Peru Travel Guides

Toro Muerto Petroglyphs - Rock Art in Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:45:00 +0000

Toro Muerto Petroglyphs - Rock Art in Peru

The famous Toro Muerto petroglyphs are located not far from the town Corire in province Arequipa. The deserted valley is covered with tons of stones - on many of them you can find the petroglyphs.

The site was discovered to science in 1951, some sources claim that there are even 4000 rocks with petroglyphs here, but this number is certainly exaggerated. Still the pertoglyphs are really impressive - you can recognize various symbols here, mainly geometric ones and pictures of animals like lama or various birds. Most of the petroglyphs were carved in volcanic rock.

For those who want to go to Toro Muerto Petroglyphs, this is the best schedule and cost you can get for your tour.

Included

1.English speaking guide

2.Private van (Round trip)

3.Entrace to the archaeological site

4.Lunch.

Departures

Daily departures are available all year.

Private Service

With this service, is comfortable as possible and you can explore much more every part of this volcanic rock forest in the middle of the desert.

Not Included

1.Alcoholics drinks

2.Breakfast on the first day

3.Tips for guide and camp staff.

What You Need To Bring/Carry

1.Sweater and jacket (something warm)

2.Bottle of water

3.Hat or cap to protect you from the sun

4.Sun block (sun protection cream)

5.Insect repellent

6.Toiletries, towel and toilet paper

7.Selection of small snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits etc,

8.Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries

9.Sunglasses

10.Optional: walking sticks or poles (rubber covers required in order not to damage the Inca Trail).

For more info about the tour price, you can visit Peru Adveture Tours.

Other pictures of rock art in Peru.

Cajamarca, Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:27:00 +0000

So you are planning a Peru vacation and are trying to figure out where to go. Surely a trip down to Cusco and nearby Machu Picchu will make your list of possible destinations, and well they should. But perhaps you also have enough time on your hands to explore other parts of the country. If you have the room in your budget to hitch occasional flights, getting around Peru can be both quick and relatively easy, so why not consider a trip to the northern highlands as well. It is here that you will find the beautiful and historic city of Cajamarca. If you have never heard of it before, or never considered it as a possible travel destination, then it may be high time you do so. Cajamarca Peru is quite a special city. Its historical value is second to none, its setting is most ideal, and its people unique. Toss in the fact that there are some pretty amazing archaeological sites nearby, as well as the world’s second largest gold mine, and you have yourself the kind of place that surely deserves recognition. Carnival, which is one of the best Peru festivals, is perhaps best celebrated in Cajamarca.

In relation to the Inca Empire, Cajamarca was a very sacred place. However, even before the Inca came to rule the land, Cajamarca had been the center of the Caxamarca people. The Caxamarca civilization had its roots in the Chavin and Huari cultures, and its zenith of prosperity lasted approximately 500 years, beginning around 500 AD. Before the Chavin and Caxamarca civilizations laid their claims to the area, prior cultures had been operating successfully for thousands of years. Two major attractions near the city that beg a visit are Cumbe Mayo, a pre-Columbian aqueduct which may just be the continent’s oldest man-made structure, and Kuntur Wasi, an important religious center with ruins that date back to around 1000 BC. Cumbe Mayo is just 12 miles outside of town, whereas Kuntur Wasi is approximately 70 miles away. Both make for excellent Cajamarca tours. Cajamarca tours can easily be arranged in town, so fret not.

Cajamarca Peru rests at an elevation of around 8,900 feet in the northwestern province that bears the same name. It is relatively close to the cities of Chiclayo and Trujillo, and its equatorial climate has long made it coveted. As the Inca Empire extended its reign throughout the Andes Mountains, the agreeable climate and area hot springs of Cajamarca helped to make it a favored center of importance. The Inca converted the hot springs near Cajamarca into a lovely complex, and the baths are among the prime Cajamarca attractions to this day. With both simple and more modern bathing pools available, these Inca Baths (Baños del Inca) are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. The Inca established their rule of Cajamarca between 1463 and 1471 under Tupac Inca, who at the time was the head ruler of the Inca Empire. In the end of the 1400's, and the beginning of the 1500's, the Inca were undergoing a civil war. Half-brothers Atahualpa and Huáscar fought for control after the death of their ruling father, Huayna Capac. The arrival of Francisco Pizarro and his band of 160 troops in November 1532 would only help to attribute to the downfall of the Inca Empire. The Battle of Cajamarca that ensued is among the most significant occurrences in all the history of the Americas.

The Battle of Cajamarca was a surprise attack orchestrated by Pizarro and his officers on the eve of their arrival. The date of this audacious evening plan was November 15, 1532. By the next morning, Atahualpa, who had succeeded in defeating his half-brother, received an invitation from Pizarro to meet with him in town. Atahualpa and his some 80,000 men did not come hastily, and upon arrival to Cajamarca, they were cautious to follow Pizarro’s wishes. They arrived unarmed, in a gesture of friendship and confidence, but even had they arrived armed, they had never seen guns. Their simpler weapons proved unequal to the Spanish firearms. As the Battle of Cajamarca began, the Spanish cavalry onslaught proved to be both fierce and overwhelming. The Inca had never seen horses either.

Once the Inca Empire ruler and his primary officers were under control, the Inca army fell into disarray. Before the actual Battle of Cajamarca began, Pizarro had sent a friar to meet with Atahualpa. The idea was to convert him and his people to Christianity. Atahualpa did not exactly take kindly to this, and his supposed gesture of throwing down the Bible proved to be a primary catalyst for the fight. Once Atahualpa was captured, he was housed in the now famous “Ransom Room”. Charged with some 12 crimes by the Spanish, he was ordered to be executed. To buy his freedom, Atahualpa allegedly filled the ransom room with gold and other rooms with silver. The Spanish ordered that he accept Christianity before they would commute his sentence. Agreeing to do so, likely out of desperation, he was killed anyhow. The Ransom Room stands to this day, but it should be noted that it was only where Atahualpa was imprisoned. The gold was housed elsewhere. The Battle of Cajamarca effectively marked the end of the Inca Empire.

As might be expected, Cajamarca retains plenty of Spanish-style colonial architecture, but it may be the dress of the locals that is most intriguing, if not peculiar. Most Cajamarcans wear big, distinctive straw hats, and if you are thinking that you can pull off the look back home, you might think twice. It puts the ten-gallon hat to shame and would make you stand out like the sorest of sore thumbs. The aforementioned Cajamarca tours into the outlying country are highly recommended, and Cajamarca has a nice selection of hotels and restaurants, many of which are small and affordably-priced. Arguably one of Peru’s top hotels, the Hotel Posada del Puruay is to be considered. It is housed in an 1830 hacienda, and is a great deal for the price. If you want to celebrate Carnival in Peru, Cajamarca just might be the best place to do it if you like it wild. Plan your Cajamarca Peru vacation and see Inca artifacts, enjoy a great climate, and observe and interact the wonderful locals. It’s a great place to be.via

Other picture of Cajamarca, Peru.

Arequipa, Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:27:00 +0000

Arequipa, PeruArequipa is the capital of the department of Arequipa, furrowed by the river Chili and it is located in the slopes of the Misti Volcano, 5,822 meters above sea level (19,101 feet), and very near to the volcanoes Chachani 6,075 meters above sea level (19,931 feet), and the Pichupichu 5,425 meters above sea level (17,798 feet). With a population of 749,291 it is the second most populous city of the country.

Also known as the "Ciudad Blanca" (White City) for the numerous and magnificent constructions of temples, convents, big houses and palaces in white ashlar sculpted as filigree. It also possesses an excellent climate with almost 300 days of sun a year, with transparent blue sky.

Arequipa also offers an exquisite cuisine, beautiful landscapes of countryside, majestic volcanoes, the Colca Valley, challenges and adventures in Colca Canyon, natural reservations, and the heat of friendly people willing to make the tourist enjoy their visit to Arequipa.

Arequipa is the second larger city of the country and the most important of the south of Peru, constitutes the main pole of economic development due to their multiple resources and to their irrigation projects that favor mainly to the agriculture and the cattle raising; industry of milk products and leathers. It has a modern hotel infrastructure.

Attractions in Arequipa

Plaza de Armas & Cathedral

Arequipa's Plaza de Armas is one of the most beautiful in Peru. On the north side of the Plaza is the impressive, twin-towered Cathedral, founded in 1612 and largely rebuilt in the 19th Century having been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and fire. Inside is fine Belgian organ and elaborately-carved wooden pulpit. The Plaza is surrounded on its other 3 sides by colonial arcaded buildings with many cafes and restaurants. Behind the Cathedral is a pretty back street with many handicraft shops.

Santa Catalina Convent

The Monasterio de Santa Catalina is the most astonishing site in Arequipa. It was opened to the public in 1970 after 400 years as a cloister. The convent has been beautifully refurbished with period furniture and paintings. Behind the closed doors the nuns, daughters of aristocrats, paid little heed to the vows of poverty and silence. Each had her own servant and dined with porcelain plates, fine tablecloths and silver cutlery.

The convent is a complete miniature walled colonial town in the middle of the city. There are flower filled gardens, spacious patios, granite fountains as well as arches and narrow streets. The tile-roofed buildings are painted in traditional white, brown and blue. About 20 nuns still live in a section of the convent, which once housed up to 500.

Climbing El Misti Volcano

The two or three day climb to the top of this active volcano (5830m) can be hard work due to the thin air but any relatively fit, acclimatized trekker should be able to do it without too many problems. The El Misti climb, in fact, one of the easiest ascents of any mountain of this size in the world. Should not be attempted without a guide and the proper equipment such as crampons.

Museo Santuarios Andinos (Andean Sanctuaries Museum)

Entrance fee includes a 1 hour guided tour (tip the guide). The museum contains the famous mummy "Juanita - the Ice Princess" who was discovered in 1995 just below the peak of the Ampato mountain. Juanita had been well preserved in ice for more than 500 years before volcanic activity melted the surrounding snow. This Inca girl, tightly wrapped in textiles, must have been ritually sacrificed and buried on the mountain peak.

Colca Canyon

Most people who visit Arequipa take a tour out to the Cañon de Colca, one of the worlds deepest canyons formed by an enormous seismic fault between the Coropuna (6425m) and Ampato (6325m) volcanoes.

Cotahuasi Canyon

Cotahuasi Canyon is even deeper than Colca and even more spectacular. Due to its remoteness trekking in this area can be quite demanding so its safer to organize with a guide and specialist trekking company. Allow at least 7 days to explore the canyon and its picturesque villages.via

Other pictures in Arequipa, Peru.

About Peru Travel Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:50:00 +0000

This site offers a complete Peru travel tourism guides and information, hotels, advice, reviews, maps and itineraries.

Peru Travel Guides Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:39:00 +0000

El Misti Volcano - Arequipa, Peru

Seaside at Lima, Peru

Sunrise at Machu Pichu, Peru

Desert at Ica, Peru

Andrean Mountains in Peru

Peru Travel Guides Link Partners

noreply@blogger.com (Wencols) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:37:00 +0000

Please email to perutravelguiges@gmail.com if you want exchange link with us.