PERU - From Ecuador border to Cajamarca (Panamericana)

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Zarumilla, Tumbes, PE

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Route Overview

SOS - Slowers Olders Smarters

Cyclist tourist

517 mi.

20,602 ft.

This route follows the desert along the Pan-American Highway to Ciudad de Dios, then climbs up to Cajamarca via Route 8.

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Route Details

The itinerary suggested here is for those who prefer to avoid crossing the Ecuador–Peru border through the mountains (often Loja–Chamaya).

For travelers coming from the north, once you descend to the Pacific coast, you’ll enter the city of Tumbes and then follow the Panamericana for about 700 kilometers before turning left and beginning the climb inland. In roughly three days you’ll reach the Abra el Gavilan pass and then descend to Cajamarca, a beautiful colonial-style city.

What can be said about this road? The desert stretch is rather monotonous and, if traveling southbound, you often face a constant headwind. The city of @poi[Sullana](159327556) is not the best option for an overnight stay; it’s better to continue on to @point[Piura](d,318138.7). After that, it’s more desert, with little choice but to stop in the middle of nowhere unless you want to cover more than 200 km in a single day.

You’ll then reach the city of Lambayeque, which deserves a day’s rest to visit the fascinating museum dedicated to the @poi[Tombs of the Señor de Sipán](159327554). The following day, the actual archaeological site can be visited just a few kilometers outside the city with a short detour off the Panamericana.

From there it’s back to the desert, back to the Panamericana, and finally the road turns inland toward the mountains. At Ciudad de Dios, a three-day ride will take you over a pass above 3,000 m before descending at last to Cajamarca. For those continuing south, this is where the true highland Peru begins.
## General Tips
* **Food**: Restaurant prices (non-tourist ones) are low, making it unnecessary to cook for yourself.
* **Accommodation**: It is possible to wild camp, but it’s better to always stay out of sight. There’s a heavy flow of migrants from Venezuela, and not all of them are trustworthy.
* **Police**: We never had any issues, but we always asked the police for advice before stopping in a town, and in some places they advised against it.
* **Safety**: Don’t arrive in a city at night, Peru is a safe country, but…
* **Bicycles**: The road is fully paved, and standard touring tires are sufficient.
* **Water**: Be careful, there may be nothing between one town and the next.
* **Traffic**: In South America, cyclists are not respected — be extremely careful. Peruvians are considered the worst drivers in the world.
* **Clothing**: It’s hot and windy until Ciudad de Dios. Before descending to Cajamarca, you cross a 3,000-meter pass.
* **Communications**: Remember that speaking a little Spanish is always best. Few people speak English. Duolinguo is a good free application to study it.
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## Route
NOTE Below are our steps, each point is described as follows: City of arrival length_approximate_stage x positive elevation gain (BOGOTA 60 km x 1200 meters); some notes.

* **@slice[Tumbes](d,174.5,27402.5)** 70 x 250 - Flat.
* **@slice[Cancas](d,27402.5,103963.7)** 75 x 280 – Flat.
* **@slice[El alto](d,102829.5,162379.4)** 70 x 700 - Final climb 4 km x 4-7%.
* **@slice[Enace I](d,162379.4,212666.5)** 50 x 180 – Short stage if you want to sleep in a hotel.
* **@slice[Piura](d,212855.4,320046.6)** 105 x 450 – Easy but many times with head wind. Don’t sleep in Sullana.
* **@slice[Cruces 4 y Panamericana](d,318345.4,418953.4)** 100 x 350 – There is a restaurant at the intersection that allows customers to pitch their tents.
* **@slice[Lambayeque](d,419294.5,524442)** 105 x 300 – Flat.
* **@slice[Zaña](d,525920.1,588523.7)** 65 x 180 – Stage to visit Tombs of the Señor de Sipán.
* **@slice[Ciudad de Dios](d,587738.9,654335.6)** 65 x 200 – Last day in the desert.
* **@slice[Chilete](d,654454.9,745833.2)** 90 x 1.150 – Nice stage near a lake. Long but nothing difficult.
* **@slice[San Juan](d,745913.5,796194.6)** 50 x 1.500 – Long climb but not difficult.
* **@slice[Cajamarca](d,796268.2,831997.6)** 35 x 900 - Steady ascent, average 5-6% with many easier sections and a few 7% climbs. Beautiful, magnificent views.

PERU - From Ecuador border to Cajamarca (Panamericana)

Route Overview

Route Details

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PERU - From Ecuador border to Cajamarca (Panamericana)

Route Overview

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