subject: Peru's Opposites: Desert and Rainforest [print this page] Peru's Opposites: Desert and Rainforest Peru's Opposites: Desert and Rainforest
Nearly half of all foreign visitors to Peru visit Machu Picchu, the spectacular Inca site located in the beautiful Andes. Yet the nation has far more to offer. The geography has given rise to a number of ancient civilizations, and many are easy to add to a Cusco and Machu Picchu trip. In addition to the mountainous Andes that many people picture when they think of Peru, no doubt a result of Machu Picchu's popularity, Peru also has large expanses for desert and rainforests.
Peru's varied topography is most evident during a vacation to both the desert and the Amazon rainforest. South of the capital city of Lima, the coast is arid. Despite being one of the driest places on earth, there are verdant valleys where streams irrigate the land.
Near the town of Ica is the oasis town of Huacachina. This area was once the playground for wealthy in Peruvians in the 1920s, but is now a relaxing yet adventure packed vacation spot. Here you can relax by a pool, the lagoon, or get a rush on the dunebuggys and sandboards when you fly down the numerous sand dunes that surround the oasis. Other than vacationers, there is little sign of life here. Most of the creatures in the Ica Desert died millions of years ago. The area was once a shallow coastal shelf, and now archeologists are discovering ancient fossils of dolphins and sharks. There are even well-preserved fossilized skin, baleen, seabird bone, sea urchin, petrified wood, and whale skull, thanks to the arid climate and relative isolation. Hunting for fossils is like beachcombing through the ages. The Peruvian desert is among the best fossil-hunting grounds in the world, yet it has received little recognition. The city of Ica does not have a single museum dedicated to the fascinating fossils. This has allowed unregulated fossil hunters to smuggle fossils out of the country, something Peruvian officials would like to put an end to.
After fossil hunting, head to the Amazon rainforest and you will be stunned by the shocking difference between the arid sand and the lush jungle, which is teeming with wildlife. Venture into the jungle at Puerto Maldonado, Manu, or Iquitos. At any of these jungle cities you can enjoy a pleasant stay at a jungle lodge as well as numerous excursions out into the jungle. Unlike the desert, water will be everywhere, dripping from the leaves onto muddy trails, in the rushing rivers. At places the massive Amazon River is over a mile wide, and it carries about 20 percent of the world's fresh water.
The best way to appreciate the difference from the coast to the jungle, with the mountains in between, is to take a long-distance bust. It will be a long journey, but the trip is part of the adventure. Be sure to take a high-class bus, as they have better safety records, and some of the windy roads through the mountains can be tricky to navigate. Also, it is best to travel during the dry season, and sometimes during the rainy seasons roads get washed out or become impassable.
