New discoveries in Machu Picchu

While working on the recovery of new tourist areas to be eventually open for visitors in the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu, workers of the National Cultural Institute (INC) found ancient tombs with rock paintings, ceramics and textiles. Eighty human skulls and other bones where found placed by camelides remnants. It is yet to be determined if the objects are from a pre-Inca period or later.

Macusani-Corani Rock Art

High in the Andean Altiplano, in the region of Puno, a large and fascinating site of rock art tells the story of the people that live in these lands for thousands of years. A National Cultural Heritage since 2005, the Macusani-Corani paintings and petroglyphs were made in different time periods, the oldest go back to the Pre-Ceramic, 8,000 to 2,000 BC, and depicts the hunting of camelides. In most caves, paintings of later time periods superimpose others done before, such as the ones that depict anthropomorphic characters tying up camelides, done by the Kaluyo Culture from 2,000 to 500 BC. There are also paintings from the Colla era, from 1,000 to 1,400 AC. Later on time, the Incas made geometric panels in orange, white, black, mustard and red colors. This unusual continuity of artwork went through the colonial and republican eras as well, as drawings of bulls, animals introduced in America by the Spaniards, can be found in some areas.
http://elcomercio.pe/edicionimpresa/Html/2008-05-11/una-gran-galeria-rupestre.html
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http://pepascientificas.blogspot.com/2008/05/arte-rupestre-en-macusani-corani.html

The Amazon River may be the longest in the world

According to an expedition done in 1996 led by the Polish journalist and explorer Jacek Palkiewicz, the Amazon River originates in the Quehuisha snow peak in the region of Arequipa at 5,150 meters above sea level. Its waters flow down the Andean Mountains and through the Amazon Rain Forest, reaching the Atlantic Ocean after traveling for 7,062 kilometers, crossing Peru and Brazil. This fact makes it 391 kilometers longer than the Nile River, in Africa, which is 6,671 kilometers long. However, the international science community just recently validated these measures; among them are the London Geographic Society, the Russian Academy of Science, the Lima Geographic Society and the Brazilian Institute of Space Investigations.

Other explorations such as the one sponsored by the National Geographic Society in the year 2000, revealed that the birth of the Amazon River is in the Mismi snow peak, in the region of Arequipa, which meant that the Amazon River is the second longest in the world after the Nile. However, there are more expeditions that came up with different measures from the Mismi Peak, claiming that the Amazon River is 6,800 kilometers long compared to the 6,695 Km. of the Nile. These differences in claims and measurements will indeed trigger more expeditions that some day will come up with a common recognition of which river is the longest in the World.
http://www.ecolatino.net/html/_cual_es_el_rio_mas_largo_del_.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6759291.stm
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2007/06/04/ciencia/1180942878.html
http://www.caretas.com.pe/2000/1650/articulos/amazonas.phtml

A tramway will add a panoramic view to Lake Titicaca

The regional government of Puno will soon announce an international bid for the construction of a 2 kilometers tramway that will take tourists from the lakefront boardwalk Bahía de los Incas (Bay of the Incas) up to the panoramic viewpoint of Machallata. Ten cabins carrying eight passengers each will travel at 18 kilometers per hour reaching their destinations in 10 minutes trips.

http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/ediciononline/HTML/2008-05-07/planean-construir-teleferico-diez-cabinas-cerca-al-lago-titicaca.html
http://enlacenacional.com/2008/05/08/direccion-regional-comercio-turismo-propicia-construccion-teleferico-puno/

The Incas’ Royal Spa

In the region of Cajamarca, in the northern Andean range of Peru, a natural hot springs known as the Baños del Inca has been attracting visitors since before Inca times. It is here where Inca Atahualpa used to relax and recovered before embarking on new conquests to expand the empire.

Baños del Inca is just 6 kilometers from the historic city of Cajamarca, where visitors can enjoy the 70 degrees Celsius medicinal waters that emerged from the ground and filled up its several pools. The resort includes whirlpools and saunas with medicinal plants and personalized services. Children and adults can also enjoy the warm waters at the Olympic pool. There are bungalows and campsites for the entire family or groups.

Lake of the kings

High on the Andes at 4,105 meters above sea level, lake Junín, also called Chinchaycocha, is home of thousands of birds: migratory, native and endemic species such as the Zambullidor de Junín. In 1974 the area became a national reserve due to its wealth in flora and fauna, which also includes the Andean fox, wild guinea pig, mountain cat and the vizcacha among others.

Lake Junin is the second largest lake in Peru after Lake Titicaca. The Mantaro River originates from its waters; as well it is one of the main water suppliers for the Amazon basin. The Junín National Reserve was established as a Ramsar Convention of Wetlands site in 1997 due to its rich ecosystem and aquatic bird’s habitat.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/shop_pickandmix/previews/peru-central-highlands-preview.pdf
http://www.andina.com.pe/espanol/Noticia.aspx?id=jPegvNTmUrQ=
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lago_Jun%C3%ADn

Enjoy your senses at Wakama eco-beach

Wakama is a great getaway from the bustling city of Lima where visitors relax in a natural environment without the noise and stress from the city; or distractions such as television, computers or video games. Guests at the resort enjoy their stay at comfortable rustic cabins overlooking the Pacific Ocean under the sounds of seabirds and the thundering surf soaking the beach.

People come here to recover their senses by keeping in touch with nature and doing simple yet pleasant and relaxing activities. Visitors can enjoy a walk or ride a horse through the four kilometers beach, get a massage by the sea, have a nap on a hammock under palm leaves, contemplate a beautiful sunset and the magic hour. And at night by a bonfire, guests enjoy the culture of the region with performances by local African-Peruvian artists.

Wakama has seen its popularity increase just by former guests passing the news about their experiences in the resort. In 2008, GUÍA PERÚ TOP 100 considered this natural refuge, at 178 kilometers south of Lima, one of the top 50 best tourist destinations and natural marvels in the country.

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http://www.wakamaecoplaya.com/refugio.htm
http://lima.olx.com.pe/venta-de-casa-en-playa-wakama-acogedor-refugio-natural-iid-41431011

The New 7 Wonders of Nature

After people all over the world chose the New 7 Wonders of the World in a global and democratic election, a second campaign aimed to appreciate the world’s nature wonders calls for votes to choose the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Among the top 77 are eight from Peru, the Amazon River/Forest, which is share with Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela (8th place), the Colca Canyon (34th place), Lomas de Lachay National Park (64th place), Lake Titicaca, which is share with Bolivia (24th place), the Machu Picchu Ecological Reserve (35th place), Paracas Beach National Reserve (37th place), Apurimac River (47th place) and the Alpamayo Mountain Peak (41st place).

The votes for the qualifying part of the contest will be closed on December 31, 2008, and then the 21 more voted wonders would qualify for the final vote that will be done sometime next year. You can be part of this global event by voting at www.new7wonders.com

Paracas: a natural wonder

The National Reserve of Paracas, a cultural and wild life sanctuary in the region of Ica, south of Lima, is experiencing an increase in visitors that come to enjoy its natural attractions. Paracas is a natural wonder with beaches and islands where hundreds of sea lions, seals, penguins and seabirds live, and where Andean condors occasionally glide over its shores. On Easter Week, Paracas becomes one of the most visited natural attractions in Peru; more than five thousand local and foreign tourists enjoy the long weekend camping on the beaches or staying at the hotel resorts. The most visited places in the reserve are: the Cathedral, a rock formation that extends beyond the shore into the sea; the isthmus of the peninsula, and the many beaches such as Lagunillas and Mendieta.

Ancient temple discovered in Ayacucho

A section of an ancient structure, probably 3,000 years old, was recently unearthed in a hill near Vilcashuaman in the region of Ayacucho. The design of the structure is similar to the temple of Chavin de Huantar, which is located far North in the region of Ancash. The site was built with stones and includes platforms and what could be a plaza or main square. Due to the materials found in the site, it is possible that the population may have had a link with the Paracas culture located West on the Pacific shores in the region of Ica.

New Cultural Heritages

The National Cultural Institute (INC) declared the Kene and the festivity of the Lord of Choqekillka as National Cultural Heritages.

The Kene is a cultural expression from the shipibo-koniba culture, expressed in a variety of materials such as wood, textile and ceramic, is a manifestation that shows the cosmovision, knowledge and aesthetics of the shipibo-koniba culture. It is the main element that identifies this group next to western society.

The Lord of Choqekillka, patron of the district of Ollantaytambo, Cusco, is a religious ceremony that brings a variety of traditions from different sources that creates a rich cultural corpus and identity.

Tourist destinations to go in May

PromPeru, the Tourism and Export Commission for the Promotion of Peru it’s promoting four regions to choose from as destinations for the holidays in May. With the support of the authorities from the regions chosen for this promotion, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Junin and La Libertad, the visitors will be able to relax and enjoy the many tourist attractions these regions offer including special programs developed for this opportunity.

Treasures of Machu Picchu will be kept at a convent in Cusco

The archaeological objects that were taken by the American explorer Hiram Bingham from Machu Picchu in 1912, which are kept at Yale University, may soon come back to where they belong. The Convento de los Betlemitas in Cusco has been chosen as the temporary location to display the objects while a proper museum is built.

An inventory done by experts from the National Cultural Institute of Peru at Yale University, determined that the professor of Yale, Hiram Bingham, took 46,332 objects and fragments from Machu Picchu in 1912. The Peruvian government expects the university to return all the objects and fragments since these are part of Peru’s national heritage, which were taken by the explorer on loan at the time.

Hiram Bingham has been known as the explorer that discovered Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, in 1911. However, new evidence point to Agustin Lizarraga who found the site on July 14, 1902, nine years before the American explorer.

Bandurria: the oldest civilization in the Americas

The radiocarbon analysis that was done on samples from the archaeological site of Bandurria, confirmed that they date back to 3,200 years BC. Therefore, Bandurria is older than Caral, a site once thought was the oldest civilization in the Americas. Both are located north of Lima and are open to visitors.

Bandurria has two sections: the domestic that has been occupied by the locals who didn’t know about the secrets lying underground; and the monumental which most of its structures are still covered by the sand of the desert. Many archaeological sites looked like dunes and hills for centuries before been discovered in the coast of Peru.

http://www.andina.com.pe/Espanol/Noticia.aspx?id=L2e9jvW7sQo=
http://www.andina.com.pe/ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=wGAafA+K3GA=
http://www.arqueologiadelperu.com.ar/bandurria.htm

New site museum will be built in Trujillo

The new museum is part of the project for the research and recovery of the “huacas” El Sol and La Luna, archaeological sites that represent the capital of the Moche Culture. Construction will be done in an area of 35,000 square meters and it will include an amphitheater for an audience of 500 people.

Work in the project began in April 2008. On the ceremony where the first-stone was placed in the site, the president of Peru, Alan Garcia Perez, gave the good news that the huacas will soon become a world heritage, thus supporting the conservation and research of the Moche and Chimu civilizations.

Star Princess Cruise guests enjoy Peru’s culture

The ship docked at the port of Callao where its 2,600 passengers were greeted by traditional dancers and musicians. The visitors enjoy the party atmosphere dancing with the performers and sipping the national drink, Pisco Sour, before boarding their tour buses that took them to Lima’s Historic center. At the Plaza de Armas they enjoyed more cultural experiences from different regions of Peru.

Utilities workers uncovered an Inca wall in downtown Cusco

Peru is a magic world of natural beauty and a wealth of culture and history; visitors can easily prove the hearsay: wherever you go, wherever you walk, echoes of ancient stories filled up your way. And yet, there is a most profound hearsay that says: wherever you dig you’ll find remains of ancient cultures that flourished in these Peruvian lands centuries ago.

Recently, utilities workers prove the later when digging the streets of downtown Cusco, they suddenly bump into an Inca wall 2.50 meters underground. The wall was discovered at the Plaza Limacpampa Grande, one block from the Koricancha Temple. The Cultural National Institute was immediately informed about the discovery, which decided to cover it temporarily to keep it from “huaqueros,” cultural thieves, while planning its future research.

Ancient Paracas textiles in Paris

The Quai Branly museum in Paris was the first museum in exhibiting textiles from the Paracas culture, which are considered the oldest in the world. The Paracas textiles were discovered in 1925 by the Peruvian archaeologist Julio Cesar Tello. This is the first time that a collection of 84 pieces of textiles is shown out of Peru. These materials date back to the third centuries before and after Christ. They were made of cotton and alpaca fiber featuring anthropomorphic and zoomorphic characters, and colored with 190 different hues where red is the dominant color.

More discoveries in Sacsayhuaman

Three water canals uncovered recently in the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman proved that the Incas built a sophisticated hydraulic system. It was used to provide with water the city of Cusco and its agricultural areas and religious centers.

One of the three water canals uncovered features a fine architecture and it has a ceremonial fountain at the middle of the structure; it is 160m long, 1.90m high and 2.50m wide. It has several tributaries made of smaller canals and a system to keep the stream from running too fast.

According to the archaeologists working on the site, this hydraulic system may include at least 13 kilometers of channeled streams and more than 100km of underground and open canals.

Coming from Down Under to surf Peruvian waves

According to the Australian ambassador for Peru, Bolivia and Chile, the tourist flow between Peru and his country has doubled in the last years. He quoted that Australians come to Peru not only to visit Machu Picchu and drink pisco, the Peruvian liquor made since the 16th century, but to surf the waves that draws surfers from around the world every year.

While enjoying a mouthwatering “ceviche” (raw fish and seafood marinated with Peruvian lime), beach-lovers can look at the best world surfers ride the thundering surf for gold in many International Surfing Championships in Peru. Skillful contestants surf on the big waves at Punta Rocas and on the world's longest left-waves at Chicama and Pacasmayo.

The Peruvian Pacific shores lapped on more than 3,000 Km. of beaches, some with calm seas good for swimming, and others with big and long waves beckoning skill surfers. From the summer resorts in Lima to the tropical spots in the North, there are plenty of beach destinations year-round in Peru.