PeruNorth's musings on events & destinations in Northern Peru, Amazonia ... and beyond. Detailed tour reviews.
An adventurous couple from River Falls, Wisconsin spent a month travelling around South America in late 2023.
They organised the first two weeks in Argentina and (briefly) Chile themselves, then asked PeruNorth to arrange six days in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, followed by five nights on board the Rio Amazonas historical riverboat, joining in biological rainforest research.
Here are their thoughts on their time in Peru.
Roberto and Paola from Turin, Italy got in touch with PeruNorth in February 2023 looking for a 24-day itinerary to take in the archaeological and natural highlights of Northern Peru, along with some time in or around an Amazonian reserve, such as Pacaya-Samiria.
Here are their comments about the trip, along with a selection of photos they took:
Belen Market (Mercado de Belén) is a famous and bustling market located in the Peruvian Amazon city of Iquitos.
PeruNorth was contacted by German journalist, Richard Kienberger, in August 2022 as he looked for a private vehicle to take him from Chiclayo to Yurimaguas, with a day’s break in Chachapoyas.
This was part of a longer trip to go across South America from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. His particular interest was in the motorised vehicles - especially trucks - that ply their trade in these geographically-challenging areas.
Read an abridged, English-language version of the article Richard wrote for French transport magazine France Routes:
Carnival - the exuberant celebration that precedes the Christian observance of Lent - is most closely associated with Brazil, and especially Rio de Janeiro with its famous Sambodromo floats and dancers. Nonetheless, there are carnival festivities throughout Latin America, with Peru being no exception.
Arguably the best-known in Peru is the Carnaval de Cajamarca, a vibrant and colorful festival celebrated in the city of Cajamarca.
Rochester, NY native, Margaret Riley, took here niece, Jessica, on holiday to Peru as a graduation present in June 2022. Their 10-day itinerary took in:
The Sacred Valley
2-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Cusco
Palccoyo (an alternative Rainbow Mountain)
Here is what they had to say about the experience:
“Our trip to Peru was remarkable.
Dance is a fundamental part of Peruvian cultural expression and identity, taking pre-Columbian traditions and combining them with later Hispanic and African influences.
If you are lucky enough to witness one of Peru’s many festivals, you are sure to see locals expressing themselves and their region through dance, just as they have for centuries.
It is said that ‘he who goes to Iquitos alone, returns a father’. The veracity of this saying has yet to be confirmed, but PeruNorth can verify that five days in the largest city in the world not connected to ‘civilization’ by road was nowhere near enough.
