What to See and Do in Peru

Author: Debra Corbeil

The Life List. Everyone has made a list of some sort or other in their lives. It is a list of goals and dreams that most of the time is put away in a drawer and forgotten about. But don't wait too long like
Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson did in the movie The Bucket List. You might not be as lucky to find a millionaire to whisk you around the world checking off your wish list in a few short months before you kick the bucket. It is time to start fulfilling your dreams and one of the best places to start is in the country of Peru.

Filled with incredible scenery, famous sights, and offering several adrenaline-filled activities Peru is the perfect choice to start checking off the things that you have always wanted to see and do but were too afraid to try. It doesn't take long before you have actually made it through a large chunk of your list during your stay.

Machu Picchu is at the top of most people's lists. If there is one thing that you must see in your life is one of the greatest ruins on the planet and this one is as good as it gets. Located in the Andes Mountains it is a mesmerizing Inca Ruin on top of a 2500-meter mountain. Take in the sight as you sit on another peak overlooking Machu Picchu and try to imagine how it was built over 600 years ago with no technology. Make sure to arrive early to beat the crowds and feel the magic as the cloud and mist burn off. Machu Picchu consists of 200 buildings that terrace down the side of a steep mountain leading into the deep valley below. Whether you hike the Inca Trail visit Macchu Picchu, or take the train on a breathtaking journey through the Andes, you will not be disappointed.

Many people are looking for a thrill when they make their life list. Jumping out of an airplane seems to be atop many lists. If you happen to visit Lima, you can take that goal and give it a twist to try paragliding. Walk down to the waterfront of Miraflores and you will soon find a place where people sign up to jump off of a high cliff over the Pacific Ocean. The fun doesn't stop there however, once your parachute catches the air, you and your instructor will be able to ride the airwaves high above the city as he steers you through sky scapers and over the ocean. It is one of the most unique experiences you will have in your life and you will have the same thrill and excitement as skydiving, but in a more exotic location than your local airstrip.

Many people want to see one of the great deserts of the world. The Sahara and Kalahari are a couple of famous ones, but did you know that Peru has some of the largest sand dunes on the planet? Located in the region of Ica, you can go on a tour deep into the desert by dune buggy. This isn't your everyday relaxing buggy ride however, you will be plunging down near-vertical cliffs only to spin out at the bottom and take off again at top speed over the desert dunes. Not only that, you will be treated to an introduction to sand boarding. Feel the freedom as you surf in the sand or hop on your board like a sled and whiz down the hill into the valley below. It will make you feel like a kid again.

We all know about Oasis from movies and television, but how many people have actually seen one and stayed on its shores overnight? Huacachina is a village built around a natural lake in the middle of the desert called the Oasis of America. It is an incredibly beautiful location. There are only about 10 hotels most with swimming pools and giant dunes right in your backyard. You can rent pedal boats to float around the small Oasis and spend the day relaxing by the water edge taking in the incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If wildlife is on your list, you will be in for a real treat when you visit Isla Ballestas. Located near Pisco, you can catch a tour boat to take you out to sea to view sea lions, penguins, Peruvian boobies, and condors as well as millions of birds in this nature reserve. Your boat will take you out to beautiful rock formations located offshore where wildlife is free to live and play in a protected area. Take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see actual penguins play in their natural setting and watch the hundreds of sea lions bask in the sun on the beach or on the rocks. You will not be disappointed, although make sure to ask your operator if they are sensitive to the animal and do not take their boats too close to shore disrupting the wildlife with exhaust pollution and the loud engines of the boats. Responsible tourism is a must.

These are just a few of the things that you can do in Peru to kick start your "Bucket List". There are so many other things to see and do like visit Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world, see real-life catacombs in Lima or take a flight over the Nazca Lines. These lines are a mystery of the world etched in the sand over 2000 years ago. Shaped in the forms of spiders, monkeys, sharks, and lizards, nobody really knows what their purpose is or how they were made. Want to visit the jungle? A good portion of Peru is located in the Amazon basin where you can explore one of the most fabled and vast rainforests on the planet.

So go to Peru soon and start living that life list rather than just dreaming about it. What are you waiting for? Go out there and start your life list. Life is short so you better get going and visiting Peru is a quick and easy way to check off a lot of dreams and wishes in a short amount of time.


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About the Author:

Dave and Deb are Canada's Adventure Couple. They have traveled to over 35 countries where they have taken on extreme adventures from Cycling from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa and Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Every new adventure takes them to remote corners of the world where they paddle, hike, scuba dive and trek their way around the globe. http://www.theplanetd.com