From the sleepy fishing village of Tortugas, Mark, Maya, and I headed inland again, back to the Andes Mountains. After traveling around Northern Peru for three weeks in our truck camper Thirsty Bella, our first impressions of the country had not been positive. Fellow overlanders kept telling us “It would get better further south.” We were both looking forward to “better,” “prettier,” and, above all, “quieter.”
Map of our sights in the Cordillera Blanca
Huaraz
We drove from sea level to 14,000ft (4,200m) in one day, so, as you can imagine, the scenery changed drastically as we climbed from littered roads and uninspiring plots of dirt to green fields, pine trees, and, above the tree line, views of the impressive snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
On our first night in the hectic town of Huaraz, we decided to camp at its viewpoint (11,000ft or 3,350m) for a more peaceful experience. We failed to learn that the road up was narrow, rocky, and stressful. I can’t say the view was that special, but we did, at least and at last and despite a vague headache, have a quiet night – after trying to level up a bit, getting dressed for and dealing with a police visit at 11pm, and meeting expat and missionary Larry, who thought it was a good idea to scream “Good morning, Liesbet and Mark” on his 5am run the following day.
Being able to stay in a paid campground would make or break our visit to this area. To reach most of the spectacular hikes, lakes, and views, we needed to take the camper off our truck to be more mobile, smaller, and less heavy for these steep and challenging mountain drives. Without camper Bella, pickup Thirsty can handle about anything!
When we arrived at the only established (and recommended) camping in Huaraz, Marian Wahi, we faced our first problem: the gate. Latin Americans love their gated, arched entrances! Would we fit? We asked owner Avencio about its height and gave it a try, while he watched closely from the top of a ladder. We barely squeezed through, filled up with potable water, took our camper off in a jiffy, and were happy and relieved to start exploring!
Home for a few nights
One of the perks of staying at a paid campground, for us, is the chance to socialize, because most overlanders opt for places like these for safety and/or comfort reasons (hot shower, communal kitchen, flush toilets, common areas, attractive grounds, the chance to “spread out”). When camping in nature, we rarely meet likeminded souls. So, it was nice to make new friends and share a few happy hours.
Unfortunately, Marian Wahi does not offer WiFi and the Claro cell connection was inadequate to work, so we left this spot earlier than planned, in search of internet again. Not that it was easy to exit the property… On hindsight, we should have backed out of the gate to recreate the previous alignment between the top of the structure and our camper.
Instead, we slowly approached the obstacle once more and our host stood on the ladder, while Mark drove and I surveyed from the ground. The expression on Avencio’s face didn’t look good halfway through the maneuver. The camper was stuck! Mark couldn’t go forward or backward. We now know for sure that the height of this gate is 3.30 meters – our exact measurement.
We let a lot of air out of the back tires, I directed Mark through from the top of the wooden ladder, and Avencio and George hung off Bella to add weight to the back of our camper. Slowly but surely, we made it through, skimmed a truck not wanting to wait until we passed, and pulled over on the narrow road for an hour to inflate the tires again. Phew!
Before leaving, we visited two nearby locations.
Laguna LLaca
With the camper safely parked at the campground, Mark, Maya, and I set out towards Laguna Llaca, located in Huascaran National Park at an altitude of 14,800ft (4,500m). The road was narrow, rocky, and extremely bouncy, especially with a “stiff” pickup truck. Progress was slow and I suffered from motion as well as altitude sickness. We should have probably relaxed and acclimatized for a couple of days before this adventure.
The views were spectacular! Especially from this meadow, which would make a great campsite or lunch spot, despite the flies and the chilly temperatures.
We made it to the top of the road in an hour and a half. The air was crisp, but thin. A short, uphill hike brought us to this greyish glacier lake. The surroundings were awesome, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of blue in the water.
Mark and Maya hiked an hour longer and further to come eye to eye with a spectacular glacier. My husband was impressed by this unique sight and hearing rocks and debris falling into the water while taking a break.
The road down was slightly faster, after a quick lunch by the stream, but I needed a lot of time to recover from my nausea and headache.
Willkawain Ruins
We took advantage of being able to use our truck by itself, to conquer more challenging roads around Huaraz and visit the Willkawain Ruins. We noticed fellow overlanders walking the long and steep road in the sun later on. They couldn’t make it in their van.
This archeological site actually consists of two parts in different locations. We were happy the guard told us this tidbit, since none of the signs, guides, or other resources mentioned this fact. At the first site sits a well-preserved building with three floors and many rooms. The Wasi people laid their dead to rest here. Ruins surrounding this impressive building indicated where the living were housed.
We walked to the second, higher site to find more structures of the Wasi culture. These ones were not lit up inside, so we just strolled the grounds, again without Maya, who guarded the entrance to the ruins.
Laguna Churup
From Huaraz, we followed an easy, paved, yet narrow road into the mountains again. It was suitable for smallish campers, so we could spend the night in this amazing 13,000ft (3,950m) location. By then, both of us were acclimatized enough to breathe and sleep at this altitude. Maya never seems to be affected by the thinner air.
Few of the lakes in Huascaran National Park and the Cordillera Blanca are accessible by car and Laguna Churup is no exception. To reach this lagoon, a strenuous, tricky, and long 2,000ft climb is needed. Not an easy feat, especially here. Mark would attempt this hike the following morning. Three fit Americans who live in Lima – and became our friends – had just completed the trek.
While Mark huffed and puffed towards Laguna Churup (and a higher glacier lake as well), Maya and I explored the paths nearby. His views were more spectacular than mine! We spent another night in this attractive and quiet spot.
Yungay
Thirsty Bella was complete again, so we continued our travels in the Cordillera Blanca, heading north from Huaraz. We desperately needed good internet to catch up on work. But we also hoped to reach two other lakes: Laguna 69 and Laguna Paron. Both access routes had developed issues – one was being grated (but we didn’t have the details of that yet), the other was affected by a recent landslide (which cut off three overlanders on the wrong side).
Instead of picking one of these destinations yet, we settled on a free camping spot in Yungay, after briefly stopping in Carhuaz to eat our lunch and splurge on an ice cream.
Yungay is known for a sad event. In May 1970, the entire town was obliterated by a mudslide, set into motion by an earthquake along the coast. Two American researchers and geologists actually predicted this outcome after a similar, smaller occurrence and after discovering that part of the biggest mountain in Peru, Huascaran, had an unstable glacial wall.
Again, the Claro cell service didn’t work well enough for us, so we had to move again. We weighed our options and drove to the access road of Laguna Paron, which originates in the town of Caraz.
Laguna Paron
For an entire morning, we tried – unsuccessfully – to reach Paron Lake. With our truck camper, the rest of this rough, narrow, “low” road was inaccessible. Thirsty Bella is just too wide and high. Plus, why would we beat up our house and belongings if we don’t have to?
So, we hitchhiked (every passing car was packed to the gills), hoped to flag down a tour van and pay for our way up (no tours; maybe cancelled because of the landslide?), and inquired about prices for a taxi ride up (too expensive at US$50 for the return trip and a two-hour wait). Luckily, the internet worked okay at our new campsite.
I was disappointed and really wanted to experience a “blue lake.” Couldn’t we take the camper off again in the big, flat gravel lot we had been camping? Would it be safe to leave Bella unattended? Initially, we didn’t think this was a good idea. But, the following morning, when we kind of had come to terms with leaving, we felt brave and energized to reach the lake with just the truck – our only option left. Our Quechua neighbors had been friendly; one man even brought us peaches from his orchard while we sat outside to watch the full moon rise. Everything should be fine.
Taking the camper off again
So, we separated our camper and truck for the second time in a week and bounced up another crazy, challenging road into the Cordillera Blanca for another hour and a half, climbing from about 8,000ft (2,400m) to 14,000ft (4,200m) taking a Quechua hitchhiker with us for the slow and curvy ride.
Because of the recent landslide, which demolished the road and the trail, we had to be creative about our approach, parking at an existing lot and then figuring out how to reach the lake. With trial and error – and heavy breathing and sweating – we eventually descended into the river valley, navigated over the newly created stream, and climbed up to the ridge and the end of the road via cow trails.
Mark started our track on the phone and built cairns, so heading back would be easier. It took us a full hour to reach Laguna Paron on our bushwhacking route (and only 30 minutes to return later), catching our breath multiple times.
Until recently, tourists could drive to the edge of this lagoon and even camp there! We don’t think that will ever be the case anymore as debris and a new river have replaced the road.
It hadn’t been without effort, but I got my blue lake! And what a view and experience this was. The surrounding mountains were as impressive as the lagoon itself…
The three of us followed a path above the water, sat nearer to the lake for half an hour, and took plenty of photos. Since we were out of bread for lunch, we decided to “splurge” on eating a meal at the local establishment. We’ve had better and more attractive lunches in our lives!
It would have been nice to spend more time at Laguna Paron, but we had a bit of a journey ahead of us still – scrambling down the valley, descending the crappy road, and assembling our home – so we left around 2pm to tackle those tasks. Peering ahead impatiently, we discovered our camper (including all our belongings) was still exactly where we left it!
Laguna Antacocha
We finished our time in the Cordillera Blanca at a remote, yet developed lake in the middle of nowhere. It was the perfect place to wind down after a terrible day on the road, which involved dangerous traffic situations in Huaraz, impatient Peruvian drivers (is there any other kind?), lots of stress, and our first minor accident (more about that in my next expense report).
The weather had turned. Rain, mist, and wind made our two-night stay at an elevation of 13,000ft (4,000m) less pleasant and we had our hearts broken by more hungry stray dogs near our camper, but we truly enjoyed the surroundings and the peace! These were most likely the quietest nights we experienced on this entire, ten-month South American journey so far.
Next up: Lima, Peru’s surprising capital.
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs, check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:
September 20, 2023 at 22:11
That’s quite an elevation change. It’s no wonder your body took a little time adjusting. You must have been sweating bullets, wondering if the camper would fit through that opening. One time my dad was on the Canada/U.S. border and crossed over because gas was cheaper. He got mixed up and got in the wrong lane, promptly ripping the top of his camper.
September 21, 2023 at 05:10
Yikes!
September 25, 2023 at 12:19
Right. I’m sure you guys are very careful with height restrictions as well!? In Europe there are probably signs everywhere. Here in South America, not so much…
September 25, 2023 at 12:10
Hi Pete,
That’s the worst driving nightmare of us RVers, not noticing a low bridge or overpass and running straight into it. We are always aware of heights on bridges and signs, except, here in South America, most tunnels, overpasses, bridges, gates, … have no sign with the height restrictions. So, we have to estimate or I get out and check carefully when Mark drives slowly or we don’t trust it and turn around. Somehow.
Again, we are driving from lower elevation into the Andes at the moment (from 6,000ft to 12,000ft yesterday), but we will take it a bit slower this time and not push our/my limits.
September 21, 2023 at 03:07
I get the impression traveling these parts is not for the faint-hearted. The elevation and rugged roads would do me in, I’m afraid. I’m glad you saw the blue lake, which look like it’s been dyed. Separating the camper and truck added a bit of suspense to your story, but I’m glad it turned out okay.
May you have a great experience in Lima! ;-D
September 25, 2023 at 12:12
Hi Marian,
The Cordillera Blanca is probably our highlight in Peru so far. The scenery was stunning and the tallest mountains of the country are located there. But, nothing has been easy here – the driving, the finding food, the noise, the trash, the stray dogs, finding peace at night, the higher costs…
We are pretty exhausted and might need a break from the road soon. We did enjoy Lima, though. Surprisingly. 🙂
September 21, 2023 at 05:10
Sensational scenery indeed!
Gotta love the early morning missionary…
September 25, 2023 at 12:21
Haha. Yes, he was a treat. Actually, a very interesting character. Maybe he noticed movement inside, before he yelled his greeting. As I do remember not sleeping so well that night. Maybe one of us was walking to the toilet – which makes the camper rock – and that’s how he figured we were awake? 🙂
September 21, 2023 at 09:58
Your travels are amazing, but just as riveting is how you solve problems. “let a lot of air out of the back tires … and Avencio and George hung off Bella …” And it worked!
September 25, 2023 at 12:24
Hi Jacqui,
I know, in a way, you’ve compared us to the characters in your pre-historic fiction novels, especially when it comes to living with nature and being problem solvers. And, it’s true. Ever since we’ve set out into the world twenty years ago, either with a sailboat or a camper, we have had to rely on just ourselves. And, issues happen all the time, often in the middle of nowhere. It’s important to be flexible, self-reliant, and resourceful when choosing this kind of lifestyle.
September 21, 2023 at 11:15
Congrats on reaching and seeing your first blue lake, Liesbet! I’m glad you had an enjoyable and quieter time in the Andes. Beautiful scenery. Look forward to your post on Lima. Safe travels!
September 25, 2023 at 12:26
Hi Natalie,
The Cordillera Blanca was spectacular and we really needed that positive change on our travels in Peru. I saw other blue lakes in New Zealand and Western Canada, but having come all this way into the Andes and missing out on them would have been a bummer! Luckily, we were determined enough, so I got to glimpse the amazing Laguna Paron! 🙂
September 21, 2023 at 12:23
The scenery is gorgeous and that blue lake is spectacular. Despite your challenges, you are experiencing so much that most of us will just read about. I’m glad you two are staying safe and healthy!
September 25, 2023 at 12:28
Hi Janis,
We knew when coming to South America in our own vehicle, that our travels and lives wouldn’t be easy. As long as the pros outweigh the cons, we keep going. But, Peru has been exhausting to say the least. Soon, we might want a break from the road for a month or so. We will see what Cusco brings…
September 21, 2023 at 16:18
Wow, what spectacular scenery! And you must have been extremely relieved to get a break from the incessant fireworks. The more I read of your adventures in Peru, though, the more certain I am that this is a trip that I prefer to experience only through your blog. The tales of rough roads and rarefied air made my stomach lurch and my head ache just reading about them! 🙂
September 25, 2023 at 12:31
Hi Diane,
This kind of a journey and lifestyle is not for everybody. To be honest, Peru has been hard on all overlanders by the sounds of it. We get a very different experience than the usual tourist, who flies in, stays at comfy accommodations, and visits the highlights. There has been a lot of complaining about this country among campers, believe me. I’m actually looking forward to Bolivia! 🙂 But first, we might want to rent a place for a month or so in Cusco. If we can finagle extra time in Peru.
Yes, the lack of fireworks has been a super pleasant experience. Especially at night.
September 21, 2023 at 17:02
The scenery it just stunning! Hassle with the camper in and out, but wow was it worth it to ditch the camper.
September 25, 2023 at 12:33
Hi Alex,
In the past, we only separated the truck and the camper when there was an issue with one or the other, which could only get fixed when having the units on their own. So, taking the camper off for “expedition” and exploration purposes is a nice perk! That’s using this set-up the way it was meant to be! 🙂
September 21, 2023 at 17:26
Stunning scenery in this one.
September 25, 2023 at 12:33
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos, Anabel. The highest mountains in the Andes are a wonderful sight to behold.
September 21, 2023 at 18:06
Absolutely stunning scenery, clever problem-solving and I am delighted that the three of you finally experienced some true peace and quiet. I am sad about the hungry, stray dogs. 🙁
September 25, 2023 at 12:35
Hi Donna,
We recently drove along another road where skinny strays were expectedly looking at passing cars from the ditch. I’ve come to the realization that that’s the positive about all the trash piles everywhere – they offer strays some source of food and meals. Sad, but true!
It’s nice to find peace in nature, whenever that happens. Usually, during the week. 🙂
September 22, 2023 at 17:43
Serious views! (And roads … yikes!) Love the blue lake and all the snow-capped mountains. You had me pretty worried about leaving the camper!
September 25, 2023 at 12:37
Hi Lexie!
Have you been to Peru? I don’t remember. If not, the Cordillera Blanca is a hikers’ paradise that you will enjoy immensely!
Leaving the camper was pretty risky, but only because of the “fear element” in our brains. Most people are good people and we did get a positive vibe of our surroundings and Quechua neighbors there. I guess it was a calculated risk. 🙂
September 26, 2023 at 08:40
Believe it or not, I’ve been to Peru four times! Once to hike the whole Inca Trail, and three times as a co-leader on a trip to introduce people to microfinance. I’ve never been to the Cordillera Blanca, but as a hiker I know all about it and would love to go someday! Keep up your good streak there!
September 26, 2023 at 20:28
So cool that you hiked the Inca Trail, Lexie! You seem to deal with the altitude much better than me. I do hope you’ll make it into Huaraz and surroundings one day.
September 22, 2023 at 18:17
That scenery, though! Seems like that would have made all the other problems worth it. Gosh, you are seeing and doing things so many other rank-and-file tourists have no idea about. You’re so lucky! Those photos of the high-country lakes are absolutely spectacular 🙂
September 25, 2023 at 12:40
Hi Susan,
The Cordillera Blanca was a nice reward for all our “troubles.” 🙂 And, we were very happy we managed to reach that campground and take the camper off, to give us the flexibility of visiting some of these attractions.
But, please explain the “lucky” part in your comment. Anyone in the western world can potentially choose to go on an adventure like ours… Choices…
September 25, 2023 at 10:05
I’m gobsmacked that it’s coming up to 10 months in South America. Time sure flies while having fun, Liesbet.
The glaciers and lakes look amazing, and glad you found a blue one. I can only imagine how refreshing the water must have been. The video of driving showing roads with no rubbish and such wonderful scenery is so different from some of the photos you shared in previous posts. It could almost be a different country.
I was a little concerned at you leaving the camper in the middle of nowhere while you went off exploring. And sorry to hear about the minor accident you mentioned that you’re going to give more details about. Hope you guys are all ok.
I do feel for those poor stray, hungry dogs. But how cool that you guys look after them.
September 25, 2023 at 12:48
Hi Hugh,
Yes, time flies fast! We arrived in Colombia (by plane) early November 2022. Crazy, right? I think that after a year on the road non-stop, we might need a comfortable place to charge our batteries for a month or so. We are hoping Cusco is the place, but we will see. There are a lot of logistics to figure out the coming months. Insanely so.
The water of the glacier lakes – and even the mountain rivers – is extremely frigid. Numbingly so. Usually, the weather is too chilly to take a dip, but a couple of days ago, we were at lower elevation with temperatures in the 30 degrees C, so we all took a dip in a beautiful river (without trash for a change). Mark and I were screaming from the cold, while Maya happily paddled around. 🙂
We would never leave our camper in an unsecured place like that at night, but took a calculated risk during the daytime. Mark made the comment that he didn’t think anybody in the indigenous community had a forklift, or a truck big enough to carry this camper, so we’d be fine. Farming still happens by hand and with oxen pulling carts here.
It was a super minor accident that mostly worked on our frustration and minds. Nothing physical. Just very annoying and typical for this country…
We try to give the strays who hang out with our camper some food, but unfortunately, that’s all we can do, really. Heartbreaking scenes like observing hungry strays, mostly when driving, happen almost every day. 🙁
September 27, 2023 at 16:27
A wonderful tale (and travails) of your adventures so far with incredibly gorgeous photos (and that blue lake!). I laughed about deflating the tires to ‘fit in.’ Of course, my philosophical mind thought of how great it would be if we humans could also deflate ourselves (our egos? our boxed-in thoughts? our bodies?) to fit in places that otherwise are inaccessible to us. Thanks for bringing us along with you during the good, the not so good, and the sometimes-ugly parts of traveling.
September 27, 2023 at 16:58
Hi Pam!
How have you been?
Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment. If only we could deflate other parts of our lives than just the tires to fit in better! I totally get where you’re coming from. Of course, there are plenty of people who wouldn’t see any benefit in this kind of “deflating adjustment”… 🙂
September 28, 2023 at 06:49
Those people are the ones who need deflating. 🙂 🙂 Sorry I haven’t responded more. I try on my phone with Jetpack and it doesn’t go through. I started up teaching 3 classes/week early this month, and am writing a new children’s book, so time is “winging by” waaaay too fast. xo
September 28, 2023 at 12:46
Haha, Pam, we are both still stuck on the deflating! 🙂
Awesome that you are teaching again. Good for the mind and the spirit! But I’m sure it made your schedule much busier. And congrats about working on the next children’s book. You seem to stay pretty active and entertained as well!
October 9, 2023 at 16:50
I love the road sign with the two cars crashing into each other.
Sounds like quite an adventure. So cool you can separate Thirsty Bella and do more off-roading. The glacier and the lakes (especially the blue one) are outstanding.
October 10, 2023 at 13:22
Hi Duwan,
That road sign of cars crashing into each other was one we saw a lot in Colombia as well, especially in the mountains. It might have been the most frequent sign of them all. I wonder why? 🙂
So far, the Cordillera Blanca has been the most scenic area in this country. Yes, taking the camper off not just for projects is a novel thing and we are very happy to have reached these places on our own. Most overlanders with “bigger rigs” (vans and campers) need to take cabs or book tours to get to places like those lakes.
You’d be surprised at how many people explore this continent with a Jeep and roof top tent! They get everywhere, but they lack the comfort of a bigger rig and the freedom of boondocking extensively.