martes, 15 de octubre de 2019

https://roarloud.net/2016/12/19/dream-destinations-around-the-world/?fbclid=IwAR0e56-qGl5AsMLrOuUFoLUNNMxZB2EAE72P9IW4TEBeG8wEw6zsygYl2lE

jueves, 11 de octubre de 2018

WHAT ARE THE TOP TOURISM SITES IN PERU?

From the breathtaking peaks of the Andes to the dense jungle of the Amazon, Peru is a top destination for any traveller looking for adventure. Every year millions of tourists flock to explore the incredible tourist attractions of Peru and to discover the county’s ancient heritage.

But with so many places to choose from, selecting a definitive list of the top ten tourist attractions in Peru is no simple task. So we’ve deliberated, ruminated and cogitated to pick out ten of the best sights in Peru for visitors and, though we’ve often gone for the more obvious attractions, we’ve snuck in a couple of less recognisable places too…

So whether you’re planning a demanding mountain trek or a calming city retreat, our selection of the top ten visitor attractions in Peru will provide the inspiration you need to get planning. You can explore our Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Peru list below and don’t forget you can always discover more fascinating places to visit in our full list of Peru’s sites.

Fans of archaeological sites will have a feast at the ancient city of Chan Chan, which literally translates as “Sun Sun”. Relatively unknown when compared to the country’s other ancient attractions, this astonishing city is nevertheless one of the very best places in Peru to explore. Not only is it the world’s largest adobe city, it is also the largest pre-Colombian city in the Americas. Developed around 1300 AD as the capital of the Chimu Kingdom, Chan Chan enjoyed centuries of prominence until it was overtaken by the Incas and eventually abandoned. Visitors can easily spend hours exploring the extensive site, which is made up of plazas, streets, houses, gardens, temples and reservoirs. There are even mausoleums where Chimu kings were buried along with their wives and their richest

If you’re going to set yourself any challenge in life, it should be to walk the Inca Trail. As the most famous trek in South America - and one of the most popular tourist activities in Peru - this all-challenging trail allows hikers to follow in the footsteps of the ancient Inca people. It’s long, it’s arduous, and above all it’s amazing. Although the most famous stop along the trail is Machu Picchu there are actually loads of fascinating places to explore on route, such as Phuyupatamarca - which is one of the best preserved and most picturesque Inca ruins in existence - and the ‘inaccessible town’ of Sayacmarca with its labyrinth of houses and canals. Add into the mix the amazing natural beauty of the Trail and you will see why it’s a constant feature of any top 10 Peru attractions list.

The Incan city of Choquequirao is similar to Machu Picchu in terms of style and size, but due to its remote location in the country’s south, it has far fewer tourists. And this is no bad thing. Its ‘off the beaten track’ vibe makes this a true hidden gem among Peru’s tourist attractions. Built in the late 15th century, Choquequirao supposedly served as an administrative hub for the region, as well as providing a local military centre. It was used as a refuge for Inca forces fleeing the siege of Cuzco and in various other battles. Today, the ruins of Choquequirao still contain a number of impressive sites. Be warned though, getting there involves a two day hike from the nearest villages

While Peru’s ancient civilisations are the main draw for tourists, the country has a more modern history which is definitely worth exploring. There’s no better place to start than Casa de la Emancipacion. Located in the gorgeous colonial city of Trujillo, which is the largest metropolis after Lima, Casa de la Emancipacion is the site where Peru planned and declared its independence from Spain. This occurred on 29 December 1820, after which the Casa became the home of Peru’s first government. Today its status at the very heart of the modern country ensures its place as one of the most important tourist attractions of Peru and visitors can enjoy various art and cultural exhibits as they explore its history. If you do visit, be sure to look down - the cubic Cajabamba floor is a masterpiece.

The fortress of Kuelap is one of the most overwhelming visitor attractions in Peru. From the 9th century, Kuelap was the stronghold of the Chachapoyas people, a tribe who lived in the region until shortly before the Spanish conquest. Looming some 3,000 metres above sea level, Kuelap leaves a mark on any visitor due to its sheer loftiness along with its impressive limestone defensive walls which surround a settlement of around 450 stone houses. Some of these houses include their original thatched roofs along with intricate carvings. Not the easiest to visit - though organised tours do run from nearby towns - it is nevertheless magnificent.

The huge, steep terraces that shield Ollantaytambo’s spectacular Inca ruins mark one of the few places where the Spanish conquistadors were defeated in battle. While the Incas abandoned the village and its fortress soon after this 1536 battle, tourists have revisited it and for good reason. Today it’s one of the only towns in Peru that retains its original Inca walls and street grid. Most trains to and from Machu Picchu also stop at Ollantaytambo, giving it that ideal mix of authenticity and accessibility and making it one of the very best tourist attractions of Peru.

For those of a morbid disposition, Chauchilla Cemetery is for you. Like the Egyptians, ancient Peruvians liked to mummify corpses and you can see evidence of this at Chauchilla. This ancient Nazca burial ground in the southern coastal town of Nazca dates back to 1000AD and contains one of the most open displays of mummified bodies in existence. The mummies are incredibly well preserved, wrapped in the original cloth in which they were laid to rest. Each faces east in accordance with the Nazca culture and they’re sitting upright too, just to add an extra element of creepiness to the place. Not for everyone, but certainly one of the most unusual and unique of Peru’s tourist attractions.

Whether they were created as messages to the gods or as paths to spiritual enlightenment, the Nazca Lines rank firmly among the top ten tourist attractions of Peru. These giant sketches are located in the country’s Nazca Desert and can only really be seen from the air. Amongst their enigmatic shapes is a monkey, two humans, a hummingbird, a tree and a spider. They spread over 450 square kilometres and it’s suggested that they were created by the Nazca Civilisation between 500BC and 500AD. They’re so huge that the best way to view them is definitely by plane. Alternatively go to the Pan American Highway observation tower to look at three of the drawings.

A revered warlord, the mausoleum of the Lord of Sipan from the fourth century AD gives the tomb of Tutankhamen a run for its money, and that says a lot. When the Sipan Tomb was found, the Lord of Sipan was covered in and surrounded by an opulent display of gold, silver and jewels. These amazing findings are all on display at the Sipan Tombs Museum, which has modelled itself on the actual tomb. It doesn’t just end there. The Lord of Sipan was found among other skeletons, including those of a dog, a llama and two young women, possibly his concubines, who might have been sacrificed upon his death. One of the most fascinating of Peru’s visitor attractions and full of mysteries to which we’ll never really know the answers. Now, if only the dead could talk...

Peru has several excellent locations for watching wildlife. There are national parks and protected areas with good tourist facilities. These areas provide good opportunities for viewing wildlife. Here is a map of Peru showing the locations of many of these parks.

Heath River - Tambopata areaPeru has several excellent locations for watching wildlife. There are national parks and protected areas with good tourist facilities. These areas provide good opportunities for viewing wildlife. Here is a map of Peru showing the locations of many of these parks.

Bahuaja-Sonene National Park
Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas)
Colca Canyon
Huascaran National Park
This park is located in the Central part of Peru. It includes El Huascaran - the highest peak in Peru. Special species include the Spectacled Bear and the Vicuna. ...link
Iquitos
Manu National Park
Manu is located on the eastern slopes of the Andes and stretches to the lowland rain forest on the Brazilian border.
Pacaya-Samiria National Resrve
It is located in the headwaters of the Amazon River in northeastern Peru, on an alluvial plain between the Marañon and Ucayali river systems. It is accessible via the Amazon River through the city of Iquitos in the department of Loreto, or through the city of Tarapoto in the department of San Martin. ...link
Pampa Galeras National Reserve
This is a stronghold of the Vicuna. The habitat is mostly Puna grasslands.
Paracas National Reserve
It is located along the Pacific Coast in southern Peru, about 160 miles south of Lima. It includes marine habitat and coastal desert.
Rio Abiseo National Park
It is located on the eastern slopes of the Andes in northeastern Peru. The endemic Yellow-tailed Wooly Monkey - Lagothrix flavicauda - is found here. ...link
Sierra del Divisor Reserve Zone
It is one of the newest protected areas (declared in April 2006). It is located in northeastern Peru in the departments of Loreto and Ucayali and expanding into the Alto Juruá region of Acre state in Brazil. The region is an important biodiversity corridor

Reptiles of Peru

Peru has around 300 species of reptiles of which around 100 are endemic. Peru's reptile fauna includes spectacular species like giant anacondas and caimans, as well as many other snakes, lizards and turtles.

Spectacled Caiman - Caiman crocodilus

Crocodilians

American Crocodile - Crocodylus acutus
Black Caiman - Melanosuchus niger
Spectacled (White) Caiman - Caiman crocodilus
Smooth-fronted Caiman (Schneider's Dwarf Caiman) - Paleosuchus trigonatus
(Cuvier's) Dwarf Caiman - Paleosuchus palpebrosus

Green Anaconda - Eunectes murinus

Turtles and Tortoises

Green Turtle - Chelonia mydas
Loggerhead Turtle - Caretta caretta
Hawksbill Turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata
Leatherback Turtle - Dermochelys coriacea
Olive Ridley Turtle - Lepidochelys olivacea
Amazon Matamata - Chelus fimbriatus
Twist-necked Turtle (South American Flat-headed)- Platemys platycephala
Lesser Toad-headed Turtle - Phrynops gibbus
Greater Toad-headed Turtle - Phrynops raniceps
Geoffroy's Side-necked Turtle - Phrynops geoffroanus
Red Toad-headed Turtle - Phrynops rufipes
Big-Headed River Turtle - Peltocephalus dumerilianus
Yellow-spotted Side-necked Turtle (Taricaya)- Podocnemis unifilis ...photo
Giant Amazonian (South American) River Turtle - Podocnemis expansa
Six-tubercled River Turtle - Podocnemis sextuberculata
Scorpion Mud Turtle - Kinosternon scorpiodes
White-lipped Mud Turtle - Kinosternon leucostomum
Yellow-footed Tortoise - Geochelone denticulata
Red-footed Tortoise - Geochelone carbonaria

Birds of Peru

Peru has over 1800 species of birds - the second highest number of any country. New species of birds are still being discovered and catalogued by scientists. 42 species have been officially added to science in the last 30 years.

Avibase - Peru Bird Checklist
A complete checklist of the birds of Peru provided by Avibase, including endemic, endangered, threatened, and accidental status.

Books
A complete selection of the recommended Field guides and birding location guides.
Updates to "A Field Guide to the Birds of Peru" by Clements.

Audio

Voices of the Peruvian Rainforest - free download of the recordings of Ted Parker from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Cornell Lab Audio Guides including:
- Voices of Amazonian Birds Vol. 1, 2,3
- Voices of New World Parrots
- Voices of Andean Birds Vol. 1, 2
- Songs of the Antbirds
Bird Songs and Calls From Southeast Peru by ARA Records.
Voices of the Toucans by ARA Records.

Endemic Birds
Depending on the authority you consult between 125 and 139 species are endemic to Peru.

Birding trip reports
List of over 200 trip reports and links to other collections of trip reports.

Marine Mammals of Peru

Short-beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus delphis
Photo by Giovanni Bearzi

Peru has about 35 species of marine mammals, in which we include whales, dolphins, poroises, sea lions, seals and sea otters. There are 21 species of small cetaceans. Most of these live in open waters but only two species, the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Burmeister's Porpoise (Phocaena spinnipinis), live in inshore waters.

List of Marine Mammals

South American Sea Lion - Otaria flavescens (formerly byronia)
South American Fur Seal - Arctocephalus australis
Juan Fernández Fur Seal - Arctocephalus philippii (does not breed, seen in small numbers during the winter months at San Juan de Marcona)
Marine Otter - Lontra felina
Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus
Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus
Short-Beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus delphis
Long-Beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus capensis
Dusky Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obscurus
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin - Stenella attenuata
Striped Dolphin - Stenella coeruleoalba
Spinner Dolphin - Stenella longirostris
Rough-Toothed dolphin - Steno bredanensis
Pygmy Killer Whale - Feresa attenuata
Killer Whale - Orcinus orca
False Killer Whale - Pseudorca crassidens
Burmeister's porpoise - Phocoena spinipinnis
Fraser's Dolphin - Lagenodelphis hosei
Southern Right-whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis peronii
Short-Finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus
Long-Finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas
Melon-Headed Whale - Peponocephala electra
Antarctic Minke Whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Sei Whale - Balaenoptera borealis
Bryde's Whale - Balaenoptera edeni
Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
Fin Whale - Balaenoptera physalus
Lesser-Beaked Whale - Mesoplodon peruvianus
Blainville's Beaked Whale - Mesoplodon densirostris
Cuvier's Beaked Whale - Ziphius cavirostris
Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis
Humpback Whale - Megaptera novaeangliae
Sperm Whale - Physeter macrocephalus
Pygmy Sperm Whale - Kogia breviceps
Dwarf Sperm Whale - Kogia sima