Around Lima: Coast, White Cordillera and Central Andes

Around Lima: Coast, White Cordillera and Central Andes

Est Driving Time
12 to 17 days

Distance
865 km

Overview

Drive along the Pacific coast, then climb the Andes to cross them to Cusco. From the capital of Peru to the capital of the Inca Empire, you will travel through varied landscapes, from the coastal desert, including the enigmatic lines of the Inca civilization, to the highlands, dotted with lagoons and herds of camelids. From the highlands you will descend into fertile valleys populated by typical Andean villages dominated by the high Andean peaks



Leg 1 From Lima to Paracas

Est Driving Time
3 to 4 hours

Distance
244 km

Leave the capital for the peaceful desert and its many beaches popular with the people of Lima. On the way you can stop at Chincha, an Afro town, renowned for its gastronomy, music and dances. Nearby, the Hacienda San José will take you back to the gloomy history of the slave era.


Leg 1 highlights


Leg 2 From Paracas to Nasca

Est Driving Time
4 hours

Distance
244 km
Once you have visited the Ballestas Islands (boats depart at 8 am from the port) and the Paracas National Reserve, take the road to Ica, where you can visit the vineyards producing the famous Pisco, and near which is the oasis of Huacachina. Continue in the direction of Nasca, with a stop at Pallpa, to discover the famous geoglyphs of still mysterious origin.

Leg 2 highlights


Leg 3 From Nasca to Puquio

Est Driving Time
3 hours

Distance
156 km
Today you will leave the coast and climb the Andes, by an impressive route. You will gradually arrive in a totally different environment: climate, vegetation, fauna and lora, habits and customs of the locals. Drive slowly and take advantage of the parking areas to enjoy stunning views of the Peruvian coast!
At the entrance and exit of the charming little town of Puquio, you will find a lake where you can park for the night.

Leg 3 highlights

Helpful links

Leg 4 From Puquio to Chalhuanca

Est Driving Time
3 hours

Distance
186 km
Beautiful crossing of the high plateaus which unites the departments of Ayachucho and Apurimac. You will reach 4,000 meters above sea level, a unique environment, populated by rare hamlets of camelid breeders. You will then descend into the Chalhuanca Valley, and appreciate the change in vegetation as you descend.

Leg 4 highlights


Leg 5 From Chalhuanca to Curahuasi

Est Driving Time
4 to 4 hours

Distance
190 km
Continue down the valley to the Apurimac River, the most distant tributary of the Amazon! Go visit the Pachachaca colonial bridge, built according to the tradition of the time, with egg whites! You will go up on the other side, crossing the town of Abancay, before reaching the forests overlooking the town. You will find several places to sleep there, or you will continue a little further to the archaeological site of Saywite or even Curahuasi, the capital of anise!

Leg 5 highlights


Leg 6 From Curahuasi to Cusco

Est Driving Time
3 hours

Distance
124 km
Today undulating road between valley bottoms and passes, which crosses many Andean villages. You will find a lot of tourist attractions of all types, such as the village of Limatambo, the viewpoint of Chonta, from where you can admire the flight of condors, or the village of Cachora where the Choquequirao trek begins.

Leg 6 highlights

South Coast Desert


The southern coast of Peru stretches along the Pacific Ocean. Covered by an immense sandy desert, dotted with oases and green valleys with a flourishing agriculture. Also in these deserts, amazing pre-Inca cultures such as the Nazca culture developed.

Let yourself be delighted with the wine produced with exquisite and quality products. Enjoy sports in the middle of the desert, a unique adventure.

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Paracas National Reserve

The Paracas National Reserve presents a unique beauty of the Peruvian coast. Here you can find many marine species such as seals, birds, fish and shellfish.

It has one of the richest ecosystems in Peru and also protects the prehistoric sites of the Paracas culture and other civilizations that inhabited this amazing place.

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Ballestas Islands


An impressive place located south of Lima. Here live several species protected by the Peruvian state.
On board a boat you can see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingos and other marine species.

Upon arrival you will be amazed by the rocky formation of this place where a huge geoglyph called El Candelabro houses thousands of sea lions.

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Huacachina Oasis

A magical place full of life in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palm trees and huarangos, a rich biodiversity. Ideal for different sports in the vast desert that surrounds it.

Its name comes from the Quechua language meaning “the woman who cries”. It is said that this lagoon was born from the tears of a beautiful woman who mourned the death of her husband.

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Nazca

These ancient geoglyphs are found throughout the Nazca desert, and to this day, they unleash many uncertainties because no one knows the message that the different drawings hold.

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Puquio

Puquio is the capital of the province of Lucanas to the south of the department of Ayacucho, it offers a great variety of landscapes and pleasant climates that propitiate the formation of peaks with eternal snow, plateaus, lagoons and waterfalls.

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Cusco

Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, Navel of the World. Every corner of this magical city hides in its walls the history of a great empire extended in many countries. Today you can see in the different tourist attractions the advanced technology that the Incas managed to develop.

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Chincha


Chincha offers different tourist attractions rich in culture and history.

Besides having beautiful beaches, enjoy the sun and know other places like the Sanctuary of Melchorita, El Carmen, the Huaca Centinela in Tambo de Mora, El Silencio, El Carrizal, among other recognized sites.

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Chalhuanca

Chalhuanca is a beautiful city located in the department of Apurimac. Here you can visit the Plaza Bolivar, a peculiar bridge, the Pincahuacho thermal baths very famous for its medicinal properties, the Pacucha Lagoon, which houses different species of fish such as silversides.

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Pachachaca

The Pachachaca, Historical Cultural Patrimony of Peru, is a tributary of the Apurimac River that joins the cities of Abancay and Andahuaylas. Its bed runs at the bottom of a deep canyon of alluvial origin. The construction is made of materials such as lime and stone.

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The archaeological site of Saywite
The archaeological site of Saywite is located in the department of Apurimac. It is believed that this was a religious center at the time of the Incas, but it could also represent the cosmic vision of the Inca culture, associated with water, the fertility of the land and the forces involved in its existence.
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Viewpoint of Chonta

The Chonta Condor Viewpoint is the natural sanctuary of the Andean condor, a bird sacred to the Incas. This place offers an impressive view of the flight of condors in their natural habitat as they fly over the landscapes of the Apurimac Canyon.

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