Is it feasible to plot my own trekking route from Lima to Cusco?
Per the recommendation of ppl, I'm breaking this question out into separate posts, so here goes:
Is it feasible for me to plot my own route through the Andes, as opposed to keeping to established trails? My thinking on this is that it will be doable as long as I take precautions such as carrying a satellite phone, keeping within a couple days' range of towns when possible, and avoiding river crossings. That said, I'd appreciate the input of somebody more acquainted with this particular mountain range.
To provide some additional background, I will be alone and I intend to travel exclusively by foot. I won't be attempting any climbing. My main concern is about the traversability of the terrain between Lima and Cusco, especially at higher elevations.
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1 answer
To give a simple question, yes, you can, but it is very complicated. About 10 years ago I've done a similar journey but I found that walking around Lima and west and south of the Andes very hard so I ended up using public transportation.
Walking in the Andes is very challenging as weather conditions are rapidly changing and you will have cold temperatures every night, even in summer. Elevation is a nightmare for backpacking and I have yet to find any descent maps for the area.
The best solution I found for route finding, resupply etc is to ask anyone I met on the way (locals) about those things. Pick a place that you aim for and have some 1:100k maps for general route setting (unless you find good topo maps) and plot+sketch anything you can based on those recommendations.
The less you will be planning and the more you will be self sufficient and solo reliable with good and variable gear the easier it will be.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/13245. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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