Day 87: Nasca into the Andes up to 14,930’ - Wednesday February 2, 2011

The desolate Peruvian coastal desert goes right into the Andes from Nasca toward Cusco. Even at 11.000’ the mountains facing the Pacific were drier than Death Valley and contained the world’s largest sand dune. The Andean landscape became more familiar from the next valley on.

The high pampas (plains) is mostly 12.500’ – 15.000’. We encountered herds of llamas, alpaca and vicuna at those elevations. Some were wild in a national reserve. We had the pleasure of fog, rain and sleet on an exquisitely sinuous road for 360KM. Justin & I split the 6-hour drive. Cattle were kept below 12,500’. 2 passes were at 14,980’ elevation. The river valleys with waterfalls everywhere, indigenous communities living their lives, grand snow capped mountains, so on made me not notice my little elevation headache.

The road has been excellent. Road crews were everywhere clearing up rock falls from the rain and fixing erosion in the asphalt. There were no delays. What a difference with the road out of Huarez. We reached our hotel at 4:15. Tomorrow we drive the Andes to Cusco. We are undertaking trip scheduling to Rio so that Anisa & Steve can make their plans. There are so many delicious options!

From Pasto at the beginning of the Andes culture through Justin’s segment ending in the salt deserts south of Lake Titicaca will have been high adventure! The part from Buenos Aires to Rio will have the treats we have been spoiled to. High adventure awaits us in the Atlantic coast of Brazil, particularly, the Amazon Delta through the Guyanas.