While most people immediately think of Machu Picchu when they think of Peru, the country has a wealth of other archaeological sites that visitors should explore. One of the easiest to get to from the country's capital of Lima is Pachacamac, named after the creator god Pachacamac. Located about 20 miles south-east of Lima, it served as a place of worship for the people situated in and along the central coast. "The essential to budget travel is to plan ahead. When it comes along to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved trips and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the actuality of expense and budgeting is always in the back of our mind. Arranging and consuming our travel budget properly is a consideration for most families. Curbing spending and charges, while still delighting your vacation to its fullest, is the key to guaranteed accomplishment and fiscal responsibility. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thought behind economizing money while vacationing is simple: Even if your personal funds is extremely small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or departing the homestead! Also keeping in mind that while traveling, whether on a funds or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a large vacation or travel expenses!..". A vast complex of temples, pyramids, plazas, and dwellings, it was first built by the Huari people between 600 and 800 AD. It survived the Inca conquest, who actually kept it as a religious shrine and even added structures to it, but fell with the Spanish conquest in the 1530s.
As with most other sites in Peru, it's overshadowed by Machu Picchu. That may all change though with the recent discovery, by a team of Belgian archaeologists working on the site, of a 1,000-year-old oval tomb containing the skeletons and mummies of over 70 people, including that of a dozen infants. The people are believed to have been sacrificed to the gods since buried with them were offerings such as masks, copper and gold, and ceramic vessels. Dogs and guinea pigs were also buried with the people. This new discovery is likely to raise Pachacamac's international profile and lead to more visitors so the time to visit is now.
About an hour away from Lima, the easiest way to get there is with a tour group. Unless you're familiar with the area, ready to deal with crazy traffic conditions and are fluent with Spanish, renting a car is not advisable. One company I recommend is Mirabus, which runs tours to the site with one of its open deck buses every day from Kennedy Park in Miraflores, the district in which most tourists stay at while in Lima. Tours depart Tuesday to Sunday at 10:00 am and last a total of three and half hours. Simply visit the company's kiosk the day prior to purchase your tickets for 60.00 Nuevos Soles, or $23, per person. The tour, staffed by a bilingual guide, goes through the districts of Barranco and Chorrillos along the coast and makes a stop at the Natural Reserve of Villa Swamplands before continuing to Pachacamac. The natural reserve itself is unimpressive, especially considering that all you really do is get off the bus, walk to a small area and pose for pictures along some boats for about 10 minutes.
Of course, that doesn't really matter since the main attraction of the tour is Pachacamac. A warning to those who like to explore upclose on their own: since archaeological work is still being done, combined with the fact that its largeness makes walking around unfeasible, visitors see most of the site while seated in the bus. However, you do get the chance to stretch your legs and walk around when you reach the Temple of the Sun. The Temple of the Sun, besides being an impressive site in itself, affords wonderful views of the Lurin Valley and the Pacific Ocean. You are then free to explore the small museum that houses some of the archaeological finds before heading back to Lima.
While Pachacamac may not be so impressive that it draws hords of tourists on its own, its ease of visiting and closeness to Lima certainly makes it worthwhile if you have a few hours to spare while in the capital city.
Want instant notification of travel deals and news? Subscribe to be alerted when there is a new article.
Follow Karen on her Blog and Twitter.
Cordillera Azul National Park In Peru Boasts New Lizard Species ...
www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/21/cordillera-azul-national-park...Mar 21, 2013 Cordillera Azul National Park In Peru Boasts New Lizard Species Discovery (PHOTOS)
Environmental News and Information MNN - Mother Nature Network
www.mnn.comDaily environmental news, blog commentary, and advice on sustainable living, conservation and social responsibility.
Discovery News
news.discovery.comSpace History Animals Human Brain GamesDiscovery News digs deep into our world's mysteries. Join us to explore current events and uncover the science behind the headlines. We Dig. You Discover.
Archaeology : Discovery News
news.discovery.com/history/archaeologyThe Archaeology section brings you all the latest information and news. Visit Discovery News to check out this Archaeology section.
Animal Planet Videos
animal.discovery.com/videosWelcome to Animal Planet Video! Check out the greatest animal videos on the web. Amazing kills, bizarre creatures, cute puppy dogs and more.
Volcano Discovery
www.volcanodiscovery.comSakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Strong activity continues. This morning, a relatively large vulcanian-type explosion produced a plume rising to 14,000 ft (4.3 km) altitude.
Discovery Show News - Discovery Networks: Blogs
blogs.discovery.com/show-news06/02/2013. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Samaras, his son Paul and their colleague Carl Young who died Friday, May 31st doing what they love: chasing storms.
Pictures: Human-Sacrifice Chamber Discovered in Peru
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/photogalleries/100730...Found in Peru within a chamber used for an ancient human-sacrifice rite called the presentation, this woman was likely an offering to the site, archaelogists say ...
Machu Picchu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_PicchuMachu Picchu (in hispanicized spelling) or Machu Pikchu (Quechua machu old, old person, pikchu pyramid; mountain or prominence with a broad base which ends in
Peru this Week
www.peruthisweek.comPeru this Week is a news portal that provides information and features about politics, business, travel, food, culture and opinions, as well services for expats and ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Click to see the code!
To insert emoticon you must added at least one space before the code.