Peru Tumbes S 03.55515° W 80.43492° Our late border crossing caused us to arrive in Tumbes as dark descended hence finding a place to camp was a case of take the first place that would be half acceptable. Tumbes did not look like the kind of place one would want to simply stop on a patch of dirt beside the road so we picked a gas station on the southern side of the town proper. No charge provided we "vamos manana".
Peru Desert South of Piura S 05.63867° W 80.57604° There are many places to pull off the road for some "bush camping" on this section of road. We picked a place that was protected by some mounds of sand. That stopped some of the wind and made us less visible to passing traffic.
Peru Huanchaco S 08.07109° W 79.12064° There is a hostelaria (XXXXXXX) at the north end of the beach that has parking for a small number of vehicle campers. However it was full so we parked on the sand at the north end of the beach.
Peru Rio Santa S 08.73621° W 77.93222° Once through the narrow parts of the canyon, about 25 miles from Chuquicara, there were a limited number of places to get off the road. We picked one just before dark. If you plan on driving this road, and we suggest you do, make sure you are not in the canyon late in the day (like we were). It is so spectacular that one needs time to stop, look and savor it.
Peru Caraz S 09.04855° W 77.81403° We camped in the compound at Los Pinos Hostel/Hospedaje, just like the travelin-tortugas. The GPS coordinates S 09° 2.913' and W 77° 48.842' is for the back gate that provides access to the court yard. Good wifi.
Peru Huaraz S 09.51298° W 77.53122° After a bit of chasing around Huaraz we ended up at the Gran Hotel Huascaran on the northern side of the town where the road from Caraz branches into Av. Centario and Av. Confraternidad. Entrance is left off Centanrio when heading south. Large parking area, quiet over night, use of hotel lobby toilets. Price 20 sols, double room (which we did not take) 100 sols.
Peru Hwy 14 S 10.13411° W 77.40097° After our side trip to see the Puya Raimondii we wanted to find some lower altitude so we headed down Highway 14 towards the coast. Once below 10,000 ft we started looking for a place to pull off for the night. If you get to see the valley the highway runs through, you will understand that this was a tall order. So when we found a large pull off where we could get far enough off the road to be out of the line of "trajectory" of the trucks and buses we were delighted. All I can give you are the coordinates.
Peru Reserva De Lachay S 11.35699° W 77.36758° Tonight we are at Reserva De Lachay. It's a few miles off the PanAmericana, and the turn off is well sign posted between Km posts 106 and 105. Pit toilets, cool moist atmosphere, all together a nice place for 10 sols per person per night.
Peru Lima S 12.12237° W 77.03606° We stayed the night at the Hitch Hikers Hostel. We heard about this place from a number of traveler websites. It was difficult to navigate to and we would not have got there without the Peru map I got from mapcenter2.cgsmapper.com. The place has space for 2 maybe three vehicles. We noticed there were two parking lots (parqueaderos, or playas as they seem to be called in Lima) in the nearby street named Schell that don't seem to have height limitations. One of these might be an option if the hostel court yard was occupied on arrival.
Peru Nasca S 14.85074° W 74.95857° We stayed in the Hotel Maisson Suisse across the road from the airport in Nasca, they actually advertise camping on their signs and the lady behind the front desk understood immediately what we wanted. There was no charge if we booked a sightseeing flight through them, which we did. We got to town just on dark and had a little difficulty finding the place because the Hotels own signs (one of which we saw on the highway just as we entered Nasca) say that it is at km post 447 but in fact on the newer km posts its actually closer to 452. The GPS coordinates of the entrance are S 14° 51.104' W 74° 57.500'. We noticed a European overland vehicle also parked in the hotel next door. The Nido Del Condor so that is another possibility. The Acogas place is at S 12° 03.077', Av Colonial 5443 (Colonial recently renamed Benevides). You can also look up their website at www.acogas.com.pe. This place seems to have a very comprehensive stock of gas related plumbing parts such as POL fittings, unions, hose fittings etc.
Peru Along the Cusco Road S 14.62284° W 74.22417° We camped in a patch of ground beside the road (Hwy 26) at about km post 100. During the evening some shepherds and sheep walked past and gave us a look-over, and during the night there was infrequent but steady traffic of trucks and buses. This was not an ideal spot but because of our late start and approaching darkness we did not have much choice. Generally there are many opportunities for road side camping along hwy 26 but one needs time to wait for a good one to show up; not to be running out of light like we were. We particularly noticed some nice big and somewhat secluded places along the climb going east from Puquio and again going east from Chalhuanca.
Peru Cusco S 13.50570° W 71.98506° After a long day of driving we made it to the well publicized Quinta Lala camping ground in the hills above Cusco. Again we arrived in a town just as dark descended and hence the navigation to the camp ground was a little more difficult than it may otherwise have been. Coming in from Anta we had difficulty finding the Plaza De Armas and that is where the directions given on the campground website start.
Peru Aguas Calientes S 13.15466° W 72.52464° We stayed at the Hostal la Pequena Casita on the main street. Nice rooms, good clean hot showers. $50 for a double.
Peru Road to Yauri S 14.60474° W 71.28592° We turned off highway 3S just south of Sicuani at the sign to Arequipa. The road was good black top for about 10 kms and then became rough dirt until the town of El Descanso where it again became good blacktop. There were not many good places to pull off for the night along this road so about 5:00pm we found a disused loop of highway and stopped. Not a great place as we were visible from the road, but not much traffic either.
Peru Chivay S 15.61513° W 71.58687° We camped in the parking lot of the hot spring baths about 4 km from Chivay. It was not obvious who to ask for permission, we got one of the tour group guides to ask for us - we think he asked the guy in the kiosk selling beer. No one troubled us during the night. Though the baths opened and started playing a radio at 5:15 am. There is a charge of 35 sols per person for tourists to enter the town of Chivay, it seems like this last 7 days.

A few navigation and road condition notes.

From last nights camp the road continued as a good blacktop until 10 km before Yauri (also called Espina - especially on the signs in the front window of buses) where it turned into a bad, pot holed, gravel road. After Yauri the gravel road improved and reasonable speeds (30-40 mph) were achievable. Some distance south of Yauri, the road branches with the left branch signposted to Ariquipa and the right signposted to Chivay (remember this we will come back to it latter). We chose the left branch on the basis of suspected better road conditions and hence faster though longer travel. This road eventually joined highway 3S at Imata. At Sumbay we turned right (North) towards the settlement of Vischani and onto Chivay. The first 10-13 miles of this road are simply terrible, but then turns into good blacktop all the way to Chivay. The good road starts right at the point where the previously avoided turn to Chivay enters. Our conclusion - we should have taken the earlier right turn to Chivay.
Peru Cruz Del Condor S 15.61244° W 71.90444° While we were at Cruz Del Condor this morning we asked one of the guards if we could park here overnight. We got a very prompt si. I guess we were not the first to ask that question. Later in the day when we returned the place was deserted, and there was very little traffic overnight. A great spot.
Peru Imata Junction S 15.76553° W 71.00682° This spot is a very very large flat area at the junction of highway 3S and the road from Yauri. We had lunch here a couple of days ago so new of it and it seemed a reliable place for a late stop on our way from Arequipa to Puno. It turned out to be very cold and quiet. There was traffic all night but the area is big enough to get away from the road, the noise and the dust. Even with a full moon we did not feel conspicuous.
Peru Near Santa Rosa S 14.64531° W 70.74756° This afternoon we were on our way from Puno to Cusco, knowing that we would not make it all the way we were looking for a place to pull off the road that gave some seclusion from traffic. We found a gravel pit on the east side of the road south of Santa Rosa.
Peru Arequipa S 16.40082° W 71.54242° We camped the night at Hostal Las Mercedes in Arequipa. This is a very nice establishment in a well maintained old building. It also has camping facilities and tonight there was a Tucan Travel expedition truck also parked here with 28 passengers all set up in tents. In addition there was room for 2 or 3 overlander vehicles. Using the Peru routable map from map2center.com and the GPS coordinates we came right to the front gate without any trouble.
Peru Puno S 15.82792° W 69.99412° The lower parking lot of the Hotel Libertador. This is a 5 star hotel on an island in Puno harbor that is accessed by a causeway. It's a very up market establishment. A room is US$355. We would not have had the gaul to ask to park here if we had not read about it from others. The deal was that we had to have dinner in the restaurant. It was a nice dinner but if you are on a tight budget it will hurt - $100 for two people. There are no services, but it is without a doubt the best view in Puno.
Peru Cusco S 13.50591° W 71.98507° Quinta Lala camping ground Cusco. Seems like an old favorite.
Peru Ollantaytambo S 13.26030° W 72.26139° We stayed with a friend in a house in the village of Ollantaytambo, but we parked the Tiger on the yard of a hostel named Inti Punku - this would be a good place to try if looking for a place to stay with an overland vehicle as the yard is big enough for buses. To find it enter the town along the cobble stone road. One block before the plaza turn left. The road will split, the left hand branch that goes down hill is the one you want. The hostel should be visible ahead and the blue gate is where you enter the parking area.
Peru Ayacucho Road S 13.69699° W 72.97692° After a steep and dusty climb out of the Rio Apurimao below Abancay we came upon a rough track that led off the road into a field. It took some effort to get approximately level as the field was full of lumps of dirt (from a previous ploughing) overgrown with grass. We got propane at the Repsol station that is located on the road out of Cusco going towards Abancay.
Peru Ayacucho Road S 13.54945° W 73.62967° We found a flat area beside the road a few km before the town of Uripa. We were pleased to see this spot as by this time the road was descending steeply and few suitable places presented themselves. Interestingly we noticed a number of large buses pass by during the night even though we had seen none during the day.
Peru Ayacucho S 13.21155° W 74.27312° We spent the night in the large parking lot of a gas station right next to a peaje (toll station) partway up the climb after the town of Ayacucho.
Peru Pisco S 13.70908° W 76.20462° We stayed in a hostel - Hostel Parador - in Pisco, they have access to a large parking area less than a block away. We had to wait for the morning to get hot water for the shower. The Pisco sours were great.
Peru Huachaco S 08.07297° W 79.11842° Huanchaco Gardens is a block back from the beach at the Northern end of town. The beach front road is one-way south so that to get to the northern end of town one must take a back street. As this street turns back towards the beach one comes face to face with the gate into the parking lot of Huanchuco Gardens. It has a big sign on it saying RV park. The owner, Jorge, is friendly and helpful. the place has hot showers, electricity, and in the summer a pool.
Peru Sipan S 06.79935° W 79.60014° We camped in the parking lot of the Archeological park in Sipan. They understood immediately what we wanted - we assume other travelers have done the same. There is a security guard on duty all night. No facilities.
Peru Lobitos S 04.45030° W 81.27747° We camped on the beach in the old derelict part of Lobitos. No facilities, but quiet.