Pirwa Hostels Peru Blog

Archive for October, 2011

The World’s Deepest Canyon

If for many years neighboring Colca Canyon was famed as the world’s deepest canyon, it is only because Cotahuasi Canyon wasn’t measured until 1995. At 3,535m, this geological wonder is the rightful owner of that title. The canyon  was home to the Wari before the Inca conquered this region and annexed it to their empire in order to shorten the salt route connecting Cusco and the coast.

Let yourself be humbled by the immense landscapes and humbling profundity of Cotahuasi Canyon, and the power of the river that carved it out over the millennia during this four-day tour that will take you along a route marked by stunning lakes, thermal baths, waterfalls, petrified forests, and puya and cactus forests. Walk along Inca trails, passing local peasants with llamas or donkeys; visit quaint towns with narrow streets bordered by white-washed buildings and centered round colonial churches; relax in the Luicho Medicinal Baths. Observe how pre-Inca terraces are still being farmed today, producing quinoa, amaranth, purple corn, and other native crops. We’ll descend through the 12 ecosystems of the “Canyon of Wonder” See the surprising Sipia Waterfalls, where the rocks narrow the river to 5m wide so that they burst through, fall 150m, and crash over the rocks in a spectacle of spray and rainbows. Explore the canyon floor and riverside.

During the return trip to Arequipa, we stop to visit the rock formation known as Maje Castle, fodder for a variety of legends, the mysterious Toro Muerto (Dead Bull) petroglyphs, where volcanic rock resulting from eruptions of Coropuna and Chachani were engraved 1000 to 1500 years ago. They are believed to be the work of the Wari and Chuquibamba cultures, but no archeological  remains have been directly associated with this site.

Click here and check out this and other tours by Pirwa Travel Service in Arequipa!

Matador Assistant by Jorge Vera

Although bullfights take place in Peru throughout the year, it is during the October/November bullfighting season that the most prestigious bullfighters of Spain and the Americas come together to compete in the world’s second-oldest bullring, the 244 year old Lima’s Plaza de Acho. This year the Feria begins on Nov. 2^nd and ends in December, with 05 scheduled events featuring the world’s best bullfighters each Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm. The bullfighter executing the best moves wins the 18k Escapulario de Oro and the best bull wins the Escapulario de Plata.

Bullfighting’s popularity in Peru is rising alongside rising protests on the grounds of animal cruelty. For a unique look into Peruvian culture, you can join in with the spectators or with the protestors according to your personal conviction. Those interested in watching a match, though, should be aware that in Peru it is to the death (and, as always, the bull has the disadvantage.)

Passageway in the Plaza de Acho

How to Get There

Tickets are sold at Teleticket shops at the Wong and Metro Supermarkets chain. You’ll have the option of sol, sun, and sombra, shade. Sol is cheaper at around US$20, with prices climbing up to US$120 for first-row sombra.

You can check newspapers for restaurant offers, as varius locales offer special pre-event menus and then bus their clients to the bullring, a good option for those worried about going to the Rímac neighborhood and the Plaza de Acho bullring by themselves. (The area around the bullring is not the best, and anytime there are .)

As we ‘ve all discovered upon waking up hungover in strange places, drinking close to where you plan on spending the night is never a bad idea… That’s why Pirwa Inclan in Lima’s in-house bar and rooftop terrace, or Pirwa Colonial in Cusco’s in-house bar is the perfect place to spend your

Halloween night!!

We’re cross-country partying and invite you to come drinking and dancing with us!

Once we’re drunk enough we may hit the streets to stop by some of our favorite spots in Lima and Cusco, but we’ll end the night back at Pirwa with you a safe distance from your bed…

You don’t haaaave to dress up, but we’ll make it worth your while with some drink specials and are always there to help you put together a ridiculous outfit to match our own!

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Ancient Ceremonies, Camping & Festivities in Lima this October

Thousands are expected to visit the sacred city of Caral this October as it celebrates the 17^th anniversary of its archeological study. Several celebratory activities have been planned, including the traditional offering, and new findings will be unvieled. The Sacred City of Caral was an architecturally complex urban center whose inhabitants today are the most ancient civilization in the Americas and on the of the three oldest in the world. This adobe city has withstood the ravages of time and nature for 5,000 years. Located in the Lima neighborhood of Barranca, it was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991.

Friday, October 28^th

Events kick off at 7:00pm with a pilgrimage along a path lit by the illuminated buildings of Caral to nearby Gozne Hill, at whose foot their will be an “Offering to the Pachamama” (Mother Earth) ceremony at the foot of the hill, in thanksgiving of fruits received throughout the year. The ceremony will last until 9:00pm, afterwhich we will camp and have a bonfire along Gozne hill near the House of the Archeologist.

Saturday, October 29^th

The anniversary festival has been christianed “Caral Raymi” will last from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The festitivities will seek to revive the traditions of ancestral Andean gatherings through music, dance, and food and drink. In the morning a guided tour of the city will be offered to the attendees, during which the archeological team (PEACS- the Special Caral-Supe Archeological Project) will present in the buildings of the city its latest findings and conservation and research advances, including a palace or elite residence built of quincha, a timber or reed framework stuffed and rendered with mud. Throughout the day in the reception center there will be catu, or Andean Market, through which you’ll be able to experience the customs of the Andean market, where not only products but also knowledge were exchange.

Nearby Accomodations with Pirwa!

For a budget-friendly place to stay near Caral, which is in Barranco, you needn’t look any further than Pirwa, which offers two different hostels in neighboring Miraflores, a relaxed oceanside neighborhood that many consider the best base for travelers from which to explore Lima. This is due to it being a safer and greener area than much of Lima, with gardens and parks (including lively Parque Kennedy), nightlife, banks, and the beach all nearby. Relax in our common areas with travelers from all over the world, take advantage of communal kitchens and grilling areas, and enjoy the security of your own safety lockers and the comfort of cozy rooms with comfortable beds and 24hr access to hot water. For more information on Pirwa’s Lima accomodations, click here. Or, for those wondering what other sights to see in Lima, visit Pirwa Travel Service.