Cusco and Machu Picchu

We left Hauraz at 10pm on board our first overnight bus ride. Being late we both fell asleep within half an hour and 8 hours later we woke up already entering Lima. After a painfully slow 9 hour transit at the bus terminal it was time to board the bus for Cusco. This was a 20 hour bus ride back up into the mountains from the coast. The bus was a double decker and we had front row seats on level two which was great, although at times nerve racking as we could see the chaos of South American roads unfolding in front of us.

View from front row of bus

We arrived in Cusco feeling very jaded. Fortunately the bikes survived the rough treatment from the bus luggage handlers and we loaded them up and headed into the city with 1 hour to find a hostal before night fall.

Cusco is another picturesque, ancient South American city. What immediately struck us was the number of tourists swarming the streets. This is by far the most ‘touristy’ city we’ve visited, so therefore prices are inflated for everything and the streets are lined with incredibly annoying street vendors selling anything from sunglasses to massages.

Plaza de Armas - Cusco

It took a couple of days to recover from the bus ride before we were ready to make our way to the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. There were countless agencies in Cusco selling packages to Machu Picchu but on the recommendation of a friend we decided to make our own way there at a fraction of the cost. It turned out to be quite the adventure. It took 14 hours but after 2 buses, 2 taxis, a flying fox and a 3.5 hour walk along some train tracks in the dark (with a group of other cheapskates we met along the way) we made it to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu.

Very budget bus - dogs & chickens welcomed aboard

Not the widest of roads

Flying fox - awesome!

3.5 hr walk along the train tracks

The next morning we were up by 4am and climbing the hill to the entrance of Machu Picchu in time for sunrise. We were some of the first people inside and captured some rare photos of the incredible ruins before all those who caught the buses up the road flooded in. The ruins were truly spectacular and we spent the day exploring them until our legs could not take anymore walking.

Our return trip to Cusco was by the ‘normal’ train route. The train used to run all the way to Cusco but due to rain storms earlier this year the tracks are still under repair after some sections were washed into the river. The train currently only goes about one third of the way back then the rest is covered by bus. We were back in Cusco in less than half the time of getting there albeit at over three times the cost. The money saved getting to Machu Picchu was put to good use that night catching up with a group of seven kiwi mates and experiencing some Cusco nightlife.

We have had a few more days cruising around Cusco visiting the local markets but after a couple of weeks break from the bikes we are both eager to get back on the road. Tomorrow will start riding towards the Peru/Bolivian boarder taking in the sights around Lake Titicaca along the way.

10 Days in Huaraz, Peru

View from hostal roof

After a couple of days in Caraz we rode the final 75km to Huaraz. By this time another cyclist we had met in Trujillo, Enrique, had also made it to Caraz and we rode together. We had our first robbery experience on this ride, although not our stuff. Enrique somehow dropped his camera on the road about 20km from Caraz, he spun his bike and bob trailer around to pick it up off the road, but was too slow. In a matter of seconds, a truck heading in the opposite direction stopped, swiped the camera off the road and took off again. Unreal, such an opportunistic crime. Enrique went back to Caraz as some locals thought the truck would be heading to the markets, but he had no luck.

Local school girls

The road from Caraz to Huaraz was riddled with potholes of all shapes and sizes. The most nerve racking thing along this road was the constant stream of swerving traffic, busily avoiding potholes, and thankfully avoiding us as well. Other than that it was a beautiful ride, there where hardly any clouds, and we had views of beautiful mountains in the Cordillera Blanca. Ok, so the beautiful day lasted until the final stretch into Huaraz, where we hit a lightening and rainstorm, thankfully it was only 10km.

We met up again with Carmen and Renate (the German girls) who had managed to ride into Huaraz (from a town just past Caraz) on the same day. They arrived before the rain, lucky them! We all relaxed for a few days, then organised a mountain expedition together. After much shopping around various guide companies we booked in a trip up Mt Pisco, a 5800m peak, with no technical climbing involved.

Climbing group (Pisco in the background)

Trail to basecamp

Donkeys that lightened our load

Pisco was a 3 day expedition in total, the first day involved a long bumpy taxi ride into the national park.. From there we walked about 3.5 hours to base camp. We had beautiful weather and tremendous views of the peak we were to head up the next day. The next morning we were up at 1am, walking over tricky rocks and boulders by 2am. By 4am we hit the glacier, put on our helmets and crampons and started clambering up. We had 2 groups of 4, Ben with 2 guides and another Brazilian tourist, me with Carmen and Renate and one guide. I don’t think I have ever had such cold fingers in my entire life! Thankfully we warmed up a bit as we climbed, but as the sun rose we could see clouds up ahead that were not there the day before. After several hours of very slow arduous walking Ben’s group made it to the top, not that you could tell it was the top due to terrible weather conditions. Us girls decided to turn around, (we found out later we were only about 50m from the top!) but the weather was terrible and we could not see a thing. Then began the slog back to base camp. We all made it back unscathed, however on reflection we had a few concerns about the safety of the operation and made these points known to the guides. We all had some much needed rest and good food again in Huaraz!

Early morning

Bad weather

After a couple of days rest Ben and I booked a mountain bike trip with a great local guy, Julio. Julio started his mountain bike business in the early 90’s, and has had several kiwis ride with him over the years. After meeting at his shop and setting up the full suspension Specialized Rockhoppers, we taxied up another bumpy road for a hour. We rode a mixture of gravel road and single track, also passing through small villages, with amazing views and brilliant weather. The lack of oxygen in the air made itself known and the lungs got another good workout. We rode for several hours eventually making it back to town. Overall a really fun day, and something we will definitely do again in Peru and/or Bolivia.

Bike trail through someone's backyard

Julio (guide) and us

So, as I write this, I find myself tired, again! Tonight we bus to Lima, then onto Cusco, which will be our first long haul bus ride. We will say goodbye to Renate, Carmen and Christian (Carmen’s boyfriend, who is also cycle touring, and planning on riding into and around the Cordillera Blanca, insanely hilly and on gravel roads!). Hopefully we all meet again in Cusco as the girls are also heading in that direction. We hope to start cycling again from Cusco, we will keep you posted.

And then there were 3...

Petr was heading the same way as us, so we rode with him till Caraz. The three of us rode 15km out of Chau before taking a private gravel road for 50km.

Early morning riding in the desert

This road belongs to a Brazilian energy company and is gated at either end. The guard kindly opened the gate for us and off we went. This road was uninhabited apart from a few construction areas and aqua-ducts.

Start of private road

We joined back up to the public road and had 8km of tarseal to the next village of Chuquicara. Petr speaks fluent Spanish so he was fantastic. Since there were no hostals in this village (our original plan had been to camp on the private road before the village), Petr made friends with a restaurant owner who had an empty kiosk which she said we could sleep in for the night.

Restaurant/accommodation provider

Cosy and cramped but perfect. The ladies of the village invited us to play a volleyball match, and to our surprise they put money on the line, one sole (NZ 50c) per person to play, winning team takes all (which was not us).

Our ´3 person´cabin for the night

Washing off in Rio Santa

We left the next morning knowing we had a section of bad gravel road for a few kilometers. What we did not know was the bad gravel lasted the entire 55km of the day. This made the day before seem easy. Although not so far in distance, the day turned into a 7 hours of riding!

Through this canyon, there are several carbon mines, we heard a number of bomb blasts over the day, and saw a few miners along the way. The structures around the mines didn’t look very stable, and the miners were not wearing masks and were completely coated in black dust.

We slowly made our way through the canyon, and just as the energy levels where nearing rock bottom and the water was getting low, we hit a 5km hill into the village Yuramarca.

An exhausted Leanne

The next morning we rode to Caraz, through the Canon del Pato. This road was one of the highlights so far, we passed through 35 one lane tunnels over a 10km stretch.

This was a fantastic ride, with many stops to take photos. A little hairy at times when confronted with traffic in the tunnels, but all went well.

Happy to arrive in Caraz

Upon arriving in Caraz we met the 2 German girls from Trujillo. They had bussed to a village just before the Canon del Pato and rode up the same day. We still cant believe we have been with in 30 minutes of each other again! After dinner and beer with Renate and Carman (the German girls), we hung out with Petr for the rest of the night. He headed off early the next day whereas we are staying in Caraz for a couple of nights to rest and look around.

Next stop for us will be Huaraz.