Caracoto

May 12, 2025

I had worked out a plan for us to be able to enter Puno from the countryside to its west and avoid the alleged hellhole of the city of Juliaca which lies north of Puno on the 3S. Yesterday's diversion onto the 123 to Lampa was the first part of that plan. Today we were to carry on southwards to Mañazo and then head eastwards to Puno tomorrow.

We set off from Lampa on a quiet road tracing a river with some nice birding.

It took us a while to work out that this nondescript raptor was simply a juvenile Variable Hawk.

After ten kilometers we stopped for a drink and, horror of horrors, on checking where we were on the map we realised we were on the wrong road! To get back to the road to Mañazo would mean adding 20 kilometers onto the ride but to continue along the road we were on would take us to the dreaded Juliaca.

After a bit of thought we decided it couldn't be that bad since many other cycle tourists had survived it so on we went. How wrong we were.

The outskirts of Juliaca gave us about five kilometers of road that used to be tarred but is now a dustbowl.

Maintenance on the road might have been started pre COVID but has long been forgotten.

With only one wheel's width of usable surface there was a constant competition for the best line with both directions of traffic competing.

As we entered the center of the city the road reverted to tar but the traffic volume exploded. The colectivos, terrible on the dirt section, now upped their game and steel nerves were needed to keep dodging between them.

We eventually escaped onto the 3S south of the city and headed for a hostal Leigh had noted in the town of Caracoto about five kilometers from Juliaca's southern limits. Tomorrow is a shortish hop to Puno where we have booked a hotel room for the next three nights so we can organize our Bolivian visas.

Today's ride: 43 km (27 miles)
Total: 404 km (251 miles)

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