Arequipa to Cusco, Peru, December

We left Arequipa early in the morning and headed out into the mountains towards the Reserva Nacional Salinos y Aquade Blanca high in the Andes. The road climbs and cars vye with on coming traffic to overtake slow moving lorries.

 The last few green fields gave way to arid mountain sides.

 In the distance was a huge cement factory with a railway running past it which connects Arequipa with Cusco.

In the distance we had a view of one of the three volcanoes that surround Arequipa with smoke emerging from the top of Sabancaya as it continues to emit smoke and gas but it has not yet erupted violently but is being monitored.

 

On the high plateau we saw several vicuñas , similar to llamas, alpacas and guanacos ho produce extremely fine wool but never near enough to the road to get a good picture.

                                      
We passed plenty of scenery as we crossed the plateau and crossed the railway line in several places but we would be lucky to see a train as there are only three passenger services a week.

There is some water up in the mountains but not much grows and there are no trees and patches of rock show through the thin covering of grass that the vicuña live on.


There are some people living here but most of them are workers on some of the quarries and industrial plants built in the area.

We passed a lake and local beauty spot high in the mountains and we stopped at a mirador or look out spot set back from the road to overlook the lake.

Some llamas grazing near the edge of the road.

An flamingoes in the lake.

We crossed the highest areas of the plateau and started a long slow descent and here there was more water with some green grazing and feeds.

We took a short cut to avoid a large dog leg and the bustling and chaotic streets of Juliana. At times it seemed we were on gravel roads in the middle of no where with roads just wide enough for one vehicle, and this red car was waiting for us to cross the bridge before continuing it own journey.

The sky had darkened and it had started to rain which is welcomed by the farmers in this high and dry area.

We passed through a village which was celebrating the Festival of the Immaculate Conception and here are a few pictures of the costumes and festivities, still being carried on in the rain.

It was getting late and there was more snow on the nearby mountains.

We buch camped at a local hot spa at an elevation of about 4,400m and some of us were still gasping for breath with too much exertion. But we had an opportunity to soak in the various hot pools.

Steam rising from some of the hot pools in the morning.

Gas rising to the surface together with more hot water from deep under ground.

We left the mountains and descended towards Cusco which is still at an altitude of nearly 3,400m.

Some of the favelas on the outskirts of the city.

It was still raining as we walked around the centre of the city in the rain.

Next stop we would leave the city and head for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.