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Tag: overlanding in South America (page 2 of 3)

Arequipa and Colca Canyon – Exploring Southern Peru in a Truck Camper

After our crazy, stressful, and unexpected three-day “border run” to Bolivia, hoping to receive sixty extra days as a tourist in Peru (and eventually succeeding), Mark and I needed a quiet place to recover. Our next destination was Arequipa, but we were not in a rush.

First, we drove the three hours from the Kasani border to Puno, where we stocked up on groceries. Then, we continued for another two hours to a peaceful, remote lake, Laguna Sara Cocha, to rest and catch up on internet chores. Because the elevation was still quite high, at 13,800ft (4,200m), the nights were cold, so we couldn’t linger too long.

Laguna Sara Cocha

When our trio arrived at the lake, we were happy to find a pretty, free camping spot, surrounded by alpacas and llamas. Perfect!

Imagine our surprise, when at 6am the next morning, a Sunday, we woke up to the sound of hundreds of cars driving by. If we wouldn’t know any better, we’d think we were parked next to a gravel highway! We were baffled by the commotion and brainstormed reasons as to why traffic had picked up so much. Did the inhabitants of the little hamlet nearby all go to church – in their own cars – in Puno? Nope. The cars were driving in the opposite direction, towards no-man’s land. A massive party in the middle of nowhere?

When vehicles surrounded Thirsty Bella and people got comfortable on blankets and in chairs near us, I inquired. Apparently, the annual car rally around the lake took place that day and spectators drove in early to pick good “podium seats”! Unbelievable. Our peace and rest would have to wait until the following day.

We embraced this unusual event and reveled in the families having fun on a Sunday morning and afternoon. By the end of the day, only garbage remained.

Laguna de Salinas

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Peru, Take Two – Our Border Run to Bolivia

Many months ago, back in Ecuador, I invited my cousin and her husband to join us in the Cusco area of Peru when it would be time for their “winter vacation” in November/December 2023. They had visited us many times before, mostly when sailing on our then 35ft catamaran Irie. The idea of having them travel with us on the Baja peninsula in Mexico two years prior fell through and, last winter, when we had just arrived in Colombia, a visit had seemed too soon.

Plans were set in motion, with the only potential caveat our allotted time in Peru upon entering the country. When we crossed that border between Ecuador and Peru the end of July, Mark and I asked, pleaded, and begged for a six-month entry stamp at Peruvian immigration, something we knew friends had been able to obtain, which was one of the reasons we had picked this particular crossing. Our request was denied.

We received 90 days in the country with a “visa” expiration date of October 27th. Not enough time to cover my family’s visit. Yet, we did not despair. Despite the extension system in Peru having just been scrapped in early 2023 due to all the indigenous protests, we knew of ways to get more time in the country and gave my cousin the green light for a trip to Peru.

Fast forward to the end of October, when our time in the country was running out and my family had their holiday in the Cusco area sealed: from November 20th to December 6th. We had heard and read and learned that it was possible to drive to the small border of Kasani in Peru, park the car, check out at immigration, walk across the border into Copacabana, Bolivia, check in and out of the country there, and return to Peru to receive another 60-day entry stamp. With that stamp, you could either apply for a TIP (Temporary Import Permit) extension for the vehicle online or at the border. So, that was the plan…

On October 25th, with a couple of days to spare (experience had taught us that officials in South America don’t like to deal with things too far ahead of time and many extensions and permits are issued last minute), Mark and I set our plan in motion. Not only was a positive outcome of this border run necessary to spend time with my family and friends who would return from Canada to Cusco during this period, we also had skipped Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and Colca Canyon – highlights in Peru – counting on being able to see them during our extra time…

Driving east along Lake Titicaca

Our water and fuel tanks were topped up, our fridge was relatively empty, and our Peruvian soles had been spent (an issue when trying to fill up in gas stations around Puno that didn’t accept credit cards), just in case we wouldn’t be allowed back into the country anymore. It was important to us that neither our camper, nor our dog left Peru to not make things more complicated.

Looking towards Bolivia from the parked camper

So, we parked Thirsty Bella in a parking lot on the Peruvian side of the border around 9am and walked to immigration to inquire about our options. The first officer I talked to made my heart sink: “You are only allowed to stay 90 days out of every 180 days. You will have to leave the country for three months if you want to come back.”

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The Sacred Valley in Peru – As Overlanders

After two weeks in Cusco, doing camper projects, running errands, being sick, and exploring the historic center, our plans turned a bit tricky. My cousin and her husband, perfect guests who visited us frequently when we sailed in the tropics, had booked plane tickets to join us in the Cusco area for two weeks, towards the end of November, following a two-week bus tour through Southern Peru. Nothing tricky about that, except for the fact that our immigration stamps expired the end of October…

Based on accounts from other overlanders, we believed we had a good chance to obtain another sixty days in Peru, at the border with Bolivia; an ordeal we’d have to figure out later and something I worried about for over a month. It was mid-October now and we had two weeks left in the country.

We expected to visit the Sacred Valley with my family, but what if we wouldn’t be allowed back into Peru? Were we willing to miss out on this country’s highlights, like Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and the villages and archeological sites in the Valle Segrado?

Mark and I opted for an in-between solution: we skipped famous Machu Picchu (expensive and a hassle to get to) – for now – and bought a two-day tourist ticket for 70 soles/$20 each to visit the highlights of the Sacred Valley. This would be a different way of traveling for us, who usually take it slowly, camping wherever it looks attractive. We had two days to explore five sites and two historic villages!

Pisac archeological site

From the Cusco campground, we headed uphill, past the trio of ruins we’d checked out previously, via a viewpoint that offered potable water from a spigot, to a pull-out along a quiet road for the night. The following morning, we descended into the valley and spotted the famous terraced hills of Pisac.

Traveling with a camper makes it easy to leave our dog behind, in a cool and shady environment with plenty of water. Mark and I braved the long climb to the citadel, breathing heavily in the thin air and taking many breaks.

The Pisac archeological site is a large Incan complex of agricultural terraces, residences, guard posts, watchtowers, and a ceremonial center along a mountain ridge above the town of the same name. It was built around 1440.

Little is known about the site’s actual purpose. Researchers believe that old Pisac defended the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley and was an observatory and religious site.

The best way to explore this destination is by taking a taxi or minibus to the entrance, climbing the hill, and then following a path down to Pisac town. Since we had our vehicle with us, we only visited the top part of this impressive site.

Pisac town

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Cusco & Surroundings in Peru – As Overlanders

Most overlanders (RVers, campers) who visit Cusco stay at the campground Quinta Lala above town. It’s possible to walk to the city center from there and then have a tough climb back home, at 12,000ft elevation, or take a $3 cab ride. 

Mark and I decided to spend our first handful of days closer to the historic district, at a free parking area, a few blocks from the main square, Plaza de Armas. It was the perfect location to run errands and explore the beautiful heart of Cusco.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

We managed to get heaps of laundry done affordably (after hauling it up many steps to the drop-off store), but this required checking several of the numerous laundry places, as they cheat you with their scales, and multiple walks back and forth, since the task lasted longer than promised.

It took us a few days to find the right materials – in addition to parts brought from the US by a friend – for our Starlink mounting project. A couple of big grocery stores and the central market, as well as a wonderful bakery, Cosqo Maki, were within walking distance. 

And, our Italian friends Valeria and Davide joined us after their terrible radiator problem came to a happy end. We explored town together and shared a few yummy meals – and drinks.

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Overlanding from Lima to Cusco in Peru – Paracas, the Famous Nazca Lines, and Other Attractions

Paracas

Before heading inland again from the generally unattractive Peruvian coast, Mark, Maya, and I stopped in the beach town of Paracas on 9/11. The commercial center didn’t do much for us – it was touristy, expensive, and unfriendly – but when we arrived at a free parking lot late afternoon, we liked what we saw. This camping spot was big and relatively level, quiet, pretty, and litter free. Maybe we could stay a few days? The sun was present in a blue sky when we walked Maya, and later gloriously set over the peninsula that is Paracas National Park. Not bad…

(As always, click on or hover over the images in the galleries to read their captions.)

We watched in awe as local men pulled boats out of the water on a rusty trailer, pulled by an old, extremely noisy pickup truck, pulled by a newer truck. We deducted that they keep using the crappy, ancient truck to deal with the salty water and the fancier one higher up the beach for its power.

Truck pulling truck pulling boat – a daily occurrence next to us, outside the sand storm days

Mark and I had parked our camper next to a big, stationary power boat on a trailer that didn’t seem to have moved in years. It had bent axels and flat tires. We figured our spot was wise; out of the way and somewhat blocked by the trailer.

Imagine our surprise when, around sunset, a group of guys in pickup trucks arrived, inflated the tires of the trailer with a compressor powered by a generator, removed some wooden blocks, and, after a few attempts, managed to pull this mastodont with a truck pulling a truck, all the way to the street and out of sight, taking down an electrical wire along the way. The scene was insane!

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Peru’s Capital, Lima – A Pleasant Surprise

Our route from Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca to Lima, Peru’s capital, was no joke. The first stretch of road (3N) towards a main east-west highway (Hwy 16) was riddled with potholes and took hours to complete. Each time we wanted to weave around a massive hole, into the other lane, someone else overtook us, forcing Thirsty Bella to slow to a crawl and go through the craters. Not a fun drive.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Barranca

Once we reached Hwy 16, the going was smooth and relatively fast again, towards the barren, desolate, littered coastline. We spent one night in the beach town of Barranca to break up the trip to Lima. It was the weekend, so not a surprise that loud music and a partying bar had us move camping spots in the middle of the night.

Miraflores

The estimated four-hour drive from Barranca easily took an hour longer due to the horrendous traffic of Lima. Slow progress is what it is, but when you have to fight for a spot on the road with massive semi-trucks, who make left turns from the extreme right lane and you’re pushed from all sides by impatient drivers, while literally everyone honks their horn, you can imagine driving around the capital (let alone in it!) is far from ideal!

Once we were settled at one of the many (secured) beach parking lots in the Miraflores area, we let out a sigh of relief and contacted our new American friends whom we met near Laguna Churup. Mark and I took Maya for a walk along the seemingly infinite “boardwalk” and grey shoreline.

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Overlanding along the Coast of Northern Peru – A Mixed Bag

Many overlanding friends warned us about the limitless trash piles along the Pan-American Highway paralleling the Peruvian coast. This is an area the usual tourist doesn’t venture to, for good reasons. In general, the North coast is desolate, depressing, stark, and filthy, but there are a few interesting sites to check out.

Sunset at the beach

Puerto Malabrigo

After leaving Cajamarca, Mark, Maya, and I continued our drive to the Peruvian coast, mainly because the road south from there (the Panamericana) is paved, smooth, wide, and fast. That part was a nice change from the narrow, curvy, sketchy roads we’d been taking to cross the Andes Mountains.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

The scenery, however, was bleak and – as expected – heavily littered. Sometimes, it looked and smelled like we were driving through a garbage dump. Sad.

Our first stop was a free beach camping spot in Puerto Malabrigo, which we had picked based on the descriptions and photos in our trusty app iOverlander. There are not a lot of places where you can actually camp on the beach, and be surrounded by relative peace. The fact that this site had picnic tables and a thatched umbrella for shade was a bonus. We leveled up at the end of this area, so nobody would pass us, and were pleasantly surprised with this find.

Actually, we were super excited and relieved about the prospect of finally sitting still for a few days. The sand was soft, the beach long and flat for walks with Maya, the internet worked well, our cabinets, fridge, and water tanks were full, a newly built boardwalk beckoned, we could hear the waves, and the small town offered tiendas (stores), restaurantes, and panaderias (bakeries).

Our joy was short lived.

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First Impressions of Northern Peru – Noise, Nature, and Necropoli

Peru has been a struggle for Mark, Maya, and me, but we hope to find our groove one of these days. Not that anything bad happened. Just that things have been difficult – finding internet, being able to sleep at night due to noise, witnessing all the trash, not connecting with the locals, weird vibes, the bad quality of food in stores, the higher cost of living – and fuel…

Jaen

The border crossing from Ecuador into Northern Peru in La Balsa was busier than usual on a Sunday, but everything went relatively smoothly and was wrapped up within two hours. As always, the TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for the vehicle took the longest to obtain. Our biggest disappointment happened at immigration. Mark and I requested a “visa” for six months, but the officer was only able/allowed/willing to give us three. Peru is a huge country to explore within three months by camper.

From the moment we touched Peruvian soil, the roads turned into smooth pavement and offered a welcome change. People were drying coffee beans alongside, which cut the width of usable surface in half, but traffic was light. We took in the sights and pushed all the way to Jaen, the first city. We found a decent-looking camping spot by a river and needed the local currency (soles), a Peruvian SIM card and data plan for internet, and food.

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Volcanos and Waterfalls in Central Ecuador – Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Quilotoa, and Baños

After Mark, Maya, and I finished our car projects and left the comfortable and safe haven of friend Graham’s driveway in Ibarra, we only had four weeks left to explore the central and southern part of Ecuador, before our three-month visas expired. We hadn’t gotten very far yet, after two months!

Our visited sites in Central Ecuador

Cotopaxi Volcano

We drove a bunch to pick up our trail from a month prior, south of Quito, the country’s capital. Our first stop was the impressive Cotopaxi volcano, which is often hiding in the frequent clouds at this altitude.

Thanks to our free iOverlander app, we found a peaceful wild camping spot near the national park. We failed to see the mountain, but we persevered, spending two nights at 12,000ft (3,650m) without internet, walking Maya in the paramo, meeting wild horses, running our heater at night, and waiting for a glimpse.

On our second evening, after the sun set, we spotted Cotopaxi’s snowy top. The light was not ideal for optimal viewing or photography. We crossed our fingers for a clear morning the following day as, unfortunately, we couldn’t stay longer due to the lack of cell service.

And, look what we woke up to on day three! Time for photo shoots – and to drive into the national park for an up-close view and feel of Cotopaxi!

Since dogs are technically not allowed in Ecuadorian national parks (which are free), Maya stayed in the car and camper during our visit. We first drove to a small lake with decent views.

Then, our heavy vehicle managed to climb the volcano itself, to the parking lot at 15,000ft (4,570m), from where visitors can ascend the mountain to a glacier and refugio (shelter/restaurant). It is possible to climb further to the top with a guide. As you can imagine, the air was thin here and putting one foot in front of the other laborious. Mark made it “up there,” but I had to turn around when dizziness and a serious headache threatened.

Quilotoa Lagoon

Quilotoa has been a highlight for many visitors to Ecuador, so we had to check it out. The road to the small town with the same name was paved and pretty, but realizing that hundreds of homeless, starving dogs are being dumped and now linger along this “highway” was heart-breaking.

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Mindo, Pululahua, and Ibarra in Ecuador – Hiking in the Jungle, Camping in a Crater, and Being Stationary for Three Weeks

After our time in Quito, Mark, Maya, and I had less than a week left, before Mark would fly out of Ecuador for seventeen days.

June stops in Northern Ecuador

We contemplated traveling to Amazonia/El Oriente, the jungle in the eastern part of the country, but soon realized we’d need more time for that massive detour and unique experience. So, we headed west, to Mindo.

Mindo

Mindo is a popular destination for travelers alike, especially backpackers and families. While the town is nothing special, activities in nature abound. From tubing to hiking; from cable cart riding to ziplining. We found a decent place to camp for free near the center of town, which allowed us to splurge at some of the western-style restaurants.

We also moved to a riverside spot for one night, to be able to sleep better, but since there was no cell signal, we couldn’t stay long.

Our main reason to come this way was a hike in the jungle among a plethora of waterfalls. Mindo is at a much lower elevation than we have been used to in Ecuador. At only 4,000ft (1,200m) above sea level, the climate turned hot and humid, yet still very rainy. It’s the perfect place to grow mold and we can’t quite see the attraction of living there. Is that why so many properties are for sale?

In tourist towns, everything is more expensive. The usual way to reach the park with the waterfalls is via two cable carts, in which Maya was allowed. The lower one was pricey; the second one was included in the waterfall trail walking fee of $5 a person. Since the entrance to the park is quite the hike up and our camper couldn’t fit over the bridge to get there, we paid for a single cab ride.

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