From Nazca to Cuzco
 

Guys - that's me again ...
In the next days i will reach Nazca. From there i want to go to Cuzco ... what do you think? Which way is the best (shortest, savest and easiest?) ... is it the Route 26 via Abancay or is it the 21 via Arequipa?

I will visit both cities anyway ... and after that going to Bolivia.

Thanks for your advices!
Konrad

Route 26. Great riding all the way. Get an early start (or stop in Abancay), and keep warm clothes handy.

Mark

+ 1. This road is unbelievable.

Agree on the warm clothes bit - we were there a couple of weeks ago and there was snow and hail falling and some ice sticking to the road on the higher ground.

Hotel Turistica (or turista ... something similar at least) located on the main road through Abanacay has safe and covered parking. It's a 3 star hotel, but fairly cheap - a double room with TV and private bath cost us 50 solares.

Have fun

Konrad,

Jean are in Nasca now, we just did a few ks on the 26 for a laugh, great road.

We are not going to Cuzco, so may see you again when we head up from Arequipa to Lake Titicaca ?

We did route 26 4 days ago quite amazing. PM me if you want our track it looks like an ant trail through the jam.2 degC at the top plus loads of rain and 25degC in Nazca at 8PM.
At the very top there was about 100 yds of sheet ice on the road and at that point we passed two bikers one I think was on a KTM, anyone on here?

Currently in Chimbote which smells of fish. No trout for supper or I will smell like Chimbote

Follow us on Back2theBike Americas Adventure

... A welcome awaits at the NORTON RATS in Cusco.

... The KTM mentioned yesterday may well be Beto and Tracey from California, en route from Colombia to Tierra del Fuego.

... As for the route ... GO 26!

Nazco to Cuzco with fog
 

We went through Abancay a week and half ago and it was fog, fog, and more fog. But where there wasn't fog there was rain. However, the road was still awesome and I would recommend it to anyone.
Watch out for darting Vicuñas.
Haven't done the route through Arequipa.
There is a great place to stay with safe parking at the halfway point.
Here's our blog on it: The Indulgent Adventures of Bubbs and Bubs: Misery loves company

Marshall

im in cusco and will be attempting the ride to nazca in the next couple days, weather permitting. if you already did it how long did the ride take? did you stop in abancay?

Ruta 26 is basically one mountain pass after the other with some stunning river valleys in between, so to appreciate both bends and the beauty of the countryside, I would take two days for the 550 km between Cusco and Nazca.

http://possu.smugmug.com/Travel/Ride...32_7pskU-M.jpg

http://possu.smugmug.com/Travel/Peru...57_xzw2h-M.jpg

http://possu.smugmug.com/Travel/Peru...60_JyB3C-M.jpg

Coming from Cusco, I stopped in Chalhuanca, 116 km further south from Abancay (and 266 km from Cusco) - there are at least three hotels in town and plenty of restaurants.

Have a safe trip!