2017 Peru (Lima) - Ecuador (Quito) cycling holiday full GPS track

In 2017 we cycled in two and half months (starting in September) from Lima to Quito; around 4000 km, 56.000 altitude meters. Great trip, until halfway Ecuador through the Andes, then 800 km’s through ‘El Oriente’ (the Amazon), until reaching Quito, in the Andes again. Great people, all went perfect. Obviously some Spanish helps. Great colonial cities, Inca ruins, interesting food and fruits, volcano's in Ecuador, the Amazon, and the Galapagos nearby.

Below first some general info, followed by descriptions of the journey split into 6 stages. Drop me an email if you want to receive the individual tracks and waypoint showing you where we have spent the nights.

General info:
• Money: Peru is cheaper compared to Peru. In Peru we have spent together 35 euro a day, including accommodation. This can be (much?) cheaper.
• Accommodation: we brought ourselves a light-weighted tent, as a fall back option, which we had to use only 5 times. Otherwise we took official accommodation (Peru average 5-10 euro, Ecuador double) or spent the night with locals. Many only use their tent, bus realize that it will be dark at 6pm.
• Time of the year biking: September until November. This is a tricky one; you want to have the best weather high in the Andes, and in the Amazon, and maybe later visiting the Galapagos. We have had some bad weather in the Andes, so you might want to start one month earlier, but check the other regions that you plan to visit.
• Temperature: at 4800 meters above sea level in Peru in September, around 3 degrees Celsius at night. Nowhere have we seen heating systems! Obviously in the Amazon of Ecuador in November, pretty nice temperature 😊
• SIM cards: locally available. In Lima they said we had to visit the larger telephone-office in a mall where we had to show them our passport. In Ecuador a small telephone-shop could do the job remotely by sending text messages to an automated system.
• Pan Americana in Peru: The Three Major North-to-South Roads in Peru, www.tripsavvy.com/longitudinal-highways-in-peru-1619769. The Pan Americana runs through the Andes of Ecuador and continues along the coast of Peru. Most cyclist (with enough time) try to avoid this road, which is particularly busy (and Ugly) in Peru.
• Pan Americana in Ecuador: until the mayor cities, the Pan Americana in Ecuador is ok. But some cyclists with plenty of time prefer to follow the www.bikepacking.com/routes/trans-ecuador-dirt-road/. We have cycled some parts of it.
• Apps: OSMAnd (navigating); iOverlander (sleeping places)
• Altitude meters: according to our GPS 90.000 altitude meters, but according to my cyclometer 56.000 altitude meters. Always confusing… but it’s a lot, and at a certain moment you will not look at them anymore :-), but remember, everyone, and I mean everyone, who cycles here is behind his/her original schedule. In the Andes, we cycled on average around 60 km’s a day, normally we would do 100!

Stage 1: Lima – Yantac – Lima – Huaraz; 710 km
From Lima we went straight into the Andes, acclimatised in Canta for a few days, and continued until Yantac at 4500 meters above sea level (m-asl). We wanted to continue from their through the Andes towards Huaraz, but the weather turned bad (snowing!), and I was suffering from altitude sickness. So, we decided to go back to Lima, and to follow the Pan-Americana alongside the coast until the weather became better again. When the weather is great, I would continue through the Andes, although it’s a very adventures part, it might be the most adventures part of the whole route. Of course going back to Lima is something that feels weird, from the other point of view, we consider this as a small adventure by itself, helping us to acclimatise for the next stage. Note: this GPS-stage was constructed afterward since our GPS-device broke down halfway Peru, and therefore might not exactly show the roads taken. But since there is not a lot of choice, you will be fine, but keep concentrated for the right directions. The waypoints show in which places we have spent the night.

Stage 2: The Huascaran circle; 275 km
After Huaraz, Carhuaz follows. From here, you can do the so called ‘Huascaran circle’, crossing the Cordillera Blanca twice at an altitude of about 4800 m-asl. A good strategy is to leave most of your stuff in Carhuaz and to go as light as possible. The first crossing is paved; must be one of the highest paved roads in the world. At the other side, it all becomes unpaved. The second crossing we did by taxi since the weather turned bad. That ride was really scary. The taxi we organized at the largest hotel in Yanama, you will find it (there is only one 'real hotel'). The whole circle we did in 3 days. Most people take a few days more. And for sure, if you cycle the second crossing as well, it will at least take two more days, with a overnight camp somewhere really high. Cycling is more walking and pushing here. To be honest, we had some doubts weather this could be called a ‘cycling adventure’. Anyway, like so often, looking back at it, it was a great adventure, but a hard one. This GPS-stage was saved from the first GPS-device we used and shows the original track cycled. The track has not been cleaned, so check for wrong turns (but again, it’s difficult to take the wrong turn 😊). The waypoints show in which places we have spent the night.

Stage 3: From Carhuaz to Cajamarca; 620 km
We consider this as the toughest part of the journey. Going up…and down….and up….and down… A few times I did ask myself the question, why the F#@ am I doing this? But since this is the only route you can take through the Andes, you will meet some other cyclists coming from the other site, which is a good thing to motivate you again. Since the others came obviously from Quito, Ecuador, they are cycling for a longer period of time then you are (if you have started in Lima). They will be less exhausted due to their better physical condition, making you understand that you just have to keep on going! And everyone will tell you that he/she is behind schedule and that they have at least six months to go, someone one full year, others even 2 years. Since we ‘only’ had a few months, and since we as well were behind schedule by now, we decided to speed up a little by taking the bus. Cajabamba is a good place for this, since here again starts the longer distances buses. This first bus will bring you to Cajamarca, must be around 180 km.

Stage 4: Cajamarca to Jaen; 490 km
After that we took the Cajamarca – Tingo bus, from where you can visit the Maya historical city Kualap (around 275 km). After Kualap we started cycling again. First to Cocachimba, a waterfall.

Stage 5: Jaen to Banos Ecuador; 1000 km
Now, from this point onwards, I started using my second GPS device, which has survived the remaining journey. So this is the exact route taken until reaching Quito (and not cleaned!). The border crossing with Ecuador is at Zumba. After the crossing, you can take an open truck as public transport; it’s wise to take that option since the first 50 km or so is difficult to cycle; it’s one big sandbox overthere. This stage continues through the Andes, until Banos in Ecaudor, mostly we chose to follow the Pan Americana, sometimes a part of the Dirt Road (see general info). Aftes Banos we went into the Amazon (el Oriente).

Stage 6: Banos, el Oriente, Quito, 850 km
This stage goes through the Amazon. Most cyclists ignore this part, so go for it!

Enjoy!
Jeffrey And Marie-Jose
jmsipma2@hotmail.com