Peru

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Julio Moreno Peru, UNESCO World Heritage Site , , , , 0 Comment
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Location: Aguascalientes/Machu Picchu Pueblo, Cusco, Peru

Visited: June 27, 2013

Site Type: Mixed (Cultural and Natural)

Background and Opinion:

In the time leading up to my Peru trip, I found out about a place known as Huacachina. The existence of a true oasis biome on the American continent made me doubt whether or not Machu Picchu would even be the highlight of my trip. My first glance at the secret city of the Inca (spelled ‘Inka’ in Peru, which means ‘king’) erased any doubt. Machu Picchu is often what comes to mind when people think of Peru for a good reason. It is truly a spectacle to witness.

Panoramic - Machu Picchu
I don’t know how people did it before digital photography. There is no way I could limit the amount of pictures I take to just a few dozen.

The ancient ruins known as Machu Picchu are one of, if not THE best Read more →

Huacachina: The Oasis of the Americas

Julio Moreno Peru , , , , 1 Comment
Huacachina: The Oasis of the Americas

What is the Huacachina Oasis?

When people need to relax because they are too stressed out, they are told to find their ‘oasis.’ It is that calm spot that makes your worries go away. That is not at all what I am talking about here. I am talking about the real deal, the ecological biome known as an ‘oasis.’ So, what the heck is an oasis?

The oasis biome is classified as one where there is an unprecedented body of water within a desert. While a couple exist in the American continents, Huacachina is the only true oasis, like the kinds you would likely find in the middle of the Sahara Desert. I am talking about a huge….enormous sand dune as far as the eye can see with a single, large lake and a couple of trees in the middle. Much like the saying (I guess its not a saying) goes, Huacachina also makes all of your worries go away.

Sand Dune - Huacachina

Peru turned out to be an amazing Read more →

Awamaki, Tourism that Cares

Julio Moreno Peru, Responsible Tourism , , , 2 Comments
Awamaki, Tourism that Cares

The Story:

When I was making my itinerary to Peru a few weeks ago, I was sure I had hit all the highlights. Trip to Machu Picchu, check. Extra tickets to climb Waynapicchu, check (here is the official site to book). Place to stay at the Huacachina Oasis, check. Figure out how to see the Nazca Lines without being hustled or breaking the bank, check. I thought I had all of the angles covered. Then, I received an email from my friend Sarah who was going on this trip with me. She suggested that we do something that gave back to the local people directly. Now, why didn’t I think of that? Read more →

Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana

Julio Moreno Peru, UNESCO World Heritage Site , , , , , , , 0 Comment
Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana

Astronaut - Nasca
click to enlarge [No image modifications]
Location: Nasca, Ica, Peru

Visited: June 30, 2013

Opinion and Background:

[Note: This post is dedicated to the Columbian guy who was on the same plane and asked if I could upload the pictures I took. Also, for the purposes of originality, I noted any alterations I made to the pictures.]

The Nasca (sometimes spelled “Nazca”) and Pampa Lines and Geoglyphs are some of the more mysterious finds of ancient Peru. Tagged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they are a set of drawings depicting animals, geometrical shapes, and people which were carved on the desert floor near the towns of Nasca and Pampa nearly two thousand years ago. The drawings are amazing because they range from 30 meters (“the astronaut”) to over 300 meters across (“the heron”) meaning they can only be truly appreciated from the sky, which begs the obvious question, why would a civilization that lacked aviation technology make something that would only be seen from above? (Cue dramatic music and Read more →