A llama with a view near Tantamaco in Macusani District
Rocío and my month-long trip along and around the Interoceanic Highway in southern Peru and eastern Brazil was one of my greatest travel experiences.
The red pins show places visited during this trip
From seized mummies to mummies in situ, circular sun halos (rainbows), a condor hunting and dive-bombing, Inca and pre-Inca ruins, a llama shaped island, ancient cave etchings and art, tropical food and coffee festivals, Andean glaciers and Amazon jungle, this trip had almost everything.
A stand at the San Gaban Tropical Food Fair
The trip also had personal significance for Rocío as we visited her maternal family’s hometown and returned to the place of her favourite childhood memories for the first time in 30 years.
With Rocío above Pukara
The core of the trip was in the Puno Region, in Ayaviri, Macusani, Ayapata, San Gaban and Ollachea. These largely Quechua villages ranged from high up in the Andes Mountains to low level tropical but each had their own character and friendly people. They also didn’t have any foreign tourists. In fact, I only saw other foreign tourists in Puerto Maldonado.
Glaciers and lake between Ayapata and Macusani
Following are the trip’s individual blog posts:
- Ayaviri, a Historic Andean Town
- Pukara, Ancient Archaeological Site and Ornamental Bulls
- Macusani, the High Altitude Home of Alpacas, Precious Memories and Sun Halos
- The First Festival of Esquilaya Coffee, Ayapata, Carabaya, Puno, Peru
- Where is Ayapata?
- Ancient Pitumarka Mummies in Taype
- From Andean Glaciers to the Amazon Jungle in one Spectacular Day
- Eating in Puerto Maldonado
- Puerto Maldonado, Southern Peru’s Amazon Gateway
- Border fun on a trip to Acre, Brazil
- Puerto Maldonado to San Gaban via Mazuko, Madre de Dios, Peru
- Oroya: Butterflies, Boats and Gold Mining in the Amazon Basin
- San Gaban’s Third Annual Food Fair, Peru
- San Gaban and the Lizard Mouth
- Ancient Buildings, Terraces and Cave Surprises around Ollachea
- Hot Spring, Waterfall and Flash Mystery: Highlights of Ollachea
Two one day tours from Macusani were worthy enough for multiple posts:
- Two Amazing Day Trips from Macusani, Carabaya Province, Peru
- Wondrous Landscapes, Natural and Ancient Sites at Pitumarka, Peru
- Condor Dive-Bombing and other Animals Around Macusani, Carabaya Province
- Prehistoric Rock Art in Carabaya Province, Puno Region
- Tantamaco’s Potatoes and Stunning Scenery
- Jaylluwa Stone Forest and Odd Rocks
- Corani and its Colonial Church, Carabaya Province, Peru
- A Mysterious Cavern in Corani District, Peru
- Colonial and Pre-Inca Gold Processing Technology with a Bonus Sun Halo
- Ruins and Ceramics at Pre-Inca Settlement Marca Marca
A pre-Columbian chulpa (tomb) outside Ollache
