Through the Andes from Cusco to Puno
Trip Start
Jun 01, 2010
1
58
64
Trip End
Oct 08, 2010
Puno, Peru
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Although we'd enjoyed our time in Cusco, we were happy to leave and get back on the road, however bumpy (note to self: don’t sit above the back wheels of a bus for a long journey..)
Once out of Cusco (the real non-touristy suburbs stretch on for miles) we hit the Panamerican Highway.
First stop was Andahuaylillas, with a small Jesuit church built on Inca foundations, packed with gold decoration and painted walls and ceilings. Not for nothing is it known as the Sistene Chapel of the Andes. Sadly no photos are allowed inside so you’ll have to take our word for it that it was lavish and unexpected in this corner of the Andes – but the Vatican doesn’t need to worry just yet.
Next step was Raqchi, an old Inca ruined temple – the Temple of Vinacocha – which was once the most important and largest in the Inca empire.
From there the bus climbed up the Andean plateau and we passed mile after mile of mountainous terrain covered in yellowed grass, with grazing alpacas and the odd flamingo in the occasional pool. This was a proper desolate wilderness – if the wilderness in New Zealand had been beautiful and dramatic this was barren and just desolate.
Eventually we arrived at La Raya at 4470m the highest point between Cusco and Puno. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, the handicraft sellers were out in force, not to mention the alpaca-and-lamb-ladies.
Our final stop was at Pucara, with a small museum displaying pre Inca sculpture and a pretty church.
The bus continued across the plain – the Andean Altiplano, which stretches into Bolivia and Argentina – before descending to Juliaca (which looked like a bit of a dump and thankfully we didn’t stop there) and finally reaching Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca.
