Aguas Calientes de Occobamba

May 6, 2025

Another short day but the 590m of climbing at over 4000m above sea level meant it wasn't a rest day.

A few kilometers of Sicuani we met Tomas from France who left Ushuaia six months ago. We had a long natter on the roadside.

Signs that summer has ended and the crops are being harvested.

The valley has made for wonderful riding. To make it even better we had the traffic was much lighter than the previous few days.

Guineapigs can be bought raw and skinned.

The climb was unrelenting with no downhills to break the almost six hundred meters of climbing but birding opportunities gave us good excuses to stop occasionally.

Our destination for today was the hot springs two thirds of the way up the climb to La Raya, the border between the Cucso and Puno regions.

There is a tatty hospedaje at the spa but one can also camp. Our original intention was to camp but we decided to take the hospedaje instead (probably a good decision as the rain is chucking down as I type up this journal entry).

There were two other cycle tourists here, a young couple from Edinburgh (although she was originally from Hertfordshire he was from Germany) who are nearing the end of a year long trip. Another long natter, this time in the comfort of one of the hot pools.

We climbed up to 4080m above sea level today and will start the downhill to Santa Rosa at 4338m tomorrow.

Today's ride: 27 km (17 miles)
Total: 192 km (119 miles)

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