Postcard from Huaraz

In a couple of years it will no longer be possible to enter Machu Picchu, only to view it from a viewing platform, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to do the Inca Trail as it's getting very worn and it has to be preserved.  However, this area is equally beautiful and has very good trekking.

This is the city of Huaraz, which is situated in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in central Peru. It has a population of approximately 100,000 and is the capital of the Ancash region. Huaraz is situated at an altitude of 9,000ft in the Andes, about 280 miles north of Lima, and we're using it as our centre for exploring the surrounding area.

Huaraz sits in the agriculturally important Callejon de Huaylas valley, at the foot of the aforementioned Cordillera Blanca mountain range, which includes Huascaran, the highest mountain in Peru at 22,334ft. Mount Everest has an altitude of 29,029 ft. Huascaran National Park is a popular destination for tourism and trekking in particular, and Huaraz is a frequent base for expeditions to the Cordilleras Blancas and Huayhuash. Tourists often come from Argentina, Italy, Switzerland, Israel, Germany, the UK and the United States.

There is trekking by foot, mules and packhorses or you can take a minibus into the mountains.  

Tourists normally go to the Colca Canyon to see the condors, but they can be seen here equally well.  There are also protected plant species such as the Puya Raimondi and the queñual tree.

This is the Puya Raimondi tree - above - and below are a couple of photos of a very popular destination, Lake Llanganuco.

Rather different from the Inca Baths in Cajamarca are the thermal springs of Monterrey:

Sorry it's rather blurred!
In the Callejon de Conchucos, south-east of Huaras, is the archaeological complex of Chavin de Huantar which consists of temples, tunnels, stone buildings and carvings.  This site was the most important ceremonial centre of the ancient Chavin culture (900BC to 200BC) and in one of its tunnels is the Lanzón, an impressive and fierce looking mythical figure over 14 feet tall.

This is engraved rock:

And here's a Chavin carved head

And this is the Lanzón:

The area's most demanding and impressive trek, which lasts for 8 days, starts at the town of Chiquian.

Here are some more photos:

This, above, is Pastoruri and below is the Rio Santa Valley:

And this is the White Mountain range.

The best time to come here is between May and September when skies are clear. The snowline starts at 15,000 ft and nights are cold at high altitude and cool in Huaraz and other towns.

As with elsewhere in the Andes, the area is rich in arts and crafts such as lambswool blankets from Chavín, Tarica pottery, wrought iron objects, embossed leather, baskets and ponchos.

As I said at the beginning of this post, it is getting increasingly difficult to go to Machu Picchu and to do the Inca Trail, so this area is a wonderful alternative.

Thirteen Day/Twelve Night Special Promotion

We have pleasure in presenting our Special Promotion.

ITINERARY LIMA-PARACAS- NAZCA-AREQUIPA-PUNO-CUSCO 13 DAYS-12 NIGHTS.

Please see the detailed itinerary and prices below

LIMA –PARACAS-NAZCA-AREQUIPA-LAKE TITICACA- CUSC0 MACHU PICCHU –

13 DAYS – 12 NIGHTS

Cuzco is Peru’s main tourist destination and one of the most important destinations in the Americas. Known by the Incas as the “Home of the Gods”, Cuzco became the capital of one of the largest pre-Columbian empires: the Tawantinsuyo. Its name in Quechua means “Navel of the World.”

DAY 1 – LIMA

Transfer from the airport to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima

DAY 2 LIMA-PARACAS

Transfer to the bus station. Royal Class bus to Paracas. Tour to the Paracas National Park Transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Paracas

DAY 03 – PARACAS-NAZCA

Ballestas tours. Consists of small islands that are a habitat to diverse species of birds, sea lions and penguins.

Bus from Pisco to Nazca . Upon on arrival in Nazca, transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Nazca.

DAY 04 - NAZCA-AREQUIPA

Flight over the Nazca lines very early. After the flight where many well-preserved ancient burial sites can be seen. Transfer to the bus station. Royal Class to Arequipa.. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Arequipa

Day 05

Tour to Colca Canyon. It is an expedition by minibus or land rover to the deepest canyon in the world at 3420 m (11,220 ft). Out of the city one can also find the superb natural landscape like the Colca Valley, 148 Km (92 miles) north east from Arequipa. The Condor Viewpoints is a great place for appreciating the snow peaks like Ampato and Sabancaya. The impressive Colca Valley is a region of beautiful places surrounded by terraces, snow peaks and old towns founded in the 16^th century. Overnight in Chivay

Día 06

Continue to Yaque flanked by apparently inaccessible agricultural terraces, to Cruz del Condor. This overlooks the most spectacular precipice from where condors are often seen to glide in the up draughts. Bus to Puno. Overnight in puno

DAY 07 - Lake Titicaca

Excursion to the island of the Uros, floating islands of reeds on Lake Titicaca. The islands are built on the basis of reeds, which grows in much of the lake. The trip will last three hours and will lead us to the Islands; children offer souvenirs and small rafts of reeds and women sell hermosnos looms. Overnight on the Amantani islands

DAY 08 –LAKE TITICACA

In the afternoon, visit to the island of Taquile. The trip will last 30 minutes by motor boat. This island is known for its fabrics, you can purchase textiles in the cooperative fabric of the island. There are no hotels in Taquile. Return to Puno at 17:30 or so.

Overnight in Puno

DAY 09 Puno-CUSCO

Transfer to the bus station. Tourist bus from Puno to Cusco. Visit of the tourist sites such as: Andabuaylillas, Rajqui.

Puno, is located on the plateau of Collao, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. It was founded in 1668 and is the highest principal Port of the world. Legend has it that Manco Capac, the first Inca, and Mama Ocllo, his sister-wife, emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca and founded Puno. It is said that the royal couple was sent to build the indigenous Uros, whose descendants live in the famous islands at present. It is found desirable connected to Cuzco either by train, bus or domestic flights.

Overnight in Puno

DAY 10– CUSCO

Transfer to the airport

City tour in Cusco. Guided visit to the Cathedral, The Inca Temple of Koricancha and the nearby ruins such as: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara The Red fortress and Tambomachay

Overnight in Cusco

DAY 11 – SACRED VALLEY

Breakfast. Guided visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Just an hour’s drive from Cusco, the Urubamba Valley, or Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a setting of picturesque communities, impressive terraces and many important archaeological sites. Dominated by the imposing peaks of the Vilcanota mountain range, the valley has been the storehouse for agricultural products for the city of Cusco since Inca times, and today is famous for its corn with the largest kernels in the world. The valley includes the area between the Inca communities of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Return to Cusco around 17:00 hrs. Overnight in Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco

DAY 12– CUSCO - MACCHU PICCHU

Transfer to the train station. Train to Aguas Calientes. The Citadel of Machu Picchu is the most important tourist attraction of Cusco. One can get to this Inca construction after a three ride by train from the city and then taking a bus to the up of the citadel.

Today, Machu Picchu tour. Discovered in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham, this citadel is considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples of landscape architecture in the world. Return to Cusco by train. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco

DAY 13 – LIMA

Transfer from the hotel to the airport .

web: www.andex-adventure.com Mobile 9406-4819 Living the experience Andex Adventure Av. Paseo de la República 1730 -Lima 09 Telefax: (511) 251 6530 e-mail: info@andex-adventure.com

****END OF THE SERVICES ****

INCLUDED

• 1 hotel nights in Lima: including breakfast

• Overflight the Nazca lines from nazca

• Bus ticket Lima-Ica-lima , Tourist service

• 1 hotel nights in Paracas : including breakfast

• 1 hotel nights in Nazca: including breakfast

• Group Tour to Paracas National Park

• Ballestas island tour in group service

• Bus tickets Lima-Paracas-Nazca-Arequipa

• 1 hotel nights in Arequipa, including breakfasts.

• 1 hotel night in Colca, including breakfasts.

• All transfers

• Tour (Colca Canyon) 2 days- 1night

• 2 hotel nights in Puno: including breakfast

• 2 DAY Tours lago Titicaca in group service

• Transfer to the airport and vist Sillustani tower on the way

• Tour to Machu Picchu, including: entrance fee to the ruins, bus to the ruins, transfers, professional guide , train tickets.

• 4 hotel nights in Cusco: including breakfast

• Tourist Bus ticket Puno to Cusco, including entrances

• Airport transfers in Cusco and Lima

• City tours including entrances in group service

• Sacred Valley tours in group service

• Bus to Puno

• Domestic flight Cusco- Lima.

NOT INCLUDED

• Other meals

• Tips.

PRICE PER PERSON £680.00

BASED ON DOUBLE ROOM

INCLUDING AIRFARE CUSCO –LIMA

HOTEL BASIC **

The Ballestas Islands

Now we travel along the Peruvian coast to Paracas. The desert and the sea come together in spectacular fashion in Paracas. The cliffs that fringe the beaches are teeming with life: millions of birds that live here year-round, and thousands of others that fly from the Northern Hemisphere and from further south, ranging from guano birds to Humboldt penguins

So we take a yacht trip from Paracas to the Ballestas Islands passing the Candelabra, which I put with Nazca, but here it is again:

El Candelabro (The Candelabra) is a geoglyph of more than 394 feet long, better appreciated from the ocean.

These islands, also known as the Guano Islands, constitute the habitat to large concentrations of sea birds and sea lions colonies in their natural environment.

These are the Tambo Colorado Inca ruins:

Visiting both the Nazca Lines and the Ballestas Islands in one day is just wonderful.

Postcard from Nazca Lines

We have now returned to Lima  from where we have gone by coach to the Nazca Lines, which we now fly over.

The Nazca Lines are to the south of Ica beside the Pan-American Highway where, on the plains of San Jose, lies a collection of mysterious geoglyphs and straight lines that were etched into the desert in about 600 AD.

The Nazca Lines are furrows about 20 centimetres deep, forming shapes such as a humming bird,  a monkey and a fish, and are about 500 metres long.  In 1901 Max Uhle first studied them, followed by Toribio Mejia Xesspe in 1926, but it was Paul Kosok who brought them to the attention of the world in 1939.

Here's the candelabrum:

This is supposedly the monkey:

And this is the hummingbird:

 Because they can only be seen properly from the air, due to their size, the theory goes that they were created either by humans or aliens to provide landing guidance for spaceships.  It the goes on to say that after the aliens departed the humans began to build up a religion around them aimed at bringing the aliens back to earth.
These are supposed to be trees:

Serra Head, in Science 2.0, states the following:

Well known Skeptic, Joe Nickell, was able to reconstruct the geoglyphs in a remarkably short time using basic, simply reproduced, and most certainly available instruments for the time.

Nickell also makes a point about the whole “They can ONLY be seen from the SKY” statement:

“It is frequently asserted that the Nazca drawings are recognizable only from the air. That is not quite true, certainly not of the smaller figures, such as the effigy of a fish, which is only 80 feet long (Reiche 1976). Neither is it true of some drawings — attributed to the Nazcas’ predecessors — that are found on hill slopes (McIntyre 1975; Isbell 1978, 1980). Here, seemingly, is a clue to how the Nazcas could have been confident of the accuracy of their method of enlargement. Once a technique was found to be successful for producing large drawings on slopes, where they could actually be viewed from the ground, the same technique could be expected to consistently yield good results — wherever figures were drawn and whatever their size.” [2]

This point was also made by The Nazca-Palpa Project in 2007 [3], where they not only dated the geoglyphs and gave sequence order to the deposition, they remarked that the smaller glyphs could be seen from a short distance, like from a slope [3].

I would hope at this point that I’ve provided enough evidence to remove aliens from the picture. I can show that the geoglyphs were most probably a cultural tool used to create a sense of community and possibly served ritual purposes dating from about 400 BC till sometime after 600 AD [3]. I have shown that they could have been created using nothing more than a sketch, knotted rope, and T-square [2], all of which was available in that time period. There is also the well known C-14 dates of the pottery sherds and burials associated with the lines, which help us put the lines into context [2,3]. There is no need to add aliens to the mix, they are unnecessary. They create a complication that is not needed since everything has a simple, human explanation. 

It really is very interesting and the Nazca Lines are a real must to see.  In my next post we're going on to the Ballestas Islands.  Here, finally, is an image of all the hieroglyphs at Nazca:

Special Offer 13 Days/12 Nights

This is advance notice of this special promotion for the sum of only £680; internal flights and transport included.

As you can see, this package includes all the important parts of southern Peru and a full itinerary will be online in the morning.  Contact us for further details.

Visit to the Temple of the Moon

The Sun and the Moon Temples were built during the Moche Culture between 100BC and 650AD just south of Trujillo, when the Peruvian empire was at its peak, with an advanced intelligent culture.  The site of these temples or huacas was believed to be in the capital of the Moche state.

The Temple of the Sun was believed to be an administrative centre while the Temple of the Moon was a centre of worship.

We are now going to show you around the Temple of the Moon as that's the one that has the most archaeological interest.

There's a lot to see.

It must have been stunning in its heyday!

These would almost certainly have been tombs

To their great amazement the early Spanish explorers  observed practices that resembled baptism among many of the natives.  This structure could possibly be a baptismal font.  These explorers couldn't believe that what they saw could have been a remnant of Christian worship by civilisations that had existed hundreds of years earlier.  What the early writers described suggested that these natives did practise elements of Christianity as we know it today.   Bishop Diego de Landa noted the practice of a type of baptism by immersion, described by an indigenous word signifying "to be born again".  Interesting!

This shows the location of the Huaca:

And we end with some jewellery based on designs of the period: