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Pisac Sacred Valley.
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Peru
The crossing from Ecuador into Peru was fairly uneventful although a bit drawn out. They don't get a lot of Australian registered vehicles over this way, so the paperwork takes a while.
We were in Peru back in 2014. On that occasion we did the tourist hot spots with the other sheeple of a like mind, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Puno to Cusco train ride, Colca Canyon, etc. All major tourist draw cards for Peru and on the established tourist loop.
This trip has seen us cover a great deal more of the ‘real Peru’. Stunning scenery tempered by the necessity to drive some of the worlds most dangerous roads. The northern half of the country inland route N3 traverses some truly mountainous country. With mountains ranges like the Cordillera Blanca come truly terrifying though spectacular roads. There are in fact fifteen plus 6000mtr peaks to be found in this one mountain range. Spectacular!!
Peru is much poorer than its northern neighbors Colombia and Ecuador. This is evidenced by the poor standard of housing (mud brick) and the noticeable poverty.
Rubbish is a shocking problem in Peru. Low standards of environmental education and education generally, poor infrastructure, and apathy, mean that Peru has some serious environmental issues.
Rubbish of the towns aside, Peru has some absolutely stunning natural scenery. And of course there are the Inca ruins to marvel at.
If you zoom in you can see Rob standing at the bottom of one of Yumbilla Falls near Chachapoyas, Northern Peru in the Amazons region. It has several sections and is 3rd highest waterfall in Sth America and the 5th highest in the world.
There he is.
This is Santiago a real character and
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Just a few kilometres away were the 4th highest falls in Sth America, Gocta Falls. Impressive eh!
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Hiking to Pre Inca cliff burial tombs.
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And this is what we saw.
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This road was pretty scary. One lane, with oncoming traffic, cliffs one side, blind corners and a 800 to 1000 mtr plus drop. A previously heavy rainy season had under cut the bitumen in many places on the drop off side.
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We camped here on a dead end road to a Pre-Inca fortress.
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Early mornings on the road, saw ladies after milking their cows in the paddock, walking the milk cans to a truck pick up point.
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Animal market day roads were choked with people walking their animals
down to the action. Not impressed when the bull with the big arse nearly wiped out the trucks side mirror.
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The first nice Peruvian camp site at Hacienda San Antonio in Cajamarca. A chance to catch up with some washing.
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Cajamarca a typical Peruvian city.
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Pre Inca aquaduct cut 3000 years ago with stone tools pretty amazing and it still works.
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It looks like after we drive down to the river in the valley, we'll be going up the other side.
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Sacrifice towers at pre inca plateau fortress Marcahuamachuco.
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The plateau fortress was over 2kms in length and had a 360 degrees views of the surrounding area.
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Sad to see plastic rubbish dumped outside every town.
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Most farmers still use oxen and with a basic wooden plough.
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This section of Canon del Plato was hairy with crumbly rock overhangs.
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We counted about 40 tunnels like this in the canon. A stunning drive with massive mountains above and a river in the valley.
We met a couple who managed to get their 12 tonne truck stuck in one of these.
Small can be good when it comes to clearance in tunnels, overgrown tracks, passing under overhanging tree branches, driving narrow roads with crumbling edges, crossing load limited bridges (of which there are many in rural Sth America), etc, etc.
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This is tall hat country, they look weird.
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Cusco and the incredible Incan fortress Sacsaywaman.
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The Sacred Valley has so much to see. This is the ruins of Pisac. An amazing Inca site high on a mountain.
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The Cordillea de Blanca circuit drive, fabulous scenery whilst passing through small rural villages.
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More stunning scenery.
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Where you have stunning scenery, you more often than not have some challenging roads.
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Moray Inca site has some amazing agricultural terracing.
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Saltia Inca salt works of Peru. Still in use today.
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Met Jonno from Perth riding from Ushuaia (the southern most point), to Colombia (the northern most point) of the south American Continent. Gael gave him a jar of Vegemite which he had been craving. The push bike riders we met in South America are a breed apart! Real adventurers, not pussies like us.
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Carved out of solid rock. A ceremonial Inca platform at our lunch break stop beside Lake Titicaca.
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Taking a ferry across Lake Titicaca from Peru to Bolivia.
Life is good!
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