js_composer domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/joextravel/public_html/wpt.joextravel.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6260polylang domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/joextravel/public_html/wpt.joextravel.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6260San Pedro de Atacama is a town in Northern Chile.
It is a very popular destination among Chilean tourists and international visitors. Visitors come in large numbers, to use the town as a stepping stone to the amazing landscapes around it. Most attractions are part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve, perhaps Chile’s most varied and amazing national park. Prices in any of the laid back bars and restaurants fare well against Santiago’s (Chile’s Capital). Still, it’s a fairly expensive location, as it’s one of Chile’s three most popular destinations, along Torres del Paine and Easter Island.
Once you are in the town, nearly all points of interest, restaurants, services, are within walking distance, with the exception of a few outlying hotels.
The downtown consists out of twelve small blocks, between the streets Domingo Atienza and Toconao from west to east, and Licancabur and Caracoles north to south.
Caracoles is the main one, it is a pedestrian zone. Be aware that, since mid-2010, it’s now forbidden to ride a bike on it. If you look gringo enough, chances are the cops will let you slide-but it’s advised not to try. They’re fond of ticketing cyclists in the evening. If you can’t find what you need in the aforementioned twelve blocks, chances are you won’t get it anywhere. Bike rentals are ubiquitous, and prices vary little. It can pay to rent one to visit the Pukara de Quitor, Aldea de Tulor, Valle de la Luna, and even Laguna Cejar. All of these are described in the next chapter.
Located at 4,200m above sea level, and 100km away from the town, these are some of the highest geysers in the world. It’s also the third-largest geyser site on Earth, with over 80 active ones. Most agencies travel there at 4 AM so they will arrive at sunrise.
The spectacle is hard to forget-even if the geysers themselves are smallish, the backdrop, lighting, and sheer variety are astounding. Usually, you get to see them from the first stages of dawn, an hour before the sun rises, until sunlight bathes them completely. The best time to take pictures is at exact sunrise, but other lightings can also create wonderful pictures.
All respectable tour agencies include breakfast for their guests. If you book one that doesn’t, then you’ve been scammed. If you have rented a car, alternately it may be better to visit the Geysers del Tatio at sunset, when you will have the entire place to yourself for quiet contemplation.
On the way back, it’s typical to find wild vicuñas, an endangered andean camelid that’s highly protected in Chile. They were rescued from the verge of extinction thirty years ago. Vicuñas in the area are accustomed to human presence, and will tolerate tourists coming to some twenty meters away-any more, and they’re likely to flee. Be extremely respectful of the regulations, for many guides and drivers might even react in an aggressive manner if you bother the animals in any way. A common stop is the fording of the Putana river, a spectacle that for some even surpasses the geysers themselves. Many different bird species inhabit it, and it’s perfectly possible to get very close to them-giant coots (fulica gigantea) are especially indolent. Winter has the most birds, with over ten different species cohabiting the place at peak migration, but temperatures are harsh. There’s also the possibility of seeing a vizcacha or two (lagidium viscacia), a funny mix between a bunny, a squirrel, and a kangaroo. They’re very shy, though, and if you don’t get there among the first visitors, they’ll have usually disappeared. In the background, to the east, lies the Putana volcano-an active mountain that boasts seven small fumes. Lastly, there’s usually the choice of visiting one of two locations.
The first one is Machuca, an abandoned altiplanic village that lived from the mining of sulpher. Most regular tours stop here. Nowadays, you’ll find a few locals there, roasting anticuchos made of llama meat. Teas, soft drinks and empanadas are also available. The meat is of questionable origins, with some wild theories as to its origin floating around.
Ask your guide for a laugh. It’s fairly safe to consume, though, as sanitation’s decent. Just after exiting Machuca, it’s common to see llamas grazing on a beautiful pasture. After that pasture lies a micro-sized salt pan, where vicuñas and James’ flamingos can be seen (the latter only in summer, though). The other location is Puritama. If you plan on going, please consider the following things:
Temperatures can be terribly cold: -15ºC is common through June to August, while in summer it rarely dips below -5ºC. It’s paramount to wear gloves, a cap, and preferably two layers of socks, along with a very warm jacket. After sunrise, the cold quickly subsides, and it gets bearable. Once you get to Machuca, the heat can be stifling. Prepare accordingly.
The altitude, coupled to a steep and winding road, can easily cause altitude sickness. Almost all agencies claim to carry an oxygen bottle on board; this is false. They do bring a can with air compressed to one atmosphere, but it does little other than acting as a placebo. See the section ‘Cope’ for advice on preventing and ameliorating the sickness.
Renting a car is possible, either in San Pedro itself (~ 75000 CLP for pickup car), or in Calama. The road was entirely paved at some point in the distant past, but now it is in mostly poor condition, especially from Machuca to the end. Infrastructure improvements are underway to make this route more easily accessible, but as of 2016 it is fine on a 2 WD vehicle, it will just be a bit bumpy.
It is Peru’s second most important city ,after Lima and the second most popular among tourists, after Cuzco.
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.
]]>Creole Music has suffered from influences of the international music. Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Salsa, Rock, Pop, Cumbia, and Chicha have all weakened the Creole of Peru, but at the same time it’s still very much alive. For a taste of Peruvian Creole music, interested parties should head down to the III Encuentro de Centros Musicales (3rd Meeting of Musical Centres), where a number of musicians will demonstrate their skills in the Creole musical tradition. The event begins at 7.00pm and it’s free for anyone to attend.
An interesting fact is that, of course, October 31 is also Halloween. Nowadays those two fiestas co-exist in Peru and both are celebrated together. One of the most popular Halloween costumes is seen in Cusco’s main square, the Plaza de Armas: the festive costume of the Negroide, the Afro-Peruvian celebrated in Creole Music.
On the 31st of October in many cafes, bars and restaurants all over Peru you will only hear Musica Criolla. Orquests of creole music, with their guitars and the wooden box drums called the (creole) “cajon”, work extra hours on this day. The most well-known representatives of the Peruvian creole music are Bartola, Eva Ayllon and Chabuca Granda.
Apart from in bars and restaurants you will hear Creole Music on TV and radio stations all day long. Creole Music is very important in the life of Peruvians. It stands for tradition, nostalgia and love. It is the music of their parents and grandparents. In many institutions, such as schools and companies special activities will take place during this day. Children dress up like the Afro-Peruvians of the coast. They are the symbols of the coastal creole style that has become typical for Peru.
Here is a beautiful example of Creole songs:
]]>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 number 7 is sacred to many of the larger ancient cultures that existed and in many cases a number that has caused a kind of veneration; the Pythagoreans believe in 7 celestial bodies that emit a controlled vibration that governs and governs the world. These originated 7 days a week. This number is also related to the rainbow, one of the most important natural events for the Inca civilization worldview, and that “casually” are the colors of the flag of the City of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas.
But there are many numbers 7 since the beginning of history; are 7 capital sins, 7 church sacraments, 7 musical notes, 7 the wonders of the ancient world, 7 the wonders of the modern world; one of them is Machu Picchu and is located in Cusco, a city that has 7 streets whose names begin with the number 7.
In the city of Cusco there are seven streets with names that start with the number 7; some believe that the number has a cabalistic character that came with the colony; however, other studies show that the use of this number began before the time of the Incas. The ancient Peruvians and many other cultures of the world were convinced that the stars had a decisive influence on the life and conduct of human beings. The book “Touristic Routes of Cusco” by Armando Valenzuela Lovón, indicates that: “7 is a metaphysical and inexplicable number in the Andean culture, as in many other important cultures of the world.“
The seven streets starting with a seven and their meaning:
It is a quiet passage located between Almudena and the parish of Santiago. It is said that in this street lived Don Mascareñas, a Spaniard with six children, who helped him in the task of melting pieces of bronze that were placed in the doors of the churches and where they are conserved until the present time. The weather has caused this street to deteriorate; although it still retains the essence of its history.
This street is the continuation of Ruinas Street; it is known that before the destruction of the San Agustín Temple; behind it was a residence that had 4 large windows and 3 small ones; although the buildings of the present day do not match the number of windows of the name of the street.
Its name is given by 7 stone beams that form scantlings aligned on the old bed of the Saphy river; at present it passes below the Av. El Sol in Cusco. At the present time of the 7 spars that existed in this place, one can only appreciate the one that remains on Saphy Street; the others were lost with the advance of the new city.
It is the street where people of old fell in love; they say that the lovers were tempted by the devil and that many women returned from this street with their “Sunday 7” (pregnant); these stories gave rise to the name. At present, the immense amount of people who visit the Historic Center of Cusco, has made the street lose the charm for couples who want a romantic moment.
As most things have to go in balance; we have the street called Siete Angelitos, is to the right of the street Carmen Alto. On the roof of an old house you can see the figures of 7 little angels who were painted by the order Blas de Bobadilla, who was the former owner of this house; but there are also other figures worthy of being seen, nevertheless these 7 angels would steal your attention.
It is one of the most beautiful streets of Cusco and its name, since the time of the Incas, refers to these small animals; is located in the Plazoleta Nazarenas. The Inca stone walls carry 7 pairs of snakes carved in high relief. At present you can find the snakes, which cause you to look at them closely and a lot of patience.
The name refers to people passing by this steep street with cattle and beasts of burden. Nowadays, the growth and modernity of the city have made it called Calle Palacios, since it was remodeled to improve the transit through the place. Even now from time to time, you can see some people in typical costumes walking with some flames and little lambs, in search of their attention.
]]>According to the Catholic Church, the festival is in honor of the Lord of Quyllurit’i (Quechua: Taytacha Quyllurit’i, Spanish: Señor de Quyllurit’i) and it originated in the late 18th century. The young native herder Mariano Mayta befriended a mestizo boy named Manuel on the mountain Qullqipunku. Thanks to Manuel, Mariano’s herd prospered, so his father sent him to Cusco to buy a new shirt for Manuel. Mariano could not find anything similar, because that kind of cloth was sold only to the archbishop. Learning of this, the bishop of Cusco sent a party to investigate. When they tried to capture Manuel, he was transformed into a bush with an image of Christ crucified hanging from it. Thinking the archbishop’s party had harmed his friend, Mariano died on the spot. He was buried under a rock, which became a place of pilgrimage known as the Lord of Quyllurit’i, or «Lord of Star (Brilliant) Snow.» An image of Christ was painted on this boulder.
The Quyllurit’i festival attracts thousands of indigenous peasants from the surrounding regions, made up of Paucartambo groups (Quechua speakers) from the agricultural regions to the northwest of the shrine, and Quispicanchis (Aymara speakers) from the pastoral (herders) regions to the southeast. Both moieties make an annual pilgrimage to the feast, bringing large troupes of dancers and musicians. There are four groups of participants with particular roles: ch’unchu, qulla, ukuku, and machula. Attendees increasingly have included middle-class Peruvians and foreign tourists.
The festival takes place in late May or early June, to coincide with the full moon. It falls one week before the Christian feast of Corpus Christi. Events include several processions of holy icons and dances in and around the shrine of the Lord of Quyllurit’i. The culminating event for the indigenous non-Christian population takes place after the reappearance of Qullqa in the night sky; it is the rising of the sun after the full moon. Tens of thousands of people kneel to greet the first rays of light as the sun rises above the horizon. The main event for the Church is carried out by ukukus, who climb glaciers over Qullqipunku and bring back crosses and blocks of ice to place along the road to the shrine. These are believed to be medicinal with healing qualities.Señor de Qoyllority
]]>Yellow is the preferred color on this day, as people of Cusco have believed that it brings good luck. Wearing yellow underwear on this night will ensure that you get «lucky» with girlfriends or boyfriends throughout the year. Many people wear yellow panties and briefs over their pants hoping to spice up their love life! This has gradually become a trend in all Latin countries, but the trend started here! All the new year accessories like garlands, hats and new year goggles are sold exclusively in yellow. These accessories are cheap and cost about 2-3 Peruvian soles each (roughly US $1).
Unlike the US, you can buy and light your own fireworks here. Sale of fireworks is legal in Cuzco, and there are no restrictions on how to use them. The fireworks range from small floor crackers to a nice colorful aerial firework. You can also buy rocket sticks for 3 soles from the street vendors. These sticks contain 15 rockets that will fly continuously as you hold up the stick in the air. Bottle rockets are also very common and be careful of these little flying objects!
Public Drinking is freely permitted without any restrictions. You can buy your own choice of liquor and bring it in. If you did not bring liquor, don’t worry, Cusqueña beer is sold virtually everywhere you turn. Plenty of other beers and alcoholic beverages are sold by street vendors. If you can’t hold your bladder for long, or if you like sit down and snack, there are many bars in this square. However, the cover charge can range from 50-100 Peruvian soles just to enter these bars. It is highly recommended to reserve a balcony table in one of these bars all night as you can go back and forth for snacking and partying.
There is a free concert arranged by the Municipality of Cusco (municipalidad de cusco) and the singing begins at 9 P.M and goes on even after 2 P.M. All the popular Spanish songs are sung and bikini dancers are used to spice up the crowd. The countdown at 12 O’clock is also given by the lead singer at the concert.
Cusco is generally a very safe place and as long as you don’t pass out and always stay in well lit areas, you don’t have to worry. Remember to take registered taxis while going back to your hotels. Peruvian people are usually very friendly and helpful to the tourists.
Apart from wearing yellow for good luck, there are also many different beliefs that are in vogue here. At midnight, many people circle the square 3 times with suit cases, as they believe this will make them travel the world all year! If you want to get rid of your old habits and have a fresh start, you can ceremonially burn old clothes are books at street corners. Eating 12 grapes at midnight will bring you lots of good luck and plenty of food throughout the year. Local people also put coins at their house corners to bring lots of money into their life.
If you are a tourist planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve here, plan well in advance as the hotels get booked well ahead. Hotels cost about 250 Peruvian soles (US $100) just for this night. Also, try to book a hotel close to the main square as you can walk back after the celebrations. Most nearby streets are well lit and filled with people, so you will feel safe walking back. However, if you are not in walking distance, ask the nearby restaurants or bars to call a registered taxi.
If you ever get a chance to visit Peru, try to visit Cusco on New Year’s Eve, you will have an unforgettable night. Seeing New Year Celebrations at Cusco is as important as visiting Machu Picchu and Nazca Lines. Feliz Año!
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