27 Photos From My Lifelong Dream Trip To The Andes Mountains

I spent a month in the Peruvian Andes, and it was a true journey in every meaning of the term - long, challenging, and demanding on many levels. I spent about 30 days at an altitude of 4,000-5,000m above sea level, where I could put my body to the test for a lengthy period of time in challenging conditions. I had all of the symptoms of altitude sickness, especially in the beginning, and it took only a week of acclimatization and solid doses of coca leaf tea to get me back on my feet. During this time, I traveled to the most interesting mountain corners of the country, where I tented in the wilderness and photographed the most beautiful mountain scenery.

I drove about 6,000 kilometers in Peru in an off-road automobile, which produced surprise and amazement practically wherever I went, because very few people choose to visit this nation by car, which is totally understandable. Driving in Peru is a serious difficulty, especially for inexperienced drivers. The poor state of all roads, especially mountain roads, plus the complete lack of any driving culture make mastering the local driving style a real challenge. Fortunately, I was successful in this art, and for the foreseeable future, I will be growing used to imposing priority, constantly honking the horn, and flashing extended lights.