NASCA AREQUIPA by the road 
Weather: The south coast between Nasca and Arequipa has a temperate climate with daytime temperatures varying between 18 and 25 deg. C. Take a light jacket for the evening. Arequipa city (7,870 feet above sea level) is dry with daytime temperatures between 18 and 25 deg. C., though at night it can fall to freezing point.
ROAD PLAN
DAY 1
LIMA - NASCA
280 miles - 5 hours Pan American Highway South. Fully asphalted and dual carriageway as far as Gerro Azul (about 75 miles)
If you haven't visited the Nasca Lines yet we suggest you include them in your program, they're certainly worth it. Nasca has hotels and hostels to suit every budget, if you have time eat an old-style "pachamanca" at Wasipunko.
DAY 2
NASCA - PUERTO LOMAS - SACACO - YAUCA - LOMAS DE ATIQUIPA - PUERTO INCA
PUERTO LOMAS: 289 miles from Lima. Picturesque fishing cove where you can get an excellent cebiche. There's a small hotel with sea views called the Capricho de Verano (double room with bath: $30).
SACACO: 336 miles from Lima. Fossilized whale.
YAUCA: 351 miles from Lima. Peru's oldest olive groves. Excellent olives and olive oil.
LOMAS DE ATIQUIPA: 370 miles from Lima. The largest "lomas in Peru - enjoy a fairytale landscape of mists and vegetation.
PUERTO INCA: 375 miles from Lima. Archaeological site of the first importance on the sea shore. The Inca Road is the shortest route from Cusco to the coast Stay the night at the Puerto Inca Hotel (double room with bath: $35). A shame it hasn't been built to blend with its surroundings.
DAY 3
PUERTO INCA-PUERTO VIEJO-LA CHIRA-CAMANA
PUERTO VIEJO: 422 miles from Lima. Great for diving and camping. If you are lucky you may see seals. Rock formations along the shore from Atico (430 miles from Lima) onwards. At Ocona (462 miles from Lima) visit the Calaveritas Chapel by the side of the road
LA CHIRA.. 498 miles from Lima Impressive rock formation with roosting birds. Essential stop for bird watchers.
CAMANA: 509 miles from Lima A modern well-organized town with all services. The best prawns in the country can be found here. Camana has several hotels and hostels and fine beaches. We stayed at the Hotel San Diego in the town centre, which was comfortable and modern (double room with bath $25).
DAY 4
CAMANA-TORO MUERTO-AREQUIPA On the road out of Camana is a filling station selling excellent pastries. (try alfajores with honey) The road climbs to Toro Muerto and passes through a desert zone giving a view of all of Arequipa's volcanoes: El Misti, Chachani, El Ampato and Coropuna, 534 miles from Lima.
The turnoff for Majes is 555 miles from Lima, onto an impeccable asphalted road running through the impressive Males valley.
23 miles from the turnoff is another side road to Puente Punta Colorada from which we reach Toro Muerto and the largest petroglyphs in Peru. There is a small museum, very instructive for children. Take 2 hours to visit the site.
We lunched at Punta Colorada, the most famous place in the area for prawns, before returning to the South Panamerican highway and continuing to Arequipa (miles 641).
Arequipa Huancavelica Cajamarca Nasca
Sacred Dance Mochica Culture Orchids