In mid-October last year, I flew to Peru to resume a trip I left unfinished back in 2018. I only had a month to ride my bike this time, so I plotted out a 1,400 km route that would take me from Ayacucho, near where I left off last time, to Arequipa, the colonial jewel of southern Peru.
If you look at this region on Google Satellite, you'll see it is essentially a large plateau sliced up by numerous deep canyons. including the two deepest in the Americas. I like creating my own routes, so for the first stretch I strayed from the Peru Divide and instead mapped a route connecting several local tourist attractions, including Bosque de Puya Raimondii Titancayocc, Vilcashuaman, Aguas Turquesas Millpu, Pachapupum, and the Sondodo Valley. In between, I cycled through fields of quinoa and the wind-swept high pampa. I rode past domesticated herds of cattle, sheep, llamas, and alpacas, and also witnessed Andean condors soaring above cliffs and vicuna galloping through the pampa. I passed through villages where I was possibly the first biker they'd ever scene.
Peru is a magical place to ride a bike. You can pretty much point yourself in any direction and be treated to some of the most spectacular scenery you'll ever see. The frequent villages and abundant wild camping make logistics fairly easy, but the relentless climbs mean you earn every moment. Not a day went by without a moment that had me in awe of my environments.
These photos are from the first third of the trip, from Ayacucho to Andamarca in the Sondondo Valley. Part two is coming up.
by lxoblivian