|
CHICLAYO, bordered by fertile valleys and very close to the ocean, is the
capital of the department and the commercial nexus among the three Peruvian
regions: coast, highland, and jungle.
This territory was the cradle of the Mochicas, who lived there between the first
and fourth centuries A.D., which makes Lambayeque one of the most interesting
archeological destinations in the country. It was in 1987 that the famous royal
tombs of Sipán were discovered, the burial remains of an important Mochican
ruler. Besides the Sipán archeological site, you can visit the modern Royal
Tombs of Sipán Museum that contains the most extraordinary gold pieces found in
the excavations. Likewise, it is worth a visit to the Brunning Museum, located
in the province of Lambayeque, and to the Sicán Museum, located in the province
of Ferreñafe.
TRUJILLO is known as the city of eternal spring
because of its blessed climate and festive atmosphere. The area was inhabited by
two important, ancient Peruvian civilizations, the Mochica and the Chimú, and
later, it became an important vice royal city. Among its uncountable
archeological attractions, there is Chan Chan, the largest mud city in the
Americas and ancient capital for the Chimú. UNESCO placed it on the World
Cultural Heritage List in 1986.
There, you can see the remarkable huacas (pre-Incan sacred places) built by the
Mochicas like the Huaca of the Sun and of the Moon, which measure more than
twenty meters. Also, the El Brujo complex, decorated with inspiring figures of
dancers and warriors. The city also has a splendid Colonial architecture where
you will want to see the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Church of the
Company of Jesus Christ, the monastery of El Carmen, and the many Colonial
houses.
The Huanchaco beach resort is only fifteen minutes away from the city. It is
famous for the caballitos de totora, which are lightweight boats made of totora
reeds that have been used to cut through the ocean since the time of the
Mochicas and Chimús. There, you can enjoy exquisite seafood or simply bask in
the glory of a day at the beach.
CHACHAPOYAS, full of narrow streets and containing a large Main
Square, maintains beautiful mansions and lovely balconies as evidence of its
Colonial past. This is the launching site for excursions to the fabulous
citadel of Kuélap, built by the Chachapoyas, a fierce people that for years
resisted the expansion of the Incas.
Located at the top of rocky cliffs and guarded by a gigantic defensive wall,
Kuélap contains in its interior circular compartments with decorative
friezes. There are also other places in the area you can also visit like the
Lake of the Condors, also known as Lake of the Mummies, the Chinata Falls,
and the Karajía Sarcophagi, amazing two-meter high clay tombs placed on the
side of a rocky mountain.
The city of CAJAMARCA brings together three
ingredients that make it an unforgettable destination: a magnificent Colonial
architecture, beautiful countryside, and a rich history since it was the scene
of an important episode of South American history. Here, the Conquistador
Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca Atahualpa who, in spite of fulfilling his
part of the ransom, was killed. From that point onward, the conquistadors
drafted the city in the traditional Spanish way, and today the Colonial
constructions of the Cathedral, the churches of San Francisco, Belen, and la
Recoleta, mansions, and monuments are preserved.
There are many excursion possibilities: the Inca Baths, thermo-medicinal hot
springs where the Inca used to go after long trips, the Ventanillas de Otuzco (Otuzco
Windows), a cemetery carved into a wall of volcanic rock, Cumbemayo, a
demonstration of pre-Incan hydraulic engineering still functioning today, that
is located in a wonderful natural area, the old hacienda La Colpa, where the
cattle go to be milked at the sound of their name, Kuntur Wasi, a commercial
center that dates to the year 1100 b.C. and its site museum with the numerous
examples of the oldest objects of gold in the Americas, the Porcón farm, an
agricultural and cattle cooperative surrounded by a pine forest, ideal for
spending a day out of the city, visiting its small zoo of vicuñas, deer, little
spotted cats, monkeys, and eagles, buying its milk products, or simply enjoying
the landscape.
The department of ANCASH starts on a slightly hilly
coastal strip and climbs up to the highest snow-capped mountains in Peru.
Spread out along the Callejon de Huaylas, a dazzling valley stuck between two
mountain ranges, the Blanca and Negra Cordilleras, you will find picturesque and
pleasant cities like Recuay, Carhuas, Yungay, and Caras, while the urban and
commercial center of the area is the capital of Ancash, the energetic city of
Huarás. It was between the years 1200 b.C. and 200 b.C. that the Chavín lived in
the region, the same that left as their legacy the impressive archeological
complex of Chavin de Huantar, which, in 1985, UNESCO placed on the World
Cultural Heritage List.
Throughout the entire department, you can see the most spectacular snow covered
mountains, among them Mount Huascaran (6,768 ma.s.l.), the tallest peak in Peru.
In addition, there are hot springs and spectacular lakes as those of Llanganuco;
in all, it is an area perfect for adventure sports like white water rafting,
mountain climbing, mountain biking, and trekking.
The Huascaran National Park, placed on the World Natural Heritage List by
UNESCO, guards wildlife species in its beautiful surroundings like condors,
vicuñas, deer, pumas, Andean foxes, and viscachas
From PUERTO MALDONADO or a one and half hour hike, you
find Lake Sandoval, bordered by aguajales (swampy areas full of palm trees),
orchids, kapok trees, caoba trees, and Mauritanian palm trees that grow up to
thirty meters tall. The lake is also the home for a large variety of species
such as toucans, macaws, parrots, egrets, tapirs, turtles, and the refuge for
river otters and black caimans, two species on the brink of extinction. In the
areas around Lake Valencia, 60 kilometers from Puerto Maldonado by the Madre de
Dios River, there are several indigenous communities where the people make their
living from fishing for tiger shovelnose catfish, gilded catfish, and paiche;
this area is the habitat for plenty of flora and fauna, too.
The Manu National Park (1,716,295 hectares), located in the departments of Cusco
and Madre de Dios, protects more than 800 bird species, 200 species of mammals,
gigantic trees, as well as being home to indigenous communities. This is the
park that set the world record for the number of bird species seen in one day at
one spot with 324 species. The Tambopata-Candamo National Park (274,690
hectares) is known to possess the greatest diversity of mammal, tree, insect,
and bird species in the world as well as the world record for the amount of
butterfly species.
Additionally, the only humid tropical savannah in Peru is found at the
Bahuaja-Sonene National Park (1,091,416 hectares). The highlighted species here
are the manned wolf and the marsh deer, both close to extinction, as well as the
giant anteater, giant river otter, the bushdog, the black caiman, and the harpy
eagle
|
Peru Viajes
