Secrets of Peru: 16 Fascinating Travel Facts Revealed

Located in the coastal area of South America, Peru is widely known for its geographical features and archeological importance. The country of Peru has a rich culture and has a plethora of different ecosystems. The country is famous for its unusual national dish and is home to furry alpacas.

Keep on reading to find out more interesting Peru facts about its culture, geography, history, culture, and so much more.

Here Are Some of the Most Intriguing Peru Facts

1. Peru is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World

Peru is home to Machu Picchu, a fortress built by the Incas, situated 2000 meters above sea level. It was a lost city for many years during the time of Spanish colonists.

Machu Picchu was built as an astronomical observatory by the fourteenth-century Inca people. They built each sun temple and even the Intihuatana stone to line with the sun every solstice. It was voted in to become one of the seven wonders of the world in 2007.

2. Peru has over 43 languages spoken by its people

Peruvian people have three national languages spoken by their people: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara.

Spanish is the most widely spoken language, with almost 80% of the population speaking it.

But as you move on to the Amazonia region in the country, you will find a variety of other different languages being spoken. Shipibo, Ashaninka, and Agurauna are some other native languages that are spoken in Peru.

3. The Amazon River originates in Peru

The world’s longest river, the Amazon River, begins its journey in Peru.

The Amazon River begins high up in the Peruvian Andes near Machu Picchu. Starting from there, the river follows a smooth route across the continent for over 6000 kilometers until coming to an end in the Atlantic ocean.

Nevado Mismi is the originating point for the Amazon River.

4. Peru is home to pink dolphins

Pink dolphins are unique creatures that are only found in the Amazon river basin. You can swim with these beautiful dolphins in the Amazon.

Pink dolphins are actually grey in color when they are born, but they develop a pink color as they get older. They can be seen in a variety of pink shades.

It is highly recommended to visit these friendly dolphins whenever you go to Peru for an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity.

5. The Amazon forest is a big part of the country

Almost two-thirds of the country of Peru is covered by the bio-diverse Amazon forest.

It is the largest tourist attraction in the country and takes up almost 60% of Peru. The area is rich in different types of biodiversity, with almost hundreds of various types of ferns and various flowering species.

The Amazon forest is also home to hundreds of types of reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, mammals, and even beautiful butterflies. The Amazon forest is a magical place unlike any other in the world.

6. Unusual archeological fossils have been found in Peru

The most unusual human fossils have been found in Peru’s peninsula of Paracas.

The fossils were believed to be from aliens due to their unusually elongated skull shapes. These fossils were extremely different from a normal human skull.

Nevertheless, it was discovered later on that the skulls were in fact human, but some South American tribes practicing artificial cranial deformation have shaped skulls of their newborns to become elongated. This was performed as a sign of nobility.

7. Salt is still mined in Incas

People still mine salt in the Sacred Valley town of Maras. The salt mining in Inca is done using the old way of evaporating water from a local stream to mine salt from pre-Inca salt ponds.

This practice is very old as each family in the area has their own salt pond, which has been a part f their older generations. This area is famous for its old culture and, more importantly, the pink salt that can be mined from here.

8. The largest population of Alpacas is present in Peru

The total global population of alpacas is believed to be around 10 million. Out of this total figure almost 7.5 million alpacas live in Peru.

Peru’s mountains support special types of grass and plants, which are the food for alpacas and other mammals such as llamas and vicuñas.

9. The Andean Condor flies in Peru

The world’s largest flying bird is the Andean Condor. It has a wide wingspan of up to 3.2 meters and it has a height of about 1.2 meters.

The large size also means that they are quite heavy creatures, as their weight ranges up to 15 kilograms.

These birds prefer to fly in windy areas such as the Colca Canyon as the strong air currents can help them glide across the sky without much effort.

10. Guinea pig is a local dish

The guinea pig is a local Peruvian delicacy commonly known as Cuy. It is cooked to perfection with its head, eyes, and legs well done and crispy.

This dish is best enjoyed with a glass of chicha, a local drink. The guinea pig is a more healthy option than the llama meat as it contains a lot more proteins.

11. The Peruvian poncho is an important piece of culture

The people of Peru spend almost 500 to 600 hours making a poncho. As weaving has been a huge part of the Peruvian culture since ancient times, old methods are used in the dyeing, spinning, and weaving process.

It is traditionally made to last a lifetime and is given to a young one approaching adulthood. The weaving style and the colors are visibly distinct from one another and can be used to identify the wearer’s origins at a glance.

 

12. Peru has rich natural reserves

Peru is a country that is vastly rich in natural reserves. It is one of the richest countries in terms of resources such as gold, silver, zinc, iron, copper, and lead.

The country is also rich in resources like oil and natural gas. Nevertheless, these are still not enough to create jobs as Peru remains to be one of the world’s poorest countries.

13. Inca was the most important culture in Peru

The Inca was the most important culture in Peru.They lived around 600 years ago and had a flourishing city called Cusco.

This city is still a major city in modern-day Peru. The Inca also built Machu Picchu, which is a popular archeological site in the Andes. The Inca was a thriving culture until the Spanish conquered the region in 1532.

14. Peru is a rich mix of cultures

The culture of Peru is a vibrant mix. There are Indians, Spaniards, Europeans, descendants of African slaves, and even Asians in the country.

As time has gone on, more and more Peruvians have decided to move from rural areas to urban regions.

This is the reason why almost 70% of the population lives in cities. Most Peruvians are Catholics as the religion was passed down from the Spanish who colonized the region.

15. Peru has one of the highest lakes

Peru is home to one of the highest lakes in the world. Lake Titicaca is the highest lake in the world as it is situated at the height of around 3800 meters above sea level.

Ruins of an ancient city were found by a French conservationist beneath the surface of the lake in the 1960s.

16. Peru has the highest sand dune

Peru has one of the highest sand dune globally, with a height of about 1176 meters.

The Carro Blanco sand dune, the highest sand dune in the world, is located in the east of Nazca. Tourists visit the sand dune in a buggy and can even rent a sandboard to glide down one of the greatest wonders Peru has to offer.

10 Best Places to Visit in Peru – Travel Video

Peru is probably one of South America’s most well-known destinations, and the mysterious settlement of Machu Picchu has adorned many tourist postcards. But while the country is certainly celebrated for the Inca Trail and its ancient archeological site, Peru has so much more to offer than crumbling ruins.

Explore the museums of Lima, soak in the hot springs of high-altitude Cusco, and fly over the astonishing Nazca lines. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in Peru:

Summary

Peru is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations due to Machu Picchu and the rich and bio-diverse Amazon forest. The country of Peru has a diverse cultural life and even some unusual cuisine.

The country is also home to a wide variety of animal life such as llamas, alpacas, and beautiful pink dolphins. It is a wonderful tourist location and is definitely worth a visit.

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