We don't usually plan too far ahead or do thorough research about the roads or conditions or what we might see along the way. Sometimes it means we meet a very bad road or don't make it to the planned town in the one day or there's a big wait at road works. But its all part of the fun for us sometimes things are better when you don't know what to expect. There's only so much planning you can do anyway. Thats why it came as a nice surprise to find that we would be driving one of the most recommended roads in Peru without even planning it, through the Canyon del Pato. The route is set in an impossible gorge where no road should be between the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra and cut into the cliff side above a raging river. The drive included over 30 tunnels all single landed and tooting your horn to warn oncomers was absolutely essential. The Canyon del Pato was a highlight of the trip so far but soon enough the canyon opened up and we hit the main highway towards Trujillo.
After a few hours of winding downhill roads we reached the coast and the Panamerican. We bypassed the town of Trujillo and headed for the much smaller beach town of Huanchaco. With no address for our accommodation and only GPS way points we made the most of our iPhone GPS and manually navigated to the Huanchaco Gardens RV and Hotel where for 30 sole we camped in the car. It took a bit of guess work and really we were amazed we found the place. The owner was very helpful and spoke a little english, our only grievance was that the wifi only worked in the front garden and to take a shower we had to ask for a room to be opened.
The weather in Huanchaco was warm but grey giving the wild ocean a glossy sheen. We went for a stroll along the beach in the afternoon but were put off by the huge amount of rubbish along the shore line and in the water. Why any tourist would want to take surfing lessons here was beyond me even if the break was awesome. None the less we watched the surfers in the water from our second story restaurant deck enjoying a meal of Chevichie and fried fish with real lemonade for $6nz each. We also watched a young local on a 'Caballito de totora' reed boat, said to be one of the first surf crafts ever used. The man paddled the boat with skill, sitting on his knees through the breaks, he later returned with a catch of fish in the back cutout from a long line. After our early dinner it was back to the RV Gardens for some internet time.
The next morning after a breakfast of fried eggs and sausages we followed the tourist map to the Chan Chan ruins. I had been recommend the ruins by a friend but had read mixed reviews online. Though for 10 soles each we think they were worth it, I've certainly never seen anything so amazing created just with adobe mud especially the fishing net pattern work, even if most of it is not original and had been reconstructed the ruins were very interesting. We spent about an hour wandering around and you could spend much longer if you wanted to walk through the outer lying but almost destroyed walls that were once of an epic scale. Afterwards we visited the nearby museum who's entry is included in the ticket. It had plenty of good information but we were eager to hit the road. Before leaving we tracked down a panadería (bakery) with some fresh bread for a simple lunch on the move because it was 546km to our next destination, the Kuelap ruins. We had never heard about these ruins before the trip but many overlanders had recommended them saying that they were like Machu Piccu before it became so popular. Friends had described the place as still over grown and visited by few tourists so we added it to our must see list.
The weather in Huanchaco was warm but grey giving the wild ocean a glossy sheen. We went for a stroll along the beach in the afternoon but were put off by the huge amount of rubbish along the shore line and in the water. Why any tourist would want to take surfing lessons here was beyond me even if the break was awesome. None the less we watched the surfers in the water from our second story restaurant deck enjoying a meal of Chevichie and fried fish with real lemonade for $6nz each. We also watched a young local on a 'Caballito de totora' reed boat, said to be one of the first surf crafts ever used. The man paddled the boat with skill, sitting on his knees through the breaks, he later returned with a catch of fish in the back cutout from a long line. After our early dinner it was back to the RV Gardens for some internet time.
The next morning after a breakfast of fried eggs and sausages we followed the tourist map to the Chan Chan ruins. I had been recommend the ruins by a friend but had read mixed reviews online. Though for 10 soles each we think they were worth it, I've certainly never seen anything so amazing created just with adobe mud especially the fishing net pattern work, even if most of it is not original and had been reconstructed the ruins were very interesting. We spent about an hour wandering around and you could spend much longer if you wanted to walk through the outer lying but almost destroyed walls that were once of an epic scale. Afterwards we visited the nearby museum who's entry is included in the ticket. It had plenty of good information but we were eager to hit the road. Before leaving we tracked down a panadería (bakery) with some fresh bread for a simple lunch on the move because it was 546km to our next destination, the Kuelap ruins. We had never heard about these ruins before the trip but many overlanders had recommended them saying that they were like Machu Piccu before it became so popular. Friends had described the place as still over grown and visited by few tourists so we added it to our must see list.
We knew google was being optimistic when it said that it would take 9 hours to drive there but we never imagined that this would ballon to three days! On day one we made it to the Cusco like town of Cajamarca but in the dark that evening after a crappy Empanada and pineapple slice for dinner from yet another bakery and a heap of problems trying to find accommodation with parking we gave up. Instead we kept driving to the thermal water town of Banos del Inca. Here at 8pm we had even more trouble finding a place to stay so Will talked to a security guard who promised it would be safe to sleep in a car park work site type thing behind the thermal pools. The next morning there were people walking all around us making their way to school and work as we emerged from the car as usual me looking for a safe place to pee but not finding one. So after a delicious and cheep breakfast from some of the many stalls outside the pools we waited in line for our allotted 20 minute private spa time. The water was heavenly and you could adjust the temperature and refill the small pool as you liked. After our bath was over we grabbed one more breakfast treat from a market stall, almost lost my card in an ATM, brought some food from the supermarket and headed out of town without getting gas. Only because it was 50 cents more per gallon than normal. Twenty minutes out of town we were stopped at some road works and told that they wouldn't open the road until 12pm so with two hours to kill we parked up and started blogging, snacking and guide book reading. In due course the road reopened and we waited a little longer to let the usual line of lunatic frustrated traffic race past. We then cruised on passing just a few slow trucks. It was here mid road works that the dodge stuttered and then promptly ran out of gas, opps looks like we should have paid a little extra for gas in Banos del Inca but its hard to tell exactly with still no working fuel gauge. So we jumped out and toped up from the full roof tanks amongst the dust of all the big slow trucks passing us.
That afternoon we put in some solid driving time, but the going was slow given the one lane cliff side road that was creeping up and up into the clouds. At 5pm on the crest of a huge ridge we started looking for a place to camp and approached a house with some children playing outside next to a dustbowl football field. The family immediately said yes and explained that cyclists had asked to camp there before. We set up the bed playing our usual jigsaw game moving the six bags from the back to the front passenger seat for what seemed like the thousandth time. Meanwhile some local kids darted glances at us between their football game which continued around our car that was now parked on the edge of their field. Not long after getting setup as the sun had just lost its last rays the man of the house came over inviting us in for coffee with his family. Turns out coffee had actually meant a whole meal! We must have looked hungry because we were sat down at their table and presented with a huge bowl of steaming soup, dry fried corn kernels and a big cup of coffee, the next hour or so was then spent brokenly answering their questions about New Zealand, our travels and what we thought of Peru. They were in awe when I went to the car and brought back out our big road map of Peru, I think it was the first time they has seen such a detailed map. We were truly humbled by their friendliness and willingness to give even when they themselves had so little. Your not doing it hard until your living in a house with a dirt floor, potato sacks for walls and eating by candle light…
As the new day dawned we left quickly knowing we would finally make it to the Kuelap Ruins. But it was to be another six hours of uphill winding hairpin driving to get there, eventually arriving we immediately forgot the gruelling drive as we stood staring at the formidable structure perched right on the mountaintop. Even though Kuelap is located at 3000 meters above sea level it is very much a temperate/tropical climate and the ruins are filled with exotic tree flowers, vines and all sorts of greenery giving it a very Indiana Jones feel! We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the castle like circular structures and taking in the amazing panoramic views you get of the surrounding valleys. It was an impressive place though being pre Incan very little is known about it which adds to the mystique. As a black thunderstorm announced its rapid approach with loud rumbles of lightning we retreated to the truck to decide where we would end up spending the night.
Rochelle & Will
Rochelle & Will