A recharging rest in Cajamarca and our group was ready to set off on a much anticipated route: A 7 day off-road adventure to Huaraz. Our first real experience with the wide open spaces of high altitude riding. So far the routes had taken us through cloud forests and desert but always populated and not really suitable for wildcamping or experiencing true freedom in the mountains.
The day before we had planned to leave we got a really nice surprise. As we were packing up we met another bikepacker! Ian, an Aussie, had ridden in Ecuador as well and took a flight to now also ride towards Huaraz and into the Peru Great Divide. Not all the way South as us but we quickly welcomed him in our little gang ”The Sweaty Saddle Society”.

The route

The Cajamarca to Caraz connection is a gentle introduction into the rough and wildly interesting mountains of Peru. Following dirt roads through small villages, where you’re often greeted by bright smiles and a wave. The route climbs up to 4100m above sea level before dropping down a massive 3500 meters in a spectacular canyon before gradually climbing back up again to 3000m in Huaraz.

Extra route information

If you want more information on this route, including GPX-files, height profiles and pictures to ignite your inspiration, please see the following link:
https://bikepacking.com/routes/dirt-road-touring-peru/

Rolling out of Cajamarca we had a day on pavement, riding through a small village known for its guitars. With no room for a guitar unfortunately, we kept pedalling. Soon after we left the main road and started following an unassuming dirt road up into the mountains. 

Over the next two days we would be climbing up to our highest point, 4100m. But in-between there were so many other highlights. We were allowed to camp on a rooftop at a small family run hostel, including a warm cup of coffee in the morning. Or, after riding the whole day on rough gravel multiple people warned us to not cycle at night due to gang activity. One man even invited us in his home for the next day to camp in his garden for free, and the local police station took us in while we rode through the sketchier area. It’s these small interactions that make cycling so much fun. The scenery, as we’re getting used to, was spectacular.

Surprising host in Huamachuco

When we were riding towards the police station to ask for a safe sleeping spot, we were stopped by a car. A cycling enthousiast invited us into his garden for the next day to camp. He’d been hosting cyclists for over 15 years and was keen to give us a relaxing and safe spot to sleep. We ended up staying there for two nights and we even got treated on family time with warm chocolate, tea and fresh bread. An absolute delight and a place I’d 100% recommend to experience the Peruvian hospitality firsthand.

The final days to finally arrive in Huaraz

Huaraz had been on my mind for a long time already, every road and mountain pass seemed to lead to this small mountain city. Best known for its hiking culture and impressive peaks of the Cordillera Blanca but for me, and the other boys, it meant the start of something else completely: The Peru Great Divide.
One of the most spectacular bikepacking routes in the world, but we weren’t there yet.

The days after Huamachuco were some of the most spectacular on this trip so far. Not only did manage to camp at 4000m with the Milky Way showing itself above our tents but we descended for hours on winding dirt roads, with no other signs of life besides the alpacas and Llama. Getting lower the scenery changed from wide open plains to mines and rocky canyons. Ascending up through the Cañon del Pato, with many tunnels drilled through the rockfaces we slowly pedalled up towards Huaraz and its snowy peaks.
The day before we’d arrive we camped in a hostel garden and the owner Juan Carlos treated us on a big bbq, and made sure we had all the meats and salsa’s. I did suffer from a small food poisoning/tiredness induced fever but the next day we finally rolled into Huaraz.

The peaks of the Cordillera Blanca stood beside us and the promise of endless climbs and gravel roads in the future. After 5-6 days of rest, get the bike to a shop for much needed maintenance and then lots of preparations for the next epic part of this trip, I’m finally ready to start the Peru Great Divide.

For the next month I’ll disappear into the Peruvian Andes, where Wifi is scarce and the views are entertainment enough.

It starts soon.

How do I find location to sleep and eat?

Riding remote has many advantages but it does come with a certain necessity of preparation and flexibility. Camping is by far the easiest but spotting the right place can be tricky. Asking around is good when there’s people but with lots of doors closed it can be hard to find a welcoming place.

I’ve found that these methods work best for me:

Apps: RollingAround & ioverlander

Both apps that have waypoints marked by real travelers. It shows hostels, hotels, wildcamping spaces, friendly locals, water supplies etc. Scanning ahead of time to see some options has saved me more than once. RollingAround is a little newer, but it is only used by cyclists which makes it very valuable information.

Asking at Tiendas(shops) or Restaurants

Often you are allowed to camp either in or behind a shop/restaurant when you buy something there for dinner or snacks. If it’s not possible I also found that these places often have good info about where to camp or sleep. It could even be a perfect room above a bakery.

And as a final piece of advice: Don’t be afraid to walk up to someone and just ask. With some basic Spanish words, a smile and an open mindset you really can get a lot of nice surprises. It’s these unexpected moments that make riding a bike extra special.