To travel back in time, and have an adventure in the process, hop off the highway along the coast and follow a dirt road into the mountains. If there is a village at the end of the road, a colectivo or combi is sure to take you there.

The fastest route from the coast to Huaraz is along the smooth highway that branches off from the Panamericana at Pativilca, 200 km north of Lima.

But if you are in the mood for fabulous scenery and a rush of adventure, there are three wild rides to Huaraz — one from Casma over the Cordillera Negra, another from Chimbote through the famous Cañon de Pato, and a completely hairball, multiday overland route from Cajamarca.