Peru has always been my dream country. Apart from having mountains, spectacular nature, jungle, rivers, ocean and other impressive things to see and to visit, I feel that its biggest treasure is culture and people. Even though I haven’t visited Peru yet, I’ve met some Peruvians here at the University and I fell in love with their good and positive energy. Moreover, I was lucky enough to hear some breathtaking stories and learn new things about their country!
So, here are 15 reasons why you must go to Peru!
Reason 1: Takanakuy is an annual Christmas fighting festival celebrated on 25th of December. Anyone can participate in this public fist fight which has a very nice and meaningful purpose: to resolve conflict, strengthen community and hopefully, arrive at a greater peace for the next year. Moreover, each fight begins and ends with a hug or a handshake so it’s not as dangerous as it might look like.
Reason 2: “The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky…” but it might be even prettier to see a Rainbow Mountain in Peru! The mineral sediments of millions of years of evolution have created this glorious effect of 7 different colors. Warning! Do not go in the rain!
Reason 3: There are 10 million alpacas in the world and three-quarters of them live in Peru.
Reason 4: The National University of San Marcos was founded in 1551 and is the first university in the Americas.
Reason 5: It is impossible not to mention Machu Picchu, one of the most famous and impressive places in Peru. The only thing you can do while climbing up the stairs to reach it is wonder how it was built at almost 3 kilometers height.
Peru is a place where the diversity and authenticity of the culture, nature and food hold the essence of life itself
Reason 6: If you are wondering how it would feel like to visit Machu Picchu without the usual tourist crowd, go to another impressive place which is Choquequirao. The lonely ‘sister’ of Machu Picchu is way more authentic and enjoyable and is perfect for interacting with local communities.
Reason 7: Peru is a well-known country for its amazing cuisine. Even 9 Peruvian restaurants are on the list of 50 best Latin America’s restaurants of 2018.
Reason 8: Did you know that potato originates from Peru? Moreover, you can find over 3,000 different varieties of them there! A Peruvian who is proud of his country would say Soy más peruano que la papa which means ‘I am more Peruvian than the potato’.
Reason 9: Quechua people still live on floating islands made of mud and reeds in the middle of Lake Titicaca. It’s crazy to think what an incredible and peaceful lifestyle they have, surrounded by breathtaking nature, far away from crowded cities.
Reason 10: There are 3 official languages in Peru: Spanish, Quechua and Aymara.
Reason 11: If you’re an adventurous soul, you should stay at Treehouse Hotel in the Peruvian Amazon. What could be better than waking up to the symphony of exotic birds and monkeys?
Reason 12: The highest point in Peru Huarascán is at a height of almost 7 kilometers above sea level. It is the fourth highest mountain in South America!
Reason 13: There are 90 different micro-climates in Peru which make this country one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the prettiest, birds, butterflies and plants and the most spectacular sceneries.
Reason 14: Peru is also the right place to look for best superfoods. The Camu-Camu fruit has the highest vitamin C concentration of any food, about 60 times that of an orange!
Reason 15: Amazon River dolphin is another Peruvian miracle. It is a pink, quiet, mythical and extremely friendly mammal. The best part is that you can have a swim with it!
