Few riders ever get this far into the Conchucos, the deep valleys on the eastern side of Peru's Cordillera Blanca, and that is half the reason to come. The label refers to a stretch of the Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca road network that ran for thousands of kilometres along the Andes, here crossing between the hamlet of Cajay and Huaritambo, whose name preserves the word tambo, the waystation where runners and travellers on imperial business could rest, eat and change loads. Parts of the paving, retaining walls and drainage channels still survive on slopes where it is hard to imagine anyone building anything at all.
Getting here is the adventure. The nearest place of any size listed is Yauya, more than thirty kilometres away by road that will feel much longer, and between them lie switchbacks of dirt and rock carved into mountainsides, river crossings after rain, and the occasional landslide that closes a road for a day. Altitude is the real opponent: the passes in this part of Ancash climb well above four thousand metres, and both rider and engine will feel it. Go slowly, drink a lot, and do not plan a schedule tighter than the mountains allow. The dry season, roughly May to September, gives firm surfaces and clear mornings; the wet months bring mud and clouds that sit on the road.
The landscape changes with every hundred metres of height. Down in the valleys there are eucalyptus, maize terraces and small adobe villages; higher up the grass thins into puna, where the wind is cold even in sun and the only company might be a farmer with sheep or a few llamas. The Inca engineers chose lines that work for walkers and pack animals, not for vehicles, so the modern track and the ancient road cross and diverge; where they meet, it is worth stopping, cutting the engine and walking a few hundred metres of the old stones. You get a sense of how an empire held together a country this vertical.
Practical matters need real planning. Fuel in this region is often sold from drums in villages, and quality varies, so fill up properly in the larger towns and carry a reserve. Yauya and the other district capitals have small shops, simple restaurants serving soup, potatoes, trout or cuy, and basic lodging. Phone signal comes and goes. Carry cash in small notes, warm layers and a basic repair kit; the people are generous, but the nearest workshop may be a day away.