Category Archives: Tours and Attractions

Pachacamac Ruins and Peruvian Paso Horse Show Tour

Main Highlights: Full-day Pachacamac Ruins and Peruvian Paso Horse Show Tour  to learn about pre-Inca history combined with beautiful local traditions and flavors of Peru. 
Description: Our Pachacamac Ruins and Peruvian Paso Horse Show Tour begins south of Lima in the Citadel of Pachacamac, which was built by different leaders throughout the centuries and between the years 200 and 1450 AD. This religious compound is made entirely out of clay and houses the giant pyramids of the sun and moon. Our comprehensive guided tour will give you an insight on the culture, history and architecture of both, the Inca and pre-Inca people. Excavations in the area continue to reveal further insights into the Moche and Huari cultures that spanned the period from 200 to 800 AD.
Then we’ll visit the private Casa Hacienda Los Ficus located in the valley of Lurin. In its beautiful gardens, an Amazon (chalan, as they are called locally) will invite us to experience the world of the Peruvian Paso Horse. Enjoy a welcome cocktail as we start the exhibition. We end our The Pachacamac Ruins and Peruvian Paso Horse Show Tour with a Peruvian lunch with the best of the local cuisine.

The Pachacamac Ruins and Peruvian Paso Horse Show Tour is a great option for travelers interested in customizing their vacations to Peru. For a custom-designed one-of-a-kind vacation program call us toll free: 888.601.8411, send us an Email, or fill the blanks in our Peru Vacation Planner.

Peru Holiday Adventures | Pachacamac Archaeological SiteThe complex and extensive site (an estimated 5 km2 including a ca. 2.5 km2 core area) of Pachacamac on the central coast of Peru has long been regarded as the preeminent religious and/or pilgrimage center of pre-Hispanic Peru. The fame and power of its oracle and ancient temples, together with myths pertaining to its dualistic, telurian, patron deity, Pachacamac, have been described by both Spanish Colonial writers and modern scholars.

This deity is said to have had the power, on the one hand, to create and sustain humans, nurture crops, and cure disease, and, on the other hand, to cause earthquakes, storms in the Pacific, and disease. In his 1534 report, Miguel Estete, for example, noted that many pilgrims from far and wide came there to pay respects, consult, and/or make offerings to the oracle at the Pachacamac (aka Painted) Temple in the innermost (westernmost) sacred precinct. Pedro Cieza de León (1553) and Pedro de la Gasca (1553) described how this sanctuary was surrounded by shelters for pilgrims and the tombs of noblemen and priests, who wished to be buried close to the deity they had worshipped.

What underwrote the longevity and resilience of Pachacamac in the face of the political, religious, and environmental upheavals that beset much of the Andes during the last 1500 years of prehistory, including the influence or intrusion of powerful polities such as the Wari, Sicán, Ychsma and Inca? Ethnohistorical documents and iconographic studies have shed light on the nature of Pachacamac religious ideology; however, the human dimension of Pachacamac, particularly of the pre-Inka era, has not received attention it deserves. Who lived at and maintained the site? What roles did they play? Were residents members of the dominant local political group? Was the site always a largely vacant pilgrimage center? Did the ebb and flow of the site and its extra-local significance relate to environmental conditions?

Peru Holiday Adventures | Peruvian Paso HorseOver 450 years of selective breeding have gone into producing the ultimate pleasure horse — the Peruvian. With its four-beat lateral gait, the Peruvian horse gives its rider the smoothest ride in the world.  The average height of the Peruvian horse is between 14.1 and 15.2, providing a horse that is easily mounted and dismounted. His temperament is excellent. His willing nature and desire to please make him easily trained. The breed is carefully watched to maintain the desirable characteristics inbred in the horse, i.e. smoothness, excellent temperament, strength and gait. The gait of the horse is passed 100% to its offspring.

In the Show Ring! One of the things that draws many riders to the breed is the naturalness in our show rings. Peruvians are shown without shoes and with very little decoration. The gait of the Peruvian, as with all horses, is easily affected by shoes. To make certain that no artificial means are used to enhance the gait, shoes are not permitted in the show ring. Many horse enthusiasts who have been appalled at the atrocities committed on horses in other breeds for a “win” in the show ring, have found the Peruvian Paso Horse shows refreshing and enjoyable.

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Sacred Valley, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo Full-Day Tour

Main Highlights: Sacred Valley, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo Full-Day Tour visiting: Awanacancha, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo. This full-day tour departs from Cusco and overnights either in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, or Machu Picchu Town.

Description: Discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full-day excursion from Cusco. Our first stop will be at Awanacancha, a cultural center where one can learn about the Andean camelids such as alpacas and llamas, traditional dyeing and knitting techniques, as well as the most representative Andean crops. Then, we will continue to the picturesque town of Pisac where you can purchase beautifully crafted products hand-made by local artisans. On Sunday, the main attraction is a mass celebrated in Quechua and traditional music played with traditional musical instruments. Afterwards, a typical Peruvian lunch will be served at a local restaurant before visiting the fortress of Ollantaytambo and its main attraction, the Temple of the Sun. Built using massive stones, each one approximately 12 feet (3.5m) tall, this temple was used as a fortress during the time of the Inca civil war.

Peru Holiday Adventures | Sacred Valley of the IncasThe Sacred Valley of the Incas stretches between Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, and the legendary 15th-century city of Machu Picchu. Encompassing what was the fertile homeland of the Inca Empire (1438 to 1533), today the transcendent region -also known as the Urubamba Valley- is a quiet expanse of country that is steeped in Andean history and culture. Many visitors to Peru pass through the region quickly, jumping between Cusco and Aguas Calientes, the base town where many bookend a visit to Machu Picchu. But spending time in the Sacred Valley’s collection of small towns and archaeological sites offers both a glimpse into daily Peruvian life as well as a full picture of the accomplishments and operation of the once-glorious Inca Empire.
Here, modernity and tradition are in equilibrium, with locals respectfully preserving their past, following many indigenous practices and observing centuries-old festivals and celebrations.
Peru Holiday Adventures | Sacred Valley of the Incas | AwanacanchaAwanacancha (or Awanakancha) is a weaving center with the goal to keep alive the traditional textile arts.

Here you can see four members of the cameloid family – llama, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos.  Alapacas have thick wool and is the most commonly used while the vicunas are small and delicate with fur considered the finest.

You can meet these four cameloids, learn about the the harvesting of the different wools and the natural dying techniques and have a chance to see native weavers from different areas showing their different weaving styles and dress.

Pisac is located about 40km southeast of Urubamba and encompasses both a historic town and a striking Inca archaeological site, with a series of steep agricultural terraces and hilltop fortresses visible from the town’s central plaza. There are trails that lead over and through the terraces, tunnels, temples, tombs and ceremonial center, all engineered by the Incas for farming, worshipping and bathing. The Sun Gate, included in many of the Inca’s lofted towns, perfectly frames the setting sun during biannual solstices, as it has and will continue to do for centuries. The splendid views down and across the Urubamba Valley rival those of Machu Picchu, and unlike the iconic site, visitors often have hushed Pisac almost entirely to themselves. In downtown Pisac, one of the Sacred Valley’s largest fairs takes place daily, with Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays being the busiest. Vendors peddle handmade goods such as colorful woven knits and traditional Peruvian treats including grilled corn coated with cheese.
Peru Holiday Adventures | Sacred Valley of the Incas | Ollantaytambo FortressOnce a country retreat for Inca royalty and nobility, Ollantaytambo is also where the Incas also fought some of their last battles, resisting Spanish conquest from the still intact fortress and staggered terraces rising up around the town. Climbing to the top of the village’s ceremonial center where Incas would worship yields panoramic views of the Sacred Valley, across the Patakancha and Urubamba Rivers. The gridded, cobble-stoned town streets are the product of Inca city planning, dating back to the 1200s. Babbling waterways, branching from the nearby rivers, feed the still-flowing irrigation system that the Incas designed, their handiwork admired to this day.
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Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park Half-Day Tour

Main Highlights: Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park: Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay.
Description: This Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park Half-Day Tour will take you on a deep exploration of the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman. From Cusco, we will drive up the mountains for 10 minutes to visit the nearby archaeological sites. The first stop will be Tambomachay, a source of spring water that is believed to be worshiped by the Incas; many believe it could have served as a spa for the elite of the Inca leaders. The site remains spiritual and the water still flows today. Next, we will visit the remains of Qenqo, a stone made labyrinth with a sacrificial altar in its center. Consisting of staircases and channels, the site of Qenqo is believed to have held many Incan rituals. Our tour will continue on to the famous Sacsayhuaman Fortress where you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Cusco. Sacsayhuaman boasts impressive Inca design and artwork with massive stones over 9 meters (30 feet) tall and weighing up to 125 tons. Many of the stones have peculiar placement and designs, such as the condor, puma and snake which represented the three Inca worlds. Before returning to your hotel in Cusco, our last stop will be at the Tower of Puca Pucara.

The Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park Half-Day Tour is a great option for travelers interested in customizing their vacations to Peru. For a custom-designed one-of-a-kind vacation program call us, toll free: 888.601.8411, send us an Email, or fill the blanks in our Peru Vacation Planner.

Peru Holiday Adventures | Cusco City Tour and Sacsayhuaman Archaeological ParkSacsayhuaman is a walled complex near the old city of Cusco, at an altitude of 3,701 m. or 12,000 feet. The site is part of the City of Cusco, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.When the Spanish conquerors first arrived to these lands; they could not explain themselves how Peruvian Indians could have built such greatness. Sacsayhuaman is one of the most imposing architectonic complexes inherited from the Inca society revealing some of the Incas’ most extraordinary architecture and monumental stonework. Usually referred to as a garrison or fortress — because it was constructed with forbidding, castle like walls, it was more likely a religious temple, although most experts believe it also had military significance. The Inca emperor Pachacutec began the site’s construction in the mid-15th century, although it took nearly 100 years and many thousands of men to complete it. Massive blocks of limestone and other types of stone were brought from as far as 32km (20 miles) away.
Q’enko (also written Qenqo) is a great limestone outcrop that was hollowed out by the Incas, and, in the void, they constructed a cave like altar. Some have claimed that the smooth stone table inside was used for animal sacrifices. Visitors can duck into the caves and tunnels beneath the rock or climb on the rock and see the many channels cut into the rock, where it is thought that sacrificial blood coursed during ceremonies. Q’enko might have been a site of ritual ceremonies performed in fertility rites and solstice and equinox celebrations.
Puca Pucara is a small fortress, just off the main Cusco-Pisac road, this might have been some sort of storage facility or lodge, or perhaps a guard post on the road from Cusco to the villages of the Sacred Valley. It is probably the least impressive of the sites in the area, although it has nice views of the surrounding countryside.
The ruins of Tambomachay, also known as the Inca Baths, consist of three tiers of stone platforms. Water still flows across a sophisticated system of aqueducts and canals in the small complex of terraces and a pool, but these were not baths as we know them. Most likely this was instead a place of water ceremonies and worship. The exquisite stonework indicates that the fountains were used by high priests and nobility only.
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Cusco City Tour

Main Highlights: Colonial Cusco landmarks of UNESCO-designated Historic Center: Cusco Cathedral, Koricancha, and Saint Dominique Convent • Saint Blas • Saint Peter’s Market.
Description: Our exclusive half-day, afternoon tour starts at San Cristobal Plaza to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. We will then visit Saint Peter’s market, where we will be able to appreciate the local flavors and learn about some of the local ingredients that contribute to the world-famous Peruvian gastronomy. We will then continue to the Koricancha Temple that will welcome us with its splendor. The Golden Precinct is the meaning of its name in Quechua and we can still feel the sumptuousness of its walls that were once lined in gold sheets. From Saint Blas, the craftsmen’s quarters we will walk down along the Hatun Rumiyoc street, finding midway the Inca Roca Palace, today the Archbishop’s Palace; and we will have time to appreciate the worldwide famous Stone of the Twelve Angles. We will go on to the Main Square to visit the Cathedral that houses invaluable colonial works of art.
Important Note: People are not allowed to enter religious sites wearing shorts. Taking photos is not allowed inside the Cathedral.

The exclusive half-day Cusco City Tour is a great option for travelers interested in customizing their vacations to Peru. For a custom-designed one-of-a-kind vacation program call us toll free: 888.601.8411, send us an Email, or fill the blanks in our Peru Vacation Planner.

The city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, was placed on the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO in 1983, and being the gateway to the imperial city of Machu Picchu, Cusco (also spelled Cuzco) is without a doubt one of the most important destinations in Peru.

Cusco, meaning in Quechua Navel of the World, was the heart of the Inca Empire which stretched from the south of Colombia to the north of Argentina and Chile, passing through Ecuador and Bolivia. Now it is the center of Peru’s tourist trade due to its proximity to many magnificent attractions including Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuaman and, of course, Machu Picchu.

At an altitude of approximately 3,500 meters above sea level (almost 11,500 feet), with stone streets and building foundations laid by the Incas more than 5 centuries ago, and a population of more than 300,000 inhabitants, Cusco thrives as one of the most vibrant expressions of Amerindian and mestizo culture anywhere in the Americas. Every June, the city is packed during Inti Raymi, the celebration of the winter solstice and the sun god, a deeply religious festival that is also a magical display of pre-Columbian music and dance. Thousands trek out to Paucartambo for the riveting Virgen del Carmen festival in mid-July. Other traditional arts also flourish.

Cusco is the handicrafts center of Peru, and its streets and markets teem with merchants and their extraordinary textiles, many hand-woven using the exact techniques of their ancestors.

There are Inca buildings waiting for you to discover them among its cobble-stoned streets, ones like the Koricancha and the palace of Inca Roca as well as Andean Baroque structures from the Colonial Period like the Cathedral and the Church of the Company of Christ.

Peru Holiday Adventures | Cusco City Tour and Sacsayhuaman - Cusco CathedralThe Cusco Cathedral is a Baroque-style cathedral built on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Wirachocha in Cusco. Its construction began in 1550, using many stones looted from the site of the hillside Sacsayhuaman fortress, and was completed a century later. It is considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas.

Within the cathedral’s high walls are some of the best examples of the Cusqueña School of painting, including a Marcos Zapata painting of the Last Supper with a local specialty, cuy (guinea pig), as the main dish.

The cathedral’s centerpieces are its massive, solid-silver altar, and the enormous 1659 Maria Angola Bell, the largest in South America, which hangs in one of the towers. The cedar choir has carved rows of saints, popes, and bishops, all in stunning detail down to their delicately articulated hands. Five chapels flank each side of the nave; the one dedicated to Nuestro Señor de los Temblores (Our Lord of the Earthquakes) contains a solid-gold crucifix that, legend has it, minimized damage to the chapel during a 1650 earthquake.

There’s non-Christian imagery in Cusco Cathedral too: figures of pumas, the Inca representation of the earth, are carved on the enormous main doors. Normal access to the cathedral is not via those doors but through the adjoining Iglesia del Triunfo, the city’s first Christian church.

Peru Holiday Adventures | Cuso City Tour and Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park | Koricancha - Saint Dominique ConventThe combined sacred sites of Koricancha (also spelled Qoricancha or Qorickancha) and the Santo Domingo Convent in Cusco vividly illustrate the ancient Andean culture’s collision with Western Europe. The temple of one culture sits atop and encloses the other.

The extraordinarily crafted Temple of the Sun (Templo del Sol) at Koricancha was the most sumptuous temple in the Inca Empire. Some 4,000 priests and their attendants once lived within its confines. Koricancha also served as the main astronomical observatory for the Incas. Dedicated to worship of the sun, the most important deity in the Inca’s naturalistic pantheon, the temple complex was a glittering palace straight out of El Dorado legend: Koricancha means Courtyard of Gold in Quechua.

After the Spaniards looted the temple and emptied it of gold, the exquisite polished stone walls were used as the foundations of the Dominican Convent of Santo Domingo, forming perhaps Cusco’s most jarring imperial-colonial architectural juxtaposition.

San Blas, Cusco’s most picturesque neighborhood, is located a short but increasingly steep walk from the Plaza de Armas. It is lined with artists’ studios and artisans’ workshops, and many of the best bars and restaurants. It’s a great area to wander around as many streets are pedestrian-only. The neighborhood also offers some of the most spectacular panoramic vistas in the city. In the small plaza at the top and to the right of Cuesta San Blas is the little white Templo de San Blas, said to be the oldest parish church in Cusco. The building itself is a simple adobe structure; however, the marvelously churrigueresque cedar pulpit, carved from a single tree trunk, it is certainly impressive. The pulpit comes with an odd story, and it’s difficult to determine whether it’s fact or folklore: It is said that the carpenter who created it was rewarded by having his skull placed within his masterwork (at the top, beneath the feet of St. Paul) upon his death. Also worth a look is the baroque gold-leaf main altar.

 

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Larco Museum Tour

Main Highlights: The Larco Museum exhibits an impressive archaeological collection that enables an understanding of the history of ancient Peru.
Description: The Larco Museum is housed in an 18th century mansion built atop of a pre-Columbian pyramid of the 7th century in Lima Peru. We will find there treasures that have been exhibited in the most prestigious museums in the world; these treasures are organized by techniques. In the introductory room we will find a timeline that helps visitors to understand the development of Andean civilization. We will continue on to the Cultures Gallery, the Textiles, Sacrifice Ceremony, and Ceremonial Vessels Rooms, the Gold and Jewelry Gallery, and finish the visit at the storeroom where a unique exhibition of erotic pottery of pre-Columbian times are the highlights.
The gold exhibition, the marvelous colonial house built on top of a pre-Columbian pyramid and the famous collection of erotic pottery make Larco Museum one of the most visited tourist attractions of Peru and an icon recognized worldwide.

The Larco Museum Tour is a great option for travelers interested in customizing their vacations to Peru. For a custom-designed one-of-a-kind vacation program call us toll free: 888.601.8411, send us an Email, or fill the blanks in our Peru Vacation Planner.

 

 

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The Sacred Valley of the Incas

The Sacred Valley of the Incas stretches between Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire, and the legendary 15th-century city of Machu Picchu. Encompassing what was the fertile homeland of the Inca Empire (1438 to 1533), today the transcendent region -also known as the Urubamba Valley- is a quiet expanse of country that is steeped in Andean history and culture. The main interest of the Sacred Valley was its fertile soil and warm climate that allowed the Incas to produce the food they needed to flourish and grow. Even today the Sacred Valley is an important agricultural zone and you can see a wide variety of crops being grown along its length.

Many visitors to Peru pass through the region quickly, jumping between Cusco and Aguas Calientes, the base town where many bookend a visit to Machu Picchu. But spending time in the Sacred Valley’s collection of small towns and archaeological sites offers both a glimpse into daily Peruvian life as well as a full picture of the accomplishments and operation of the once-glorious Inca Empire. Here, modernity and tradition are in equilibrium, with locals respectfully preserving their past, following many indigenous practices and observing centuries-old festivals and celebrations.

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Lima City Tour

Main Highlights: Colonial landmarks of UNESCO-designated Historic Center • Examples of Baroque, Neoclassical & Beaux-Arts architecture • Modern vibe in San Isidro & charming, coastal Miraflores • Ocean views, mosaics & sculptures at the Parque del Amor • Expert local guide sharing history, anecdotes & insider tips.
Description: You will visit this vibrant city, strolling around the main streets, squares and avenues and enjoy the beautiful monuments. Your tour will start at Larcomar, the city’s most exclusive shopping center located in front of the Pacific Ocean, and will transfer you to the Pucllana Temple, a pre-Inca pyramid found in the Miraflores district, to mark a contrast. You will the visit the El Olivar Park, an ancient olive plantation, which is now part of the city, located in the San Isidro district, and from there you will be transferred to Lima’s historical downtown, a World Heritage listed by UNESCO. You will stop at the Main Square, located in front of the Presidential Palace, the Lima Municipality and the Archbishop’s Palace, beautiful colonial buildings that are an important part of its identity. A few blocks away, you will visit Santo Domingo Convent, one of the most impressive religious architectural complexes of the 17th century. It contains the relics of the three Peruvian saints, Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martin de Porres and San Juan Macías, and a library with a collection of 25 thousand old books. The visit will end up at your hotel, at Larcomar or at the Indian market. Visits to locations may vary.

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The Amazon

More than 60% of the Peru’s territory is covered by the Amazon rainforest, making it the fourth country with the largest area of rainforest cover in the world. The Peruvian Amazonian forests are home to over 300,000 indigenous people who depend on it for their livelihood. The Peruvian Amazon provides invaluable natural resources, water, food and natural medicines; it is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world; and it plays a crucial role stabilizing global climate.

In Peru the two most famous cities from which to visit the surrounding rainforest are Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado. Iquitos is located in the far north of Peru on the banks of the Amazon River. Puerto Maldonado is located in the South of Peru close to the border with Bolivia and Brazil.

Puerto Maldonado

Its location gained quite some importance when it comes to having great lodges and amazingly accessible rainforest. The city of Puerto Maldonado is a relatively small town located at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers. The city is reached by road or by plane from Lima or Cusco. The road from Cusco takes about 10 hours by bus, the main reason why most people fly to Puerto Maldonado. These are some of the most pristine primary rain forests in the world, which include several oxbow lakes and clay licks, where hundreds of birds including macaws feed on clay.

Sandoval Lake

It is approximately 3 km / 2 miles long, in this habitat lives a great variety of birds, like cormorants, toucans, macaws, parrots, horned screamers, and herons. In addition, there is a colorful variety of wild hens called hoatzin or shansho, which heads are topped with feathers. With some luck, tapirs, turtles, and giant otters or “river wolves” can be seen as well as different species of crocodiles, like the black caiman.

Tambopata National Preserve

Located between the basins of the Tambopata and Heath Rivers, the reserve covers an area of 274.690 hectares and is found in both the Madre de Dios and Puno departments. The wealth of its biodiversity is immeasurable, and scientists have already registered 632 bird species, 1200 butterfly species, 169 mammal species, 205 fish species, 103 amphibian species, and 67 reptile species. The vegetation is typical of tropical regions. Here you can find the world’s largest Macaw lick, where hundreds of parrots and macaws of up to 15 species congregate daily to ingest the detoxifying clay, is located less than 500 meters from Tambopata Research Center.

Province of Manu

Manu National Park is spread out between two departments, Cusco and Madre de Dios, and covers an area of 1,692,137 hectares (or the entire Manu River basin). The park has a great variety of animal species: more than 800 bird, 200 mammal species and over a hundred bat species. In addition, there are trees over 45 meters high and 3 meters in diameter.

Iquitos

Is the largest city in the jungle with over 400,000 people. It is one of the most populated cities in the world that cannot be reached by road, the only options available are either by air or boat. The complex cultural life of Iquitos consists mainly of native iquiteños, Brazilians, Colombians, Chineses and settled expatriates ethnicities. The term “charapa culture” generally refers to social, cultural and artistic movements of Iquitos.

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Colca Canyon

Colca Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world. It’s twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in Colorado. It is one of Peru’s most popular tourist attractions. The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with pre-Inca roots, and towns founded in Spanish colonial times, still inhabited by people of the Collagua and the Cabana cultures. The local people maintain their ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces.

The river known as Colca starts high up in the Andes Mountains. It drops toward the Pacific Ocean in various stages. The name it’s known by changes as it nears the ocean, to Majes and then to Camana. When it branches through the tiny villages, Chivay to Cabaconde, it follows a deep canyon that is called the Colca Canyon.

The canyon is home to the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), a species that has been the focus of worldwide conservation efforts. The condors can be seen at close range as they fly past the canyon walls, and are a popular attraction. ‘Cruz del Condor’ is a popular tourist stop to view the condors. At this point the canyon floor is 3,960 feet (1,200 m) below the rim of the canyon.

Other notable bird species present in the Colca include the Giant Colibri, the largest member of the hummingbird family, as well as the Andean Goose, Chilean Flamingo, and Mountain Caracara. Other exotic wild life include The vizcacha, a rabbit-sized relative of the chinchilla, zorrino, deer, fox, and vicuña, the wild ancestor of the alpaca.

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Nazca Lines

One of the greatest archaeological mysteries of the world, are giant sketches in the desert of western Peru drawn in ancient times by the Nazca Indians, who flourished in the area from 200 BC to about 600 AD. The drawings were created on such a large scale that the shapes can be appreciated only from the air.

The Nazca Lines were made by removing darker colored rocks to reveal lighter colored sand underneath. Because there isn’t much rain or wind in the area, the designs are still clearly visible even though they were made between 500 and 2000 years ago. UNESCO added the Nazca site to its World Heritage List in 1994. They were discovered accidentally from an airplane in flight in 1927. By the end of the 1980’s new lines were discovered.

The general consensus of archaeologists, anthropologists and scientists is that the Nazca Lines were created by the Nazca people themselves since the figures drawn in the desert correspond with images found in other examples of Nazca art, such as pottery. The purpose of the lines continues to be a mystery and remains a matter of conjecture and since the Nazca Culture was prehistoric, they left no written records.

A sensibly planned and flawless executed Vacation Program to Peru, contributes to the Nazca Conservancy projects and ensure the preservation of its treasures.

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