Tag: Peru

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Adventure and Outdoor Travel Central and South America Sports Tourism Uncategorized

Riding the Dunes in Peru

Sandboarding

Skateboarding and snowboarding are both well-known sports and past times, however, there’s a new “board game” that’s come out to play.

Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding, as instead of snow banks, boarders take on sand dunes. One of the most awesome places to do just that is in Peru. “Come again?” you’re probably asking, but yes, there’s so much more to Peru’s offerings than their amazing cultural and heritage sites. Discover a brand new reason to travel to this country, and take a ride or many, down their dunes.

Huacachina
Huacachina

If you don’t know where to begin, try the town of Huacachina. It’s located behind enormous sand dunes and is a manmade oasis with hotels, hostels, and restaurants. You won’t find Huacachina in many guidebooks, but what you will find is Peru Adventure Tours, a company that offers day-trips to Cerro Blanco—the world’s highest sand dune at 2070 meters above sea level. It’s located on the route to Cusco, and though getting there is a bit of a hassle, it’ll be worth it.

After an early start—at least 5 a.m., there is an hour-long drive before boarders even make it there, followed by a three-hour climb up the dune in potentially hot sun. “Whoa! That’s crazy!” Wait though, you’ll want to do it anyway for the promise of that adrenaline rush as you come skiing down the dune. Not to mention the incredible views from all sides at the top.

SandboardingBefore you take on Cerro Blanco’s awesomeness, you might want to practice a bit if you’re a novice.  There are smaller dunes to get you started and when you’re ready to really get going, take that deep breath and let gravity do the rest. Experienced snowboarders will have an easier time when they launch however, as sand is still different to snow, a little prep won’t hurt. Expect a sand-filled ride down as grains will end up everywhere, and stopping once you’ve started can turn out to be more trouble than it’s worth. Most choose to brace themselves and fall if they need to.

This unusual sport might not be a treasure people imagine when they think of Peru, but it is one that has many travelers raving about the experience. Will you be one of them? Make sure you wax your board before you go, and have fun!

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Central and South America Historical Travel Uncategorized

ZAÑA – the Peruvian ghost town that still lives

Zana, Peru.

From the 15th century Incan citadel Machu Picchu, to the Cathedral of Lima, Peru is a wealth of captivating history and culture.

One of the places that shares a bit of both is the Peruvian city of Zaña. Now a ghost of its former glorious self, travelers make their way there to relive the events that led to its downfall, through the tales of local guides willing to share. From greatness to a major fall, Zaña’s story is one of opulence and loss.

San Agustin. Zana, Peru
San Agustin photo taken by Jonhatan Acevedo

Founded in 1536, Zaña was the haunt of choice for Spanish high society following the trail of affluence that emanated from the city. It was a hot spot for gold and silver mines and as the center for trade and agricultural, quickly became one of the major hubs, and wealthiest cities in the region.

To help support this growing market, slaves were brought in great numbers from Africa, and as such the population grew at rapid pace. People were happy, money was flowing, and the rich just got richer until, the pirates came.

The pirate raids of the 1680s changed the course of Zaña’s history. Slave owners—the wealthy—fearing the death and destruction that came with the raids, left everything in the care of their slaves in favor of escaping to Trujillo. Following the raids, the Africans took a stand and made the town their own, rebuilding from the ground up, and engaging in their pagan rituals and ceremonies, much to the distaste of the Spanish settlers that remained.

It wasn’t long before Zaña was labeled “the naughty city” by the Spanish who frowned on the African cultures that were unfamiliar to them, and by extension considered immoral and obscene.

Many years passed and life in the city went on until 1720, when El Niño torrential rains caused unprecedented flooding, which led to the city’s destruction once again. Still, Zaña lived on driven by the determination of freed slaves, long after the Spanish left.

Travel to this historically fascinating city, indulge in the story, and take in the once grand cloisters of La Mered, San Agustín, Matriz, and San Francisco, now all in ruins, much like the city itself.

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Archaelogogical Tourism Central and South America Conservation Environment and Nature Culture and Heritage Historical Travel Uncategorized

Nazca Lines in Danger – Protecting the Ancient Geoglyphs

Nazca line in Peru

When is the last time you solved a good mystery? No, not who ate the last cookie in the jar.

For a new mystery, travel to Peru and visit the Nazca Lines, a place where historical mystery meets exquisite geometric designs that date as far back as 200 BC. Sounds pretty amazing right? Unfortunately, these archaeological wonders aren’t safe.  

Nazca lines in Peru
Photo:  Dom Crossley

Numerous southern Peruvian tribes created the Nazca lines in the time period of 200 BC to 500 AD. Some of these geoglyphs stretch as far as 200 meters, many featuring intricate details, and depict people, plants, animals, and geometric shapes scratched 15 cm deep onto a desert’s surface. The thing is their discovery might never have been made if planes weren’t invented. With air travel over the area in the 1930s, it wasn’t hard to see these huge artistic renderings in the sand. This launched archaeologists and anthropologists into action and it wasn’t long before research began and visitors were crawling all over the place.

As you can probably imagine these geometric wonders continue to draw travelers from across the globe, and the popularity of the Nazca lines has resulted in a threat to their very existence. The garbage, lack of safety rules and arrangements, inappropriate and inadequate tourism infrastructure, and poor viewing platforms, all contribute to man-made destruction.

Weather changes also play a major role in the upkeep of the lines. Unlike years gone by, there is now a real threat of flooding so though the Peruvian desert is still rather dry, should this occur, it’s uncertain that the lines would remain intact.

It would be a major archaeological and historical loss should the Nazca lines be erased from our landscape. Three cultures helped create these lines that remain a mystery for scientists, who still don’t know how they exist. Many have put their own theories to work, with some believing that they were created to worship the water sources and the mountains, as life in the area was connected to the presence of water.

Whatever the reason, it can hardly explain the true beauty that exists on the Peruvian desert plains, as the Nazca lines speak to us from a time we forgot and must be preserved at all costs.