Category: South America

Peru – Huarez Region

Peru

Well I am now in a town called Trujillo and will be leaving Peru in a couple days for Equador. I'm really stunned on just how much I have enjoyed this country. On my previous visit I didn't rate it highly but the sights, hiking and mostly, the food (so, so many creviches) have certainly changed my mind as to if I ever come back around these parts this place is a 'must see'. The town markets provide such good grub (food not insects), juices and fresh fruit all at such low prices. Eating well here is definitely not an issue.

Huarez

Well after all that spiel I didn't eat from the markets in Huarez. I found more upmarket restaurants and ate great steak, pizza, calzones (yum) and pasta. There are quite a few tourists here (not mega but you are not surprised when you see them in the street) and with this amount the town is big enough to support good restaurants. Huarez is situated within the Cordillera Blanca mountain range and sits at just over 3,000m. It is used as the base for the many treks in the area of which I took two.

Laguna 69 Trek

The Laguna 69 trek is a one dayer that starts by leaving your hotel at 5am (again) for the 3hr bus journey to where the hike begins. You and your mates (and there are a few) start the trek relatively easily along a valley floor before the first of 3 climbs arrive. A lot of altitude huffing & puffing (but not blowing the house down) later you arrive at the lake @ 4,600m. Beautiful place with a torquoise lake back dropped by a rocky cliff situated below jagged snow capped mountain peaks. If I wasn't so wreaked I might have enjoyed it more. I had had a cold for the previous 3 days and admittedly I struggled at times with my energy levels low but in the final analysis - made it up, then down, and lived to tell the tale.

Santa Cruz Trek

After my brush with exhaustion on the Laguna 69 trek I started this trek with much trepidation. I had had the extra day's rest and hoped my recovery from sickness would be sufficient. The Santa Cruz trek is a relatively short 4 day, 3 night 50km walk that starts at 3,900m and at its highest reaches 4,750m. From all my readings it is suggested it is one of South America's (if not the world's) premier hikes as it packs in stacks in such a short time. I am no expert so all I can say is it was the best hike I've ever done. Day 1 is relatively easy as you meander through villages set in lush green valleys with the surrounding hills instinctively rounded in shape contrasting to their nearby snow capped cousins with their sharp craggy rock faces. My group consisted of two Danish sisters, Anne & Ida, our guide Jesus, and finally the odds and ends man, Wheldon. Wheldon's job was interesting as he would be the last to leave in the morning as he packed everything up, loading it onto the donkeys and then zoom past us during the day so that when we would arrive at camp, in the evening, all was ready. Altitude didn't exist in Wheldon's world and fortunately for me (to a lesser extent - for this trip) it didn't for me as well. Which was good as the second day we climbed to the highest point of the hike at 4,750m at Punta Union, a change of approximately 850m from our camp the night before. It was tough going of course, the snow covered mountains had appeared with their glaciers caught between peaked ridges that leapt from the mountain faces. At the time I would have told you that I was always out of breathe, if, I hadn't always been out of breathe. But overall I was really happy, no altitude sickness and fuel left in the tank once we made it to the top. And at the top, what great views. Another turquoise lake surrounded by (yes I could repeat myself but just look at the photos). The difference compared to many of the other views was that here you could peer into the future as you could see the valley stretched out below into the vast distance, the way we would be traversing in the next few days. After a rest we started our way down for 2 hours eventually reaching camp that on this night was going to be at 4,200m.

 

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There were times during this trip that I questioned why I bought such an expensive sleeping bag as everytime it had been cold previously I had been supplied with enough blankets to keep a possie of shorn sheep snug. Well, sleeping at 4,200m in the Cordillera Blanca answered this question. Waking warm and cosy at our usual wake at time of 6am (sleep in it seems when compared to usual) while the tent and surrounds were frozen made me think the investment was worthwhile.

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The 3rd day involved a side excursion to another turquoise lake (surprised anyone?) named Lake Arbuaycocha, but this one was fed directly by a glacier that snaked from the mountain above ending at the lapping aqua blue waters (gee I am getting sick of using the word turquoise) of the lake. After this visit it was back to the main trail which we used to make our way down to sandy valley below. A long slog later alternating between the valley floor and its walls we ended up at our camp at now the relatively comfortable altitude of 3,600m.

The last day was relatively easy as we walked the final 4 hours back to the town of Cashapampa. Job done. Really happy. Great trek (nearly forgot, great job by Jesus, always there to answer our questions and cooked some really good tucker.) Also good luck to Anne who is going to Melbourne, Australia for an exchange program and Ida, who has the unenviable position of having to decide if she will be taking another year off from her studies. The last thing about these girls is they should not download and watch Netflix's Gossip Girl - it can't be good for your health!!

 

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Bolivia – Salar de Uyuni,      Part 2

If you ever have a urge to experience one of the world's premier places in terms of beautiful scenery that varies from day to day, set within a very unique environment - from the world's largest salt pan to lakes of varying colors, all placed at an altitude that puts most mountains in the world to shame, that place to visit is Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni to be exact. You definitelty won't be alone, as there are hordes of other fellow travellers wanting to experience those same outworldly sights. But if you ever come this way a good start to reduce the crowds by a chunk (and a half) is by taking the trip from Tupiza to Uyuni rather than the usual trip starting from Uyuni. After 4 days and 3 chilly nights (down to the minuses in these parts) this is the result.

Day 1

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Day 2

We had a really good group in the car, Daniel & Evelyn, Jerome, our driver Roman (good job Roman), and finally our extraordinary cook Fortuna who cooked up some pretty mean pancakes one morning (also known as cookie by Roman & I). All the others were French (as it seemed were 90% of all the tourist we met on the Salar) and could speak pretty good Spanish. Simple Simon (in this case Dave) couldn't understand much of what was said for what seemed much of the trip. Daniel helped out bucket loads of times with his inch perfect translations and the others decided my camera was getting a far better workout in the front seat, so as it turned out all were happy.

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Day 3

The third day was very similiar to the others as we headed north towards the vast Salt Pan. Similiar is the right word to describe the fact that we again sat in the car as we headed for different attractions but the attractions themselves were far different from the previous day's showings. The day ended with us staying in a hotel made of salt. Nice novelty value but hard to put on your socks without getting salt caked onto your feet.

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Day 4

The last day started even earlier than normal (which was already early), 5.30am rather than the 7am sleep-in we normally had (who said holidays were easy). The reason being that now we were on the salt pan we wanted to get to the 'Island of the Cacti' (good grammar Dave ) as the sun rose. The 'island' is a rocky outcrop surrounded by the bright white of the salt flats, as it's name suggests it is covered in cacti. For awhile there l was worried that we wouldn't get there at all as the initial trip was through the water we had used in our photography the night before (see other Salar de Uyuni post) and a few times the jeep nearly came to a standstill as we lost traction. Good ole Roman got us through (good job Roman) so we made it on time. Getting up at such a ungodly time (ungodly? where did that come from) was definitely worth the effort as the views were inspiring (running out of adjectives ) and unique. While we were there we were lucky enough to come across a couple of chinchillas that were either frolicking in the rising sun or setting the prelude for a more x-rated scene later on. Whichever it was I enjoyed photographing them. After the island we conducted the compulsory photo shoot with the salt making things big and small before heading to Uyuni where our final stop was at the cemetery of trains. A great trip, can't wait for the next time.

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After the Salar I decided to put the pedal to the metal and spent only a few days in Chile (in Arica) before a 21 hour bus trip to Lima where I finally met Nici's brother Gary - for a beer or two. Another bus trip later brought me to my current place, Huarez, Peru. This place is renowned for the surrounding nature within which are world-class hikes. Planning on doing 2 once I am over a cold, including a 4 dayer.  Sort of looking forward to it, I have done a couple hikes over 5,000m and rewards come with pain.

Time will tell...