Acclimatizing in Tarma - Part One, The Bus Ride UPDATED

Sun-Ling writes: THE highlight of our previous Peru trips were the bus rides, each more dramatic than the last.  This trip, from Lima we took a bus more or less east to the Andean town of Tarma (alt: 10000ft)  on the eastern side of the Andes.  We were not disappointed by the ride which took us to a dizzying height of 16000ft (we don't remember a higher pass).  It was sleeting when we were at the top.  I love the breathtaking (in the literal sense) heights of the Andes.  However, every time we passed the still visible ancient terracing high up in the mountains, I was saddened by the injustice to hardworking Inca people being decimated more by disease than the Conquistadors.

John adds: We can't get enough of riding the bus in Peru. While others sleep in comfy recline-flat seats or watch videos on their phones, Sun-Ling and I are up on the front row of the 2nd deck above the driver, watching the scenery, and using our phones to take photos, and track the route and elevation.

Traveler's Tip - Taking the bus from Lima to Tarma: We booked this daytime bus online with Movil Bus. We promptly received a detailed confirmation email (in Spanish) with the date and time of the bus, our seat numbers, baggage info and, the street address of the departure and arrival terminals. This bus is scheduled to depart from Terminal Movil Bus (they have their own small terminal), a 5-minute walk from the Ricardo Palma Metropolitano Station at 8:00 and arrive at the Tarma TERMINAL TERRESTRE MUNICIPAL at 14:00 (a 10-minute walk from the Plaza). Our bus left about 8:15 and arrived Tarma about 14:25. It's a double-decker bus with a very good on-board toilet so the bus made no stops. In addition we received a sandwich and a drink on route.



Not to mention propping my feet up.


Lima is at sea level more or less. Tarma is about 3000 meters or 10,000 feet above sea level. The road from Lima to Tarma goes up, up, up to ~4800 meters (16,000 ft) then down to Tarma.


The first 4 hours are slow as it's 2 lanes just about the whole way. From our front row seats the overtaking of another vehicle is sometimes exciting to say the least. See this video.


Video Link here.

This procession of the image of Señor de los Milagros blocks the traffic.


The bus tackles a massive switchback.


We passed more than one very slow moving truck hauling bricks. Don't they make bricks in the highlands?


There was a bit of sleet and fluries at the top of the pass.




Then awesome scenery on the way down as we occasionally paralleled the railroad tracks










As we near Tarma we see fields of flowers, one of the signs that Tarma is indeed the Pearl of the Andes.






We have arrived! A look down the main street of Tarma, Jr. Lima, and the town Monument just before we make a right turn and into the Terminal.


After checking in to Hostal "El Vuelo del Cóndor" and strolling around town a bit, we find a restaurant that will cook us a veggie dinner, as the 2 vegetarian restaurants in town are not open for dinner today. First, 2 glasses of chicha morada made from purple corn.


Then an aeropuerto which is a mixture of Chinese-style fried rice and fried noodles. Huge.


The view down Jr. Lima and across the Plaza de Armas on our way home.