Peru III

Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) and Red Valley 

From Cusco we took a day trip to visit the Rainbow mountain and the Red Valley. It cost us 95 soles (30 USD) each with two meals. It was amazing. It was really really good and scenic. If you are considering going don't give up until you find an agency (for example Inka Time in 394 Triunfo, Cusco) that does them both together.  Bring water and some light snacks!

The day starts early with a pick up from your hotel. Breakfast few hours later and then approximately another hour in the mini bus and you get to the start of the trek. 4300m and then 2-3h hike to 5000m to the top. If you don't feel well you can also pay for a horse that takes you to the bottom of the viewpoint.  

This is actually how it is, no filter no photoshop. Real stuff :) Mineral deposits and red sandstone over the years have created all this beautiful scenery.

View towards the start of the Rainbow Mountain trek. See all these little black things walking in line, that could be you!

From the top of the Rainbow Mountain view area you now head right and go all the way downhill for another 3-4h. You are not gonna regret this. There's not many people doing this and the views are incredible!

Like this.

As you go downhill there's nothing, only pure nature. A handful of families living in old stone houses scattered in the valley, only one million alpacas :)

Our lovely room in Cusco. Gotta love Peru!

Ballestas islands and Paracas National Park

Ballestas islands are known as the Poor Mans Galapagos. And rightly so. On the way there we saw dolphins. On the islands (forbidden to visit) we saw sealions, fur seals, Humbold penguins, pelicans, Peruvians boobies,  red neck vultures, guano shags, loads of starfish and crabs on the rocks. 

See that big cactus looking drawing in the sand? This is one of the Nazca lines we saw on our way to the islands. They are ancient  geoglyphs made by the Nazca culture 500 BC and 500 AD. They have dug out the light rocks underneath the red sand to make edges for the formations.  It rains rearly in this area so the sand inside the rock formations doesn't get washed away.  There are several of them in the Paracas area and the best way to see them is to take a scenic flight. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines 

Peruvian boobies. Not as bright blue footed as Galapagos boobies but near enough :)

Find a family of Humbold penguins :)

... going for a quick dip and food run :)

Massive sealion chilling with his "bird"

All these black dots are birds. They are everywhere around these islands. Small ones and big ones. Mind your head for the bird poo!

Pelicans

Leaving the islands with our tour group :) 

This was the "city view" from our hostel in Paracas. This is real Peru. Poverty vs richness go hand in hand everywhere.

Paracas National Park

Total of 3,350 km2 which 2/3 is mainland and 1/3 is tropical desert. We saw loads of flamingos in the distance but unfortunately you are not allowed to go near them. However we saw a close up of a lone one in the evening by the waterfront looking for food in the shallow water. Dancing away.

Several futures are gliding over the waters edges looking for food in this dry area.

Playa Roja. A protected beach with red sand. 

Beautiful gigantic pelicans hoping to get some food from the local fishing boats.

Lagunillas, the only town with restaurants in the Nature Reserve.