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ADVENTURE SPORTS
- Introduction
- Land sports
Trekking
Routes
Inca
Trail to Machu Picchu
The
Salkantay loop
Llama
Trek Olleros - Chavín
Trekking
in Colca Valley
Trekking
in the Cordillera Blanca
Trekking
in the Cordillera Huayhuash
Trekking
beyond the mountains
Mountaineering
in Peru
Summits
of Arequipa
The
Cordillera Huayhuash Mountain Range
The
Cordillera Blanca Mountain Range
Rock climbing
Mountain biking
Biking
in Cordillera Blanca
Biking
in Pachacamac
Biking
in Paracas
Sandboarding
- Water's sports
Surfing
Bayóvar
- Nonura
Cabo
Blanco
Chicama
La
Herradura
Pico
Alto
Punta
Rocas
Sports fishing
Freshwater
fishing
Saltwater
fishing
Deep Sea Fishing in Cabo Blanco
Rafting
Rafting
along the coast
The
Highlands
The
Jungle
Windsurfing
Underwater
Fishing and Scuba Diving
- Air sports
Parapente
and Hang Gliding
Hot Air
Ballooning
INTRODUCTION
We can classify these sports as
the following categories, land sports, water sports
and air sports:
Land sports include the following: trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain biking and sandboarding.
Water's sports include:
surfing, sports fishing, rafting, windsurfing, underwater fishing and scuba diving.
Air sports include: Parapente, handgliding and hot air ballooning.
TREKKING
ROUTES
Peru is a veritable paradise for hikers. Practically
the entire highland spine of the country, including
valleys, plains and massifs feature trekking circuits
varying in degrees of difficulty.
Only a handful of these circuits
have been commercially "discovered" as trekking
routes. The rest remain relatively unexplored, awaiting
all those who wish to retrace the magical roads through
the Peruvian Andes, with its extraordinary network
of pre-Colombian trails and more than 12,000 lakes.
It is a land which features the world's deepest canyons,
glaciers and snow-capped peaks, forests and thundering
waterfalls, picturesque villages and above all, the
most hospitable people imaginable.
Some trails are so steep they lead
into breath-taking gorges, zig-zagging through the
mountains, others straight as an arrow, fading into
the distant desert horizon; hidden and invisible amongst
the thick undergrowth of the Amazon jungle.
The trails of Peru offer endless
possibilities, and many ideal combinations for hikers
of all levels of experience.
Inca
Trail to Machu Picchu
Located in the department of Cuzco, the Inca Trail
to Machu Picchu is Peru's most popular trekking
route and possibly one of the most spectacular walks
in the Americas. It forms part of the more than
23,000 km of roads built by the Incas across South
America. Each year, some 25,000 hikers from all
over the world walk the 43 km stone-paved trail,
built by the Incas to get to the impregnable citadel
of Machu Picchu, deep in the Cuzco cloud forest.
The trail sets out from Qorihuayrachina,
at Kilometer 88 of the Cuzco-Quillabamba railway,
and takes three to four days of tough hiking. The
route runs through an impressive range of altitudes,
where climates and eco-systems range from the high
Andean plain down to the cloud forests. The trail
climbs up through two highland passes (the higher
of the two, Warmiwañuska, lies at 4,200 masl)
before reaching Machu Picchu through the Inti Punku
or Gateway of the Sun. One of the attractions of
the trail is that it winds past carved granite Inca
settlements (Wiñay Wayna, Phuyupatamarca),
and is surrounded by breath-taking natural scenery.
The forests abound in hundreds of species of orchids,
brightly-colored birds and dream-like landscapes,
the ideal complement to this indispensable hikers'
route.
The
Salkantay loop
Located in the department of Cuzco, Mount Salkantay
(6,271 masl) marks the culmination of a trekking
circuit that combines majestic landscapes with the
attraction of the world's most famous pre-Hispanic
site: Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
The route starts out following
the old Inca road carved into the rock and which
leads to the citadel of Machu Picchu. The trail
crosses through a high mountain pass between Mount
Salkantay and Humantay (5,917 masl) before heading
along the Acobamba River Canyon down to the archaeological
site. The trail grant hikers extraordinary views
of most of Cuzco's most beautiful mountains: Mount
Wayanay (5,464 masl), Palcay (5,229 masl) and Wakay
Willka or Verónica (5,750 masl), which soar
above one side of the Urubamba River Valley.
Llama
Trek Olleros - Chavín
Located in the department of Ancash, this interesting
and novel form of trekking is aimed at promoting
eco-tourism in the region by reviving its traditional
customs. The llama and alpaca, key pack animals
in the Peruvian Andes, will captivate hikers on
a tour of some of the most spectacular trails of
the Cordillera Blanca and the Huascarán National
Park.
The route sets out from the picturesque
village of Olleros (30 km south of Huaraz), where
the llamas are loaded up with the necessary gear
for the trek. During the four-day hike, in addition
to walking through breath-taking mountain scenery
and taking in Mount Shaqsha (5,703 meters), Cashan
(5,686 meters) and Tuctupunta (5,343 meters), hikers
can take part in the customs and traditions of peasant
farming communities such as Shongo (home to the
imposing Huancas complex of sacred stone monoliths
and Nunupata. The trail comes to an end at the vast
Chavín de Huántar temple, an important
administrative and ceremonial center of the first
Pan-Andean pre-Colombian civilization.
Trekking
in Colca Valley
Located in the department of Arequipa, the Colca
Valley covers a series of beautiful trekking circuits
which have been recently discovered for adventure
tourism. The area features a network of practically
endless trails that wind through the mountains,
linking lovely colonial villages. The area is also
studded with beautiful lakes, bizarre stone formations
formed by wind erosion and unique flora and fauna
such as Andean condors, vicuñas, queñual
forests and clumps of yareta plants. The main attraction
of the area is without a doubt the chain of snow-capped
volcanoes, some of them active: Mount Hualca Hualca
(6,025 masl), Sabancaya (5,976 meters) and Ampato
(6,288 meters), among others.
Since the time immemorial, the
Colca has been home to the Collagua and Cabana tribes,
descendants of the Pucará people of the southern
highland plains and from the Quechua people of Cuzco,
who proved to be skillful hydraulic engineers and
master builders.
One of the most popular trekking
routes in the Colca is the trail that links the
town of Cabanaconde and Tapay in a circuit that
takes two to three days and gives hikers views of
impressive landscapes, Cabana towns such as Cosnihua
and Malata, and many pre-Hispanic ruins.
Trekking
in the Cordillera Blanca
Located in the department of Ancash, the Cordillera
Blanca is the world's highest tropical mountain
range. It runs for 180 km from North-South and divides
the western and eastern watersheds of the Andes.
Every year, the Cordillera Blanca receives thousands
of mountain climbers bent on climbing the snow-capped
peaks or hiking through the spectacular landscapes.
Almost the entire mountain chain is protected by
the Huascarán National Park, an area home
to 663 glaciers, 269 lakes and 41 rivers, in addition
to 33 archaeological sites.
The Cordillera Blanca is riddled
with countless trekking circuits. However, some
of them have become world-famous: the route of the
Quebrada Santa Cruz gully is possibly the most popular
of all. The trek sets out from Cashapampa and ends
up in the gorge of Quebrada Llanganuco, at the edge
of the emerald-green waters of the Llanganuco lakes.
The hike takes four to six days. Other popular circuits
include the tour of Mount Alpamayo, a spectacular
12-day hike along the mountaintops; the Quebrada
de los Cedros, a trail that gives visitors views
of the mountains in the northern sector of the Huascarán
Park during a four-day hike; Llanganuco-Portachuelo,
a simple, day-and-a-half trek; and Quebrada Quilcayhuanca,
which is gently sloping and lasts for two-and-a-half
days.
Trekking
in the Cordillera Huayhuash
Located in the department of Ancash, the Cordillera
Huayhuash is held to be the world's least-known
and most beautiful mountain ranges. It stretches
across an area of 30 km, running from north to south,
and is studded with a string of soaring peaks, including
Mount Yerupajá and dozens of glacial lakes
(Carhuacocha, Jahuacocha, Mitucocha, among others).
The trekking circuit runs across the entire range
and covers nearly 165 km in 12 days. The experts
deem it one of the most spectacular trekking circuits
on Earth.
The route -the only trail that
circles the cordillera- sets out from the town of
Chiquián (3,400 masl) and takes two days
to reach the heart of the cordillera. Along the
way, the trail runs through five high mountain passes
and passes through picturesque farming and livestock
herding villages such as Llamac, Pocpa, Huayllapa
and Pacllón, bordering the mountains to the
north, before following the eastern edge and completing
the circuit on the west side. A shorter circuit
(45 km) links Chiquián with Lake Jahuacocha,
setting out from the villages of Llamac and Pocpa
and returning through Pacllón.
Towering mountains, crystal-clear
lakes, flocks of llamas and alpacas, hospitable
people, and above all, Nature in all her unspoiled
glory is the prize for those who venture to discover
this unique circuit.
Trekking
beyond the mountains
Trekking is not just about mountains and rugged
terrain. Some parts of the Peruvian coast combine
the vast and apparently empty desert with the jagged
coastline to create extraordinarily beautiful natural
scenarios for hikers. One such spot is the Paracas
desert south of Lima and Bayóvar, in the
northern department of Piura.
On the other side of the Andes,
along the steep eastern slopes, drenched by the
constant rains from the Amazon plains, spreads the
cloud forest. This land of impenetrable forests
is believed to be the last refuge for a unique wildlife
(orchids, bromeliads and tree-born ferns) and unique
species on the verge of extinction (the spectacled
bear, the dwarf deer and the yellow-tailed choro
monkey). This area formed part of the vast and complex
network of pre-Colombian roads that linked the highlands
to the jungle. One of these routes leads to Kuélap,
the Chachapoyas fortress deep in the jungle department
of Amazonas.
Other fascinating routes in the
eastern Andes include the trails that descend to
the east of Cuzco and Puno, and make up spectacular,
little-known circuits for trekking enthusiasts.
PARACAS
The peninsula and bay of Paracas, in the department
of Ica, is criss-crossed by countless trails which
make for first-rate trekking circuits. Plains of
yellow saltpetre, shifting sand dunes and extraordinarily
rich fishing grounds are the stomping ground for
vast flocks of marine bird species and sea lions,
which have created a unique environment along the
Peruvian coast.
BAYOVAR
The far north of Peru is home to Bayóvar
and its unspoiled beaches, a natural treasure of
the department of Piura. Deep ravines, carved out
by rivers long since dried up but which every 50
years spring to life to violently reshape the landscape;
forests of twisted carob trees; flocks of migratory
birds and a windswept desert are just some of the
area's attractions.
Mountaineering
in Peru
The Peruvian Andes provide an incomparable spot for
mountaineering and make Peru a magnet for lovers of
South American mountains. There are many reasons:
a unique concentration of mountains and relatively
few mountain climbers; mild weather almost all year-long,
and relatively easy access to sites that are nevertheless
cut off from hectic city life. It is an ideal combination
that makes Peru one of the most attractive destinations
for mountaineers worldwide.
Although the lowest summit of the
Huascarán massif, the world's highest tropical
mountain, was first climbed in 1 908 by US climbers
Annie Peck and two Swiss guides, mountain climbing
in the Andes only took off in Peru in the early 1
930s thanks to the pioneering European expeditions
that launched the great Andean travel adventure in
search of new climbing challenges.
Since the 1 932 expedition led
by Austrian climbers Borchers, Schneider and Kinzl
reached the southern summit of Mount Huascarán
(6 768 masl) -Peru's highest-, Peru's peaks have been
the scene of many more spectacular ascents
Summits
of Arequipa
Arequipa is synonymous with volcanoes, blue skies
and endless plains. Known as the White City for
the white volcanic ashlar stone used in its buildings,
Arequipa sits at the foot of the western Andes.
The city is the starting point
for a number of ascents of variable difficulty,
all characterized by a rare combination of breath-taking
landscapes, easy access, and a significant cultural
element. Ancient Peruvians chose Arequipa's volcano
summits for ritual human sacrifices to honor their
gods, as shown by the recent discovery of Juanita
or Little Jane, the mummified Inca maiden found
in an exceptionally good state of preservation on
the summit of Mount Ampato.
Misti volcano (5 825 meters)
is the main symbol of Arequipa. More than a climb,
going up Misti implies a two-day walk on often-loose
ground up steep slopes. The most popular ascent
starts from the city of Arequipa itself and goes
on to Tambo Inca and the base camp at Nido de Aguilas
(Eagle's Nest) to reach the summit on the second
day of ascent. Chachani (6 075 meters), the city's
other volcano, can be approached along a spectacular
gravel road that climbs toward the Pampa de Arrieros.
Four hours from Arequipa, the
Colca Valley features stunning mountains that have
also become popular among mountain climbers. They
include volcanoes like Ampato (6 288 meters) and
Sabancaya (5 976 meters), as well as the glacier
at Hualca Hualca (6 025 meters), among the most
important. Lastly, the Coropuna (6 425 meters),
probably the most beautiful mountain in the Cotahuasi
Valley, offers travelers an impressive view of the
area. It can be reached from lake Pallarcocha, a
little more than two days away from Arequipa by
road.
Information about access to these
and other mountains can be obtained from adventure
travel operators in Arequipa who will also provide
all the logistic services and make arrangements
with local porters and guides
The
Cordillera Huayhuash Mountain Range
"The most splendid of Peru's mountain ranges"
is a common remark made by climbers about this site.
The first summit in the range is Mt. Siulá
Grande, first climbed by an Austrian expedition
in 1 936. Its highest mountain, Yerupajá,
was first climbed in 1 950 by a team from Harvard
University. Huayhuash includes a dozen peaks which
are particularly difficult to climb due to frequent
snow and ice avalanches. Some of the best-known
glaciers include Yerupajá (6 634 meters),
Yerupajá Chico (6 121 meters), Jirishanca
(6 094 meters), Siulá Grande (6 344 meters),
Rondoy (5 879 meters), Ninashanca (5 807 meters),
and Rasac (6 017 meters).
The mountains are usually approached
from the town of Chiquián (360 km northeast
of Lima), which is also an ideal place for getting
supplies. Porters and guides can be hired in the
nearby towns of Llamac, Pocpa and Pacllón.
Expeditions are also organized in nearby Huaraz.
The
Cordillera Blanca Mountain Range
Peru's mountain climbing mecca, the Cordillera Blanca
runs along the eastern flank of the Santa river,
in the Callejón de Huaylas. It embraces both
the largest and most beautiful snow-capped peaks
in the country. Among the best known are Mount Huascarán
(6 768 masl); the Huandoy massif's four summits,
three of them over 6 000 meters high; Chopicalqui
(6 354 meters), Chacraraju (6 112 meters), Alpamayo
(5 947 meters) and Copa (6 118 meters).
The range's advantages include
its ideal climate for climbing between May and October,
and its easy access that allows climbers to finish
the ascent in a short time. Additionally, the cities
and towns located at the foot of the mountains provide
travelers with a full variety of services including
porters, guides, rescue teams and climbing gear.
Huaraz, the capital of the Ancash Department, features
several hotels and restaurants, while a dozen reliable
travel agencies organize climbing expeditions. Chartered
flights arrive at the small local airport. However,
Huaraz can be easily reached in five to six hours
by taking the road from Lima to Pativilca (210 km
to the north along the North Pan-American Highway)
and then climbing another 200 km towards the Sierra.
Other towns at the foot of the
mountains like Carhuaz, a hook-up point with the
towns in the Callejón de Conchucos; Yungay,
the starting point for expeditions to the scenic
Llanganuco lagoon in the Huascarán National
Park, and Caraz, a flower-growing community known
for its pleasant climate, also offer travelers a
full range of services including guides, porters,
rescue teams and climbing gear rental.
Rock
climbing
Peru features places with superb conditions for practicing
open-air rock climbing. Just east of Lima lies Vichuya,
in the Lurín Valley. The Rímac Valley,
meanwhile, features Canchacalla, at Kilometer 46 of
the Central Highway, a center that has been running
rock climbing courses for several years now. Infiernillo,
at Kilometer 67 of the same highway, is possibly one
of the most accessible and difficult climbing spots
in the country.
Following the south coast down the South Pan-American
Highway, one finds the sedimentary rock formations
of Bikini (Kilometer 45), La Tiza (Kilometer 60) and
Paracas (Kilometer 250), all of them facing the Pacific
Ocean and overlooking breaking waves which add a touch
of adventure to a sport that is risky at the best
of times.
The Andes also feature ideal rock formations such
as Cumbemayo, outside Cajamarca; the Tinajani stone
formations, in Ayaviri, Puno; the walls of the glacial
canyon of Llanganuco, in Ancash; and the stone formations
of the Huayllay Sanctuary, in Pasco.
Mountain
biking
Mountain biking is the fastest-growing sport in the
country. Thousands of bikers year-round head out on
their bicycles down canyons and up trails all over
the country.
Practically the entire country, with the exception
of the coastal desert and the Amazon plain, is apt
for mountain biking. However, depending on the degree
of difficulty and logistical needs, circuits are divided
into three categories: A) Beginners: gently sloping
routes, with tough, compact terrain; B) Experienced
cyclists: circuits involving moderate slopes and a
certain degree of risk for the cyclist; C) Experts
only: steep slopes, high altitudes and uneven, scree-like
terrain, with a high degree of risk. So get on your
bike... and explore Peru.
Biking
in Cordillera Blanca
One of the most scenic areas in Peru, the Callejón
de Huaylas, in the department of Ancash, features
many breath-taking and tough biking trails amongst
its canyons and mountain ranges. Most circuits climb
up to high altitude (3,500 meters) before dropping
down steep slopes. One of the most popular routes
runs from the Llanganuco Lakes (3,800 meters) to
the town of Yungay. Another links the high mountain
pass of Punta Olímpica (4,800 meters) with
the town of Carhuaz. Both routes vary from Class
A-B, and are best cycled from May to October. Cyclists
should take along plenty of warm clothing and spare
bicycle parts, and should take precautions regarding
high altitude sickness known locally as soroche.
Biking
in Pachacamac
Located 31 km south of Lima down the old South Pan-American
Highway, this is a favorite spot for Lima bikers.
From the old Hacienda San Fernando plantation east
of the town of Pachacamac, cyclists will find access
to a series of circuits that vary in degree of difficulty
and types of terrain: La Chacra (A), along the route
to Cieneguilla, El Manzano (B), El Cardal (B), El
Chirimoyo (C), El Lúcumo (C) and Las Lomas
(B), among others. The routes are cycled from April
to December.
Biking
in Paracas
The entire Paracas Reserve, particularly the peninsula
and the shoreline heading south, in the department
of Ica, is one vast playground for bikers. Some
of the routes are short and simple, touring the
beach resort, while other, more difficult trails
cross the desert through sand dunes and up steep
slopes. As a rule, cyclists should always take along
water and a map of the area. Bikers are advised
to cycle together with an expert.
SANDBOARDING
Sandboarding has become popular on the sand dunes
near Ocucaje, Villacuri and Ica, an ideal area to
take to the steep sandy slopes of the desert.
SURFING
Although few people are aware of this fact, it was
in ancient Peru, and not in Polynesia or the South
Sea Islands that the first evidence was found of men
riding the waves with the help of external aids, as
found on textiles and pottery dating back to pre-Hispanic
civilizations.
This art, believed to date back at least 2 000 years
in Peru, is still practiced by fishermen in northern
fishing villages such as Huanchaco, Santa Rosa and
Pimentel, where fishermen venture out onto the waves
on totora reed rafts during their daily fishing trips.
The Maui surfboard made its debut on the Peruvian
coast in 1 942. Since then, surfing has gathered enough
fans as to become one of the most widely practiced
sports around. The waves off the Peruvian coast are
well-known all over the world and some of the best
breakers -such as Punta Rocas south of Lima or Cabo
Blanco to the north- are part of the surfing world
championship circuit.
Peru has ideal beaches that will
satisfy the most demanding surfer all year round:
the central coast features constant waves during winter
(April to September), while the north coast sees heavy
seas (or "crecidas") between October and
March. At the same time, as there are only 12 000
surfers in Peru, compared to 700 000 in Brazil for
example, one can always find empty beaches and perfect
waves in Peru. All surfers have to do, is choose their
favorite point.
Bayóvar
- Nonura
The wave that breaks at Bayóvar-Nonura, located
in the department of Piura, is a classic wave, running
long and leftwise, reaching a height of up to 3
meters. Surfers say it resembles a train for its
size and force. Access to the point involves a tough
paddle out against strong currents. The beach has
swells generally during summer.
Cabo
Blanco
Located in the department of Piura, Cabo Blanco
is widely held to feature the best left-breaking
wave in Peru. A rapid and short wave (which makes
a quick take-off obligatory) and one of the best
tubes in the country. The wave can reach a height
of 4 meters, although normally it ranges from 2-3
meters. The best time for surfing is from November
to December.
It is also a dangerous wave
as it breaks over a reef, which becomes more exposed
when swells wash away the sand. Wave frequency depends
directly on swells coming from the north (generated
in the North Pole and which pass through Hawaii).
Chicama
Chicama, located in the department of La Libertad,
is famous for boasting the world's longest wave.
It divides into four sections: the point, the cape,
the "man" and the "pier". Each
section is a wave in itself, with its own character
and speed. Surfers say to surf Chicama, one needs
an extra pair of legs. The wave is a classic left-running
Peruvian wave and grows with south and west-running
currents. Its ideal size is 2 meters.
La
Herradura
The classic point in Lima. On its best days, the
left-running waves can reach 5 meters in height.
It is split into three sections, the one nearest
the coast being the most tubular and the most difficult.
It is an oft-visited beach, where on a nice day
there will be 100 surfers (a major additional difficulty
if one takes into account each series only brings
five waves). Experienced surfers only.
Pico
Alto
Held to be the biggest and most spectacular wave
in Lima and all over Peru. The wave is a point break
(with left and right-running waves, although the
latter are more commonly surfed). The waves, perfect
and long, can reach a height of 10 meters. Not for
beginners. Experienced surfers compare it with Waimea
(Hawaii) and Todos los Santos (Baja California).
A long paddle out (the wave breaks 1 km out to sea).
Punta
Rocas
The most famous surf point in Peru and home to international
surfing championships (February). A big wave, which
can run to five meters high. Surfers call this beach
a "wave machine"; right- and left-running
waves, not necessarily perfect, but constant.
Access: Located at Kilometer
45 of the South Pan-American Highway. Apt for all
vehicles.
Sports
fishing
Tuna, drums, flounder, Pacific croaker, grunt, sea
bass and even black marlin are some of the attractions
for deep sea fishermen. Peru still features the world
record for the largest black marlin, weighing 702
kg (1,560 lb) caught by US fisherman Alfred Glossell
Jr. Writer Ernest Hemingway was a frequent visitor
to Peruvian waters, and it was here that he was inspired
to write The Old Man and the Sea.
Like the author, Peruvians know that Peru is synonymous
of adventure and above all good fishing. Fishing is
one of the most important industries in Peru due to
the variety of species in Peru's rich fishing grounds.
Here fishermen will always find an ideal beach for
the kind of fishing they are looking for: rocky bluffs
and cliffs, sweeping sandy beaches, cold waters teeming
with plankton and warm, clear currents.
Freshwater
fishing
There is freshwater fishing to be had in rivers
and lakes in the highlands, generally above 2,500
meters, as well as in the Amazon jungle. Highland
fishing is basically limited to trout and silversides,
both of which were introduced into Peru in the nineteenth
century. These varieties are plentiful in clean
and well-oxygenated waters. At altitudes over 3,000
meters, one tends to catch trout (white and pink
or rainbow).
Sports fishing in the jungle, while less developed
than along the coast, is concentrated in a few rivers
and lakes in the northern Amazon (Iquitos and environs),
where local species such as the tucunare, gamitana
and araguana are the most common catches. There
is also fishing to be had in some parts of the southern
jungle (Madre de Dios), which teem with zúngaro,
chambira, paco and doncella.
Saltwater
fishing
This is done all along Peru's vast Pacific coastline,
and is broken down into two types: shoreline fishing,
whether from the beach or from clifftops, and in
a boat. Fishing on beaches is the most common form
in Peru. Species like flounder, croaker and grunt
are the best catches along the sandy beaches of
Peru's central and south coast. To the north, fishermen
along the beach tends to reel in drums and pompano.
Fishing from the bluffs, meanwhile, is done all
along the coast, and fishermen just need rocky crags
to have a cast. Species caught include grunt, rock
bass and local species such as cherlo, tramboyo
and pintadilla. In both areas, fishermen tend to
use as bait the tiny crustaceans called muy muys
that live in the sand, wedge clams and snails.
Fishing from the back of boats
is also divided into two kinds: pinteo, or fishing
from an anchored boat, and trolling from a moving
launch. Pinteo fishing along the central and south
coast usually catches the same varieties as clifftop
fishing, adding cuskeel, sea bass and smoothhounds
in the north. Trolling, meanwhile, is usually done
off the north coast using artificial bait, reeling
in tuna, black marlin and local species such as
cherela, agujilla, sierra, pluma and perico.
| Deep
Sea Fishing in Cabo Blanco
Located in the northern part of the Piura
Region, famous last century for its deep sea
fishing. Ernest Hemingway fished here in the
early 1950s. The great writer was a regular
visitor. The large fish specimens to be found
here, inspired his famous book: "The
Old Man and The Sea".
The largest fish ever landed
on a rod, was a 710 kg (1,560 pound) Black
Merlin, was taken here in 1953 by Alfred Glassell,
Texan Millionaire, president of TEXACO Company.
Among other personalities
that visited Cabo Blanco were: Bob Hope, Marilyn
Monroe, John Wayne, Prince Philip of Edinburg,
Nelson Rockefeller and bullfighter Dominguin
(see picture).
|
The
famous bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin in
his 1963 visit to Cabo Blanco, invited by
his close friend Ernest Hemingway. |
Rafting
Peru features more than a dozen rivers that are more
than 600 km
long. The five largest rivers alone total 7,000 km
within Peru.
Polish adventurer Yurek Majcherzyck
and his friends introduced rafting into Peru, and
after several attempts, managed to paddle down the
thundering Colca River and its 300 rapids in the heart
of Arequipa. Ever since then, a group of Peruvian
rafting enthusiasts have made major efforts to open
up new routes around the country.
The sport depends on rubber rafts
which are powered by paddles and generally steered
by the helmsman through the foaming rapids.
Internationally, rapids are qualified
on a scale of I to VI according to the degree of difficulty
(Class VI rapids are impossible to run, and portage
is necessary).
Rafting
along the coast
The Cañete River, south of the city of Lima,
is without a doubt a rafting favorite amongst Lima
enthusiasts. The stretch that can be paddled, near
the pleasant fruit-growing region of Lunahuaná,
160 km southeast of Lima, features Class II-IV rapids.
The rafting season runs from October to April.
The Tumbes River, which flows
through the Tumbes department, is the fastest-flowing
river along the Peruvian coast. The stretch chosen
for rafting, between the communities of Figueroa
and Rica Playa, includes Class II-IV rapids along
a two-three day journey through the scenic dry forests
of the Tumbes Reserved Zone, which teem with alligators,
river otters and iguana lizards. The rafting season
runs from May to October.
The
Highlands
The Santa River, which winds through the Callejón
de Huaylas valley, in the department of Ancash,
splits the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra
mountain ranges. The stretch used for rafting runs
between the towns of Caraz and Yungay, and features
Class II-III rapids. It can be rafted from May to
October, making it an ideal complement to a visit
to the region.
The Colca River is famous for
whitewater rafting, and its rapids are widely respected
for their degree of difficulty. The river, which
runs through the Colca Valley 300 km north of Arequipa,
can be run without undue risk down the stretch between
Cabanaconde and Tapay. The river can be rafted from
May to October and features Class II-IV rapids.
Tours set out from Chivay. With a depth of 3,091
meters, the Colca Canyon is, after Cotahuasi (3,354
meters, also in Arequipa), one of the world's deepest
gorges, twice as deep as the Colorado Canyon.
The
Jungle
The Mayo and Huallaga Rivers, located in the department
of San Martín, are striking rivers which
have only recently been added to the commercial
circuit. The rivers feature Class II-II rapids and
can be run from May to October. Tours set out from
the jungle city of Tarapoto.
The wild and tumbling Tambopata
River is without a doubt the most spectacular rafting
route in Peru. The tour starts out at Puno, at Putina
Punku (1,900 meters) and descends through some of
the most exuberant jungle as far as the department
of Madre de Dios (at an altitude of just 200 meters
in the Amazon watershed). The trip, which mainly
runs through the country's largest uninhabited region,
takes 7-12 days and requires some complex logistical
planning. The river features Class III-IV rapids.
WINDSURFING
Despite the fact this sport is newcomer to Peru, open
air sports like Windsurfing has been gaining increasing
number of followers in recent years. Windsurfers flock
to the breezy bays of Paracas (Atenas, Mendieta and
Yumaque) as well as certain areas along the north
coast such as Pasamayo. El Paraiso and Medio Mundo,
the most popular spot.
Underwater
Fishing and Scuba Diving
Underwater fishing has been popular in Peru for decades.
The Peruvian sea provides excellent fishing, with
a large variety of scenarios to practice water sports,
which has made underwater fishing one of the most
popular sports in coastal cities and ports. The coasts
of Pucusana, Paracas and Ilo to the south, and Tumbes
and Piura to the north, are the most popular spots
among fishermen.
Scuba diving, meanwhile, is not
widely practiced in Peru. The coasts do, however,
offer ideal conditions, with unexplored beaches, huge
schools of Coastal sea fish and colonies of playful
sea lions.
Although in few spots along the
Peruvian coastline are waters as clear as in the Caribbean
or the Atlantic, they are home to a greater diversity
of species, making Peru an exceptional place for those
looking for a unique and different experience.
Parapente
and Hang Gliding
There are two main types of apparatus used by those
fond of flying: flying mechanisms that use the aerodynamics
of wings in order to fly; and the classic parachute,
which simply drops. Paragliding and hang gliding share
a structure made of a cloth or synthetic fiber which
moves with the winds. The difference stems from the
fact the paraglider is not rigid, while the hang glider
is.
Hang gliding was born from an unsuccessful model developed
by NASA to improve aerospace rescue parachutes, something
which caught on amongst those with a penchant for
flying. The first hang glider was brought to Peru
in the 1 970s. Paragliding, meanwhile, did not take
off in Peru until the early 1 990s. Its origins date
back to Savoie in France, where persevering sportsmen
modified the classic parachute until they came up
with others split up into cells, allowing for a longer
flight with more room for maneuver. The concept has
since improved, to the stage that today flyers can
glide for 10 km for each 1 000 meters they drop.
Once up in the air, sportsmen tackle two kinds of
currents: ascending, which are divided up into thermal
(columns of warm air generated by the heating up of
refractory surfaces) and orographic (which are created
when air rebounds off a cliff or similar obstacle);
and descending, similar to pockets of air that produce
turbulence for jet airplanes. Choose your best option...
and head for the vertigo.
Hot
Air Ballooning
Since 1 988, a company based in Cusco, Globos de los
Andes, has been running tourist hot air balloon flights
over the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The one-hour flights cost US$300
per person. Setting off in the morning from the community
of Maras, 55 km from the city of Cusco, balloonists
take to the air and enjoy an unusual view of the Cusco
countryside, its snow-capped peaks, several archaeological
sites and main towns.
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CESAR P. RIOS