Macará to Trujillo
The border crossing at Macará was free of charge, free of red tape and free of crowds. After 92 not entirely flat kilometres, in 38 degrees of heat, we reach the town of "Tambo Grande". Our arrival in this small town of 20,000 people is dominated by a 20-metre-wide passage under a barrel and an abrupt change from asphalt to fine dust centimetres deep. Several kilometres before the town we had already noticed the many three-wheeled "tuk-tuks". They dominate the streets, making up 90% of all passenger and goods vehicles. On these converted 125 - 200 cc motorbikes, with seats and room for loads, everything gets transported: families of five, schoolchildren, pigs and goats, and whatever else fits on the back.
And somewhere for us to sleep? We ask: "¿Dónde hay un hotel?" The answer: "Este es un hotel – es el mejor de la ciudad" (this is a hotel – the best in town). Great! First we carry all our luggage and the bikes up 60 steps to the 2nd floor. The room: a missing window pane, a door with a generous hole in the wall beside it for ventilation, damp, hot, mouldy….. and the fan on its wobbly legs had to be repaired first, so we could sleep at all.
Without breakfast (chicken with rice 3 times a day is too much for us), we leave Tambo Grande heading for Chulucanas. It turns into one of the most adventurous short stretches ever, just 38 kilometres. Yesterday's dusty roads have turned into mud tracks overnight. The choice on offer was 3 days on asphalt or 1 day on a dirt road. We decide on the short route. After 2 kilometres of bumpy track, dotted with countless mud puddles, nothing moves any more. Wheels, drivetrain and brakes all jam. A sticky mixture of water and sand has built up between the mudguards and the tyres, and it keeps getting harder. We wait at the roadside for a lift and soon find room on a pickup where 4 people are already sitting.
All sorted? Far too easy!
After 16 kilometres our ride comes to an end. The driver apologises: this river can't be crossed by car, he will try to call his brother on the other side. Shortly afterwards, a tractor rattles through the water. Load everything on and change banks. The front wheels sink, the alternator scoops up water…. if only this goes well! On the other bank there is no stop; instead we are driven another 300 metres behind a house. Only here are we unloaded, and being told to disappear as quickly as possible makes it clear to us that the situation here could be "dicey" for us. This crossing cost us 10 soles (3 USD), which we handed over to the farmer with relief. At the next "washing facility", a puddle in the road, we remove the mud baked hard by the blazing sun and ride on.
No! After 3 kilometres another river has to be crossed. Instead of a tractor, mules with two-wheeled carts are now used. The crossing is supposed to cost 2 soles per mule (about 80 centimes). Once on the other bank, we pay. It soon turns out that we gave the money to the "wrong" driver, and the "mule owner" now wants to be paid. Cost: 6 soles – what the heck! Our stomachs are rumbling; let's quickly get the remaining kilometres behind us so we can eat soon.
This can't be true! There are 2 more rivers to cross. Not as deep or as fast-flowing, but still: shoes off, and carry the panniers and bikes piece by piece across the water. Although the brown road soup is gradually firming up, we still ride through mud holes as deep as our rims. Slowly we get closer to civilisation again. By now it is already 16:00. Have we arrived? By chance we notice the word "Chulucanas" on a rubbish bin standing by the road. The hotel is just around the corner, and we move into our room. Shower, change, our first steps outside the hotel, and what…..? An interview with us? A reporter from the local radio asks us for a chat, holding out his voice recorder. We are happy to agree and tell him about our journey….. and to top it all, our departure in 2 days is to be documented and filmed by the television.
What a day! Our well-earned sleep doesn't last long. Several crickets that have fallen through the wide-meshed ventilation grille get on our nerves with their chirping. Without further ado, we change rooms. A big mistake: the street noise at night in the room next door is unbearable. In the end we prefer to put up with the crickets and move back, because there is nothing better. At 23:00 this day finally comes to an end.
There is nothing special to report about the stretch Chulucanas – Olmos – Chiclayo. The next 3 days are all about pedalling as many kilometres as possible. Up to Motupe everything is green and farmed; after that we see a sudden change to drought and dry, hard-baked ground. The temperature is between 35 – 39 degrees, and the closer we get to the Pacific coast, the stronger the headwind. There is a constant south-westerly wind, which slows us down to 13 km/h for the last 40 kilometres and takes an enormous amount of effort.
In Chiclayo we take a "day off" to prepare the rest of the route.
From Chiclayo to Trujillo there are 220 kilometres to cover through desert. The Pan-American Highway, with only a few changes of direction, takes us between dunes and the odd rocky outcrop, and above all through vast expanses of sand without any vegetation. Between the settlements there are usually 50 kilometres of uninhabited land with nowhere to buy anything. Relieved by the "bad" weather, we get to cross this otherwise scorching wasteland under cloud, without a headwind, and with the odd cooling shower. After 108 kilometres we reach the town of Pacasmayo on the Pacific. A place we can recommend! With excellent food and a cosy hotel right on the beach, we enjoy the rest of the afternoon. The remaining 112 kilometres to Trujillo are largely unspectacular, apart from a few rice and sugar cane fields where irrigation is possible.
Trujillo, with its tempting reputation as the city of "eternal spring", is Peru's third-largest city (1.5 million inhabitants). As in most larger cities, the traffic here is "Wild West". Very few traffic lights control the traffic. Honking and pushing decide who goes first. Anyone who doesn't "play along" gets left behind and arrives late. It seems as if the little ones are given a horn in their cradle before they can even walk. With whistles we get the attention we need and fight our way successfully through the chaos.
For once without stress, we prefer to spend a day of archaeology and culture on the back seat of a taxi (30 USD). We visit the Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), the Museo de Sitio, the Palacio Tschudi, the Huaca del Dragón or Templo Arco Iris (Rainbow Temple), and Chan Chan. The Huaca del Sol (Temple of the Sun), the largest pyramid ruin, is not yet open to the public. A "huaca" is a burial site or a pyramid-like sanctuary, usually dedicated to the moon. The smaller Temple of the Moon, with an English-speaking guide, brought us closer to the culture of the Moche, who lived around 200 AD, and we liked it best. The Moche built the highest adobe pyramids in South America. Even today, houses are still built with mud blocks (adobe bricks), usually combined with fired bricks. The ruins of Chan Chan, of the "Chimú" who lived around 1000 AD, are surely fascinating for archaeologists, but for us they were rather weathered, washed-out remains of an old coastal kingdom.
We end the 4-hour tour in Huanchaco, 10 kilometres north-west of Trujillo. Here on the beach you can watch the reed boats (caballitos de totora), which look a bit like standing stones and are hired out as a tourist attraction. They share the breaking Pacific waves with the modern boards of the surfers. A tip: enjoy some fish specialities in a nearby restaurant.
The die is cast, and we have made our decision:
The Lima – Huancayo railway is a technical marvel built by the Chinese (1870 – 1893). With a length of only 160 kilometres, it has the highest railway station, at 4,781 metres above sea level. Our research into the reopening of this railway confirms two tourist trips a month. Getting the sought-after tickets is not easy, and for us they can only be booked in Lima. So we decide to take the bus (8 hours) straight to Lima to reserve 2 seats in time. From the terminus in Huancayo we will "carry on cycling" over 4 passes and 637 kilometres to Abancay.
Lima
In the comfortable coach of "LINEA", we reach Lima after 8 hours, mostly through uninhabited desert. The "Nacional 1" runs right through the "pueblos jóvenes" (slums) and the most troubled districts of Lima. Choosing the bus, with the bikes in the luggage hold, spares us the stress of riding into this sprawling city of 7 million people.
The districts that are safe for tourists (at least during the day) are Miraflores, with hotels, restaurants and elegant shops. There is also good accommodation in San Isidro. The centre, the "Ciudad Histórica", with most of the sights, appealed to us most, and here you can also find accommodation (not only backpacker hostels) for every budget.
A walking tour of the old town takes about 6 hours and gives you an illuminating impression of colonial and present-day Lima. On Sundays, when most of the city's people are at the beach, the centre seems deserted, which is when you get the best photos. A good starting point is the newly restored and most beautiful square in the city, the Plaza Mayor. This is also where the processions and military parades take place, with the historic buildings as a backdrop.
No other South American city offers a greater variety of museums and exhibitions than Lima.
We especially recommend:
The National Museum, which presents the different cultures of ancient Peru from the beginnings up to the Inca period.
The "Museo del Oro" is considered the richest in South America after the Gold Museum in Bogotá. It displays the magnificent gold treasures of the Chimú and Inca cultures.
The church of San Francisco, built in 1546, and the Franciscan monastery attached to it (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are among the most beautiful and largest colonial buildings in Lima. The monastery is famous for its many tiled murals, its stucco ceilings, its historic writings and above all its catacombs. In 1951, underground passages were discovered that lead to catacombs more than 300 years old. Until 1808, more than 70,000 dead were buried in them. A guided tour (unfortunately photos are not allowed) shows us neatly sorted and stacked skulls and bones.
The rural exodus from the highlands to Lima is an acute problem in Peru. The districts "Cono Sur, Cono Norte and Cono Este" surround the city and stretch far into the desert hills. It is a dreary picture of reed and tin shacks and unfinished stone buildings. About a third of Lima's inhabitants live here, in the shimmering hot desert sand. There is not enough running water, and the electricity supply is poor. The "newcomers" hope for better living conditions in Lima. They are wrong! Many hire themselves out as labourers, scrap collectors, porters or street vendors on the streets of Lima.
The absolute top favourite is a ride on the "Tren". The Lima – Huancayo railway is a technical marvel, planned by Henry Meiggs and built by the Chinese between 1870 and 1893. It is the highest railway line, with the highest station, "Galera", at 4,781 metres above sea level. Before Galera is the longest tunnel on the 160-kilometre line, at 1,117 metres. Up to Huancayo the train crosses 45 bridges and goes through 67 tunnels and over 1,000 curves and switchbacks. Many of the steep climbs are tackled by reversing (zigzagging). Until 1992 a passenger train left Lima station every day and reached Huancayo after a 12-hour journey. Since 1998 there have again been occasional tourist excursion trains, now twice a month.
Unfortunately we had no chance of getting two of the sought-after tickets. The train had already been fully booked for 2 weeks. So we leave Lima heading south, through the hectic streets and suburbs, making for Paracas and the Islas Ballestas.
Tip: always show your passport with your entry papers. That way you get the room at the net price without having to pay the 19% VAT. Taxis are cheap and always better than public transport.
More information about Lima can be found at: www.munlima.gob.pe
Important information for getting "Tren tickets":
WONG market or METRO market in Lima
or directly at www.fcca.com.pe , email: reservas@fcca.com,pe , tel: 226 63 63 222
Bus travel in Peru: www.adonde.com/turismo/buses.php
Islas Ballestas, the Huacachina oasis and the Nazca Lines
As a "substitute" for the Galápagos Islands, which we didn't visit, we decide to go on a wildlife-watching tour by boat. This much cheaper option was a great experience and gave us a relaxing day out. The Paracas Peninsula and the Islas Ballestas, with a total area of 335,000 hectares, form the Paracas National Reserve. There you find plenty of sea lions, blue-footed boobies, pelicans, penguins and other marine mammals. On the peninsula there is also a large geoglyph, the "Candelabro de Paracas", which is similar to the Nazca Lines. The candelabra of Paracas probably served as a landmark for seafarers to navigate by.
Pisco: on 15 August 2007, an earthquake destroyed 85% of this picturesque little colonial town. In this magnitude 8.0 earthquake, which lasted an unusually long 2 minutes, more than 500 people died and 1,500 were injured. In the town's largest church, San Clemente, alone, over 90 people died. All that remained of the church were two stone columns and the dome. The archaeological treasures and cultural monuments of the Ica region were badly affected. In the museums of Ica and Paracas, walls collapsed and display cases were destroyed. Valuable archaeological objects, including mummies from early Peru, suffered irreparable damage. The bizarre rock formations in the Paracas nature reserve were badly damaged, and one of the most famous, the "Cathedral", has disappeared. To this day, Pisco still consists of many fields of rubble, and the damage has still not been fully cleared up.
The Huacachina oasis
Just 5 kilometres west of Ica lies the Huacachina oasis, said to be known for its healing waters. For us, this little desert resort is a chance to "hang out" a bit and watch the sandboarders. The many dune buggies, carrying up to 20 passengers, can't be missed with their deafening noise. Huacachina offers plenty of accommodation from 3 – 200 US dollars in a surprisingly small area.
Huacachina - Palpa (100 km)
After the first 15 kilometres, at Santiago, there is the last "sure" chance to stock up before the 60-kilometre desert crossing. After 50 kilometres (half the day's distance) 2 radio masts come into view, and there are 2 "kiosks" there with drinks and limited food. Whether these huts will still be standing in future is questionable. What is certain, though, is that we need 0.75 litres of fluid per hour per person. The 60-kilometre desert crossing, almost all of it dead straight, with no shade and 43 degrees of heat, took us 3 hours. Ideally, you set off at sunrise, at 6 o'clock. In total we needed 5 hours from Huacachina to Palpa. The route includes 3 climbs with a total of 500 metres of ascent, a 200-metre tunnel, and a bumpy track down the mountain, dropping 250 metres, to Río Grande. At the Hospedaje Foursbi in Palpa we spend a sleepless night to the sound of disco music (every Saturday), and only find out at breakfast that there are other places to stay in town.
The Nazca Lines
On the way to Nazca (25 kilometres after Palpa) we visit the Maria Reiche Museum. Maria Reiche (1903 – 1998) is known for uncovering the Nazca Lines. The museum, her former home, seems a little run-down to us, and the exhibition rather thin. For the next 30 kilometres we ride right over these scratched images without noticing a thing. A viewing platform gives us the chance to photograph 2 of these mysterious glyphs. In Nazca, countless travel agencies offer sightseeing flights in "Cessnas". An experience of 35 – 60 minutes (60 – 90 US dollars) that needs careful thought. People with sensitive stomachs or a fear of flying are strongly advised against this adventure. As compensation, we recommend a visit to the "Museo Regional de Ica", where the model of the Nazca Lines gives a better overview than from the air. Postcards replace the photos that couldn't be "shot" because of nausea.
Nazca to Cusco
Now we have to cross the "Cordillera Occidental". Several passes up to 4,300 metres high and altiplanos at 4,500 metres lie ahead of us. A brutally tough undertaking over 455 kilometres from Nazca to Abancay. The 155-kilometre stretch from Nazca to Puquio, with 2,600 metres of climbing, a road with countless hairpin bends, is considered extremely difficult and dangerous. Lorries and buses, which have to cut the corners for lack of space, labour up the mountain and leave a cyclist no room at all. What's more, according to the locals the top of the pass is at 5,000 metres, so altitude sickness is another danger for us. So we decide to take a taxi, a minibus, and get ourselves some "soroche pills" to survive the rapidly rising altitude and the Abra Condorcenca without problems. With every metre we gain in height, it gets greener, and the picture of "grey elephant backs" gradually changes into lush pasture and dense vegetation. Unique, and a completely new experience for us. After 3½ hours we reach Puquio at 3,214 metres. 2 days of acclimatisation, buying supplies, getting advice from the locals and drawing up an elevation profile are what we need to get to Abancay.
Everything's ready, off we go. After 2 hours, grey clouds roll in; the almost daily afternoon rain will soon start, so we pitch our camp for the night at 3,700 metres. Tasty spaghetti is on the menu. Cooking at this altitude turns the pasta into a sticky lump. The sauce doesn't help much either, because by mistake we bought pizza sauce instead of tomato sauce. By now it has become bitterly cold, and at 18:00 we crawl into our sleeping bags. The first signs of altitude sickness don't let us rest. The hours until dawn seem endless.
The higher you go, the longer everything takes; breathing becomes laboured, and headaches are an unpleasant side effect. To ease these symptoms we chew coca leaves, ride on, and conquer the highest point at 4,500 metres. At this altitude you can't think straight any more, and you only take in the landscape in passing. Completely drained, and by now also suffering from nausea and nosebleeds, we get a small van to take us to the next village further down. It's too late to carry on at this time of day; dusk has already fallen.
At the only hospedaje in Pampamarca (4,000 metres) we get soup with something in it, biscuits for dessert, coca tea and a place to sleep. A room with no water, candlelight (electricity is too expensive) and a long-drop toilet behind the house: that's our bed for the night. Still, we are relieved to have found somewhere to stay, and we fall exhausted onto 2 sagging mattresses on an indefinable base. The department of Apurímac is considered the least developed region of Peru.
Altitude sickness didn't spare us either. Even the best preparation, with elevation profiles, distances and time planning, is no guarantee for cycle tourists of crossing these high plateaus without risk. To reach a lower region, we would have had to climb another 500 metres. The coach in the early morning hours comes in very handy. In a comfortable reclining seat in first class, with the bikes stowed in the luggage hold, we reach Chalhuanca at 2,900 metres. Free of symptoms, we now let our bikes roll 100 kilometres downhill without any effort. Only now can we enjoy the landscape again. A liberating feeling, and a reward for all the hardships we've been through. After a final climb of 400 metres (nothing comes for free) we reach Abancay at 2,360 metres. We are looking forward to a shower, a "proper bed" and above all some peace and quiet. A wedding party, in a makeshift marquee in the hotel car park, with a 10-piece band, celebrates until 3 in the morning. Better a live band than distorted disco music: we celebrate when there's a party.
Route description Abancay - Cusco
From the centre of Abancay there is a steep climb of 400 metres. After 25 kilometres, at 3,400 m above sea level, you can get food (drinks) at a hamlet. Only after another 5 kilometres, at 3,600 m, is camping possible. Abancay (2,400 m) to Abra Sorccacasa (4,000 m), 39 kilometres, takes 5 – 6 hours of riding. The weather can change at any time. You have to expect fog, rain and cold almost every day. At night the thermometer can drop to a bitter 5 degrees. From the top of the pass it's 34 kilometres down to Curahuasi and another 19 kilometres to the bridge over the "Río Apurímac" (1,900 m)! Then comes a climb of 700 metres over 27 kilometres to Limatambo (2,600 m). Camping in the gorge is not possible for 10 kilometres after the bridge because of falling rocks and "sandfly attacks". Accommodation is only available in Curahuasi and Limatambo, which are 46 kilometres apart. From Limatambo there is a steady climb to Abra Huillque (3,600 m). This is followed by a moderate descent to Cusco (3,430 m), with one more short climb of 300 m before the city. This stretch (Limatambo – Cusco) of 85 kilometres takes about 8 hours of riding. There are hotels in Cusco in every price range.
Many thanks to our friends:
To Christian for the „lift“ and the invitation for dinner at the Hotel Eco Inn
To Dr. Eduardo for the medicine and the information about cycling in the highlands
To Ty, a friendly biker, met at Ulrikes Cafe, thank's for postage, the excellent food and the „Cicling-Brownie-Bar
To Yerald Candia, Teambike, Bicycleshop in Cusco for the perfect service and repair of our two KOGA'S
Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Cusco, officially called Qosqo (centre), lies at 3,430 m above sea level and, because of its historical importance, is surely the most interesting city in South America. Once the "navel of the world" and the heart of the Inca empire, Cusco was just as rich and powerful as Rome. Cusco's charming townscape is shaped by colonial buildings and Inca walls. In the earthquake of 1650, only the foundation walls from the Inca period survived.
Cusco, firmly in the hands of tourism (1 million visitors a year), is something you have to experience for yourself. You should plan 1 – 2 days for a tour of the city (not counting the rest day for acclimatisation!). Anyone who buys the 10-day "Boleto Turístico del Cusco" (40 USD) to visit 6 museums and the 10 surrounding ruins should plan another day on top.
Trekking the 80 or 90-kilometre Inca Trail to Machu Picchu takes 3 – 4 days. A visit to the Inca city of Machu Picchu can be done in one day by train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, followed by a bus ride. But this day's programme is very stressful, because the train alone takes 8 hours there and back. So we recommend staying in Cusco for at least 6 days.
We put together a special "Machu Picchu programme" for ourselves, which can also be a great experience without a bike, by taxi, train and bus.
Equipped with the "Boleto Turístico", we leave Cusco on one of the main roads towards the Valle Sagrado (Sacred Valley). Here begins one of the most beautiful bike tours in South America, and along the way you get to know the most important Inca remains. About 200 metres of climbing, on cobblestones and in places so steep that pushing is the way to go, and we are at our first ruin, "Saqsaywaman". As at all accessible historic Inca sites, you should take your own photos before the tourist coaches roll in. Otherwise these unique buildings are hidden behind the bright colours of the latest "trekking fashion".
Over the next 20 kilometres come the ruins of Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. All these Inca buildings are close to the road, and entry is included in the "Boleto Turístico".
After the following 25-kilometre descent, we are in Pisac, at only 3,050 m. At first this place seems a little run-down and neglected to us, so we decide to ride on through. About 2 kilometres outside Pisac, towards Urubamba, we notice the beautiful, well-kept hotel "Inti Wasi". On the spur of the moment we decide to stay here. We take a taxi to the ruins of Pisac. In our view, these remains are just as worth seeing as Machu Picchu, but much cheaper, because entry is included in the Boleto Turístico. You should on no account miss the ruins of Pisac. We recommend allowing about 3-4 hours to visit the ruins and walk back down to Pisac afterwards. Make sure you are driven to the entrance by taxi (7 USD) before 14:00, because the walk back to the village takes at least 1½ hours. The afternoon sun is just right for photos, and the remaining warmth is enough to enjoy the walk down the valley without an "alpaca fur". This walk, with only a few tourists, was a real pleasure for us.
The next 60 kilometres to Ollantaytambo, the starting point for the train to Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo, went by quickly with a tailwind. The train ride from Ollantaytambo (2,850) to Aguas Calientes (2,040) takes 1½ hours.
Tip
If you have 3 nights (2 days) available, book 1 night in Ollantaytambo, one night in Aguas Calientes and one more night in Ollantaytambo. Leaving luggage at the hotels is no problem.
We recommend a "backpacker ticket"; check the departure times in the timetable.
If you can "get hold of" a student card, don't leave it at home, because there are discounts in many places.
What Machu Picchu costs
Train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes (return) 70 USD per person.
Bus Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu (return) 14 USD per person.
Entry to Machu Picchu 40 USD per person.
Important: take enough water and food with you, as it is hugely overpriced on site!
We don't want to say much about this UNESCO-protected wonder of the world, www.machupicchu.perucultural.org.pe. A visit to this very well-preserved Inca ruin is a "must" on any trip to Peru. For those who are still fit, with good footwear, no problems with altitude and absolutely no fear of heights, there is also the free climb up Wayna Picchu (2,667 m above sea level), 2½ hours there and back. Only 400 people are admitted each day, and they have to sign in and out. For us, this climb was the highlight of the day. For the rest of Machu Picchu, we "secretly" tagged along with a guided group of tourists. We skipped the taxi ride down and walked back for 1½ hours on the Inca path to Aguas Calientes, to take the train back to Ollantaytambo.
The next day we cycle back to Urubamba (2,900 m) to tackle the winding road over a pass at 3,800 m to Chinchero. The remaining ruins of Moray and Chinchero, Moray especially, are a bit too far off our route, so we let them "rest in peace". Besides, by now we are a little saturated with Inca architecture. After 190 kilometres from Cusco and 6 days through the Sacred Valley, we are warmly welcomed back and given a room at the Hotel Eco Inn. The bikes go in for a service, Claudia to the doctor because of an infection, and Alexandre for his final treatment at the dentist. We will spend our "rest day" writing the travel report and preparing the next stage, 345 km to Puno on Lake Titicaca.
Note: In our opinion, Machu Picchu is hugely overcrowded. Everyone wants to visit these ruins. An alternative is a 5-day/4-night trek to the ruins of Choquequirao, discovered in 1834 (only bookable in Cusco). The price is about 650 USD, all inclusive, and even 5 kg of your own luggage is carried by porters. We have experienced and seen "the must", Machu Picchu. If only we had had the courage, the cash and the right footwear, we would have chosen the trek to the ruins of Choquequirao. An outdoor experience in a small group, with reliable guides, closer to nature, and the experience of walking in the footsteps of the Incas would surely have been just as good. Next time this will definitely be our top excursion.
Cusco to Puno
Ahead of us lies a very beautiful stretch with a varied landscape. The Pan-American Highway runs alongside the railway line with a moderate gradient over the "Abra La Raya" (4,338 m above sea level). A short descent of about 300 metres brings us onto the altiplano, which stretches for 150 kilometres. The road winds without climbs at 3,900 metres through several side valleys, surrounded by snow-capped peaks of 5,000 – 6,000 metres. At these altitudes, the mountain ranges seem close enough to touch.
The highland farmers still work their meagre fields mostly with hook ploughs and digging spades. Herds of llamas, sheep and cattle are usually led through the pastures by Peruvian women and kept together by dogs. On this stretch, Cusco – Juliaca, the Indigenous people unfortunately don't "take kindly" to tourism and tend to greet us with dislike and incomprehension. This may be due to their isolation, illiteracy and lack of education. Just before Santa Rosa we spot some flamingos at a shallow lagoon. Amazing that these animals have found a home at 4,000 metres. Late in the evening, after 145 kilometres, we reach the town of Puno (3,830 m above sea level) on Lake Titicaca, with a little over 100,000 inhabitants.
Lake Titicaca, covering 8,000 km², is the highest navigable lake in the world. We visit the 33-metre-long "Yavari". This steel ship, completed in 1870 and once steam-powered, now lies at anchor as a museum near Puno for the foreseeable future. The first renovation has been completed; what's still missing is a new diesel engine costing 250,000 USD. When the Yavari will carry passengers across Lake Titicaca again is uncertain.
Interesting fact:
In 1862 the parts of the ship were shipped from London round Cape Horn to "Arica", to be carried on by rail from the Pacific to "Tacna" (550 m above sea level). Between there and Puno, where the ship was to be completed, lay the Andes, with heights of up to 4,850 metres, which had to be crossed. The ship, taken apart into 2,766 pieces, was carried by mules over 6 years to Lake Titicaca, at 3,250 metres. More at www.yavari.org
For the rest of the day we take a taxi to the nearby tourist attractions. The Condor, Inca and Puma viewpoints give us excellent views over the town and out to the reed islands. Another attraction is the Uros islands. A half-hour boat ride takes us, between countless reed beds, to the "floating" Uros islands. Always floating, the islands rise by 1 – 2 metres from December to March during the rainy season. The group is made up of 80 individual islands, tied by ropes to the dry zone, and there is even a school island among them. Each island is home to 8 – 9 families and is represented by a president, and all the islands together are governed by one president. The islanders live mainly from fishing. The food they don't have, such as potatoes and fruit, they get by trading fish. An Uros islander explains to us how an island is "built". First, 4 peat-like blocks are tied together. Several thousand blocks together form the load-bearing part of the island and reach up to 1 metre deep into the water. This base is covered with another metre of reeds. And the "land" is finished. A lookout, houses of woven reeds and a cooking place are built on top. The bundles of reeds on the islands have to be repaired every six months, a necessary task which the younger generation unfortunately neglects all too often, which is why even larger reed islands regularly sink in the lake. The individual islands can reach each other by "totora boats".
After 2 days we leave Puno heading for Bolivia. There are only 150 kilometres left to the border, along Lake Titicaca.
Between Cusco and Puno we meet more cycling globetrotters:
Dorothee & Sven; South America to Alaska: www.auf-radreise.de
Japanese Tandem Bikers, travelling around the world:www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~fumiya
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The cyclists coming from Alaska cross paths here in Peru with those coming from Patagonia. There's a good chance of meeting here, and it makes for a helpful exchange of experiences about the latest state of the routes.
After 2,000 kilometres we leave Peru with these memories:
Crossing rivers by tractor and donkey cart near Tambo Grande.
Idyllic Pacasmayo on the Pacific.
The Islas Ballestas nature reserve (a little Galápagos) with seals, penguins and loads of birds.
The Huaca del Sol and Chan Chan near Trujillo.
The capital, Lima: the Ciudad Histórica with churches, cathedrals and catacombs.
The Huacachina oasis: sand dunes and lots of tourism in a tiny space near the city of Ica.
The Nazca Lines on both sides of the Pan-American Highway after three days of riding through the desert.
Our camp at 3,800 m above sea level, and altitude sickness on the altiplano at 4,500 m.
Cusco, built on the remains of the Inca walls, and the starting point for the Sacred Valley.
A carnival and artesanía parade lasting several days.
The ruins of Pisac, followed by a 1½-hour walk down the valley to the village.
The "must" (?) Machu Picchu, with the climb up Wayna Picchu and the walk back to Aguas Calientes. Overrun by tourists! An alternative is the 5-day Choquequirao trek.
The most beautiful "Peru cycling route", from Cusco to Puno, with the Abra La Raya pass and the 150 km of altiplano that follow.
Sadly we didn't see any condors, but we did spot our first flamingos, at 4,000 m above sea level.
The boat trip from Puno to the floating "Uros islands", 80 raft-like "plots of land" built of reeds.
Lake Titicaca (60% Peru, 40% Bolivia), 13 times larger than Lake Constance, and at 3,850 m above sea level the highest navigable lake in the world.
Unfortunately:
The attractive Cusco – Puno route is in places (in 2009, 100 kilometres) a bumpy track of countless patches and potholes. We found this section extremely dangerous. The highland people meet tourism with hostility: children throw stones at bicycles, the adults "greet" us with loud swearing, and vehicles harassed us with reckless overtaking.
Biker info for the route Macará - Kasani
| - | Active (26 days of riding) | 2,012 kilometres |
| - | Transfer (bus, car) | 1,070 kilometres |
| - | Total climbing | 14,270 m |
| - | Average speed | 15.7 km/h |
| - | Riding time in motion | 128 hours |
