Adventure | Blog Magical Cuzco Tours

Galapagos• Travel Tips• What to do• World travel

Top Things to do in Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands are one of the best spots to visit in South America. Located 900 km away from the Ecuador’s coast in the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos is a volcanic archipelago of 18 islands, famous for its wildlife and amazing landscapes.

Snorkeling and Diving: get in the clean water and go snorkeling and diving as much as you can in the Galapagos. The world under the Pacific Ocean waters is amazing and full of species to discover and colorful corals. Sea turtles, sea lions, whale sharks, tiger sharks, hammerheads, reef fishes, among others are part of what you will enjoy during the immersions. You can go snorkeling everywhere in the archipelago, but some of the best spots are Floreana Island, San Cristobal Island, Isabela Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santiago Island, among others.

Birdwatching: birdwatching is one of the most popular activities you can do in Galapagos islands. Let’s keep in mind that the islands were used by Charles Darwin for his researches and species classification for his theory of evolution; the site is basically a unique place for birdwatching. You can encounter flamingos, footed boobies, frigate birds, among others species you can spot.

Wildlife spotting: a part from birdwatching, you can engage in multiple others activities in the Galapagos archipelago, such as the wildlife spotting. You can encounter marine iguanas on the beach, sea lions, penguins, tortoises, seals and finches. All these species inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution. You can engage in this activity everywhere in the Galapagos islands, since in all islands you will encounter beautiful species. However, the best spots are Isabela, Fernandina and Bartolomé Islands for penguins, Santa Cruz and Isabela islands for giant tortoises, Santa Cruz, Fernandina and Isabela Islands for land iguanas.

Hiking: in the archipelagos you can also go hiking thought exciting trails, such as the Sierra Negra Volcano trail on Isabela Island, which is located more than 1300 meters above the sea level; Playa Mann, Playa Punta Carola and Cierro Tijeretas trail on San Cristobal Island where you can enjoy stunning landscapes and do birdwatching; North Seymour Island trail where you can hike through cactus and Palo Santo trees and there you can spot many wildlife species.

For more information you can contact us at anamaria@magicalcuzcotours.com or call us (+1) 703-822-5311

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On 9 febrero, 2023 • By magicalblog

Peru• Peru Destinations• Sin categoría• Travel• Travel Tips

Best Places to Visit in Lima

When you plan you Peru trip, the first thing you have in mind is going to Machu Picchu, this is actually normal and we sometimes struggle with our travelers to let them understand that Peru has a lot more to offer. Many travelers seem not to be very happy to spend a couple of days in Lima, there is a misconception that the capital city is pretty ugly and caotic and that there is anything to do and visit. Nothing can be more wrong!

Peru’s capital city has many different sites worth a visit and many activities you can include in your travel plans. Here we tried to make a list of our favourite spots and activities you cannot miss while in Lima:

Market visit: go and check Lima’s local market, we usually suggest to go to the market located between Miraflores and Surquillo districts, which is called Mercado n. 1, where you can find many local fruits and veggie, as well as a great selection of fresh seafood, nuts and Andean grains. There, you can have breakfast in one of the food stalls located inside the market area or you can also have a traditional lunch, tasting a real Peruvian ceviche or a delicious “jalea” (fried seafood served with fried yuca, “salsa criolla” and mayo), among other traditional dishes.

Huaca Puccllana: this is an ancient pyramid made of clay and adobe located in the heart of the vibrant and turistic Miraflores District. It was considered a sacred place, an important administrative and ceremonial location, built by the Lima civilization in the fifth century. There is also a restaurant inside the archeological complex, where you can have a delicious meal enjoying a beautiful view of the Huaca.

Inca Market: This market deserves a visit especially if you are planning to buy some suovenirs before heading back home. Here you will find traditional Peruvian fabrics, music instruments, bags, backpacks, jewellery and alpaca jerseys and scarfs. Do not forget to bargain with vendors and try to find the best deal you can. Remember that you can pay in cash or by ccard. It is a nice experience and you will definitely find Peruvian traditional handicrafts all in one place.

Larcomar: if you are looking for a more fancy shopping experience, do not miss Larcomar shopping mall, located in the Miraflores’ malecon, right on the Pacific Ocean cliffs. Here you will find stores of the best Peruvian and international brands. If you want to buy alpaca products, here you will find high quality scarfs, ponchos and jerseys. In the shopping mall there are also several restaurants that are worth a stop, such as Tanta, Popular de aquí y de allá, La Trattoria di Mambrino, among others.

Mercado 28: this is an interesting culinary spot located in Miraflores district, where you can find different kind of food, from Peruvian fast food to foreigner cuisines, from criollo cuisine to Amazon food, from elegant patisseries to ice cream shops. You can find more on Mercado 28, the first gastronomic market in Peru, here: http://taste-of-peru.com/mercado-28-a-new-culinary-stop-in-the-heart-of-miraflores/

Barranco and Miraflores districts Malecon: if you love to spend time outdoor and to enjoy a beautiful sunset, these spots are the perfect places for you to relax after a morning cultural tour, a biking tour or a shopping tour, having a picnic for example or a delicious icecream in the Malecon can help you recharge and relax for the night. Do not miss the beautiful sunset on the Pacific Ocean, it is a remarkable experience.

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Plaza Mayor and San Francisco Church: if you are more into culture sites, you cannot miss a visit to Lima’s downtown where you will find the city’s cathedral, the government palace placed around Lima’s main square (Plaza Mayor), right behind the square you can also visit San Francisco Church with its monastery and catacombs. This is a cultural stop that you cannot miss while in the capital city.

Culinary spots: there are so many restaurants we can suggest in Lima, but we might need another article on this. Just few of them: Maido, Isolina Tabern, Central Restaurant, Astrid and Gaston, Kañete, La Mar among others. In the capital city you can basically find all kind of cuisines and different prices range restaurants. More on this to come on the blog!

So, when planning a trip to Peru, just try to spend a couple of days in Lima to enjoy the modern side of Peruvian culture and have the opportunity to try the best culinary spots in the country.

On 3 mayo, 2019 • By magicalblog

Nazca• Peru Destinations• Travel Tips

Top Things to do in Paracas and Nazca

Paracas and Nazca are often in touristic itineraries, they are two beautiful towns located in Ica region, approximately 3 hours south of Lima. If you are planning to visit just Paracas you can even embark in a day trip. You can reach Paracas by bus or by private transportation from Lima in about 3 hours. There are plenty of things you can do there, many different adventurous activities and beautiful landscapes to enjoy. Here a list of things you must see once there:

Ballestas Island: Early in the morning motor boat leave to Ballestas Islands, in Paracas National Reserve, to observe sea lions, boobies, pelicans, penguins and other marine birds, among the many other species which converge there looking for shelter. On the boat trip tourists can see the famous «Candelabro», an enigmatic form that many people believe is related to the Nazca lines.

Paracas Reserve: Paracas National Reserve has been declared World Heritage Natural Side by UNESCO. You can visit the Julio C. Tello Museum, the Cathedral and “la Boyeda”, where you can have a short walk around the sea going in to the cave. You can also enjoy the beautiful landscapes from several viewpoints, such as the Wolves and Lagunillas beach. Due to its geographical location the area has the strangest and richest ecosystems in the world.

Chauchilla Cemetery: the Chauchilla Cemetery, 30 km south of Nazca, consists of several tombs containing remarkably well-preserved mummies from the Nazca culture. This is also a very mysterious and spiritual spot.

Nazca Lines: Located on the plains of San Jose and on an extension of 50 km, the geoglyphs represent figures of animals and plants, some of these figures may reach up to 984,3 feet in length and cover an area of 1000 m². These lines constitute one of humankind’s enduring mysteries, as for some recent studies these lines were made by UFOs. So there is a lot of mystery on their existence.

Cahuachi: This immense ceremonial and pilgrimage centre stands in the middle of the desert, and consists of more than 40 mounds, topped with the remains of adobe constructions, with several intact pyramids, cemeteries and elaborate underground tombs –only partially excavated. A wealth of pottery has been discovered here, as well as graves containing only trophy heads. The sands around the area are eerily littered with ancient pottery fragments as well as human femurs and skulls. Cahuachi is reached via a rough 25 km dirt-and-gravel road from Nazca.

Cerro Blanco: Located east of the city of Nazca, the largest sand dune in Peru; ideal for adventure sports such as sand boarding, boogie and paragliding. Here you will have plenty of fun and you will definitely enjoy wonderful landscapes and sunny days! So bring your sun block and a hat.

Ica region is a very nice place to visit in Peru, where you can embark in many different activities and you can enjoy the Pacific Ocean breeze and the sun.

On 3 noviembre, 2017 • By magicalblog

Cusco• Peru• Sacred Valley

Top Sights in the Sacred Valley

Many tourists coming to Peru are definitely more interested in Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu and the majority of the time they skip a visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In my opinion that’s a BIG BIG BIG mistake, since this place is magic, here you can find a very special energy that you are not able to find in any other place in Peru. I believe the name “Sacred Valley” can better define what I actually mean. This is a spiritual place where you can definitely recharge your battery after the tiring excursion to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Here a list of places you should not miss once in the area:

Pisac Ruins: The small town of Pisac is located 32 Kilometers (20 Miles) from Cusco. On the top of the modern town there are the ancient ruins, which consist of a vast amount of agricultural terracing and a small Inca village. Made up of groups of terraces, the outline of the site forms the shape of a giant condor. In ancient times the condor was considered to be the messenger of the sun, and the one who was in charge of carrying the spirits of the dead onto the world beyond. For this reason Pisac was also considered to be a place of great spiritual worship.

Pisac Market: Peru’s most famous crafts market takes place in Pisac on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday. This ancient Inca village is nestled in the shadow of an imposing Inca fortress and temple and it is famous for its beautiful and colorful market where tourists can shop for traditional handicrafts and every kind of handmade Peruvian products.

Awanakancha: AwanaKancha provides an opportunity to see products made from South America’s four camelids (alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco) from the first steps of the production process to its end: the animal, the shearing, the textile weaving and dyeing, and the finished products, which you can purchase in the showroom. It makes a great stop for the whole family, as kids usually have lots of fun feeding the camelids on-site.

Ollantaytambo Temple: Second in importance only to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo includes some of the Inca’s best stonework, including a series of ceremonial baths, elegant trapezoidal doorways, and a sun temple that faces the rising sun.

Maras: It was home to the descendents of the Incas of the Hurin Cusco Clan. In Colonial times, it was the first salt producing center of the central – Sierra. This picturesque town is located 53 km northwest of Cusco (1hour drive) by a paved road. The town has a large church and several colonial houses with code-of-arms of noble families on their facades. Close to Maras, at the Peasant community of Pichingoto, there are salt mines, known locally as “salineras”. Landscape is awesome in this area.

Moray: Located 9 km west of the town of Maras, along an unpaved road, his archeological site is perhaps one of the most mysterious of the pre-Hispanic Cusco area. The site consists of a large irrigation system and a series of concentric agricultural terraces, constructed by means of stone retaining walls. The location is believed to have been an enormous agricultural laboratory in which the Incas purposefully created several microclimates in which they grew a variety of crops.

Chincheros: Known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow, this typical Andean village combines Inca ruins with a colonial church, some wonderful mountain views and a colorful Sunday market. On a high plain with sweeping views to snow-laden peaks, it’s quite beautiful. Since it is very high, it’s unwise to spend the night until you’re somewhat acclimated.

So remember once in Peru do not forget to visit the Sacred Valley. If you have already traveled there and you have more suggestion feel free to add tips and recommendations in the comments.

On 17 octubre, 2017 • By magicalblog