I reached Cotahuasi after a tough five-day stretch on the bike, so I decided to take two days off there before tackling the remaining distance to Arequipa. I had two 2,000m plus climbs ahead of me and wanted to get some rest and soak in some hot springs first.

I enjoyed Cotahuasi quite a bit. It’s a quiet town with attractive colonial architecture, a small but charming plaza, and winding streets. I found a decent hotel with a nice roof-top view of the canyon and enjoyed some pretty decent food while there.

Somewhat rested, I set off early one morning on the nice, paved climb out of town. Starting at 2,700m, I had about 2,000m of elevation above me to the first high point. There was a few campsites marked on iOverlander just short of the summit, so I had my mind set on of them. I got off to a good start, but became worried when someone told me the road up ahead was closed. They were building a new section of road as the old one had been washed out (the landslide scar was very visible. Since there was no detour available, I kept going and hoped for the best. I reached the construction site and chatted with the traffic controller. She talked to someone else, and pretty quickly I was allowed through.

The new road was pretty steep, so I pushed up past some heavy equipment and eventually cleared the construction zone. Back on the highway, I enjoyed a beautiful climb through quinoa terraces that were likely hundreds of years old. Eventually I ticked past the 4,000m mark and reached a lookout, where I witnessed some condors soar overhead. I walked through some ancient ruins and enjoyed the vast panorama down to the canyon below and to the elevated plateau on the other side.

The interminable climb kept going, but I never felt overly tired. My legs kept spinning and I was in good spirits as I crossed over the barren puna. I ascended a few hundred more metres and then turned off the main road to the first of several campsites I had marked. I found a spot with views of both the canyon and Solimana, a 6,093m glaciated mountain. I enjoyed a glorious sunrise as the winds died down, ate a basic dinner, and went to bed.

I awoke to the rising sun and clear skies. Sadly, despite the weather, this would be one my least enjoyable days on a bike. It started off nice as I completed the climb and was greeted by views of Coropuna, a dormant volcano and the third highest mountain in Peru. I also saw a rare Andean fox along this stretch.

I turned off the highway onto a dirt road that served as a shortcut between Cotahuasi and the Valle de los Volcanes. This road would be the bane of my existence – 35 km of gradual uphill washboard that seemed to never end. I manoeuvred all over the road, trying to find the smoothest line without success. Unlike yesterday’s pleasant climb, I got beat up physically and mentally and grew increasingly frustrated as the kilometres ticked by. It’s a shame, because without the washboard, this road would be a classic, crossing beneath the glaciated domes that make up the vast Coropuna massif.

I was elated when I reached the highway, but the road was in terrible condition and so I couldn’t truly enjoy the long descent down to Andagua. Instead, I navigated an endless maze of massive potholes that eventually brought me to the Valle de los Volcanes and the edge of the Colca Canyon – the second deepest in the Americas after Cotahuasi.

In Andagua, I found a room at the Hotel Valle de Los Volcanes and got a pizza for dinner. I had an easy day planned, so I took in some local sites. This valley gets its name from the 80 volcanoes that are found there, many that are simply small cones emerging from the valley floor. I visited a waterfall and then hiked one of those cones to a view of the whole valley. Then, it was time for a 1,600m descent down to Ayo, a pleasant oasis filled with fruit trees located near the bottom of Colca Canyon. I coasted through the remains of lava flows and past long disused terraces, a sign that this was once a much more fertile area. In Ayo, I slept in a very clean room at the Don Manuel hotel for only 25 soles (about $10 CAD).

The reason I planned such an easy day was because the longest climb of my trip awaited. From Ayo (elevation 1,900m), I still had descend 500m to the bottom of the Colca Canyon at a mere 1,400m, and then climb back up a whopping 2,600 m. I was happy to take it easy, replenish my snack supply, and relax with a beer and bag of chips in the warmth of Ayo.

The next day started with a fast descent before I hit the new bridge at the bottom of Colca Canyon. In fact, that bridge didn’t exist last time I was in Peru and it was not part of the official Cones & Canyons route I had been following the last few days. Since it was built sometime in 2018 or ’19, a few bikepackers had crossed it and it seems to have become a popular alternative to the published route. I had read reports recommending to cross the bottom of the canyon early to avoid rockfall caused by afternoon winds, so I was up early and on the road at 6 am. I also wanted to beat the inevitable heat.

The bottom of the canyon was a dark, almost lifeless place at the confluence of two rivers. The road down switchbacked through steep shale slopes on one side of the Colca River, then hugged a cliff on the other. It was cool in the early-morning shade, so I took out my drone for a bit to get some dramatic photos where the blue waters of the Rio Mamacocha joined the green flow of the Rio Colca. I then began the long climb upward, first passing the tiny agricultural village of Canco before hitting the first of many switchbacks.

The climb started fairly gentle, but I knew I had to ascend 2,000 m in only 30 km to reach Huambo, so I fully expected it to get worse. But first I had to deal with a stubborn flat that required several plugs and two tubes to fix (note: TPU tubes suck, do NOT rely on them). It took an hour of messing around in the hot sun before I finally got going again.

After the initial switchbacks, the dirt road climbed through a rugged canyon, etched into the arid slopes high above the Huambo River. The river seduced me with cascading waterfalls, but it was far out of reach. The gradient steepened and I found myself pushing here and there. As I climbed, life gradually returned to the landscape and the steep, striated canyon walls gave way to terraced farms.

After nearly nine hours of riding, I reached Huambo only to find the lone signed hotel in town closed. I bought a coke and ice cream bar and enjoyed them in the main square, waiting for someone to show up. I was told of another hospedaje, but I couldn’t find it. I was about to give up and continue the climb, but before I did I popped into a small store and asked the shopkeeper if she knew where the owner of the hotel was. As it turns out, she owned another hospedaje and had a room available for only 40 soles. I decided it would be home for the night, though somewhat regrettably, I fell just short of 2,000 m of climbing that day.

The climb to Huambo sucked a lot out of me, but it marked the last major obstacle of the ride. I was now in the Colca Canyon and about to re-enter tourist land. For the next few days, I would be riding on paved roads and I’d see more than a couple vehicles per hour. I had 100 km to reach Chivay, the biggest town in the canyon, and I contemplated tackling the ride in one day. Sensibly, I decided another 2,000m day was not in me so instead I broke the ride in two and headed to Cabanconde, which is the jumping off point for hikes into the canyone. There, I found a nice hotel and encountered my first other gringos in several weeks, though they ignored me. I was pretty happy I decided not to push onwards. I was lacking motivation and less inspired by the scenery than before. Sensing the end was near, my thought was “Just get this over with,” instead of “This is amazing.” Because the views were pretty incredible.

The next day I made my way to Chivay, passing by the Colca Canyon condor lookout I had visited when I came here with my parents back in 2018. After nearly a month away from the tourist circuit, it was somewhat off-putting to arrive at the viewpoint and see locals dressed in condor costumes posing for photos with tourists, while local women sold cheap souvenirs and snacks. Since I didn’t have far to go, I did hang around hoping to catch the birds in flight, but the only ones that showed up kept their distance. I felt fortunate to have already seen condors three times on this trip, without anyone else around. The rest of the ride to Chivay was uneventful and even a bit of a slog. The views would have been amazing in any other moment, but after all I’d witnessed, they felt fairly pedestrian. I was ready to finish my ride.

Chivay is the main tourist town in the canyon and it is quite a nice place to spend some time. I decided to take one more rest day, though it meant foregoing my dream of summiting Chachani, a 6,057m high volcano just outside Arequipa. It’s known as one of the easiest 6,000m peaks to climb in the world, but I convinced myself it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to try it solo. The real reason is that I was tired. This was my longest bike trip since 2018 and it was not an easy one. Four weeks, I discovered, was about my limit.

I spent my day off enjoying the hot springs, hiking through some nearby ruins, and eating. I enjoyed some of the best rotisserie chicken ever at Polleria Tiznao, lots of pastries, and several glasses of fresh fruit juice at the market. Sadly, the chifa restaurant (Peruvian-Chinese fusion cuisine) I went for my second night was by far the worst meal I’ve ever had in Peru.

I had two days left to reach Arequipa, including one 1,300 m climb to get out of Chivay and then a slightly downhill flat slog across the puna. The climb wasn’t too bad, but the winds on the plateau caused me to wilt as they battered me from all directions. It was a constant struggle, whether I was battling a headwind or trying to stay straight with a vicious sidewind. Occasionally, I was treated to a glorious tailwind, but it never lasted. After 80 km of this, I reached the junction where the road from Chivay meets the road to Puno. I bought a big jug of water and turned onto a dirt road, where I watched vicunas scamper along a ridge as the sunset. I set up camp near some gravel piles, with views of Chachani and Misti volcanoes.

My final day was supposed to be a glorious victory lap, with a rolling stint through the puna between the two volcanoes, followed by a 2,000 m descent to Arequipa. I had fond memories of the city from my previous trip, and was looking forward to exploring it some more without my parents. But first, I had to get there, and the city did not welcome me with open arms. The road across the puna was gentle and full of sandy spots, while allowing for up-close views of Volcan Misti. But I was in no rush, so I didn’t mind a little pushing and took out my drone for one last flight. Where I really suffered was the descent. The road was under construction and filled with deep sand, loose rocks, and washboard. It was a struggle to stay on my bike at times and keep speed through the soft conditions. Many times, I stopped and cursed, completely frustrated by what I thought would be an enjoyable end.

After some 15 km of this, I finally reached the end of the construction and smoother road. Soon enough, I reached the outskirts of the city and it turned to pavement. I passed by rudimentary shacks in this poor neighbourhood, though there were some interesting sculptures on one corner. I rocketed downwards, navigating traffic until I was stopped in my tracks. The neighbourhood of Cayma was celebrating its founding and they were holding a big parade. So I enjoyed watching dancers, marching bands, and floats pass by in their colourful costumes. After a tough day, it brought my spirits back up.

The rest of the ride brought me along some urban farmland, then into the cobblestoned streets of Yanahaura. I grabbed lunch and some treats in the plaza, then found my way to the historic centre and my hotel – the extremely pleasant Casa de Avila. It was a minor splurge, but the king bed, relaxing courtyard, and buffet breakfast made it well worth it.

I enjoyed a great five days in Arequipa. I stocked up on fruit at the local market, grabbed pastries whenever I could, and enjoyed a lot of great food, including several traditional picanterias. I signed up for a walking tour and made a few friends to spend the time with. The weather was perfect and I felt really relaxed. This trip was everything I hoped it would be. I rode a unique route through southern Peru, spent extended time at elevation, and traversed the two deepest canyons in the Americas. The weather was about as good as it could be, I enjoyed some incredible campsites, and not a day went by (well, maybe one) where I wasn’t in awe of my surroundings.

The journey home was a long one. I took an overnight bus to Huacachina, where I went sandskiing and watched the sunset over the desert sand dunes. I spent 1.5 days in Lima, where I shopped for souvenirs and enjoyed as much great food as I could handle.

My flight home was a nightmare, but that’s a story for another time.