(Article written by Martina Capel, Phima Voyages, a responsible travel agency specializing in Northern Peru and rural tourism.)
All of us had a difficult time during the last 18 months, but it looks like things are slowly getting better. So why not start of dreaming of your next trip – to Peru!
Thinking of Peru, what comes to your mind? Machu Picchu, Inca, Andes, Arequipa, ruins, history, ancient civilizations.
Peru is all of this, but so much more as well!
If you have the chance to travel to Peru, take TIME! As much as you can. TRAVEL SLOWLY. Distances in Peru can be deceptive. You don’t want to rush through this incredible country. You want to feel it, live it.
What should you expect?
From the Andean mountains you continue to the lush Amazonia. Hiking, trespassing the jungle on a canoe, being able to observe wildlife in its natural environment, staying overnight in a luxurious ecolodge or a basic cabin.
An amazing biodiversity of ecosystems and an INCREDIBLE richness of fauna and flora.
You have desert and dunes on the nearly 3 000 km of coast. The ideal opportunity to hike in dry forests, go bird or whale watching and see emblematic animals such as the Peruvian dog (without any hair).
TRAVEL SLOWLY. Distances in Peru can be deceptive. You don’t want to rush through the incredible country. You want to feel it, live it.
Martina Capel
When driving up towards the Andean mountains, cloud forests take over. Here you have a denser vegetation, other kind of plants and animals. However, birds are still a great deal and with a specialized guide, you should be able to see endemic species such as the Spatuletail hummingbird. You can discover the natural areas through daily hikes, bike tours or several days trekking. For the more adventurous, you might want to try some canyoning, rafting or ziplining.
But nature is not the only treasure of Peru, you also have amazing millennial archaeology. Did you know that there are many civilizations in Peru that are from pre-Columbian times? Just to give you an example, the ancient city of Caral on the north coast of Peru, is about 5 000 years old!! But you also have the Sun and Moon Temples or the city of Chan Chan in Trujillo, the valley of the Pyramids in Tucume and the outstanding Tumbas Reales Museum in Chiclayo.
To really discover a country, what you might want to consider, is some interaction with the inhabitants, no?
I would highly recommend including some traditional activities in your itinerary, such as learning about coffee or cacao production, taking a weaving workshop, or participating in a bread-baking activity or a cooking class. Peruvian gastronomy is outstanding! You have internationally known restaurants in Lima, but also a large diversity of regional dishes. If you are more interested in eco responsible activities, why not having an accompanied walk through one of the many private conservation areas, learn about the reforestation efforts and plant a tree.
Coffee activity in Cuispes with Rosita & Weaving activity in Leymebamba, Sra. Maria Elena.
Peru is a wonderful country to visit and to enjoy a large range of activities. What are the ones that you would like to discover?
Let us help you Discover Peru!
Phima Voyages is a responsible travel agency that focuses on local and rural tourism in Northern Peru. They can help you discover Peru in a way that has a positive impact on the communities you’ll encounter and the ecosystems you’re exploring.
If you’re hoping to plan a trip to Peru, check out their itineraries or submit your preferences to have a trip custom-designed for you.
Looking for more on Peru or nearby countries? Try the Global Directory.
Peru Resources | South America Pages
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