Peru
and The Inca Trail are practically synonymous these days; it seems that in our
minds one doesn?t come without the other - kind of like cheese and pickle or
Friday evening and beers. So we thought,
how about trying something new? Quince jelly with your cheese? Sounds nice,
right? Or maybe a Friday without beers? Ok, perhaps a bit of a stretch but the
point is things don?t always have to come together. So, what are we getting at?
Why not try pairing Peru and the Colca Canyon?
Go on, we dare you.
We
have remixed the typical Peruvian journey, swapping the well-known Inca Trail
with two alternative mind-blowing experiences. When a country has so much to
offer, why stick with one trail? Fly into Lima and head for some of the oldest
and most mysterious cultural art still visible to man: the Nasca Lines. Flying
over the Pampa desert in your private light aircraft, you?ll see the enormous
lines below create 300 intriguing figures in the sand which have sparked
hundreds of theories over the centuries. Join in the debate about the source of
thier existence as you soar over enigmatic shapes of humans, animals and birds.
You?ll also have the chance to experience the stunning ?white city? Arequipa, whose
beautiful buildings are famously carved from local pale volcanic rock and are
overlooked by the magnificent snow-capped volcano, El Misti.
It?s
all about altitude in Peru so, naturally, your next stop is one of the deepest
canyons on earth. Not for the fainthearted, at 9800 feet the Colca Canyon is
deeper than the world-famous Grand Canyon and is easily visible from space
(perhaps that should be your next adventure?). Hike through beautiful pre-Inca
terraces and colonial villages dotted around the dramatic landscape which is
home to amazing wildlife including the largest bird in the world: the Andean
Condor. Stay in your own private casita high in the Andes in a traditional
village sprawled over 25 hectares of land in this spiritual valley. Totally
peaceful and utterly unique.
These two Peruvian secrets combine perfectly to prove
Peru has got a whole lot more to offer than the Inca Trail. So step off the
bandwagon and grab some quince jelly, or even better, jump on a flight to Lima
on a Friday evening and leave the regular beers to the others. Trust us, you
won?t regret it.
