Unusual Natural Wonders in Peru

Peru is a country that bursts with diversity, starting with its own people, who are descendants of many racial mixes. Its settings, its customs, and its flora and fauna make Peruvians so proud of that.

However, besides some popular destinations, such as the UNESCO World Heritage site, Machu Picchu, its National Parks, Lake Titicaca, or the Amazon River, what unusual natural beauties can you find in our country?

In this blog, we’ll see three unusual natural wonders that make you want to visit Peru. Let’s find out!

Colca Canyon

The Colca Canyon is located in southern Peru, famous for being one of the world’s deepest canyons. It supports an ecosystem with remarkable native plants and animal species. We can say that, without a doubt, visiting this location involves becoming fully immersed in various settings across the nation. 

The canyon is 100 km long and reaches a depth of 4,160 meters, ensuring breathtaking viewpoints. From there, you can see the whole horizon and the surrounding formations. The Colca Canyon area is remarkable thanks to its history which includes pre-Inca civilizations that lived there between 5,000 and 6000 BC, this area also has impressive geological and biological aspects.

Over time, these old civilizations are believed to have changed from nomadic to sedentary, they brought with them domesticated animals and plantations from an agricultural system of terraces for food conservation. The region as a whole was named after these terraces, which were known as “Colcas.”

As you can see, the experience offered by this attraction is far richer than what the unaided eye could record. This is striking not just for the size of the landscape and the grandeur of the canyon, it is also striking for the customs and culture of the people who live nearby. Generally speaking, based just on this knowledge, it is clear that a trip to the Colca Canyon is a must-do while seeing the Inca homeland.

Arequipa’s Volcanoes

The so-called “white city” is adorned by volcanoes, the most common ones are three and the most popular is “The Misti”.  Although there are actually seven volcanoes in Arequipa’s area, this time we’ll focus on the three most popular ones.

The Misti is the most known volcano in Peru and the symbol of Arequipa and one of the reasons for “Arequipeños” pride. The meaning of its name is “Great Lord”, an accurate name for the most popular symbol of Arequipa. Although the white mantle on its top has been reduced, you can see it in the rainy season. 

The Misti is an active volcano which its last eruption was around 1985. Experts say it’s a matter of time for the Misti to erupt again. Because of that, the Misti is the most dangerous volcano. Arequipa is a city with over one million people. The Misti is 5,822 meters above sea level, it’s located 17 kilometers away from Arequipa City Center.

The Chachani situated more than 6,000 m.a.s.l, is one of the three guardians of Arequipa City. It’s considered by many an active volcano, as gases can be seen around it, in the Quechua language, it means brave. To get there, you have to take the two-day hiking route from a village called Cañahuas Pampas.

The Pichu Pichu: ” Out of the three volcanoes encircling Arequipa, this volcano is regarded as the smallest one. Three Inca mummies that were sacrificed in the well-known “Capacocha” rite were discovered close to the summit.

Since the Pichu Pichu last erupted millions of years ago, it is thought to be the oldest of the Arequipa volcanoes. According to geological research, there is little chance of a fresh eruption occurring soon. It can have seven peaks or summits. 

The Huacachina Oasis

Huacachina is a little community located around the lagoon with excellent tourist infrastructure, this region has roughly 115 permanent people and is only 15 minutes from Ica. Huacachina is the only natural oasis in South America, and a few years ago it was once a popular retreat spot for the region’s rich and Lima residents, before becoming a tourist destination. 

However, other structures appear to be from colonial times, but they were built during the 1960s to imitate the Spanish-influenced architecture of the surrounding structures. Huacachina now attracts thousands of national and international tourists each year due to its stunning views, parties, and adventure sports.

The main activities you can do in Hucachina and its surroundings are wine or Pisco tasting. The Ica region is popular to be the place where our main drink originated, we suggest taking the Pisco route by visiting the ancient wineries in the area and tasting some of it.

If you visit this region of Peru, the Dune Buggy & Sandboarding tour is a must-do. The excursion lasts around two hours, and we recommend taking it in the afternoon to see the sunset from the desert.

Peru is the land of diversity and variety, why don’t you see it by yourself? Viagens Machu Picchu operates the destinations that we showed you, and more. Contact us to start living your dreams in Peru!

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