I didn't want to backtrack to Juliaca to take the main road towards Arequipa and Colca... |
...and my Hammond map dated 2007/2007 showed the road from Santa Luciato Imata passing south of Laguna Lagunillas |
...I thought we'd hit the main road shortly after Chuchuchune...but the map was wrong and the main road is north of the lake. |
From Puno we made good time to Tiquillaca |
Dusty Plaza de Armas, Tiquillaca, Peru (Puno Region) |
Pack llamas outside Tiquillaca |
Although slower than the main road, the scenery was pleasant ... |
... and no traffic |
Main street of Vilque (3939m) 32km down the dirt road |
Church of Vilque (Puno) Peru |
House painted with traditional sympols, Vilque |
Municipalidad de Vilque |
Plaza de Armas, Vilque (Puno) |
Walled enclosure outside Vilque |
House with donkeys |
We're not lost...yet...still en route to Maņazo (Puno) |
...and the road is still pretty good |
Maņazo (Puno) Peru |
Church, Maņazo (Puno) |
Maņazo (Puno) |
Maņazo (Puno) |
PeruJun08 3201.jpg |
Beyond Maņazo, the road deteriorated and the locals thought we were crazy to go on |
But at least it was pretty |
Our next waypoint on the map was the village of Chuchuchune |
Off the beaten path |
...At least there was only one road to follow |
The old road to Arequipa |
The old Puno-Arequipa road |
Marcos, the guide, hadn't been this way before |
The old Puno-Arequipa road |
The old Puno-Arequipa road |
Herd of Alpaca by a stream |
Definitely alpaca |
We've seen more alpaca than people driving this way |
Alpaca along the old Puno-Arequipa road |
Could that be our waypoint Chuchuchune? |
The road continues on...nice thing is that there are km markers that are counting down |
Livestock enclosure |
The first of several small lakes we pass - S15.9/W70.5 |
A flock of Andean Geese (Chloephaga melanoptera) |
The dirt road passes to the north of this small lake so it seems to be unmapped |
Small lake in the high Andes (14,450ft) |
A second lake in the distance (S15.9/W70.54) again, on the left |
Passage is very slow along this rough road...reminiscient of the road from Ayacucho to Andalhuaylas |
...but a rewards...a real live smoking volcano!!! |
Most likely, Volcan Ticani (5408m) or Ubinas |
Sloooooow road! ...but still headed west |
Passing to the south of a third lake that is not on the map... |
Third lake at S15.88/W70.56 |
Somewhere around here was a tiny little track heading off to the left...which turned out to the the planned route |
Another small lake, this one at S15.84/W70.6 |
Now a lake to the west (S15.814/W70.62) |
I'm a bit concerned since we're not headed generally north and the km markers are counting in the opposite direction |
People here said the road to Arequipa is in the direction we're heading |
The road is following the west shore of this lake northbound...to Santa Lucia |
....according to the map, we want to be going the other way...but the new road to Arequipa was not on my 2006/2007 Hammond map |
Marcos is sure that we'll hit the new road going this way |
...and it turns out had we backtracked to the mapped route, we'd have never made Colca in one day |
Alpaca |
The Juliaca-Arequipa Railroad just south of Santa Lucia |
Large Llama herd, Santa Lucia |
Approaching civilization, Santa Lucia |
Municipalidad Distrital Santa Lucia |
Our detour is over...the beautiful new road...which as of March 2009 isn't on Google Earth either |
Laguna Lagunillas, Peru |
The new road from Juliaca to Arequipa on the north side of Laguna Lagunillas |
Now southbound on the western shore of Laguna Lagunillas headed to Imata |
Mirador Laguna Lagunillas - 4410m |
Laguna Lagunillas |
Llama crossing, Peru |
Flamingos in an Altiplano pond, Peru |
High pass - Crucero Alto - 4528m (14,855ft) |
Crucero Alto, not quite as high as Abra Anticona |
Mixed flock of sheep and alpaca |
Peru route 30A, the new Juliaca-Arequipa road |
Crossing from the Puno Region to the Arequipa Region |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca, Peru |
Straight road across the Altiplano, Salinas National Reserve |
Leaving Imata behind us |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Vicuņa crossing sign, Peru |
Vicuņa (Vicugna vicugna) are one of four species of camelid (the others are llama, alpaca and guanaco) |
Vicuņa crossing, Peru |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Interesting rock formations along Highway 30A through the Salinas National Reserve |
The local people are still able to graze their flocks within the reserve boundaries |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca 4000m |
Heading towards the volcanoes of Arequipa - Nevado Chachani 6057m (19,872ft) |
Volcan Misti on the left and Nevado Chachani on the right |
El Misti, an impressive volcanic cone - 5822m (19,101ft) |
El Misti |
Looking accross the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve to El Misti |
Mirador Carlitos 4320m (14,173ft) |
El Misti |
Vicuņa wildlife sign with El Misti, Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Vicuņa wildlife sign with El Misti, Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
The road headed straight for Nevado Chachani |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Puente Sumbay, bridge over the Rio Chili, Peru |
Rio Chili, Peru |
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca |
Vicuņa (Vicugna vicugna) were hunted for their fine coat |
Vicuņa (Vicugna vicugna) |
Here, we turn north away from Arequipa heaed to Chivay and Colca Canyon |
We'll only be on the road to Cusco for a short time |
Eroded stone formations |
Vicuņa (Vicugna vicugna) |
The turn-off from the main road to Chivay and Colca Canyon |
Wetlands alongside the road |
Straight road across the Altiplano headed into the sun |
The road to Chivay and Colca Canyon climbing |
Ice alongside the road |
Scenic drive to Chivay |
Distant volcanoes |
Another distant volcano |
Rocks piled at the high point on the road to Chivay at 4860m (15,944ft) |
Road to Chivay and Colca Canyon |
Starting the long descent to Chivay |
Road winding down the mountain to Chivay |
The final decent to Chivay and Colca |
The descent to Chivay |
Mountains along the road to Chivay |