Cochecorral waterfalls
Trip Start
Feb 06, 2007
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82
332
Trip End
Jan 14, 2008
Cajabamba,
Peru
Saturday, May 19, 2007
You need to buy tickets at 8am for a decent seat for the one bus of the morning at 9am. The bus is the Lluchubamba one, the office near the market. The road winds ever upwards for 21km (an hour) from 2600 metres to around 3500. By this time we could see nothing, the clouds were all around us. After 21km, marked by a post, we walked down a new-road-in-progress (very muddy after last night's rain) for a while. Barb found yet more flowers not seen before, and we saw 2 hummingbirds (called quinde here, not colibri). One was bright green-blue, the other orange-brown. The green-blue one shot up into the air for 10 metres, then descended just as rapidly with its tail fanned out. As we descended the fog cleared , more or less, and the views were lovely. There is a small lake with a dam, with Cajabamba visible a very long way below, and a sign points to another lake 4km uphill.
Flower of the day
We decided against this, just as well, as it rain was on the way, and it would have taken us at least another 3 hours. The waterfalls start at the lake and are more like a very long cascade, which is very pretty, and are alongside the track for a long way. The views were splendid.A lady with 2 daughters was chatting with a fellow with some sheep, and we later found out the she and her daughters had walked uphill since 5am with 3 sheep, to sell them to the fellow, who lives there. She was really chatty and had a smiley face, so we walked with them until they reached their house. The younger girl, Adelaida, was really good at spotting flowers for Barb. The mum told us that May is the best month for wild flowers in Peru, other months there are not nearly so many. Lucky us, again
They showed us the path to some ruins, 3km away. At this point there was a sign to Cajabamba, 9km, and as it was already nearly 2pm we skipped the ruins. It was a very steep track, and we all slipped at least once.
After 5km downhill hike we reached the road. Then, with about 3km to go, the rain came, but happily not quite as heavy as yesterday. We had been hearing thunder for quite a while. We saw no traffic on this road so there is no choice but to walk. The waterproofing tape on Pete's $35 Rainbird coat is disintegrating after only a few times on, so it leaks. So often travel gear that we bought on the recommendation of the travel shops in Adelaide has been quite unsuitable. The Polartec jacket that Pete bought supposed to be 90% windproof, but is actually about 20%. Cost an arm and a leg. It has no cord to tie in the waist, nor the arms. It was sold as the best jacket to buy for the conditions. Huh.
