Andes Mountains, Arequipa Peru, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Bikepacking, Cycling, Pan-American Highway, Peru Coastal Desert, Sechura Desert, Pacific Coast Pedals and Puffins Andes Mountains, Arequipa Peru, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Bikepacking, Cycling, Pan-American Highway, Peru Coastal Desert, Sechura Desert, Pacific Coast Pedals and Puffins

Cycling the Pan-American Highway in Peru, Part 1: Arequipa to Nazca

As we cycled out of the city of Arequipa, we were swallowed by the parched, Peruvian coastal desert. With the exception of a few pockets of incredibly hardy plants, the only visible life was found in human settlements. Along the Pan-American Highway, life burst forth in fields of rice, melons, grapes and olives nurtured by precious sources of water, or bustling fishing villages harvesting the bounty of the sea. Outside of these places the desert prevailed, and we were alone with the sand, rocks and wind of South America’s Sahara.

Read More