   Recklessly, I started ignoring the road-workers commands to stop and started driving through the construction sites somewhat madly.

Towards Cusco Peru

We arrived in Cusco at about 3 and found a hotel and drove the bike into it by 4pm.  Kai seemed quite ill and slept without eating the whole afternoon and through the night.  We were served mate de coca by the hotel to help with the altitude.

Kai in courtyard, Cusco, Peru

Bike in Hotel Courtyard,Cusco, Peru

Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru
Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru
Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru
Above Andahuaylas, Snowy Range, Peru	Above Abancay, Peru	Above Abancay, Peru	Above Abancay, Peru
Towards Cusco Peru	Mate de Coca, Cusco, Peru	Bike in Courtyard,Cusco, Peru	Kai in courtyard,Cusco, Peru

Andahualays to Cusco, Peru GPX Track

Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru

The main town between Ayacucho and Cusco is Andahuaylas, 10 hours from both apparently on rough roads.   So we packed up and headed out of town at about 10:30am and promptly got lost trying to find the road. Eventually we found a rock and pothole ridden lane winding down to two policemen, one of whom waved me over right away.   He was only interested in conversation and told me some convoluted other route that was better – but was quickly disagreed with by the other policeman.  After telling me it was a hard route and wishing me luck,  we drove at about 15 km/hour overtaking micro-buses trailed by billowing dusk clouds over the awful rocky road.  Eventually my front wheel began to rub and squeak probably due to driving over a particularly vicious pothole. After about 2 hours and 50 kms or so we crested the pass to see the (now slightly improved) road wind endlessly back and forth down into a narrow valley backed by much larger craggy mountains.

Over the pass from Ayacucho, Peru

Fending off vicious dogs by boot has become a common occurrence in Peru and as we passed down the various indigenous settlements  there was no limit to the amount of practice both of us got.

River Canyon Between Ayacucho and Andahuaylas, Peru

Eventually the road wound down to a dry desert-like river canyon and began the climb back up the next mountain range.  Kai was beginning to feel quite ill from either the freezing passes, altitude sickness, and or the food.

Bridge in River Canyon between Ayacucho and Andahuaylas, Peru

We then road over a final freezing pass and after a long descent spotted the lights of Andahuaylas glowing in the dusk.  After finding a room at the “Adan and Eva” hotel near the center, parking the bike, showering, eating awful pizza, we found out that the road to Cusco was being repaired and would be closed from 7:30am-noon (and would take 1 hour to get to the closure point).  So, unhappily, the alarm was set for 5am so we could leave in time to beat the road closure.

Distance: 216 kms

Travel Time: 6 hours, 36 minutes

Road Surface: Ungraded Dirt. Rocky and potholes for first two hours, then some rocky parts, dusty red earth, occasional graded gravel.

Road Width: 1-2 car widths

Traffic: Minimal (few trucks and buses, microbus collectivos between some towns)

Hotel at Ayacucho, Peru	Hotel at Ayacucho, Peru	Winding above Ayacucho, Peru	Winding above Ayacucho, Peru
Winding above Ayacucho, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru
Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru	Over pass onto high-Andes towards Andahualyas, Peru
Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru
Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru
Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru	Second low point between Ayacucho and Andahualyas, Peru

Ayacucho to Andahuaylas, Peru

Lakes near 4,500m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru

The following day we slouched about Lima, going to the surf beach and cliffs near the Miraflores neighbourhood, tried to buy Alpaca sweaters and failed, and drank lots of coffee.   The urge to go out to bars struck quite predictably in the evening and we ended up in several disco type places until very late. So our plan to drive to Huancayo the following day got off to a late start and we ended up fighting through Lima traffic in the sweltering sun and fumes for until about 1:30 pm.   Finally the mountains that always appeared to be so mysterious to me from the whole road along the coast loomed large.  The road followed the river canyon through the dry and craggy mountains and quickly gained altitude.

Freezing cold around 4500m Lima to Marcavalle, Peru

Both of us started to feel quite cold and I checked the GPS to realize that we were reaching 4,000 meters.   As per experience this meant that clouds were soon surrounding us and the temperature kept dropping.   Then it started to drizzle, hail, and although dizzy from the altitude and numb from the cold, I’m certain there were snow flakes as well.   When we finally crested the pass the altitude was 4,500 4,830 (GPS accuracy) meters, the highest either of us had been without the aid of mechanical wings.  There was a beautiful set of lakes just over the other side although neither of us was in the mood to hang around long.

Lunar Marcavalle, Peru

When we got to what seemed to be a more humanly habitable altitude we passed through a moon-scaped town (Marcavalle, north of Oroya) with bare hills and decided to spend the night.  It wasn’t apparently habitable yet for us as we felt breathless and slept very fitfully all night at just under 4,000 meters. about 4,400 meters.

Colonial town before dirt-road turn-off to Ayacucho, Peru

By the next morning Kai was beginning to question WHY we were in the mountains anyway and hadn’t taken the coastal road.  In my defense I think I had explained the reasoning and we had had an accord about which route to take.  So we set off in anticipation of making it to Ayacucho which the Lonely Planet described with glowing ‘well off the gringo trail’ praises.   After about 70 kms into our 376 km trip we stopped at a pleasant tiny colonial town.

Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru

From there the road unfortunately turned to gravel with sheer drop-offs into the river canyon below.   200 or so kilometers on bumpy, twisty, and dusty single-track road had both of us wishing to be back on pavement and happily checked into a hotel.  As dusk was rapidly approaching we did pass into a desert-area that redeemed the exhausting trip for me – although I’m not sure Kai would agree.

Desert before Ayacucho, Peru

Desert before Ayacucho, Peru

We rolled into Ayacucho – which indeed was a pleasant town mostly off the tourist trail entirely, at about 6pm.  After ~10 hours of bumpy riding, covered in dust, and exhausted we found a hotel and a little irritated discussion and managed to eat, have some beer, and fall asleep.

Ayacucho Plaza, Peru

4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru	4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru	4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru	4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru
4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru	4800m pass Lima to Marcavalle, Peru	Marcavalle, Peru	Marcavalle, Peru
Marcavalle, Peru	Marcavalle, Peru	Marcavalle, Peru	Marcavalle, Peru
	Colonial town before dirt-road turn-off to Ayacucho, Peru	Colonial town before dirt-road turn-off to Ayacucho, Peru	Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru
Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru	Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru	Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru	Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru
Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru	Canyon to Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru
Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru
Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru
Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru	Desert before Ayacucho, Peru
Descending to Ayacucho, Peru	Ayacucho Plaza, Peru	Ayacucho Plaza, Peru

Lima, to MarcaValle, To Ayacucho

We arrived in Cusco on Monday and started looking for ways to get to Machu Picchu on Tuesday morning.  There are many travel agencies offering train or bus tickets along with tours and a hotel. For two nights they claim to have train tickets which leave in the afternoon and return the following day in the evening.  The quoted price was $270 per person which went down to $240. Others had found the same length tours that included enough time on both days to see Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu (the lesser site) for $220.

So instead we went to the Inca Rail (on De Sol avenue) and Peru Rail (further downhill on De Sol avenue behind the Centro Artenasias market) and were quoted about $110 for Inca Rail and $68 from Peru Rail (by leaving in the evening and returning the following day in the evening – evening tickets are much cheaper).  Then to the INC (Insituto Nacional de Cultura) office (1 block over from De Sol about 3 blocks uphill from Inca Rail) to buy the entrance tickets to the site itself – 126 Soles each ticket.

Since the floods there is only limited service by train and they don’t leave from Cusco anymore but 2-3 hours by bus away at Piscacucho.  The bus service (private microbuses) were arranged through a travel agency for 25 Soles each way.   A hotel is needed in Aguas Calientes (town nearest Machu Picchu) for the night – we reserved Terrazas Del Inca for $40 for a double room including breakfast and train station pickup/drop-off.

The other option is to get yourself to Santa Teresa by motorcycle or car (apparently the landslides have taken out the direct route – see below).  This would remove the $68 pp train ticket but the other costs would be the same.

Costs per person using the train but not an agency:

• $68 (night trains)
• $40 (hotel)
• $45 (entrance to site)
• $18 (bus to and from Piscacucho train station from/to Cusco)
• total: $171

From HorizonsUnlimited.com – April 15, 2010

I just rode from Cusco most of the way to Machu Pichu. First to Urubamaba then Ollantaytambo (sp) then to Santa Maria, then Santa Theresa on very challenging road. Then leave the bike and get a ride in a collectivo to cable car, ride accross the river with two others, walk 4 km. to hydroelectric plant where the rail runs, then catch a train to aquas caliente some 8 km. or so away. Then walk up the hill to Machu Pichu (we had no guide) or take the bus. Many people walk the tracks from the hydroelectric to Aquas Caliente because of scheduling factors (and they do not let tourists on the morning trains).
The main road to Sta Theresa was closed and we took alternate scenic route which was just passable (BMW R100 GS and KLR). We crossed water running over roads that was over two feet deep.
But lots of fun. Better than taking a train full of tourists from CUsco to Machu Pichu which is what 95% of visitors do.
Lots of hostals and such in Santa Maria and Santa Theresa, and Aquas Caliente. We travelled over about 80 km of gravel/dirt roads.

From MotoAdventureGal on the Southbound Digest, Vol 12, Issue 8

This first week of April (surrounding MP re-opening) I’ve found Cuzco to be full of lies and misinformation. I could not even get decent answers out of the tourist agency, which “should” be impartial (and which told me the only way to get there was to take the $220 vistadome train from Ollantaytamo to Aguas Calientes!!!) and that I would not be sold a MP ticket if I did not have RT train ticket. (The tour I booked, however, did not involve a train, and I WAS able to get in, through the agency, which told me that only a few agencies were allowed to get MP tickets without train tickets.) I went to ask directlly at the train station, and there were 60 people in line ahead of me. I left disgusted. A fellow motoorbiker had found a tour that seemed reasonable, and I booked it with him since I would have otherwise had to wait a week+ for a train ticket.

I just got back from a 4 day / 3 night tour.Originally Eden & I’d planned to ride to Sta Teresa and meet the group, hike in from Sta Teresa because the train is still not running to there (it currently only goes to Hidroelectrica, $8 one way), then hike back to Sta teresa and ride out. I did not do this because I crashed and munched my L hand, so I took their transport, and let me tell you the hiking was a bitch after sitting on my bupkis the last 17,000 miles! Folks all along the way were disorganized, also full of lies, the tourguides were misinformed, and just pain sucked. And I am not here complaining about the natural  disasters–such as the landslides that closed the road from Sta teresa to Hidroelectrica so we had to walk an ectra day, or the landslide on the way back that closed the road for an hour. Other folks experienced lanslides that kept them int heir cars overnight etween towns, the cable cars crossing the rivers were wometime blocked off due to further erosion.

My best advice would be to go in May. That gives these folks a month to get organized, plus another rmonth for things to dry out a bit. eEeryone in town is talking about the corruption of Peru Rail, and how they have a monopoly, and how they are not allowing locals to bring much up on the cargo train, so there are only a few restaurants offering meals at Aguas calientes. I did get food, but hey now, I paid 39 soles for a burger and a chicha at MP proper ~$15)

Oh and while transporation is the key to getting to MP, I saw, count ‘em, FIVE people working on the road to Hidroelectrica.

BTW, trains are not currently running frm Cuzco to Aguas Calientes–only Ollantaytambo to Cuzco.

Two days ago I met two riders saying they were gong to ride to Aguas Calientes. I do not think this is possible, but I would love to be proven wrong–if you are on this list Steve and Larry Simpson, send in your $0.02

Lonely Planet’s Thorntree Forums South America section has ‘sticky’ thread about Machu Picchu with latest visitor experiences.

Woven Reed Boats, Huanchaco, Peru

I woke up at 6am determined to make it to Lima early and drove down the sometimes four lane and restricted access portion of the PanAmericana – alternatively sweating (when it wound far from the Pacific) and comfortable.

On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru

As I approached a roundabout noting the two police 4×4′s stationed on either side I slowed to about 85 km/hour as I passed the 45 km/hour limit sign.   I was then waved down by the policeman whereupon we had the following conversation:

Are you Peruvian?

No. I’m from Canada.

You were registered going at 70km/hour (motioning towards the 4×4 presumably containing a radar speed gun) and it’s a 30 km/hour zone.

Nope!

Yes, you were!

No, I was going at 50 km/hour and anyway the sign says 45km/hour, not 30 km/h.

Do you have any money from Canada (is it the USD)?  Would you give us a voluntary fee of $20 USD for gasoline for the police truck?

No the money is not the same. I don’t have any with me as I’m driving all the way south, I hope to get to Argentina.

No chance then? Ok. Shakes my hand and says Good Luck.

On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru

I stopped at the Reserva Nacional Lomas de Lachay park and since no one was at the gate, drove into the park -it was supposed to be a miniature cloud forest in the local foggy micro-climate. I wasn’t much to look at…

North of Lima Sand Cliffs, Peru

Approaching Lima I was pulled over by one of the 30 or so policemen waving down as many cars as they could.  He wanted to see my documents (insurance wasn’t produced or requested) and was happy with my passport, migracion card, and motorcycle import permit.  So I drove through the thick and dirty Lima traffic to arrive at about 11:30 at the Kokopelli Hostal on Calle Berlin in the trendy/yuppie neighbourhood of Miraflores, near the sea.

North of Lima Sand Cliffs, Peru

Reserva Nacional Lomas de Lachay, Peru	North of Lima Sand Cliffs, Peru	North of Lima Sand Cliffs, Peru	Miraflores, Lima
Kokopelli Hostal Late Afternoon, Miraflores, Lima	Miraflores, Lima	Miraflores, Lima	Woven Reed Boats, Huanchaco, Peru
Woven Reed Boats, Huanchaco, Peru	Woven Reed Boats, Huanchaco, Peru	Woven Reed Boats, Huanchaco, Peru	Huanchaco, Peru
Huanchaco, Peru	Huanchaco, Peru	On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru	On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru
On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru	On The PanAmericana Huanchaco to Barranco, Peru

Huanchaco, Barranco, To Lima, Peru

]]> http://tripdown.regioncoding.com/2010/04/endless-panamerican-more-police-mordidas-to-lima-peru/feed/ 2 http://tripdown.regioncoding.com/2010/04/kuelap-ruins-from-chachapoyas-peruvian-motorcyle-insurance-shakedown-and-back-on-the-gringo-trail-at-huanchaco-on-the-peruvian-coast/ http://tripdown.regioncoding.com/2010/04/kuelap-ruins-from-chachapoyas-peruvian-motorcyle-insurance-shakedown-and-back-on-the-gringo-trail-at-huanchaco-on-the-peruvian-coast/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 04:00:31 +0000 Gauchito Gil http://tripdown.regioncoding.com/?p=944 On Chessi and I’s first full day in Chachapoyas Chessi wanted to go to the Kuelap Ruins, a fortress with three keyhole-type entrances (one apparently resembling a giant vulva) situated on a ridge about 3000m high overlooking the Utcubamba valley.    The drive follows the river on a decent dirt road at about 400m for 30kms or so and then branches off through the mountains passing through the town of Maria before continuing another 14km up to Kuelap, where parking and an entrance of $4 USD is required.  We spent about 3 hours there making sandwiches, torturing the llamas’s (I thought they were Alpacas but a local farmer said the llamas have longer ears) until they were ready to spit, and generally lolling about trying to catch our breath.

From the Kuelap Ruins, Peru

Kuelap Ruins - Outer Wall, Peru

Alpaca Training, Keulap Ruinas, Peru

We were planning to beat the scheduled road-closure at 10am by leaving Chachapoyas for the coast at 8am.  But the night clerk told us at 11pm that the road would be closed from 6am-12 noon, making our trip to the coast not possible or at least pleasant. So, being 1 hour from the closure point we had to get up at 4:30am groggily to get there.  The worst part was that the canyon just outside of Chachapoyas was really dramatic and we would be driving it in the dark.

Canyon Near Chachapoyas, Peru

We drove quickly and made it through the closure point with about 3 minutes to spare.   It became light but we had again missed getting photos and so kept going, driving through landslides, endless construction projects and stopped in a valley for $0.20 mangos.

Stop Before The Western Cordillera, Peru

The road then left the central Andes valley and rose over the lowest pass in Peru (at ~2,200m) and the dry rocky landscape suddenly was enveloped in cloud and as the surrounding mountains re-appeared they were verdant. The quick descent to the coastal plain revealed a third, less desirable, Peruvian landscape.   We discussed it afterward struggling to find the right description, so offered were:

• after a nuclear attack
• Planet of the Apes
• Mad Max

Aliens in Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero

Hot, dry, and dusty, the windblown dessert was sprinkled liberally with refuse, half-built walls painted with advertising (Coca-cola, political campaign ads, etc), and shanty-towns made of black plastic sheets and/or reeds.  The shanty-villages seem to be some of the poorest ‘housing’ settlements I’ve ever seen.   One garbage pile that stretches for hectares had two ‘houses’ built from garbage within it, one with a tattered Canadian flag stuck on top.  Eventually the unpleasant contaminated desert gave way to a more deserted area full of dunes and dramatic rocky mountains. I suggested going into the desert and Chessi seemed to agree (through a helmet and across the Pan-Americana highway), and quickly both of us were almost stuck in the deep sand.

Getting Out of Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Peru

We were both exhausted as we neared Trujillo and stopped before a police checkpoint to take a photo. When we started again we were (naturally) pulled over by the police. They demanded insurance papers – seemingly knowing that it’s not required to have them to get the temporary import papers at the border for the bike.   I produced my expired (by 3 months) Mexican insurance and assured the policeman it was valid worldwide. Chessi wasn’t so lucky and didn’t have any papers to show him, so after 20 minutes of arguing, him reading the traffic regulations to us, and threatening to take us to Huanchacho (our beachside destination near Trujillo) to the police station, he finally let us go with Chessi promising to buy insurance in the morning.  It seems that motorcycle insurance is required for driving in Peru even though they don’t sell it at the La Balsa border crossing or mention anything about it when bringing your motorbike in.   Stated official fine: 430 Soles (~$140 USD), although I think the policeman was just fishing for a bribe and when it wasn’t offered couldn’t be bothered writing the ticket.

Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero

Travel time: 14 hours (Chachapoyas to Huanchaco)

Chessi Rounding Curve to Kuelap, Peru	Chessi Rounding Curve to Kuelap, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Alpaca, Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Alpaca Training, Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Alpaca, Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Descending from Maria Near Kuelap, Peru	Roadside Bikes, Peru
Roasting Pigs, Peru	Interested Children, Peru	Mudslide, Peru	La Balsa, Ecuador Peru Border
Finally at Pavement after two days, Peru	Descending to the Amazon, Peru	Canyon Near Chachapoyas, Peru	Canyon Near Chachapoyas, Peru
Tingo to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Tingo to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Chessi Rounding Curve to Kuelap, Peru	Chessi Rounding Curve to Kuelap, Peru
Tingo to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Tingo to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Kuelap Ruins, Peru
Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Kuelap Ruins, Peru
Alpaca, Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Vermiliads, Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Vermiliads, Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Alpaca, Kuelap Ruins, Peru
Alpaca, Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Road to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Road to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Alpaca, Kuelap Ruins, Peru
Alpaca, Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Alpaca, Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Alpaca Training, Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Alpaca, Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru
Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Keulap Ruinas, Peru	Sunset on Road to Kuelap Ruins, Peru	Descending from Maria Near Kuelap, Peru
Stop Before The Western Cordillera, Peru	Waterfalls, Peru	Descending from the western Cordillera, Peru	Near Pimentel, Peru
Near Pimentel, Peru	Restaurant Absurd Poster, Peru	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero
Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero
Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero	Las Dunas, Panamerican South of Chiclayo, Pero

Chachapoyas, Kuelap, to Huanchaco Peru

Not For Highway Use, Duro Knobby Tire

Chessi and I got out of Cuenca the following day heading  to Vilcabamba.  The road climbed to about 3500m and kept threatening rain but we kept avoiding it.   Nice views and nice empty winding road as it passed through very dusty and remote towns heading south through Ecuador.   These blowtorched pigs in the process of being scraped made for an entertaining stop – the first time I’ve taken photos of people without asking first.

Blowtorch and Scraped Pigs, Before Loja, Ecuador

The road was dramatic as it descended into a desert canyon and then climbed out the other side – we decided to stage a riding photo – without much success.

Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador

Staged Corner, Above Loja, Ecuador

We arrived at Hotel Izhcayluma where we had a double bed room for $12 USD each. The hotel is more of a resort (with bar, pool table, ping-pong table, restaurant) on the hills overlooking Vilcabamba – highly recommended.   The setting in a valley is beautiful with an excellent climate and both Chessi and I wished we had spent less time in Cuenca and Banos and more time there. The town and people aren’t even spoiled by tourism (yet!).

Main Plaza Vilcabamba, Ecuador

Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador

We left Vilcabamba with the best intentions of reaching the Peru-Ecuador border crossing of Las Balsas and beyond to Chachapoyas, Peru (well I did – Chessi was already skeptical we would make it).  When we left town the road quickly degraded with construction projects delaying our way and then climbing into a cloud forest with the requisite rain, mud, giant holes, waterfalls, and washouts.  We passed a touring group of about 5 bikers (possibly German) on Africa Twin bikes. They looked fatigued as they asked about the rest of the road from where we had come.

Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador

The road descended into a valley and followed the river along dramatically steep sides sun, rain, heat, and humidity.  As I rounded yet another corner to face yet another barking and bike-chasing dog, my back wheel slid out in a deep rut of mud and the dog latched onto my leg and despite wearing thick riding trousers over jeans, punctured the skin on my ankle.  I shook off the dog and furiously yelled at it.  It cowered from Chessi as he rounded the corner behind me.

Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador

We arrived in Zumba to find it another 1 hour to the Peruvian border at Las Balsas on a crap road that the Lonely Planet said was a 10 minute bus ride. When we arrived at 6pm (about 10 hours motorcycle ride from Vilcabamba) at the Las Balsas border the Ecuadorian border people were apparently playing beach volleyball by the river.  Others appeared and asked me for a cigarette and processed out personal and bike exit papers within minutes.  We then drove across a grass covered bridge into Peru where we were greeted by a slick Peruvian Migracion fellow sporting shorts and a t-shirt.  He did our entry for 90 days and asked for $1 USD each – when Chessi asked he said it was for all the children of Peru.   Then we went to Aduana (customs) for the bike import papers.  This was manned by a deaf old codger who we had to dictate the various pieces of information from our licenses and bike papers.  He took 1 hour to do the paper work – which we ended up filling out ourselves.  He told me to sign the back and after I did told me sternly that if I overstayed my visa the bike belonged to Peru – I laughed and he re-iterated it belonged to Peru.

Aduana Idiot, La Balsa, Peru

We spent the night just across the border in a mostly horrid town of Namballe, where the locals stared and talked about us while we were standing in front of them – the recompense may have been the moldy room and beds for $2.50 USD each.  Determinedly, we left town at 7:50am to get to Chachapoyas (a touristy town in the Eastern Andes of Northeast Peru).  The route took about 10 hours – multiple construction sites after Jaen and 4 hours of drill-like stones and mud beforehand from the Peruvian border.  The highlight was the majestic canyon that exists for 1.5 hours driving before Chachapoyas – unfortunately I was too tired and worried about running out of gasoline (we hadn’t changed enough money) to take pictures – will probably retrace our route to Jaen anyway in two days.

Towards Jaen, Amazon River, Peru

Chachapoyas, Peru

Not For Highway Use, Duro Knobby Tire	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador	Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador
Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador	Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador
Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador	Cuenca to Loja, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador
Blowtorch and Scraped Pigs, Before Loja, Ecuador	Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador	Blowtorch and Scraped Pigs, Before Loja, Ecuador	Muddy Boots towards Zumba, Ecuador
	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador	Staged Corner, Above Loja, Ecuador	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador
Staged Corner, Above Loja, Ecuador	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador	Staged Corner, Above Loja, Ecuador	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador
Staged Corner, Above Loja, Ecuador	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador	Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Muddy towards Zumba, Ecuador
Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador	Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador
Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador	Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador
Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador	Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Towards Zumba, Ecuador
Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Zumba, Ecuador	Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Zumba, Ecuador
Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador
Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador	Leaving Vilcabamba for Zumba, Ecuador	Church Above Vilcabamba, Ecuador
Zumba Love!, Ecuador	Zumba, Ecuador	Outside Zumba, Ecuador	Outside Zumba, Ecuador
La Balsa, Ecuador Peru Border	Aduana Idiot, La Balsa, Peru	Outside Nambullo, Peru	Towards Jaen, Amazon River, Peru
Towards Jaen, Amazon River, Peru	Towards Jaen, Amazon River, Peru	Towards Jaen, Amazon River, Peru	Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru
Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru	Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru	Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru	Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru
Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru	Construction, Towards, Chachapoyas, Peru	Chachapoyas, Peru

Cuenca to Vilcabamba, Ecuador to Las Balsas and Chachapoyas, Peru GPX Tracks