Lima – Arequipa – Cusco
Distance: 1,618 kms. Estimated duration: 28-30hrs.
Lima – Arequipa (1,010 kms). Routes 1-S (Lima-Distribution Division, 974 kms) and 30-A (Distribution Division-Arequipa, 36 kms). Road asphalted in very good state.
Arequipa – Juliaca (262 kms, 3-4hrs). Leaving from Arequipa towards Yura, the road is asphalted up till Juliaca. After passing Yura (24 kms) you continue heading north and afterwards east boarding the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca until reaching Patahuasi (76 kms from Arequipa). At this point (from where, begins the deviation of the non-asphalted road which leads to the mine of Tintaya and Cusco) this route enters the Reserve and crosses the towns of Pillones and Imata and arrives at the Crucero Alto station, in the regional department of Puno. Another important way point is the town of Santa Lucía. From here on its only another 61 kms to Juliaca where you also pass bye the Destua Station.
Juliaca – Sicuani (200 kms). Route 3-S, Asphalted. Starting from the main square of Jualiaca the road runs in parallel of the train rails until the town called Calapuja. From there on the road continues near the river side of Pucara, passes bye the deviation to Lampa on the left side, the deviation to Azangaro on the left and arrives at the town of Pucara. This is a tourist attraction 62 kms from Jualiaca. From there on you pass bye a series of small villages such as Ayaviri (Toll booth 30 km from Pucará, ideal for making a small stop), Chuquibambilla (National Reserve for the preservation of Alpaca’s) and Santa Rosa (134 kms from Juliaca), before reaching the mountain pass known as La Raya (4,313 m.a.s.l, 30 kms further down). From there on initiates the slow descend, which passes bye Marangani and Chectuyoc and arrives in Sicuani, Capital of the Province of Canchis (3,550 m.a.s.l).
Sicuani – Cusco (146 kms). The asphalted route 3-S continues in descent and crosses the villages of San Pablo, San Pedro, Tinta, Combapata, Checacupe, Cusipata, Quiquijana, Urcos y Huaro, and arrives at Andahuaylillas (103 km far from Sicuani), in the valley of the Vilcanota River 53 km from Cusco. Continue in the valley passing bye the villages of Oropesa, Saylla, San Jerónimo y San Sebastián before arriving at the Archaeological Capital of the Americas.
