Does Peru offer more than Machu Picchu? What do the high Andean peaks look like in reality? What are the people like in Peru? Condor or puma, what do we see of the diverse wildlife? We wanted to explore all this and much more in four weeks of trekking. In the following report, we try to describe what we found out on our trip
On arrival in Lima, we used the pick-up service from the hostel and set off on the adventure of "city traffic in South America". Packed streets, fog, drizzle and views of slums in every direction. At first glance, Lima more than lived up to its reputation as the "Calcutta of the Pacific".
As we were to visit Lima again and again on our trip, we headed south by bus the very next day. Paracas was our destination. The "Chicken Menu" was served right at the start of the bus journey and so we drove through the slums of the Peruvian capital on the luxurious four-axle double-decker bus while enjoying a delicious meal. What world do we live in? We eat comfortably on the bus, while an American light fare movie plays on the side, the Peruvian bus attendant serves Coca Cola with a friendly smile and the people next to the road live in extreme poverty. It quickly becomes clear that around 60% of the Peruvian population live below the poverty line. Even after the gates of Lima, the situation along the Panamericana didn't get any better. It is only at these moments that you really realize what good conditions we live in. We think about where the best powder will be at the weekend or whether pizza or wok is better for dinner today, while the people there search for food in the garbage with stray dogs or desperately try to feed their children by selling sweets at traffic lights. These images will remain in our minds and we will certainly judge "Western problems" differently in the future.
Lifeless desert - animated sea
The consequences of the last major earthquake in 2007 were still visible in the region around Paracas: The people in this region are still waiting for the promised funds from the government and consequently live in tin shacks around the destroyed city.
The land around Paracas is dominated by desert and only a few isolated, ancient, enigmatic sand drawings break the solitude. In extreme contrast, the sea in this region has a spectacular wealth of species: in addition to numerous species of fish and birds, you can even observe sea lion colonies there. To experience this spectacle up close, you can hire a small boat tour to the Islas Ballestas. There you will encounter thousands of guano boobies, which you will notice at the latest by the acrid smell of their droppings. But with a bit of luck, you can also spot penguins, sea lions, flamingos and even dolphins in the spectacular island landscape formed by the sea.
The Paracas peninsula itself can be explored by collectivo on a half-day round trip. A competent guide explained the origins of the numerous fossils on site and took us to the spectacular cliffs, where he gave us plenty of geomorphological background information.
Big city in the face of the volcanoes
After a seemingly endless 13-hour bus ride through the coastal desert of Peru, we finally reached Arequipa in the central highlands at midnight. Arequipa is already completely different to Lima at dawn: even in a city of millions, you are woken up by the crowing of roosters on all sides and the sun slowly begins to illuminate the magnificent backdrop with the two volcanoes Chachani (6075) and Misti (5822).
First of all, you have to get used to the fact that there seem to be only cabs and no normal cars in Arequipa. However, Arequipa offers a beautiful, well-kept colonial city center. We particularly recommend a visit to the Santa Catalina monastery, which is unparalleled due to its size and colors. Accordingly, only the daughters of the wealthy upper classes were admitted here. Also interesting is the well-preserved mummy of the sacrificed Inca girl Juanita, which can be viewed in the Museo Santuarios Andinos.
Deeper than the Grand Canyon
A must is a tour to the Colca Canyon, which even puts the Grand Canyon in the shade and is home to the famous Andean condor. It is definitely advisable to plan enough time here and not just do the classic tourist trip to the condor viewing point by bus - the canyon offers much more than just the condors. A 3-day trip is ideal. This gives you the opportunity to get to know the living conditions of the locals a little better: the small villages, which are almost isolated from the outside world, are only inhabited by older people, the young have already moved to the city in the hope of finding work and better living conditions - unfortunately mostly in vain, as many end up in the slums of the big cities.
The villagers live off their agricultural produce, which they grow on the centuries-old terraces in the canyon. They laboriously transport these products by donkey to the next village for exchange - and that means a climb of more than 1200 m. On the trekking tour, you can stay overnight with the locals or simply pitch your tent in the canyon. Either way, you will receive a very friendly welcome. Many exotic fruits and plants, as well as an oasis at the end of the trekking tour, round off the beautiful experience in the canyon.
