FarWayOut

After almost three months riding through the Peruvian mountains, we finally made it to Ecuador. If you ever cross at Huaquillas, look for our sticker😉.

But we didn't stay long. The rainy season arrived right on cue, Yan hurt his knee, and honestly, we were just tired. So we decided we needed a change of scenery and made a side trip. Still on motorcycles, but a different continent. Can you guess which country? Hint in the second photo.

We're obviously coming back to South America to continue the journey; there are still so many places left to see. But for the next few posts, please enjoy a change of scenery with us.

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After Cajamarca, the north of Peru started to feel like a completely different country. The high snow peaks and dusty rocky valleys we'd grown used to slowly disappeared, replaced by cloud forests and rolling green mountains where the sky always felt impossibly close. What stayed the same, though, were the incredibly twisty roads in various states of disrepair.

With all but one border between Peru and Ecuador closed, and our Peruvian visa counting down its final days, we reluctantly pointed our bikes toward the coast. A new country was approaching.

Laguna Parón, probably the most recognizable spot in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru.

A short but seriously scenic ride from the town of Caraz takes you into a valley surrounded by towering snow-capped giants, many rising towering snow-capped giants, many rising above 5,000–6,000 meters / 16,400–19,700 feet.

One of them, Artesonraju at 6,025 m / 19,767 ft, is said to have inspired the iconic Paramount Pictures mountain logo.

Ruta 106, the second part of the Huascarán Loop.

Arriving at the top of the pass and seeing the winding road dropping away beneath us, with towering mountains all around and ominous-looking clouds hanging just low enough to add some drama, left us completely speechless.

Unlike Ruta 107 from our previous post, Ruta 106 is completely unpaved. It’s not technically difficult, but there is some loose gravel and a few rocky sections in the sharp corners. Take it slow, stay focused, and you’ll be alright.

The hardest part is not getting distracted by the views😅

Huascarán Loop, also known as Roads 107 & 106, is an absolute must-do ride while in Peru. 🏔️🏍️

📸 These photos and videos are from Ruta 107, the paved section of the loop that passes through the iconic Punta Olímpica Tunnel. Opened in August 2013, it’s one of the highest motorable tunnels in the world, surpassed only slightly by a few tunnels on the Tibetan Plateau.

⛰️ The road climbs from the town of Carhuaz at 2,600 m / 8,800 ft, gaining more than 2,000 m / 6,500 ft as it winds its way up into the Andes. The highest point is at the tunnel entrance at 4,735 m / 15,535 ft.

🎟️ To ride this route, you’ll need a valid ticket for Huascarán National Park, which costs about 30 PEN / 8 USD per day.

After finishing the southern section of the Peru Great Divide Trail (PGDT), we entered the Cordillera Blanca and the legendary Huascarán National Park.

The area is full of snowy peaks, turquoise lagunas, glaciers, and views that make you wonder if you haven’t accidentally crossed into some high-fantasy realm. It also has plenty of side quests (aka day trips) to complete, and this one led us to Laguna Llaca. 🏔️🏍️

Pastoruri Glacier Road (or AN-1251) is an absolute must when riding through northern Peru. Make sure to ride the whole stretch as the views are amazing from start to finish. You can also hike up to over 5,000 m to see the glacier up close. The walk is less than 2km, but doing it in our motorcycle gear was quite a workout.

Another unreal mountain pass on the Peru Great Divide Trail. Does this kind of epicness ever end? And could one ever get tired of it? 😂🏔️🏍️

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More of Peru’s mountain roads. Unbelievable colors and shapes all around us, and an empty winding road ahead. This is probably as close to total freedom as it gets. 🏍️🌄