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.

Driving from Arequipa to Lima – 1000 kilometers across the desert

In contrast to our drive from Lima to Cusco; from Cusco to Puno; and from Puno to Arequipa, the scenery along the 1,000 kilometers between Arequipa and Lima is fairly uninspiring. Especially in the wintertime, when you don’t even have beaches to look forward to. Thus, we drove from Arequipa to Camana, and then from Camana to Ica, with few stops along the way.

Sand Storm Zone - a frequent sign along the way.

It took us about six hours of driving along the coast to get from Camana to Ica. We hoped we would at least have a great meal of fresh fish along the way, but the fishermen along the way told us the sea had been too rough to go out. So, we had lunch at a roadside restaurant that consisted of lapa (a shellfish) stew for Nando and estofado de pollo (chicken stew) for the rest of us. The food was decent, but the bathroom was horrible. Luckily, we found a nice, clean bathroom at a gas station a little further along. The kids proclaimed it must be the cleanest bathroom in Peru.

Occasionally, you get a nice view of the wintry beach

Near Nazca, you go far enough inland to actually see the sun!

The one thing we wanted to do along the way was to stop at La Huachachina, a small town outside of Ica, where you can go sand boarding. We made it into town just as the sun was setting, but took the kids to see the lagoon and sand hills despite the darkness, as they were very excited about playing in the sand.

We stayed at The Silva House, a decent hotel that is one of the more reasonably priced in this touristy town. We also had dinner there, and I was glad to have criollo (coastal) food as I prefer it to serrano (mountain) cuisine. We woke up early to do our sandboarding and sand buggy tour early. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and was surprised to find that the purpose of the sand buggy is not simply to get you from one sand dune to another, but is an adventure ride. I found myself screaming in sheer terror as the sand buggy began to speed across the dunes and up and down hills. Admittedly, it was fun. But, also scary.

Tatiana, Raymi, and Soraya with the sand buggy

Tatiana and her sand board!

Our sand buggy driver, Gustavo, took us to a large sand dune and showed us how to ride down the dune flat on our stomachs. Nando went first, then the twins. I was still a bit scared, but did it next, as Raymi was too scared to ride down the dune. It was thrilling, but also scary. Kind of like a roller coaster. Raymi decided not to ride down, and instead ran down the big dune. Raymi only slid down one dune – the smallest of the three.

The whole experience took about an hour, which was plenty for me. The girls wanted a bit more, so we let them play on one of the huge dunes while Nando and I went to pack up the car. I bought some delicious tamales and we began our 300 kilometer drive towards Lima.

La Laguna at Huacachina

We stopped for lunch in a fabulous roadside restaurant at Kilometer 92 of the Panamericana Sur called “El Buen Horno.” The grounds are beautiful, with green grass and fields – an oasis in the middle of the coastal desert. In addition, there is a trampoline for the kids to jump on as well as these roadster tricycles that they could ride. The kids were very glad to burn off some energy while we waited for lunch. El Buen Horno specializes in bread, and their cheese bread is amazing. We ordered three sandwiches – chicken, beef, and ham and cheese. They were quite tasty. To my surprise, Nando’s dish – tallarin saltado con lomo (beef with noodles) – was the best. Honestly, it was the best tallarin saltado I have ever tasted. The beef was tender; the noodles and vegetables were perfectly cooked; and the seasoning was just right with hints of soy sauce and ginger. Satiated, we relaxed a bit before continuing on to Lima.

Raymi and her roadster tricycle

Just before entering the city, we stopped to get the car washed. That took nearly an hour, which meant it was too late to return the rental car. The Budget office in San Borja closes at 4:30pm on Saturdays, and doesn’t open again until Monday. We had the option of returning the car to the airport. However, after getting a bit lost and driving around the seedy neighborhood of El Agustino for half and hour, we decided to head straight to my sister-in-law’s house in Comas and wait to return the car on Monday.

Looks like we're back in Lima

Hillside "barrio joven" in Lima near Zarate

We arrived at 6:30pm, after a long day of driving, and were glad our road trip was finally completed. It was an amazing drive, but I am looking forward to doing the next leg of our trip – from Lima to Piura – by bus, where we can all sleep and let someone else worry about the driving.

What’s the Best Way to Get from Lima to Cusco – Bus, Plane, or Car?

A perennial question among visitors to Peru is “What is the best way to get from Lima to Cusco - bus, plane, or rental car?”

Some people insist that the best option is to fly and be there in an hour. Others say you should take the 21-hour bus ride to get the local experience and save money. Very few people suggest that you drive from Lima to Cusco. For some people, however, driving from Lima to Cusco can be a fabulous experience.

Flying from Lima to Cusco: Quick and Easy, but Expensive

If you are in Peru for a short time, then flying probably is your best option. The problem with flying is that air tickets can easily set you back $500 or $600. You definitely should look well in advance to try and get a deal. There are flights for as little as $100, but these are almost always reserved for Peruvians.  There are ways around this, but you have to be crafty and look well in advance. If you have a Peruvian DNI, then you can get one of these deals easily. If not, you likely will pay a lot more to fly from Lima to Cusco. If you are not Peruvian, be sure that you don't buy the tickets reserved for Peruvians as you will have to pay more at the airport.

From Lima to Cusco by Bus: 21 hours on the road

A much cheaper option is to go by bus. The bus trip from Lima to Cusco takes about 21 hours. If you leave at 2pm, you will arrive around 11am the next day. You also can leave at 5 or 6pm and arrive later. If you buy your tickets way in advance, you can get tickets for as little as $35. Otherwise, you will pay between $50 and $100 for a comfortable bus seat from Lima to Cusco.

If you leave Lima by bus at 2pm, you will spend the first hour or so getting out of Lima. You likely will pass by the Nazca lines while it is still daylight and may also be able to get a glimpse of the impressive sand dunes on the Peruvian coast. By 6pm, however, it will be dark and you won’t be able to see much. If you wake up early (which you likely will if you are sleeping on a bus), at 6am the sun rises again and you can enjoy the scenery for the rest of the way to Cusco. Overall, it is not that bad of a trip and I have done it several times on all classes of buses.

Driving from Lima to Cusco: An Amazing Experience and safer than you think

Having traveled by bus and airplane to Cusco, I was curious about the possibility of driving from Lima to Cusco. I looked around online and found that there was not a lot of information. Thus, I am writing this blog post to assure you that driving from Lima to Cusco is a viable option – especially if you do it when it is not the rainy season. The rainy season in the Andes is between December and February, and I would be a bit hesitant about driving a small car during that time as there definitely will be water on the highway in more than one place. You can, of course, rent large cars, but they cost significantly more.

Outside of the rainy season, if you have the time, driving a car from Lima to Cusco is an amazing experience, and I highly recommend it. If you have more than two people travelling with you, renting a car can easily be cheaper than flying. We called the Budget office in Lima and were able to get a Toyota Yaris for $680 for a month in early July 2012. We opted to get extra liability insurance as well and paid $800 overall. Gas in Peru is about $6 a gallon, and I think we paid around $100 in gas to get from Lima to Cusco. I have to go back and look at my receipts to be sure though. If that is correct, though, it will be about $1000 overall, and we will have the car with us while in Cusco to explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You cannot drive to Macchu Picchu, but you can drive to other ruins in places such as Sacsayhuaman, Templo de Sol, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo.

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. 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 only during the daytime.

On a bus, you'd miss this amazing view between Nasca and Puquio

The transition in the scenery from Lima to Nasca, to Puquio, to Chalhuanca, to Abancay, and to Cusco is spectacular. On the way to Nasca, you can stop at the Nasca lines just on the side of the road. You can make a side trip to Huachachina to experience sand boarding or go to the Reserva Nacional de Paracas to see flamingos and sea lions. Between Nasca and Puquio, you will see herds of vicuñas and experience the altiplano. Between Puquio and Chalhuanca, you will see herds of alpacas, lagoons, and amazing mountains. From Chalhuanca to Abancay, you can soak in hot springs, ride horses, and see ancient Spanish and Incan ruins. From Abancay to Cusco, there are verdant hills and plenty of ruins to enjoy. Overall, the drive takes about 16 hours. If you drive four hours a day, you can easily get from Lima to Cusco in four days and enjoy plenty of off-the-beaten-track sites along the way. When you finally get to Cusco, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of tourists, after having seen very few tourists for several days along the route.

Nasca Lines you can see right from the Highway

Barren landscape in Ica

It gets greener as you leave Ayacucho

The highway from Lima to Nasca is the PanAmerican highway, and is in tip top condition. Be sure to wear your seatbelt, obey the speed limit, and drive with your headlights on or you might find yourself in a sticky situation with a Peruvian police officer, as there are plenty of checkpoints along the way. From Nasca to Cusco, is Highway 757, which has been recently updated and is in top condition for almost all of the way. There are a few places where you will find fallen rocks, but if you drive slowly, you will be fine. The highway workers are constantly cleaning the road and fixing any broken spots.

So, if you are thinking of driving from Lima to Cusco, don’t think twice. Get your car and enjoy the road. For this trip, the drive itself is a destination, not to mention all the places there are along the way to stop.

Be sure to drink coca tea with muna to avoid altitude sickness

If you read Spanish, be sure to pick up a copy of Aventura 757 kilometers by Rafo Leon in Ibero Bookstore in Miraflores before you go! I also invite you to check out my blog posts which detail the drive by car from Lima to Nasca; Nasca to Puquio, Puquio to Carahuasi; and Carahuasi to Pisac - our four day road trip with my husband and our three daughters, aged 11, 11, and 8.

In Search of Aventura 757 – from Comas to Lima to Miraflores to Pisco

Finding the book Aventura 757 Kilometros was an aventura in itself. But, I knew I had to get a copy before leaving Lima, as I was sure I wouldn’t find it outside the capital.

I looked for the book in several bookstores on Thursday. We didn’t find it, but everyone we asked assured us that we could find the book in the center of Lima, near the Plaza San Martin. On Saturday, on the way out of Lima, we loaded ourselves and our luggage into the Yaris, and got on the road towards downtown Lima.

Driving in Lima is not for the timid. Since I tend to get nervous around aggressive drivers, Nando took the wheel. When we got to downtown Lima, we found ourselves turning around and around looking for one-way streets that went the way we wanted to.

Traffic in Comas on the way to downtown Lima

After turning around several times, we finally made it to the street that leads up to the Plaza San Martin that is full of bookstores. There was no parking nearby and the traffic was stop and go. So, I jumped out of the car in front of bookstores and asked in each one: “Do you have a copy of Aventura 757 kilometros written by Rafo Leon?” I got a “no” in each of the stores. Then, I realized they were all used bookstores, so I asked one of the book sellers where I could find a new bookstore. She sent me around the corner.

This time, Nando pulled up on a side street and waited while I went inside the bookstore. It looked promising, with new books lining its glass windows. When I got there, the cashier was on the phone. When she finished chatting, she told me they didn’t have it either, but recommended I check out the bookstore in Plaza Real – two blocks away. I jumped back in the car and we found a parking lot nearby. It was a block away from Plaza Real, so I left Nando and the kids there while I ran to the bookstore.

The cashier in this bookstore looked on her computer and told me she had sold her last one. But, she assured me they had a copy in the Miraflores store. I had to go back to the car with bad news. The kids were hungry, and I had promised them we would have Pizza Hut before leaving Lima. Confident I could find a Pizza Hut in Miraflores, we decided to trek over to one last store to find the book.

It took about 30 minutes in traffic to get to Miraflores. I went inside the Ibero bookstore and asked if they had the book. One of the attendants went over to a shelf and pulled it out! I was so relieved that all that running around had not been for naught. I bought the book and we set off across Parque Kennedy to Pizza Hut.

Raymi with Aventura 757 - finally!

There was no way my last meal I Lima was going to be at Pizza Hut, so after the kids ate there, Nando and I set out in search of our menu. On the way, there was an artisan selling jewelry in front of the park. Nando, of course, knew him, and had to greet him. The artisan’s name is Cisto, and Nando knows him from decades ago when he also sold jewelry in Miraflores. Nando called out his name, and Cisto immediately recognized him. They chatted for a bit, and Cisto recommended a restaurant to us – Samantha’s Criollo Restaurant, one street away from Parque Kennedy – near the Banco de la Nacion.

Nando, Raymi, and Cisto

We made it to Samantha’s and sat down to eat. Our food was amazing. Nando had cau cau – a potato and stomach dish – and causa de pollo – a dish made with chicken and mashed potatoes. I don’t favor beef stomach, but Nando said his cau cau was delicious. I had a salad and aji de gallina – a dish made with cream, chicken, and hot peppers. The food was so good that, although the kids had already had pizza, they were more than happy to help us finish off our huge portions. The food at Samantha’s is not only delicious, but also cheap. Our bill was 25 soles – about $10.00.

Causa de pollo

Cau Cau

Aji de Gallina - a family favorite

After eating, we loaded back up into the car, and made our way to the Costa Verde highway, which goes along the beach in Lima. The kids begged to get out of the car and go to the beach, but it was getting late, so we decided to keep going. We left the city around 4pm. It’s at least a 4-hour drive to Nazca, our first stop, so we had to get moving.

The kids were very impatient in the car when we were stuck in traffic on the way to downtown Lima, but once we got on the highway, they chilled out a bit and we all were able to relax. I even got a chance to peek at my book, which looks amazing.

Once we were on the highway, things were going smoothly until our first police stop. The police officer pulled us over and told us that it is mandatory to have your headlights on and that there is a 300 sole fine for that. He called Nando outside of the car for a chat. Nando came back letting me know that the police officer wanted a bribe. We didn’t have any soles left, so I gave Nando $10. That seemed to do the trick.

About 20 minutes later, another officer stopped us. He asked if the girls had on seatbelts, which they fortunately did. We had our lights on and were going under the speed limit, so hoped we wouldn’t get another request for cash. We didn’t and he let us go on our way. Since that incident, the girls barely need a reminder to put on their seatbelts.

At 7pm, we had only made it as far as Pisco – just halfway from Lima to Nazca. But, it was dark and we were tired so we decided to look for a hotel in Pisco. We found a nice hotel with a very large room, comfortable beds, hot water, and Internet. The hotel is called Villa Manuelita, and is right next to the Plaza de Armas in Pisco. The girls were very pleased with the room and immediately began to play on the beds.

Happy at Villa Manuelita

After relaxing for a bit, we went out to grab a bite to eat. There were two very full Chinese restaurants, but I didn’t want Chinese food. So, we chose one of the two very empty Peruvian restaurants. The chicken soup they gave all of us for a starter was tasty and hot. But, the main course was clearly leftovers from lunch. The papa a la huancaina tasted like the milk had gone bad, and the tallarines with chicken was just a little off. I took a couple of bites and left it. Next time, we will be sure to go to the restaurants that actually have other people in them.

Sopa de menudencia de pollo

To get back to the hotel, we walked down a pedestrian street and past the plaza. Soraya went straight to sleep, Tatiana and Raymi took showers, and we all relaxed.

Pedestrian walkway in Pisco

Pisco Plaza at night

In search of Aventura 757 km - Driving from Lima to Cuzco

I arrived in Lima on Tuesday, July 3 with my Peruvian husband, Nando, and our three kids - aged 11, 11, and 8. We have been staying at my sister-in-law's house in Comas, where I have been working to finalize my research plans here in Peru. (I will be conducting a study on humor and racial ideologies in Peru.)

After being in Lima for five days, we are anxious to get on the road and go to Cuzco. After researching a few options, we have decided that the best way to get to Cuzco is to rent a car. It is cheaper than flying, and should be more enjoyable than going by bus.

We have traveled by bus from Lima to Cuzco several times, and thus are fine with not having that experience again. Last year, we rented a car in Guatemala, and had an amazing time. Hopefully the experience will be as good or better here in Peru.


We are set to leave Lima today at noon and hope to make it to Nazca tonight. If not, we at least will get as far as Ica. Before we leave, I really want to get a copy of this book: Aventura 757 km. Guía de ruta Survial by Rafo León Rodríguez. I heard about the book on the Lonely Planet forums and on the blog Living in Peru, where Carsten Korch also details his family's trip from Lima to Cuzco by car.

I asked for the book in several bookstores here in the Cono Norte where we are staying, but had no luck. It seems I will have to go to the center of Lima to get it. We will make a stop there on the way out of Lima, as we have to go in that general direction. I really hope I can find the book, as I have read great reviews of it.

Soraya - happy to be in Lima

Tatiana - happy to be on the couch in front of the TV

The kids love being here in Lima at my sister-in-law's house, mostly because she has six dogs, several cats, cable television, and Internet. It has been great for me to be connected, and to eat the amazing food here in Lima. But, it will be good for us to get on the road and have our own adventure.

As I am writing this, the kids are downstairs arguing about which television station to watch. We've let them go a bit overboard with the television these past few days, but I am looking forward to turning it off soon!

Raymi - in the Yaris ready to go.

The car we got is a Toyota Yaris. I wasn't sure if all of our bags would fit, but they did. We packed as lightly as we could. We each have one carryon suitcase and one backpack. In addition, we have another backpack that has a few extra items - towels, toiletries, books, and toys. All of the suitcases plus my husband's big tambour drum fit into the trunk of the Yaris, and we will carry the backpacks and a couple of blankets in the car with us.

We are waiting for our clothes to finish drying at the laundromat and then will hit the road! I am excited!

An amazing (and inexpensive) meal in Comas, Lima, Peru

Lima, Peru is one of the world’s gastronomic capitals. There are many people who write about this, but you see less information online about inexpensive restaurants in working-class neighborhoods. 

As I am staying in Comas – a working-class neighborhood in the northern cone of Lima – I can tell you that the food in these establishments can be delicious and cheap. You just have to find one of these places and know the difference between the menu and the carta.

Today, for example, my husband and I had amazing menus for 6 soles – about $2.50. My husband, Nando, had caldo de gallina (chicken soup) and adobo de res (beef stew with rice and beans). I had ceviche for an appetizer and fried fish with rice, salad, and yucca for a main course.

Sign in restaurant advertising food from the menu

The place we went today is called “Restaurante Cevicheria Sabor Norteño,” and is on Avenida Mexico near the intersection with Tupac Amaru Boulevard in Comas. It’s a few blocks from where we are staying, so we walked over there.

Outside the restaurant, there is a chalkboard which announces the “menu.” In Peru, the “menu” is the two-course meal of the day. Most restaurants have a few choices for this low-priced lunch. The Cevicheria we went to today had a choice of ceviche or chicken soup as a starter, and then a choice of about eight different main courses, including tallarin verde (pesto), tallarin saltado (Peruvian-style lo mein), seco de pollo (cilantro chicken) and others.

When we first sat down, the waiter gave us the menu. In Spanish, the menu is called “la carta” and has all of the expensive items. It is not to be confused with the “menu” which is the low-priced meal of the day. We looked at the “carta” and decided to try the 6-sole menu instead of paying 25 soles for a ceviche or 35 soles for a parihuela, even though the pictures looked tempting.

Nando enjoying his caldo de gallina

The first thing to come out was Nando’s caldo de gallina – a steamy, flavorful chicken soup. I enjoy eating it with a bit of cancha. Cancha is Peruvian popcorn – except the kernels are so big the corn grains don’t actually pop.

Next, my ceviche came out. The ceviche had rocoto peppers, onions, and cilantro mixed in and was served with Peruvian corn, sweet potato and lettuce. It was delicious. We also ordered a passion fruit juice – which you can see in my glass in the photo below.

Nando’s main course was adobo de res, served with beans, rice, and a bit of salad.

Finally, I had my pescado frito, which was served with fried yucca, rice, and a bit of salad. This was also quite tasty.

We left very satisfied and ready to take our siestas!

Searching for peace in a sea of traffic: Walking around Lima, Peru

Today, I walked the streets of Lima, Peru. I have been in Lima many times, and even lived here for a while. But, it had been four years since I had been back and I was curious to see how the city had changed since I had been here last.

I am staying at the Clifford Hotel in Santa Beatriz, Lima, in the 300 block of the Avenida Arequipa. The hotel is close to the city center, and about three miles from the residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro. I thought it would be a good idea to walk those three miles down Avenida Arequipa towards Miraflores, with the goal of arriving at the coastline to catch a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean, and to stroll along the Malecón which overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

I walked down Avenida Arequipa for about two miles, listening to all of the cars, buses, vans, and taxis honk at each other and make their way down the busy street. Eventually, however, I decided to veer off to the right and find a more peaceful street to walk along. Luckily, I quickly found a large park, complete with fountains, a footpath, grass and trees. It was great to enjoy the quiet for a while as I walked through the park and watched the crows fly over my head. Once the park ended, I kept walking and ended up at the Ovalo, where I made a quick dash into Wong to buy an adapter for my laptop.

From there, I kept walking along slightly quieter streets until I made it to the Malecón. It was a great relief to see the Pacific Ocean and the green grass and cliffs that border the Malecón. The coastline in Lima is far from the most beautiful in the world, but I always find it magical to be near one of the great bodies of water in this world. I walked along the Malecón for about a mile, when it ended.

I hoped the Malecón would continue, but it stopped because of a big municipal stadium. So, I walked along the street, back in traffic, until I got to Avenida Salaverry, where I completed my Limeño experience by taking a combi back up to Avenida 28 de Julio and walked back to my hotel.

It was great to figure out that I still can walk around Lima, even though I have not been here in four years. I was concerned I might not feel safe because of the economic crisis and the concomitant rise in street crime. However, Lima felt fairly relaxed and very walkable.