Best routes from Bolivia to Peru, Cusco to Lima, Lima to Quito
 

Hi!

I'm trying to figure out a route from Bolivia (salt flats area) to Cusco, and then Cusco to Lima, and Lima to Quito. Any suggestions for beautiful routes without tons of traffic? Is one week from Cusco to Lima realistic? Is two weeks from Lima to Quito realistic?

I ask because I have an extra motorcycle I'll be selling soon, but before I sell it, a couple friends are planning on meeting me to do these sections. One friend has one week, another two weeks, etc. It's like a jigsaw puzzle trying to figure out dates and cities...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Elisa

Travel Bug Blues | Beating the bug one frugal adventure at a time

I'm planning some of the same routes and from my perspective the time frames are doable (barring bad luck!). I find it helpful to zoom google maps to a section I'm interested in, apply the photos layer, and find good points of interest (and sometimes paved vs. gravel).

Uyuni Salt Flats - Cusco - Lima: I've got a different time frame so not much help here (avoid rainy season). Unless you take shortest route I doubt 1 week fits Machu Picchu (been there, worth it). If you like the looks of Colca Canyon, probably drop to Arequipa first, then on to Puno (Lake Titicaca) and up to Cusco. Head to Nazca (lines), Ica (sand boarding/oasis), and on to Lima. If you don't have time to see Macchu Picchu, see the rideable remote sites (Moray, Salineras).

Lima - Quito: I'm almost done routing (lodging needs some work)
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...39b1eca7&msa=0

Here's estimated daily mileage, and keypoints to research:

Day 1, 200 Miles, 5 hours
Lima, Sanctuaria Nacional Huayllay, Cerro De Pasco (ugly copper pit town), on to camp. This is to see the Huayllay rock garden but if you’re not interested (another one available later in route) then go directly to Huaraz from Lima via Coastal 1N (straight) and 14A (twisties).

Day 2, 200 miles, 5 hours
Head to Huaraz with sights of Waywash Mountains (Amazon watershed).

Day 3, 65 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes
Hike Huascaran National Park: Churup Glacial Lagoon or Palcacocha Lagoon. Pre-Incan ruin Wilcahuain. Continue on to Yungay for the night (read on Yungay tragedy).

Day 4, 160 miles, 3 hours 30 minutes
Head to coastal city of Trujillo. Ruins of Chan Chan, Huaca del Sol y la Luna Temple. Ceviche Cuisine Birthplace.

Day 5, 160 miles, 3 hours 30 minutes
Head to Cajamarca (Incan emperor Atahualpa captured here). Route goes through Coto de Caza Sunchubamba a verdant protected area. Llacanora Cascades (1 mile hike). Cumbe Mayo 1500 BC aqueduct, petroglyphs, rock garden. Cajamarca Banos del Inca.

Day 6, 200 miles, 5 hours 30 minutes
Head to Chacahpoyas. The Cloud People, Kuelap Fortress, Los Pinchudos.

Day 7, 85 miles, 2 hours
Hike to Gocta Falls (5th or so, tallest in the world). Ride to Cajaruro.

Day 8, 180 Miles, 4 hours 30 minutes
Head to La Balsa, the Ecuadorian Bordertown.

Day 9, 120 miles, 5 hours 30 minutes
Head to Loja, Ecuador (or Vilcabamba & Mandango, the Sleeping Inca Rock Formation)

10 through 13, 400 miles 8 hours 44 minutes to Quito
Haven’t made this route yet, but seems more than doable.

Hopefully someone who's done these routes can weigh in. Good luck!

Big help!
 

Thanks for all the info. This is a great help!! What time of year will you be going?

my rule of thumb
 

In Latin America I double the time Google suggest it will take. There are days the road is kind and the saddle welcoming and other days every mile is hard won...

Borders can go quickly, or you can lose half a day if the gods are angry with you.

“No Battle Plan Survives Contact With the Enemy”
Helmuth von Moltke

I'm on a CGL 125, so I have to do more than double it :D It's an awesome little bike, but definitely slower than your average tour bike! Loving it though, especially the fuel economy and how sturdy it is.

If others have suggestions for a shorter route to Piura that will only take 7 days, I'd love to hear it! Any nice spots along the way, beaches to hang out on, things to see, would be very helpful. I have a girl friend meeting me in Lima and she has a flight out of Piura (just under 1000km away) just 8 days later, and although she rides, I don't want to put her through too many kms in one day. So, we won't be able to do all the above as described by Visceral, although we will do some of it.

Phenomenal Trip Experience
 

Last year, I rented a bike in Arequipa for two weeks. I wanted to get off the beaten path and yet see the natural and cultural sites.
Started in Arequipa and headed west/north to Cotahuasi Canyon. Be mindful of 'La Trocha.' A day to recuperate and then onto Orcopampa. Heading over the Andes to Espinar was indescribable. A smile comes to mind reminiscing. Finally a hop into Cusco. (No motorcycle respect here, at all in traffic). North onto Olly to pay my respects to Machu Picchu and finally south to Puno and back to Start. Loved it.
Hardest part afterwards was figuring out what to do to top it.
Dave

Now that the rainy season is over go:

Puno to Arequipa, then go over and check out the Colca Canyon.

Then from Chivay go the back way Chivay-Sibayo-La Angostura-Espinar (Yauri) on day one. Then on to Descanso-Sicuani (don't miss the Lago Langui just before Sicuani), go up the highway towards Cuzco, but turn off via the Lago Azul route to Acomayo on day 2. Then go Acomayo-Rondocan-San Jeronimo (only 15k from Cuzco). GREAT ROUTE, INCREDIBLE SCENERY, and you will be fording the Amazon twice (between La Angostura and Espinar... only 20 cm deep).

Then when you are worn out on Cuzco/MP, keep to the Andes and come:

Cuzco-Andahuaylas
Andhuaylas-Ayacucho
Ayacucho-Huancayo
Huancayo-Huanuco (where we live)

I can point you north from there to Huaraz and beyond. Almost no traffic and beautiful routes! I can also give you great options on places to stay! Just give the word! I know Peru backwards and forwards as I run a Moto Adventure Tours company out of central Peru.

Cheers! Toby

Thanks for the info!! We're now in Huaraz (just got these messages now, forgot to subscribe to my own post!!) but we did go through Ayacucho and Huanuco. We also did Santa Teresa and hiked in the back side of Machu Picchu, which I'd hikely recommend everyone do. We stayed at a place called the Eco Quicho Lodge (awesome).

And yes, there is NO respect for motorcyclists!! We took a lot of back (dirt) roads, followed rivers, and have had a gorgeous time. It's still be pretty rainy on some days, so we've gotten pretty good at mud riding on our tiny bikes :scooter:

Next up, looking at heading from Huaraz to either Yungay or to the coast on the 14A (thanks, Visceral!). My best girl friend is coming down for a week, so she'll be starting with me in Huaraz until Piura. We have to be in Piura by May 17th, in the evening, for her flight out. Note: She is NOT an experienced rider, although she was with me for the first 10 days of my Europe trip a couple years ago. I am nervous, and wish she was on the back of my bike, so I'd like routes that are very novice-friendly, at least for the first couple days.

Any recommendations? Thanks!

Hmm... I am already subscribed to my thread. Why am I not getting notifications? Trying to find out how to change the settings now so I don't miss more great advice.

Anyone have route suggestions from Piura to Quito that would take about one week on my little bike? Another friend flies into Piura, to accompany me to Quito, just for one week.

If anyone else on here wants to come ride my 2nd tiny bike for a while, do let me know! It's my "communal" bike.