It is Peru’s second most important city ,after Lima and the second most popular among tourists, after Cuzco.

El Misti volcano, Arequipa

The city is part of the so called «Southern Peru Tourist Corridor», together with Nazca, Puno and Cusco.

In contrast to these other cities, Arequipa is an example of the Spanish and mestizo culture developed in Peru. There are no Inca artifacts or ruins in the city.

In the winter it is warmer than in the summer. It is nicknamed the ‘white city’ (la ciudad blanca, in Spanish), because many of the buildings in the area are built of sillar, a white stone. This rock was quarried from the many volcanoes that surround the city, including the towering El Misti.

Another theory which is commonly believed by the local population, is that the name ‘white city’ came about because it was built by spanish immigrants from the Basque Country who had pale skin and blonde hair. New Urban and archeological discoveries have shown that the frontage of houses were painted in different colours. Remaining examples can be found in the ‘Casa Tristan del Pozo’, the town centre. Ask for local help to identify Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu, the three volcanoes surrounding the city.

Arequipa embodies a rich mix of the indigenous and Spanish colonial cultures. With 468 years of history since its founding, examples of Spanish colonial architecture can be found throughout the center of the city and several surrounding districts.

UNESCO has declared it a Human Heritage site. Catholic churches are scattered throughout the center of the city. Some ancient houses have been refurbished by the local authorities and serve as living museums. An example of this are the so-called «Tambos» located at Puente Bolognesi street.

During the walk we will see ideal landscapes to take pictures, once we arrive at the Lagoon we will get a short introduction about the story of the lagoon. After that we have free time to experience and explore the landscape surrounded by the mountains. After explorig, we will hike back down to our car, which will take us about 40 minutes. We will get back in the car and driver for about an hour to Soraypampa, the same place we had breakfast, we will have lunch. After lunch we will drive  back to Cusco, we will be back in Cusco at about 6/7 pm.

La Paz’s guardian is Illimani, a majestic mountain whose height is 6439 m and is a part of the Andean Cordillera mountain range. The streets of La Paz are known for their steepness. This city has as one of its highlights the proud Chola Paceña, representing the unique beauty of the Andean women.

The City tour will be for about 3 ½ hours. It will start in the Moonvalley,which is  located in the south of the city. Once we arrived in the moon valley, we will go for a 30 minute walk, afterwards we will go to Miraflores where we visit the archaeological Plaza and the Hernnado Siles Stadium. Continuing with this city tour we visit the Killi Killi lookout where we see the majestic Illimani mountain and the urban landscape of the city.

Afterwards  we will visit the Old Town of the city admiring the Plaza «Pedro Domingo Murillo» where we find the seat of government, the Metropolitan Cathedral and Legislative Palace. Our last stops will be a visit of the museums in Jaen Street and the Witches’ Market and finally the handicrafts market where we will finish the City Tour.

The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. It is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average elevation variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pool of brine, which is exceptionally rich in lithium. It contains 50 to 70% of the world’s known lithium reserves, which is in the process of being extracted.

The large area, clear skies, and exceptional flatness of the surface make the Salar an ideal object for calibrating the altimetersof Earth observation satellites. The Salar serves as the major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano and is a major breeding ground for several species of flamingos. Salar de Uyuni is also a climatological transitional zone since the towering tropical cumulus congestus and cumulominbus incus  clouds that form in the eastern part of the salt flat during the summer cannot permeate beyond its drier western edges, near the Chilean border and the Atacama Desert.

Salar de Uyuni was the shooting location for a major battle scene in Disney’s blockbuster 2017 movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi, representing the planet Crait.

When the Spanish came to Cuzco they came on that long highway from the north and entered Cuzco through Carmenca. Important Spaniards, such as the chronicler Juan de Betanzos, settled here. Even though the infrastructure of the neighborhood, its plaza, streets, and homes are being updated, in many parts of the neighborhood you can still see the colonial big-houses.

The Spanish built an archway as an entrance to the walled city of Cuzco that they built on top of the Inca one. In its day, it was a point of control for all people entering the city. Today the colonial arch still exists and brings an unusual charm to the neighborhood.

The zone of Santa Ana continues to maintain its traditional patronal feast since it is one of the most ancient neighborhoods of Cuzco and its saint has many devotees throughout the city of Cuzco. The feast and devotion to Saint Anne brings many people to the city from throughout the city of Cuzco, although they are most concentrated in the quarter of Chinchaysuyo.

On its festive days both tourists and local people fill the neighborhood with joy and emotion. The carguyoq (those responsible for sponsoring the feast) and their supporters present dances, allegories (floats) and fireworks.

Santa Ana is about 20 minutes walking distance from plaza de armas it is a steep walk with stairs up a hill until you reach the church. But the view on top is absolutey amazing and breathtaking. Many hotels such as the Hilton and a lot of hostels are located here due to the amazing view. It is nice to take a walk in the neighborhood you will find many little stores here and it is just a little adoreable spot, which holds a lot of history within. I just sat down for a while and watched the people and enjoyed the view. In the area between the arch and the plaza of Santa Ana you see a diversity of businesses such as travel agencies, restaurants, grocery stores, hostels, and many others.

The grave was found in the Lambayeque region northern of the Peruvian coast. The place where the grave was found is called “Huaca Rajada”, which is 35 Kilometers from the city of Chiclayo. The grave was composed by three pyramids made of loam, in one of the pyramids was the mummy from the Lord of Sipan and his entourage.

The findings from the grave contained a great number of items made of gold, silver, copper and gems, all of those pieces are unique and masterpieces. This find of jewelry is also the major proof that the ancient peruvian people worked with metals. In total there were 400 jewels found such as elaborate masks, necklaces, earrings and much other beautiful jewelry. Also sea shells, rattles and knives were found, those were probably used for ceremonial purposes.

One of the most impressive pieces found in the grave is his necklace. The right side is made out of gold and the left side is made out of silver, which is supposed to symbolize the Sun and the Moon. Another amazing jewel which was found in the grave, was a necklace made out of ten gold pearls which is supposed to depict a spider. In the grave were eight other bodies found, which were probably close and high ranked friends of the Lord of Sipan.

History

The Moche culture ruled the entire northern Peruvian coast, several centuries ago. When the Lord of Sipan, one of their main leaders died, they buried him. Like all the important leaders of this civilization, this warlord was buried with his head pointing south and his ears and nose were covered with jewelry of gold, silver and gems.

The grave survived intact for almost 1600 years, even tho there were constantly thieves in action in that area. The grave was found in 1987 by Walter Alva. This discovery was so special, that it was compared to the findings of Tutankhamen in Egypt.

After the discovery, the objects were exhibited in many countries of America, Asia and Europe. In 1989 , investigators of the Brüning Museum discovered two new graves in Huaca Rajada, “EL Sacerdote” (the Priest) and “EL Viejo Señor de Sipan” (the Old Lord of Sipan). Both graves contained a great number of items such as jewels made out of silver and gold, chest protectors, shells and peculiar pictures. Most of the pieces from Sipan were restored in Germany by the Bruening museum in Mainz between 1988 and 1993, they also hosted the event when the discoveries were returned to Peru.

Due to the request of Walter Alva all discoveries related to the ancient Moche civilization are exposed in the museum Royal Tombs of Sipan.

About the Lord of Sipán

According to scientists, who examined the skeleton, at the time of his death he was 1.63 meters tall and about 35-45 years old. Due to the amount and value of jewelry found in his grave it is assumed that he was one of the highest rank. Most of the ornaments were made of gold, silver, copper and semi-precious stones.

He was wearing two necklaces shaped in peanut form out of gold and silver, those are supposed to represent the earth.The peanuts symbolized that men came from the land, and that when they die, they return to the earth. Peanuts were used because they were an important food crop for the Moche. The necklaces had ten kernels on the right side made of gold, signifying masculinity and the sun god, and ten kernels on the left side made of silver, to represent femininity and the moon god.

Buried with the Lord of Sipán were six other people: three young women (possibly wives or concubines who had apparently died some time earlier), two males (probably warriors), and a child of about nine or ten years. The remains of a third male (possibly also a warrior) was found on the roof of the burial chamber sitting in a niche overlooking the chamber. There was also a dog which was probably the Lord of Sipan’s favorite pet. The warriors who were buried with the Lord of Sipán had amputated feet, as if to prevent them from leaving the grave. The women were dressed in ceremonial clothes. In addition to the people, archeologists found in the grave a total of 451 ceremonial items and offerings (burial goods), and the remains of several animals, including a dog and two llamas.

The Royal Tombs Museum of Sipán

The Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum, which is close to Lambayeque exposes most of the discoveries found at Huaca Rajada. The museum opened in 2002, Walter Alva who founded and supported the construction of the museum, is the director of the museum. In 2009 a smaller museum was opened in Huaca Rajada.

The complex is formed by two pyramids, the Cao Viejo and Huaca Cortada,and also the closeby Moche pyramid El Paredón and another a pre-ceramic site, which is over 5000 years old. This shows a continuous human presence since the times of early civilisation.

In the huge pyramid of Cao Viejo, you see a similar design the the Huaca de la Luna in the Moche home valley. A very similar temple, plaza and ramp design. One of the most important discoveries, which was done at el brujo was the Lady of Cao.

The Lady of Cao was discovered in 2006 by a team of Peruvian archaeologists led by Regulo Franco Jordan of the National Cultural Institute of Peru with the financial cooperation of the Augusto N. Wiese Foundation. The mummy, which was heavily tattooed and wrapped in 26 layers of cloth, was found with a number of ceremonial items, including weapons and jewelry. Also found were the remains of a second young woman, possibly a human sacrifice. A modern autopsy indicated that the Lady of Cao was in her mid twenties when she died and may have of died of complications due to pregnancy or childbirth. The estimated date of death for the Lady of Cao is about 450 CE.

The richness of the burial site, as well as the presence of weapons, suggest that the woman might have been a high ranking priestess or even a Moche ruler, possibly governing what is now known as the Chicama District region of northern Peru.This is a very important finding in the history, since it was always believed that only men held high rank in the Moche culture. The discovery of the Lady of Cao burial counts with the the discovery of the Lord of Sipan to the most important archaelogical discoveries in the Moche culture.

On 3 July 2017, culture officials and archaeologists unveiled a replica of her face. According to Peru’s Ministry of Culture, the replica was made using 3D imaging technology and forensics archaeology based on her skull structure and ethnographic research which took 10 months to create.

If you take any of the little calles (streets) to the north of Plaza de Armas you´ll find yourself going up! Steps, steps, steps! But trust me it’s worth it especially if you take the ancient Incan road, Hathunrumiyoc (Quechua for “great stone street”) towards San Blas. Don’t just walk down this street though, take it in! You will be surrounded by ancient Incan history. You will see the famous 12-angled stone, set into one of the best-surviving walls in Cusco. This is definitely one of the most beautiful streets in Cusco. As you come to the end of the street and before you start to ascend the steps of Cuesta de San Blas.

You’ll then reach the tiny Iglesia San Blas famed for its intricate pulpit. The church was built in 1544 over the old Incan Temple dedicated to Illapa, the god of thunder and lightning. It is the oldest parish church in Cusco. If you’re thirsty after the walk up you´ll have a choice of bars and a plethora of cafés to pick from.

San Blas is filled with adoreable, alternative coffee shops, restaurants, bars and absolutely lovely stores. There is a really nice bar called Limbus. From here you can enjoy a beautiful view over Cusco, while having a drink.

KM0 is up the hill to the left side of the church. It has live music most nights of the week and a good food menu. Even if you don’t like fancy eating or drinking it´s enjoyable just to wander the quaint streets and just take it all in. Around the side of the chapel there are benches, some grass and a waterfall that make it a perfect spot to sit and people watch.

In San Blas are many little museums, which are free and definitely worth a visit. For example a coca museum or The Hilario Mendivil museum, which is filled with amazing pieces of art. The museums are super cute and little. I enjoyed it a lot. The lady workin at the museum was really sweet, her english was great and she explained me a lot about the art in the museum. It was really interesting to learn what those pieces of art are representing. So for example the long throats the figures have stand for llamas and alpacas. Also when the ladies carry kids on their back, wrapped up in a blanket or have fruits with them then this is a representation of mother earth (Pachamama).

The Mendivil family are a famous family, who live in the San Blas barrio. They are well known for their sculptures of religious icons. Hilario Medivil (1929-77), San Blas´s most famous artist, is most known for his religious sculptures depicting long necks. There is a small gallery in this area with this religious art on show and also a shop selling Mendivil style work.

You will find very beautiful accessoires here, which are handmade and have a reasonable price. For me it is a very special atmosphere it seems much less touristic and quieter even tho there are many tourists. I think, because San Blas has many little, winding streets it is cuter and mystical compared for example to the main square, which is one huge place.

Also there is a little local market, where they sell food for a reasonable price and local markets in general are always fun to experience.

San Blas offers many hostels and hotels for different types of budgets. Hidden away up here you´ll find somewhere to rest your head after a day of walking the streets of Cusco or trekking to Machu Picchu. But do be weary, the further you go up the sketchier it gets!

If you are in Cusco this is definitely a must-see I love it everytime I go it is really a wonderful quarter to wander around!

Today Tambomachay is one of the best hiking routes close to Cusco, due to it’s fascinating natural scenery. Usually when you participate in a Cusco city tour you will visit Tambomachay right after Qengo it is a 20 minute drive from there. But you can also take a cab from Cusco  by yourself to get there. It is super easy to find cabs in Cusco and the price is also reasonable, you can always bargain for a fair price with the drivers.

Once you reached Tambomachay, the bus, if you take a tour or the cab will drop you off a couple meters before. So you have to walk maybe like 5 minutes to get to the water sanctuary. Don’t forget to enter the side you need a boleto turistico. Tambomachay is a ruin build in a rock, with different terraces, which conducts the water with the help of small slots to man-made springs.

Our tourguide told us that according to an old Quechua legend, if you drink from the watercourse on the right you will bear twins or remain forever young and beautfiul. You will be blessed if you drink from the watercourse above.

Across the water sanctuary are many, small intertwined paths to the top of the mountain. Along the hills you will enjoy magnificent views across the entire area.

The rebellious Manco Inca had retreated to this fortress after his defeat at Sacsaywamán. In 1536, Hernando Pizarro, Francisco’s younger half-brother, led a force of 70 cavalrymen to Ollantaytambo, supported by large numbers of indigenous and Spanish foot soldiers, in an attempt to capture Manco Inca. The conquistadors, fought with arrows, spears and boulders from atop of the steep terracing, so the Spanish were unable to climb the fortress. In a brilliant move, Manco Inca flooded the area below the fortress with the help of previously prepared channels. With Spaniards’ horses bogged down in the water, Pizarro ordered a hasty retreat, chased down by thousands of Manco Inca’s victorious soldiers. Yet the Inca victory would be short lived. Spanish forces soon returned with a quadrupled cavalry force and Manco fled to his jungle stronghold in Vilcabamba.

Ollantaytambo was a highly effective fortress, it also served as a temple. A finely worked ceremonial center is at the top of the terracing. Some extremely well-built walls were under construction at the time of the conquest and have never been completed. The stone was quarried from the mountainside 6km away, high above the opposite bank of the Río Urubamba. Transporting the huge stone blocks to the site was a stupendous feat. The Incas’ crafty technique to move massive blocks across the river meant carting the blocks to the riverside then diverting the entire river channel around them.

The 6km hike to the Inca quarry on the opposite side of the river is a good walk from Ollantaytambo. The trail starts from the Inca bridge by the entrance to the village. It takes a few hours to reach the site, passing several abandoned blocks known as piedras cansadas – tired stones. Looking back towards Ollantaytambo, you can see the enigmatic optical illusion of a pyramid in the fields and walls in front of the fortress. A few scholars believe this marks the legendary place where the original Incas first emerged from the earth.

If you are interested in the Inca culture and history Ollantaytambo is definitely a place you should visit during your stay in Peru. This place holds a lot of history and stories about the Inca times. The climb up is demanding but do able for all ages, just take it one step at a time and include little breaks on the terraces and you will be fine.