How to Drive from Lima to Cusco in Eight Easy Steps

Is is possible to travel by car from Lima to Cusco? I think it is and will describe how to make this drive from Lima to Cusco (also spelled Cuzco) in this post.

Each of the steps listed below have links to more detailed descriptions of this drive, which can be done in three to five nights - depending on how many things you want to see along the way.

If you have at least three weeks in Peru, there are more than two people traveling with you, and it is not the rainy season, I highly recommend traveling by car from Lima to Cusco. Here’s why: the trip itself provides you with fantastic vistas and you will have plenty of options to get off the beaten track. The other reason is the awesome scenery along the way that you will be able to experience fully by driving during the daytime.

Step 1: Get the book - Aventura 757 km. So far, it's only available in Spanish, but I highly recommend it if you can read even a little bit of Spanish.

Step 2: Get a rental car. There are several agencies, and I won't recommend any in particular. I will say that it might be a good idea to get the full coverage insurance - so long as it is not too expensive. I will also recommend paying with your credit card so that the credit card agency can deal with any mishaps related to being over-charged, etc.

Step 3: Get out of Lima and drive at least to Pisco. Depending on when you leave Lima, there can be a lot of traffic to get out of the city. If you leave at a high-traffic time, it can take up to three hours just to get to Pisco.

Step 3: Check out the Reserva Natural de Paracas. You could skip this step and save yourself a day of travel, but you'd miss out on sea lions, flamingos, jellyfish, and delicious tamales.

Step 4: Check out the Nazca Lines. The Nazca Lines are on the way, and they are right on the highway, so there is no reason not to stop and see them. You just want to make sure that you get to Kilometer 408 and Kilometer 424 before dark so that you can actually see the lines. After seeing the lines, there are plenty of places to stay in Nazca. (If you have limited time, you can leave Lima early and still get to Nazca in time to see the lines.) Either way, you will have to spend the night in Nazca.

Step 5: Drive to Puquio. It is only 90 kilometers from Nasca to Puquio, but I suggest going as slowly as possible because it is also a 4000 meter (12000 feet) ascent. If you go too quickly, you are sure to get altitude sickness. You can take your time, check out the vicuña reserves along the way, and drink plenty of coca tea to ward off altitude sickness. There are places to stay in Puquio as well.

Step 6: Drive to Chalhuanca. You could go straight to Chalhuanca from Puquio if you are in a rush. But, my suggestion would be to spend the night in Puquio, and then set out for Chalhuanca in the morning. This would allow you plenty of time to check out the amazing hot springs of Pincahuacho on the way. You can spend the night in the community-operated hot springs, which I recommend doing.

Step 7: Drive to Carahuasi. This is another amazing drive. And, there is a great turnoff point for the Pachachanca bridge, where you can see a colonial bridge and even go horseback riding. You can spend the night in either Carahuasi or Abancay. From there, you are very close to Cusco!

Step 8: Last leg of the trip. From Carahuasi (or Abancay) to Cusco. Be sure to make time to stop at the ruins at Tarawasi on the way. You can easily make it to Cusco by the early afternoon, even with this stop.

In sum, you can make it from Lima to Cusco by spending five nights on the road - and you would get to see all these amazing sights. If you are in a rush, but still want to play it safe by only traveling by day, you can leave Lima early, spend the first night in Nazca, the second night in Chalhuanca, the third night in Abancay, and be in Cusco on the fourth day. That would be the fastest I would recommend.

You can drive back the same way, or take a detour through Puno and Arequipa, and see other amazing sights.

Tepoztlán Institute Kids Camp Cabaret 2013

In July 2013, the family spent a week in Tepoztlán, Mexico at the Tepoztlán Institute. This unique academic conference has a kids camp. One of the many awesome activities the kids did was to create this video.

Las Lagunas de Chacahua in Oaxaca, Mexico

My Oaxacan friend Alejandra told me that Las Lagunas de Chacahua (also called Chacagua) is the most beautiful beach in Mexico. After spending several days in Chacahua, I can say I agree with her.

Chacahua is an island just off the Oaxacan coast. Only about 100 yards separate the island from the mainland, but it is completely detached, making it an island. On one side of the island, you have the Pacific Ocean. On the other is the Laguna de Chacahua – a saltwater lagoon with amazing mangroves, plentiful birds, and a crocodile hatchery.

The Main Beach in Chacahua

The Most Beautiful Beach in Mexico

Chacahua is an amazing beach town for several reasons. First of all, it is nearly completely rustic. There are no large buildings or fancy hotels – only rustic cabañas with thatched roofs. Thus, when you are on the beach, you only see thatched roofs behind you and no buildings are more than two stories high.

You don't have to worry about spending a lot on lodging in Chacahua. The rustic accommodations are inexpensive. The most expensive cabañas are no more than US$30 a night, and have private showers and toilets, fans, and mosquito nets. The cabañas are right on the beach, and have sand right up to the door of the room. The cheapest cabañas are US$12 a night for a double. An even less expensive option is to camp, which is US$2 a night per person. We stayed at Cabañas el Piojo – one of the last cabañas on the ocean side of the island that also has a camping option.

Cabanas with thatched roofs are typical for dining and lodging in Chacahua

Cabañas el Piojo have a shared shower – which is just as well for me, since the shower is full of sand all the time and the staff is constantly cleaning it out. One of my favorite things about the Cabañas el Piojo is the abundance of hammocks in the shade. It is lovely to spend the afternoon lazing in a hammock listening to the ocean waves crash onto the shore. From the hammocks, you can see the white sand, the blue sea, and the green hills in the distance. Paradise on earth.

Chacahua is extremely isolated. There are about a dozen cabañas on the beach. After that, there is nothing. Once you pass the cabañas, you have about 14 kilometers of coastline to yourself. For the first mile or so you may pass a few other people. After that, you are very unlikely to see any other people – although you will see plenty of birds and perhaps even a sea turtle. If you like the idea of miles of undisturbed coastline all to yourself, Chacahua is for you.

Another thing I really like about Chacahua is that it has three kinds of swimming options, all right next to each other. You can get in the sea right in front of Cabañas el Piojo and the other cabañas. However, the surf is rough and there is a strong undertow, so people mostly use this part of the beach for surfing or for playing in the waves. If you go down a bit to where the Siete Mares Cabañas are, there is a stone jetty that breaks the waves. You can ride the waves there without any worries. Then, just around the corner, there is the lagoon – where the water is calm and there are hardly any waves. The lagoon is great for kids, as you don’t have to worry about the sea taking them away.

The Laguna Side

The surf on the beach side is great for surfers

Chacahua has a very laid-back vibe. Al least half of the people visiting the island are surfers. They wake up early to catch the waves before the sun gets too hot, and spend the rest of the day relaxing and taking care of their boards. On some nights, people set up campfires and play music on the beach, but, in general, Chacahua is quiet after dark. The locals often play volleyball or soccer on the beach at dusk, when the sand is no longer too hot to walk on.

Logistics: Food and money in Chacahua

There is no bank or ATM in Chacahua, so you need to come prepared with enough cash. Accommodations are cheap, and restaurants are reasonable. Meals run from 60 to 140 pesos. If you eat three times a day in restaurants, you could easily spend US $30 to US$50 per person. As there are five people in our family, we only ate one meal a day in restaurants. We bought yogurt or cheese and bread for breakfast, ate snacks for lunch, and had our daily meal at a delicious eatery called Comedor La Sonrisa – also recommended by Alejandra as well as at other restaurants. We found that we could order a whole fish for about 140 pesos (US$12) and that it was more than enough to feed two people.

There are all kinds of snacks to munch on all day. There are two ladies who sell delicious tamales with mussels in them. Others sell sopes or pescadillas – corn tortillas with little pieces of fish in them. Others sell empanadas – which are very similar to Dominican pastelitos and are filled with banana or custard. One young man sells donuts, and others sell snacks made with coconuts.

In town, there is a store with basic provisions, as well as a tortilleria – which sells fresh tortillas all day. One day we had a delicious lunch with fresh tortillas, canned refried beans, sour cream, avocados, and salsa.

You can just barely get cell phone signal on the island, and there are no Internet cafes. If the idea of an isolated island beach far away from everything appeals to you, and you don’t mind rustic accommodations, Chacahua may well be the best beach in Mexico.

Getting to and from Chacahua: Como llegar a Chacahua

Como llegar a Chacahua? En barco, por su puesto!

How to get to Chacahua? By boat, of course!

There are two ways to get to Chacahua. The most common way is from Rio Grande, a city near Puerto Escondido where you take a pick up truck to Zapotalito. From Zapotalito, you can either take a 30-minute boat ride all the way to Chacahua or take a 10-minute boat ride across the lagoon followed by a truck ride into town. The boat ride is nicer, but can be more expensive. The other way to get to Chacahua is via San Jose el Progreso, a town near Pinotepa Nacional. You can take a truck from San Jose el Progreso all the way to Chacahua, and then a 2-minute boat ride across the lagoon to where the cabañas are.

It’s a bit of a trek to get to Chacahua, but it is well worth it.

How to get to Chacahua from Oaxaca

In Oaxaca City, you can take a suburban (a mini-van) straight to Rio Grande. You also can take a bus or suburban to Puerto Escondido and then a suburban to Rio Grande. Keep in mind that the ADO buses take about ten hours to get to Puerto Escondido because they take the long way around. The suburbans take about seven hours and cost less. Once you get to Rio Grande, you can take a truck straight to Zapotalito. From Zapotalito you can take a boat to Chacahua.

How to get to Chacahua from Acapulco

You can take a bus or a colectivo taxi from Acapulco to Cuajinicuilapa. From Cuaji, you can take a suburban or a bus to San Jose el Progreso. From there, you can take a truck all the way to Chacahua. This route is quicker than continuing on towards Rio Grande, but the are not very many trucks that leave San Jose el Progreso. Thus, leave Acapulco as early as you can to get to Cuaji and then to San Jose el Progreso.

If you are up to it, you can also stop along the way from Acapulco to Chacahua in Marquelia – which has beautiful beaches. There is also an amazing fisherman’s beach called Maldonaldo el Faro – which you can get a truck to from Cuaji.

Beautiful Chacahua

Guatemala City: A Capital of Contrasts

Guatemala City is an urban capital with over one million residents. It is divided into 22 zones – which range from the historic city center which comprises Zone 1 to the upscale Zone 10 to “red zones” such as Zone 18 – which suffer from high levels of crime and violence. Like many Latin American cities, Guatemala City is a city of contrasts, from upscale malls in Zone 10 to dilapidated historic buildings in Zone 1 to overcrowded, derelict housing in Zone 18.

Zone 10 - where we are staying - has at least two ultramodern malls as well as a pedestrian plaza full of upscale restaurants and shops. There is also a mall in Zone 18, but it is not nearly as luxurious. And, it does not have a glass elevator and a restaurant with an aquarium inside.

The Patio in Hotel Uxlabil

Oakland Mall - Zone 10

We are staying in Uxlabil Hotel - an eco-hotel on the edges of Zone 10. It lies in the Colonia Oakland – a gated community with only one entrance and exit. This community is full of trees, brand new houses with lavish architecture, and fancy cars lining the streets. Colonia Oakland is a sanctuary in the city - with abundant greenery, chirping birds, and beautiful flowers.

Walking through Colonia Oakland, you could easily imagine you are not in Guatemala City. There are only a few hints that give it away:  the high gates in front of many of the residence, the security guards stationed at the gates, the women making tortillas in the store at the entrance, and the various maids walking dogs and children down the street.

In Zone 1, however, you have no doubt that you are in Guatemala City. The Plaza lies at the center of Zone 1, and boasts colonial architecture along with a few vendors of various trinkets. In general, Zone 1 is interspersed with small houses and amazing, formerly grandiose colonial buildings. After checking out the Plaza, I had lunch at Chikach – a small vegetarian, organic café, located at Calle 4-24, Zone 1. Chikach has a courtyard garden inside and delicious organic food. After lunch, I walked about a mile towards the edge of Zone 1 – towards the Casa del Migrante on Fifteenth Avenue.

Plaza Central - Zone 1

Plaza Central - Tyler purchasing a bracelet

An African-American friend of mine accompanied me on the walk from Chickach to the Casa del Migrante. At one point, she said to me – “I think we are causing a spectacle” – as everyone stared at us walking down the street. The area we were in was still fairly close to the center, but as we got to the edges of Zone 1 – towards Fifteenth Avenue – we were clearly beyond the normal tourist territory. There are very few white people in Guatemala City, even fewer back people, and it is even more uncommon to see a black and white person walking down the street together.

We weren’t sure how safe it was in the center. However, my friend and I agreed that most people were just looking at us with curiosity and it was pretty unlikely for anything to happen.

We took the Transmetro downtown from Zone 10. But, we had to walk about 2 miles from Oakland to the Transmetro station. Thus, we decided to take a cab back. Whereas the Transmetro only cost us 1 Quetzal each, the taxi was 50 Quetzales. The difference in price between the taxi and the bus gives you an idea of how unequal the city is.

As we drove through Zones, 1, 2, and 4 to get back to Zone 10, we marveled at the differences between the distinct parts of the city. It is only a few miles from Zone 1 to Zone 10, but you feel as if you are in a different world.

Walking in Marx’s footsteps in London

I don’t think I have ever done a tour before. It’s part of my identity as a traveler instead of a tourist to shun tours.

However, last year, I read Love and Capital by Mary Gabriel and developed a fascination with Marx’s life. In that book, I learned that Karl Marx had spent his much of his adult life in London.

Thus, when I planned a visit to London this April, I looked online to see what I could discover about Marx’s life in London. I came across a tour that was highly rated online, and that is conducted every Sunday morning. I was not going to be in London for the usual Sunday morning tour. However, my friend Alix called up the tour guide, and he said he’d be willing to do a private tour for us. Here's the website.

Alix and I decided to sign up, and we booked a tour for 2pm on Saturday. Even though it was drizzling (and even down pouring) for a good part of the tour, I am glad we were able to do the walk, as we learned a lot and it was great to walk in Marx's footsteps.

Karl Marx was born in Germany to a middle class family, and his wife, Jenny, was the daughter of a baroness. In Love and Capital, I learned how much of his adult life Karl Marx lived in deprivation.

Karl Marx lived in London from 1849 until his death in 1883. He and Jenny lived in Chelsea when they first arrived in London, but moved to the working-class neighborhood of Soho soon afterwards. We did not see the Chelsea house, as the tour is primarily in Soho, and apparently, the house is no longer there.

Our first stop on the tour was at a pub, now called Beat One – much to our tour guide’s dismay. Our guide, Mick, told us the pub was once called the Red Lion, which was much more fitting. The pub, on Archer Street, is the location where the Second meeting of the Communist League was held, which Karl Marx attended when he first arrived in London.

The second stop was 40 Rupert Street – at a restaurant now called “Little Sicily,” but which used to be the Communard Club Mutual Aid Society. During the 1870s, this is where refugees from the Paris Commune arrived, and could receive assistance settling into London.


Our third stop was once called the “German Hotel.” It now serves mussels. It was a decent hotel in the 1850s, when Marx, Jenny, and their three children lived there for three months. They were evicted once their funds ran out.



The fourth stop was at 6 Macclesfield Road – now a Malaysian restaurant. Engels once lived here. I learned in Love and Capital that Engels financially supported Marx for much of his life, and Marx was almost never able to earn any money. Our guide, Mick, told us that Engels was also much more practical and an efficient writer, and thus helped Marx finish manuscripts he started.

The fifth stop was at a facsimile of a water pump. This is the original location of a water pump that Dr. John Snow discovered was the source of a cholera epidemic in London. Marx and his family suffered through this cholera epidemic as they lived right in the middle of it.

The sixth stop was on Dean Street. This is the place where Karl, Jenny, their children, and their housemaid lived for many years in two and a half rooms. One of those rooms was where Karl Marx did much of his writing. This place actually has a plaque that states that Marx lived there.


Mick wasn't sure why this barbershop is called Marx - so far as he knows, this is not where Marx one got his haircuts.

 The seventh stop was at a restaurant now called Zebrano – where the General Council of the International held its meetings every Tuesday evening for years. Marx would have attended those meetings on a regular basis.

The eighth stop was a pub named the “White Hart,” which once housed the German Educational Society. Marx volunteered his time teaching children and adults many of the fifteen languages he spoke. Mick told us that Marx only learned Russian in his later life, once he learned the Russians were increasingly interested in his works. Russian was the fifteenth language he learned, and Marx learned it in a matter of months.

 


The final stop was at the British Museum. Mick explained that you can no longer see the actual Reading Room where Marx did his research and writing, due to renovations done about a decade ago. However, he took us into a space that resembled where Marx would have written.

Overall, it was a great pleasure to listen to Mick share his vast expanse of knowledge about Karl Marx and his life with us. Mick is an intellectual and a history buff, as well as a long-time Londoner. His quiet demeanor and real interest in and knowledge about Marx’s life was a great treat.

After the Marx tour, Alix and I made our way over to the East End, where Alix’s sister, Leila, has an organic café and shop. We had a few sweet bites to eat, but were sure to save room for delicious Indian fare later on that day at Lahore Kebab House. Alix and her family have been going to Lahore for decades, and the food there continues to be amazing.

I was reluctant to try the lamb chops, but as they are the specialty, I decided to give them a shot. They were a delight, as were all of the other dishes.

When we left, we also saw that there was a line out the door. We were lucky to get there before 7pm, as we were able to get a table right away.

California Living

Click here to view this photo book larger

We have now lived in California for five months. In our short time here, we have taken several trips. California is a great place for road trips!

In our time here, we have been to Yosemite, Merced River, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Berkeley. And, that's just in California. We are pleased to be living somewhere where there are so many amazing places to drive to and plan to continue to take plenty of road trips.

I have also taken trips to Puerto Rico and Vancouver, without the kids.

Last Stop in Peru – A small town in rural Piura

After having spent several weeks in the more touristic parts of Peru, we headed north to Piura – a part of Peru with few tourists. The town we stayed in, called Ingenio de Buenos Aires, is in the province of Morropon, and gets few outside visitors and no tourists. However, we lived here many years ago and wanted to see old friends. Plus, the kids always have a great time in this small town where they can run freely in the dirt streets and play in the river.

Raymi eating a passionfruit in our friend's field

Ingenio is too small of a town to have a hotel, although there is a hotel in the town of Morropon, which is 7 kilometers and a short mototaxi ride away. We are very grateful to be able to stay with a friend of ours who offered us a room and three meals a day.

The food in Ingenio is delicious, although there is very little variety. For a few days, however, we are content to eat rice with chicken or fish stew each day. On Saturdays, there are more options, as there is a lady who kills a cow and sells the beef, several women who kill pigs and sell them, and a few women who make tamales. The tamales here are particularly delicious as they are made completely from scratch. Senora Maria, for example, peels the corn, grinds it, and uses this to make the masa for the tamales.

Señora Gertrudis, 90 years old, still makes tamales each Saturday

The first evening we arrived, my daughters immediately found the other children their age in town and began to run around with them. The kids showed them their chickens, hens, goats, and pigs, and my daughters were fascinated. They showed off their chicken-catching skills and caught their new friends’ roosters for them. When the kids finally came back to our hosts’ house, they were soaking wet, as they had gone for a dip in the stream that runs through town – fully clothed.

I sent the kids to bathe, but first had to show them how to get cleaned up when there is no running water. Ingenio only has water every other morning for two hours, so people keep water in large plastic containers. I showed the girls how to pour water onto themselves with a pitcher and take a shower with just one bucket of water. After that, we ate dinner and went to sleep – tired from a long day.

The next day, we walked to the edge of town where the river runs a bit wider and relaxed in the running water. I had forgotten how beautiful this part of town is – with views of the majestic hills and mountains in the distance. The kids were happy to see animals and swim in the river, but, what they really wanted was to go horseback riding.

La Toma, with a view of the mountains.

There are plenty of horses in town, but few people have saddles and even fewer have horses they thought safe to let the kids ride. So, it was not easy to find someone willing to hire us a horse. Finally, we found a person who said he would bring his horses in from the pasture for the kids to ride. When he finally showed up with his herd of horses, the kids were very excited. True to his word, he saddled up a horse, and let the girls ride him around town. Tatiana was very pleased that finally she could ride on a horse, and not have to be on a trail. She was free to guide the horse where she wanted to go. And, luckily, the horse was obedient and did as she said. Soraya also rode the horse herself. Raymi, however, was a bit more scared, and preferred to have someone lead the horse for her.

Raymi - riding a mare in Ingenio

We went back the following two evenings to ride horses. On the third evening, the owner of the horses, Jorge William, brought a mare who likes to trot and even canter. I wasn’t sure the girls would be able to trot or canter. However, they figured it out for themselves and were thrilled to run around town with the horses. Tatiana and Soraya were very pleased with themselves and their horse-riding skills.

With the kids happily swimming in the river, playing with their friends, and riding horses, I was able to relax in Ingenio and catch up with friends. And, not to make everything a “teaching moment,” I think it is also incredibly valuable for the kids to see how people live in a small town in rural Piura, far removed from most things they are used to. The kids remember very little from our last visit here six years ago. However, now that they are 11 and 8 years old, I am sure they will remember much more.