Day 289 - Chavin de Huantar

We began to climb over the Cordillera Negra. As we already knew, the road was under construction and partly tricky and slow to drive. After a high pass, we descended into the Huaraz Valley and turned left at Conococha.

In Catac, we turned right onto Route #110 towards Chavin de Hunatar, which had an archeological site we wanted to visit. On the way there, we collected watercress by a small brook; enough for a delicious dinner salad!

Then the road continued to climb again. At an altitude of 13,452 feet, we felt the high altitude symptoms. This time, we realized immediately what was happening to our bodies and drove down to a spot where we could rest for a few hours. Then the road passed through a long tunnel.

When we came out on the other side, we saw the village of Chavin de Huantar before us. We camped off the road in a dry creek bed. In hindsight, what a stupid thing to do during the rainy season!

Stats: Miles 130, Expenses $1.05Read more