A Bold Combo: Southern Peru, Bolivia, and Northern Chile (page 3 of 7)

We visit the Temple of the Sun and the Santo Domingo Convent.

Two successive eras come together in a single building, with a religious sanctuary from the colonial period superimposed on the ruins of the Inca Temple of Gold.

A few hummingbirds come to feed in the garden.



It's hard to imagine what the Temple of the Sun was like, as it's entirely covered by the church and the convent cloister.

Ultimately, it's more from the outside that you realize this building, marked by powerful walls with rounded shapes, dates back to the Inca era.



We then head to the San Blas market for lunch, with a stuffed omelet and fresh fruit juices on the menu.

While the food is being prepared, Maxime takes the opportunity to get a haircut.



During the afternoon, we love getting lost in the streets of the San Blas district, the most picturesque and charming part of the city.

While Madame takes a massage break (Rachel is too ticklish for that kind of pleasure), we continue wandering around the city center.

After picking up our laundry and having another dinner at Caverne del Oriente, we just have time to order a taxi to catch the overnight bus to Arequipa. Departure at 8:30 PM, expected arrival at 6:30 AM...

The company we chose is the best around, Cruz del Sur.

We’ll share our thoughts tomorrow morning on these famous luxury sleeper buses!

Okay, I just saw that you already posted about your Palcoyo - Vinicunca day. Smile

So, Gonzalo parks almost at the top of the Red Valley with a panoramic view without even walking 10 meters...

It’s really a shame not to explore this landscape on foot.

I didn’t mention it in the specialized FB groups to avoid a surge in visitors and prevent locals from eventually regulating access here too.

Thanks, but I think word will get out, and the site will become increasingly spoiled.

The walk down from Valle Roja must be even more photogenic, but for most of us, the 4x4 ride at a moderate speed was perfect... I hesitated to share Gonzalo’s trick because, for now, he’s the only one—along with the quads you mentioned—using this track, and for much less money. My account won’t help keep our experience low-key. Still, for those who don’t have the physical ability to do the Ausangate trek or the hike up Vinicunca (and there are *many*), this is a real opportunity to enjoy these two nearby sites without missing out. VF has a much smaller negative impact on tourist spots than Facebook or Insta.

No, the Palcoyo site has been open for much longer. We already had it on our itinerary in 2020, and back then, it wasn’t hard to find information.

Thanks for the clarification. In the specialized groups I’ve followed for 3-4 years, the first trip reports—relatively recent—seemed to present it as a "new" alternative to Vinicunca, but without the crowds. Again, this won’t last, as new infrastructure was under construction, and that’s understandable. Everyone wants a piece of the pie 😕.

The Ausangate offers trekking possibilities, but probably not in the dead of winter.

Actually, it’s even peak season for trekking around Ausangate.

Not for me in the dead of winter!! It was already freezing during the day—I can’t imagine what nights are like . That’s proper adventure!

Hi there,

Detailed itinerary (which changed on Day 1 due to departure hiccups): Day 0: Flight Marseille - Madrid - Lima PERU Theoretical and abandoned Day 1: Flight Lima - Cuzco and visit of Cuzco (Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, Cristo Blanco Observatory, Sacsayhuaman sunset) - Night in Cuzco Day 2: Taxi -> Chinchero - Moray - Maras Salt Mines - Ollantaytambo - Train to Aguas Calientes Day 3: Machu Picchu - Return train to Ollantaytambo Day 4: 2-day taxi -> Pisac - Tipon - Andahuaylillas - Huaro - Night in San Pedro ...................................... Day 21: Tebenquiche Lagoon - Bus to Calama - Flight to Santiago Day 22: Return Santiago - Madrid - Marseille...

Your timing over 22 days and 3 countries is impressive!

Day 15: Flight to Uyuni - Day 1 TO Salar de Uyuni - Night on the edge of the Salar Day 16: Crossing the Lipez and lagoons - Night near Laguna Colorada Day 17: Sol de Mañana CHILE Day 17 continued: Pre-booked transfer to SPDA - 4x4 rental - Pukara de Quitor - Astronomy tour - N1 SPDA...

You only planned 3 days for the La Paz > SPA route?!

Good evening Luc,

you only planned 3 days for the La Paz > SPA route!!!

Most tour operators offer the Salar tour over 3 days/2 nights, especially when departing from Uyuni and arriving at the Chilean border, rather than returning to Uyuni in a single day’s drive. There’s also the option to do special tours with more lagoons to visit or extra time in the Salar region.

I’d looked into covering the entire area east of Laguna Chalviri, pushing all the way to Ciudad de Roma.

But that would’ve required 2 to 3 extra days—on top of that, in the dead of winter, with nights dropping to at least -15°C.

I ended up having a good instinct to drop that idea, since half the group was eager to leave these high-altitude lands. The constant cold, day and especially night, wore down their motivation!! And the 3-day/2-night tour gave us a great overview of the Southern Lipez (about half the spots I’d mapped out), which was enough to take our breath away without suffering *too* much from the winter cold.

I hope to return one day in spring or autumn, completely self-sufficient, so I can camp and have the freedom to stop wherever and whenever I want. Tour operators aren’t really my thing, even if in this case, it was a solid option.

Still, for those who don’t have the physical ability to do the Ausangate trek or hike up Vinicunca on foot—and there are many—it’s a real opportunity to enjoy these two nearby sites without missing out.

Well, on that note, I’d love to climb the Matterhorn in Switzerland or Mont Blanc in France, but my physical condition wouldn’t allow it. That’s just how life is…😉

Honestly, the hike up Vinicunca from the official parking lot isn’t that bad if you don’t suffer from altitude sickness.

And all in 3 days/2 nights for a great overview of the South Lipez

Uh, I think you haven’t really looked into this. Ask Jean-François and all the others who’ve done the South Lipez in one to two weeks.😛

We visited the South Lipez in two weeks and could’ve added 2-3 more days without getting bored.

Against the cold, even freezing, nights, it's best to bring your own sleeping bag. But, it’s actually quite cumbersome, and really warm sleeping bags are also very expensive.

Honestly, the climb up to Vinicunca from the official parking lot isn’t too bad if you don’t suffer from altitude sickness.

Well, actually, that’s the thing 😕. You’re in good shape because you hike a lot in the mountains, but Laetitia wouldn’t have made it—she was really struggling to breathe, just like Rachel. I could hear them breathing heavily as early as the morning in Palcoyo (on a gentle climb) because of the lack of oxygen, while for Max and me, for example, it was pretty easy. When, at the exit of Palcoyo, I told them there’d be three times the elevation gain (500m instead of 150m), they both said they wouldn’t make it. They even told us they’d wait at the bottom while we three guys did the climb alone. Gonzalo’s offer was a real lifesaver...

And all in 3 days/2 nights for a great overview of the Southern Lipez

Uh, I think you might’ve missed the mark on that one. Ask Jean-François and all the others who’ve spent one to two weeks in the Southern Lipez. :P

I’d read your travel journal and Jef’s, which is why the Ciudad de Roma area appealed to me. I also kept in mind how much time you’d spent there, and someday, I’d love to explore it more deeply—but that’ll have to be without the kids, since this was their last trip...

What drew me to the Southern Lipez were the high-altitude lagoons. Revisiting the photos from your 2020 travel journal confirmed that we’d seen quite a few of the same lagoons you had, not to mention all the ones in the Atacama region. Enough to satisfy my craving for lagoons in the Andes... It’s true we missed out on the mountains and volcanoes you climbed, but that would’ve been physically out of reach for some of us.

I’d asked the rest of the family about their expectations for the Southern Lipez, showing them a few spots, and they all said they couldn’t imagine spending a full week seeing nothing but lagoons in such arid landscapes all day. I still remember one of them saying, "It’s always a bit the same, isn’t it?" Tastes differ, and I took their preferences into account when planning the itinerary.

That actually worked out well for me, though, because it let me spend more time in the Atacama Desert at a lower altitude, which is less likely to cause altitude sickness. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if we’d all handle the high altitude well. I had Isabelle’s misadventures in mind and didn’t want to risk cutting too many days from the trip if altitude sickness forced us to go from Puno to San Pedro de Atacama via the coast...

Yeah, exactly. You’ve got the physical condition since you hike a lot in the mountains, but Laetitia wouldn’t have made it—she had too much trouble breathing, just like Rachel.

Maybe with better acclimatization, they wouldn’t have run into those issues.

Imagine if some of the sites you loved in the United States, which require good physical condition to visit, were developed with 4x4 or ATV-accessible trails.

I think you’d find that a shame, because it could change the natural character of those places. That said, I also get the idea of wanting to make them accessible to more people. But too much development can really take away from what makes a site beautiful. We’ve all seen examples of stunning places that lost some of their charm after being heavily developed.

Sorry for chiming in on this topic—it’s just something I feel strongly about. Anyway, I won’t go on and on. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of your travel journal. 🙂

I’m also looking forward to reading Marati’s travel journal, but I totally agree with your take on the infrastructure and the circulation of quads or 4x4s in natural areas.

Carmen, I must have expressed myself poorly by giving the impression that I was in favor of developing trails in natural areas preserved from mass tourism, because that’s not the case at all. I also prefer that some sites remain difficult to access to maintain a certain level of privacy and allow people to have a quality experience. If, in this case, that secondary trail hadn’t existed, the girls would have simply skipped the visit without any regrets on their part.

When I see how tourism has evolved in the western U.S. over the past dozen years or so, I’m really glad that authorities deliberately keep some trails in very poor condition to limit access. And we can clearly see that the issue of managing tourist flows in certain parks is a topic of debate, since the rules change every year.

No worries about your comments—travel journals are all about exchange and sharing! 🙂 !

Plus, Guillaume made it clear in the title: the combo was bold!

I’d also spent 3 days/2 nights in the Southern Lipez and Salar, from Tupiza. Of course, you come away with a "can’t-wait-to-come-back" feeling, but it’s still a great introduction, given the timing choices.

That said, it’s really interesting to follow both your travel journals (along with Carmen’s) at the same time—a great example of the same places visited in completely different ways!

I’ll take this opportunity to revisit your MP visit—you really had weather you don’t see often there!

“My” MP 😉

definitely weather you don’t see often there

Hi there,

I visited MP about twelve years ago, in the summer. I arrived among the first, very early in the morning, as the day was beginning to dawn. Machu Picchu was under the morning mist, which was slowly lifting, and it was truly magical to see it emerge little by little under the sun! For me, Machu Picchu was a childhood dream, and I was over the moon.

On another note, I’d like to mention that northern Peru isn’t bad either. For those who love handicrafts, Ayacucho is a very interesting city. It’s a place that suffered a lot during the Shining Path era, and I was deeply moved by some of the firsthand accounts from witnesses of that painful time for Peru.

Looking forward to the rest of Marati’s story...

You're talking about Ayacucho and the Shining Path... I've got an anecdote about that. My wife and I were in Peru in 1984, when the Shining Path was active in the country. Since I worked in aviation, I often got big discounts with certain airlines. In Lima, I went to the Peruvian airline's office to negotiate a ticket for the Cuzco/Ayacucho route. I got the tickets with the discount I asked for, but when we showed up at Cuzco airport to catch the flight, we were told the route had been closed for 3 months because of the guerrilla warfare!

now that’s what I call a solid discount!! 🤪

You're talking about Ayacucho and the Shining Path...

When we showed up at the Cuzco airport to catch the flight, we were told the route had been closed for 3 months because of the guerrilla war!

In my previous message, I almost wrote that during the Shining Path years, it was strongly advised against going to Ayacucho. Back then, people would leave their homes in the morning not knowing if they’d make it back alive.

For those interested in Peru’s history and handicrafts, it’s a fascinating region.

I also spent 3 days/2 nights in the Sud Lípez and Salar from Tupiza. Of course, you leave with a "can’t-wait-to-come-back" feeling, but it’s still a great introduction, given the timing choices.

I had the same feeling, but I want to go back in a season that’s less harsh than winter. Seeing Carmen’s photos of other areas around the lagoons—or her hikes on the volcanoes—just confirmed my wish to return!

I’ll take this opportunity to revisit your MP visit—definitely weather you don’t see there often!

The mist adds a mystical vibe! And if the clouds clear up during the day so you can enjoy the site in the sun, it’s just pure bliss...

Hi Marie, Thanks for following the travel journal! 🙂

Otherwise, I’ll take the opportunity to say that northern Peru isn’t bad either, and for those who love crafts, Ayacucho is a really interesting city. It’s a place that suffered a lot during the Shining Path era, and I was deeply moved by some firsthand accounts from witnesses of that painful time for Peru.

Northern Peru is also on my wish list, with a planned stop in Ayacucho, the Millpu pools, Cerro Blanco, Nazca, Huacachina, Moron Lagoon, and the Ballestas Islands!

Day 7 - 18/07: On the way to Colca Canyon

Our overnight bus was supposed to arrive in Arequipa at 6:30 AM. But when we found ourselves in Puno in the middle of the night—nowhere near our route—I checked Google Maps and realized we’d be over 2 hours late. No one had told us about this big detour. Then again, I must’ve been the only one crazy enough to check our location at 2 AM ...

Since we had a car reservation at 8:30 AM on the outskirts of the city, I contacted Peru Rent via WhatsApp at 5:30 AM to avoid losing the car due to a "no-show."

Peru Rent’s customer service, apparently available 24/7, was super responsive. They had no problem pushing back the pickup time and even offered to let us grab the car at their downtown office, closer to the bus terminal.

But I declined—I didn’t feel like driving in Arequipa’s hyper-central area. Too risky; Peruvians drive way too aggressively. Even me, who usually drives a bit recklessly, was playing it safe there! After a taxi transfer, we picked up our SUV. During the inspection, all four tires were at or near the wear indicator! This time, we didn’t forget to check for a spare tire 😉. Everything was good—except the jack was missing the crank handle!

The manager told me I could just call if there was an issue. When I pointed out there wouldn’t be signal everywhere (I knew this firsthand—we’d taken the opposite route that morning!!), he finally gave us 20 soles to buy a crank handle ...!!! So that’s what we did on the way, stopping at a hardware store before heading north. On the way there, we took the shortest route—steeper but quickly turning into a corrugated dirt road, or worse. The rental guy had assured me it was paved!

We lost time, and contrary to what I’d read online during prep, the landscapes were pretty underwhelming—except for that one mountain!

At the summit, on the plateau, we spotted alpacas and vicuñas under a perpetually overcast sky.



After a few stops along the way, we arrived in Chivay, the gateway to Colca Canyon. We paid the entrance fee in exchange for a huge ticket we couldn’t part with—it was meticulously stamped at four checkpoints: on the road *and* at different trails for descending or climbing the canyon. They don’t mess around with this cash cow that supports the whole region!

On the main road to Cabanaconde, the photos don’t do justice to what we saw, thanks to those darn clouds. We even got a few raindrops—the first of the trip.

Luckily, by late afternoon, we caught a few rare rays of sunshine and snapped some brighter souvenir photos!

Maca’s church was closed, and the village was deserted. We hoped we’d have better luck on the way back in two days.

We finally arrived at our lodge, Cabana del Conde Lodge in Cabanaconde, where we could have dinner. Good thing, too—the village we’d just passed through seemed dead. We only saw a few small shops where we stocked up on snacks and water for the next two days, just to avoid getting ripped off at the bottom of the canyon, as I’d read about in travel groups. Then again, since they have to get their supplies delivered by mule, it’s no surprise life down there is expensive!

The lodge was perfectly located for tomorrow’s trek and let us leave our big backpacks in a secure room. Plus, after hiking back up the canyon, it offered former guests—even those without a reservation—the chance to shower for free.

Day 8 - 19/07: Descending into Colca Canyon

Before starting our hike, we headed to the condor viewpoint, about 15 minutes from Cabanaconde.

The morning promised sunshine!



We were at the viewpoint by 7:30 AM and took a well-marked trail to a great observation spot.

We were about 30 meters from a nest with five adults and two chicks, hidden behind a yucca.



But it wasn’t until around 8 AM, once the first sunrays started creating warm air currents, that the first condors took flight! Front-row seats guaranteed . Not many photos in the journal due to the photo limit 😕





When we left to have lunch at our lodge in Cabanaconde, we spotted about fifteen condors in the sky!!

With our stomachs full and our bags packed, we set off on the hike just before 10 AM, aiming to reach the Sangalle Oasis, located 1,300 meters below at an altitude of 2,100 meters. We’re taking the classic loop, the shortest route, passing through San Miguel and San Juan de Chuccho.

After San Miguel and a permit checkpoint, the actual trail begins.

The viewpoint from the rim is breathtaking. It even earns us an exasperated remark from a family member wondering why people always want to descend to the bottom of a canyon when they’re at the top (where the view is stunning), and why they always want to climb to the top of a mountain when they’re at the bottom ...

No one had an answer for that. Still, we continue our long descent 😛!!

We’re treated to a stunning plunging view of the Sangalle Oasis, our stop for the day, where you can spot one of the pools that will be ours tonight!

The viewpoints at the start of the trek are the most impressive and really give you a sense of the canyon’s depth!



The final descent to the bridge is really steep, and several of our little toes end up with blisters. For my part, I made the mistake of not tightening my laces enough, which increased the friction of my foot against the front of my shoe!

When the bridge comes into view, we know the hardest part is over! We’re not at risk of getting lost—we’re far from alone... Still, maps.me comes in handy several times, because after the San Juan bridge, there are multiple possible routes.

By mutual agreement, given the state of our toes and the sky starting to cloud over in the distance, we decide to take the direct option, the shortest one.

After lunch in San Juan de Chuccho, in the heart of lush vegetation,

we begin the final stretch of the hike leading to the Sangalle Oasis. The constant ups and downs in terms of climbing and descending really wear us out, and a relaxing evening will do us good.



The clouds eventually catch up with us, and we even get a few raindrops that motivate us to pick up the pace!

We finally start the switchback descent toward the oasis, cross a footbridge, and reach Eden Lodge.

Throughout the day, we heard a lot of French being spoken...

Rock colors worthy of Yellowstone Canyon, or almost...



Our hotel, Eden Lodge, has a beautiful pool with a waterfall, but with wind strong enough to blow the horns off a bull and a very chilly temperature, we only dip our legs in.

While it’s not too crowded yet, I also take the opportunity to book a mule for Laetitia, as she won’t have the strength or desire to tackle the 1,200 meters of elevation gain tomorrow morning. Timéo and Rachel consider taking a mule for themselves, alternating the effort, but the muleteer tells them it’s impossible because the mules’ pace is much faster than that of hikers. They decide to decline the option and hike up on foot 😛.

While waiting for dinner, we sip beers among several tables of French travelers and play a few card games. Not to mention the essential wi-fi, which is surprisingly good. Ultimately, contrary to what I’d read, I found the prices for meals and drinks very reasonable, given how remote the location was.

The descent into the Colca Canyon was quite a physical challenge since the most beautiful panoramas are visible from the top, from the rim!

Day 9 - 07/20: Hiking up Colca Canyon and returning to Arequipa

The alarm goes off at 4:50 AM to give us time to have breakfast before starting the hike up the canyon while it's still cool.

We meet up at 5:40 AM with the muleteer we rented a mule from—for my wife, whose legs aren’t up to handling the physical effort of 1,100 meters of elevation gain over 4.3 km. Since he’s running late, the kids and I start the hike at 6 AM to take advantage of the morning coolness.

We quickly pass the mules waiting patiently for their passengers.

The hike is pretty easy as long as you don’t push too hard. We keep a steady, relaxed pace. After an hour, we’ve already covered more than half the elevation gain.

The sun, climbing in the sky, gradually lights up the mountains. Meanwhile, we continue to tackle the elevation at a steady but relaxed pace. Rachel is right behind me, and as soon as I hear her breathing get heavier, I slow down. The boys could go a little faster, but we stick together in a line, and every half-hour, we check our progress on the maps app to keep everyone motivated!

It’s not until around 7:30 AM that the mules catch up to us. Laetitia later tells us they left relatively late while they saddled the mules. In the end, we complete the climb in 2 hours without pushing ourselves, with a break every half-hour. We all expected it to be worse... The muleteer did it in 1.5 hours without breaking a sweat!





At the top of the trail, we have to show our permits again!

We then walk through the village of Cabanaconde, which isn’t very charming, until we reach the lodge.

After picking up our car and bags—left at the hotel instead of in the trunk to avoid tempting anyone—we head back to Chivay, stopping at all the viewpoints and villages along the way.



Unlike the trip there, the return drive is under a beautiful blue sky, and the views of the canyon just keep coming.

At a series of tourist stalls, we have a lovely encounter!



We take the opportunity to try an alcoholic aperitif made with cactus juice. Unique and really good!



Those Andean farming terraces still form a beautiful mosaic of colors.



One last roadside stop,