Age of Empires III Walkthrough

2.3.6  Journey through the Andes

Primary Objectives:
-Reach Pacamayo Valley.

Secondary Objectives:
-Don't allow a single scout to reach the Boneguard Army.  (1500 XP)

Head north.  The bitter cold of the Andes will begin sapping your units of 
life.  Enter the first cave to restore your units.  Keep Amelia near the exit 
of the cave and have her use her sniping ability to kill any passing scouts; 
the rest of the level will be an exercise in running from cave to cave and 
killing the scouts that pass by.  Head south, killing any scouts you encounter.

Feel free to ignore the animals, unless they are guarding treasure you want.  
Taking the time to kill them is not worth it.  Any health you lose will be 
recovered at the next cave.

Ignore the east route for now and enter the next cave, but keep Kanyenke or 
Amelia on the road to kill any scouts.  Once your units are healed, send them 
to block the east road and send Amelia or Kanyenke back to be healed.  Resume 
your trek through the east shortcut.

Soon you can choose between two caves.  Head to northern cave.  Wait outside 
for a bit for several horse riders.  Kill them then head into the cave to 
recuperate.

If you want to, sent some units south to the path your bypassed to obtain some
treasure (guarded by wolves).

Head north to the next cave.  Remember to keep at least one hero near the 
entrance or on the path to kill any scouts.

Continue along the path using this routine: while killing any scouts you see, 
run from cave to cave.  The path is a long loop.  There is one treasure along 
the way that boosts your soldier's hit points.

Be sure to recuperate before starting your trek south along the loop.  The 
whole of the path has no caves.  Kill any enemies you see quickly.

When you finally reach a cave, your soldiers will have little health left.  Do
not rest for long as three scouts run out of the path immediately north of the
cave.  So be ready for them.

Take that path, ignoring the longer southern route (where you can rescue a 
Medicine Man).  Ignore the looping cave you encounter -- it's an enticement to
get off the path (which you do not need to do as your units have ample health)
and let a scout through.  Ignore it and ignore the treasure within it, a measly
200 EXP.

Go north, also ignoring the next cave.  A little more north there is another 
cave.  Quickly heal, and head out to intercept two riders who come out in quick
succession.

Continue north.  There is a treasure worth 200 EXP.  Get it.  Continue along 
the path, now bending south once again.

Welcome to Pacamayo Valley.