Peru

5th stop of my world trip

From Argentina I’ll arrive in Lima where I’ll be staying for a couple of days and meet up with my Dutch friend Amy. Then we head out on a bus trip to Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca and then Arequipa where we’ll be staying a week. With one extra stop in Puno we head out to Cusco a city in the Peruvian Andes where we’ll be trekking in the Peruvian Jungle, and see the Seventh world wonder: Machu Picchu. My journey ends in Cusco from where I’ll be taking a plane to Canada.

Planning details

Arrive: Lima
Planned arrival: April 2022
Duration stay: 60 days
Weather then: the rain levels dip significantly. It’s beginning to cool a little from the humid heat of the past few months but still pleasant temperatures averaging 71°F (22°C).
Visa: no need first 90 days

Details country:

My route map

Transport

We bought a bus ticket with Peru hop, a reliable and safe bus company, that brings us from Lima to Cusco with lots of stops to other great places that’s worth a visit. Besides Peru Hop you have another, cheaper an reliable, bus company called …. Azul.

Culture

There is a difference between the Peruvians on the coast side, the Andean Peruvians and the Peruvians from the jungle.

Cacane sign

The orher hslf is the shadow. Most imoirtant symbol of the ibcas. Caacane sign

My plans to do:

Lima

The capital of Peru and the second largest city in South America. It has 13 million residents and 3 city centers, because one city center isn’t enough 😅 The city centers are the historic center, Miraflores and Baranco. Lima’s nickname is an octopus because the greater city areas spreads out very far, like the arms of an octopus. Quite funny because the city is located next to the pacific ocean.

Click on the link below to read more about my visit in Lima.

Paracas, Huacachina & Nazca

With a bus ticket we went to Paracas and Huacachina where we both stayed two nights. You can see amazing sunsets from there, from a view above a cliff looking over the pacific ocean or a sunset in the middle of the dessert. Both places had a perfect balance between adrenaline and relaxing activities. Our visit to Nazca was really short, it was just a stop on the way to Arequipa.

Click on the link below to read more about my visit in Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca.

Arequipa

In an isolated valley in Southern Peru, nestled between towering volcanoes and high desert, bisected by the Río Chili, sits Peru’s second-largest city. We stayed here for 6 days. The first thing you’ll notice when walking around is Arequipa’s volcano, El Misti, visible from everywhere in the city. We had an amazing time up here.

Click on the link below to read more about my visit in Arequipa.

Puno

Puno is a city at lake Titicaca. It’s a gateway to visit one of the islands on the lake. On these islands live communities that still live like the traditions more than 500 years ago. It’s a great way to get to learn and get a taste of the old Peruvian traditions, traditions that go back before the Inca empire. It was inspiring to see how happy they are, just by living a simple life in a loving community.

Click on the link below to read more about my visit in Puno.

Cusco

Cusco is known as the archaeological capital of the American continent. It is home to a storied history that included the rise and fall of the Inca Empire followed by the invasion of Spanish conquistadors in the early 1500s. Today, you can see remains of both eras in the narrow city streets. From old baroque Spanish cathedrals to exquisite stone masonry from the Inca’s. It’s a rare collusion of Andean, Inca and Spanish styles that makes Cusco unique. For almost a month I stayed in Cusco and I never got bored. There is so much to see and do with the main attraction Machu Picchu, but there is much more to see.

Manu national park

In Peru you have three main Amazonian rainforest to visit: Iquitos, Madre de Dios and Manu national park. I went to the Manu National park. A huge 1,7 million-ha park. It is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. I thought Manu national park would offer me a good first glimpse of the jungles in the world. And it did! Even though you have so many animals here, including the exciting Jaguar and caimans, you’ll need to be very lucky to spot them.

Click on the link below to read more about my visit in Manu national park.