The Paddler ezine WW kayak collection 2013 | Page 82

ThePaddler 82

All in all it took

us 56 hours to get from Cusco to the Laguna
Lauricocha, our put in for the descent of the Rio
Lauricocha.
After 21 police controls and uncountable miles
on gravel road we are finding ourselves in a small
Indian town of Yanahuanca, where we took a last
good meal in a Polleria – roasted chicken with
French fries, soup and salad for round about 4$.
In a small shop we bought food for the
upcoming seven days.
The road map gives us an idea what's coming
next: The really bad roads have been marked
white; the upcoming road is just grey and way
thinner. Also the junction to the road can be only
found with the help of the local people.
A thin steep dirt road, as wide as a car, is
curling up to the high sierra of the
Cordillera Raura.
Initially we haven't been sure if it's
possible to run the road without 4WD. All
the locals told us not to try without, but
we did it and it was unbelievable what a
Toyota Probox is able to handle. We spent
a lot of time filming, photographing and
just enjoying the landscape.
On the map it was looking like just 10km
but after a few kilometres on the gravel road
the driver told us, there are still 30km to go
(3-5 hours in 4WD car) to the Laguna
Lauricocha and it's impossible without 4WD.
With super slow speed it's going over big rocks,
super steep ‘roads’ and muddy pools. After a
small village with five Indian huts the road was
much better. We are still on a gravel road but
now with road signs and less pot holes. After a
couple of hours we decide to camp at an
elevation of 4,500m.
After a cold and rainy night we reach the laguna
Lauricocha.
75 years ago, Herbert Rittlinger wanted to start his
mission here, but he had too little water and so he
was forced to start about 50km downstream. So
now it's our turn to do the first descent starting
from the Laguna of the Rio Lauricocha (the
biggest source river of the Amazon).

as the fir

We are leaving the Lagu

on the w
of the upper sou