Private Collection Hotel: Sacred Valley

 
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The coastal desert of Nazca is a land of contrasts. Is one of the driest lands in the world with huge dunes like Cerro Marcha or Cerro Blanco, the highest in South America with 2080 m. At the same time, Peru’s biodiversity-rich fauna: condors, guanacos, sea lions, otters and penguins. Petroglyphs depict whale fossils and prehistoric sharks found on rocks and geoglyphs in the sand. The Nazcas transformed their desert and developed hundreds of huge geoglyphs in a 500-km2 pampas along a complex net of aqueducts, which canalized filtered water coming from the Andes. The ceramics and textile development is unique in Peru because of its design and colors. It seems that Cahuachi, the major ceremonial center of the Nazca civilization in Peru, was the place where all this creation was directed and designed.
Casa Andina offers the traveler the possibility to discover and live the desert wealth so as the society that knew how to transformed it.

Recommendations: sunglasses, solar block cream, moisturizing cream, bathing suit, comfortable and warm cloth, hat, and small backpack.

* children recommended activities

1. Desert Archaeology Program
 

The travelers will discover some of the expressions developed by the Nazca culture in order to transform and live in the desert. Some samples of the expressions are aqueducts, temples, mummies, or petroglyphs. The experience includes desert and some small valleys trips where agriculture is developed due to aqueducts (still working) and subsoil waters; travelers can also see some isolated geoglyphs. Sand buggies take the traveler through the Usaca desert where he/she will practice dunes sandboard.
Included: transportation, guide, entrance fees to archaeological sites, water and sandboard equipment. Departure: morning and afternoon.

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2. San Fernando Program: Oasis: life in the desert
 

Our travelers cross the desert in a 4 x 4 up to the San Fernando Bay (point where the desert and hills joins the marine ecosystem) that permanently host high marine species biodiversity:  Andean condor colonies that fly along cliffs and beaches, sea lions, penguins, dozens of seabirds, otters.  This bay is the only environment in the Peruvian coast where troops of guanacos live. Travelers may see the maintenance job and sustainable use that we develop in the area with other associations. Included: transportation, driver – guide, water y box lunch. Biologist additional: 75$.
  Descriptions and Prices
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3. Dunes of the desert Program
 

Our travelers will visit different types of deserts. In order to arrive to Cerro Blanco, the highest dune in South America, 2080 meters above sea level, we will travel through the Andes last secondary range of mountains and walk through the dune up to the summit. After a couple tries, we will go downhill about a kilometer up to the deserted valley. In order to arrive to Cerro Marcha, (1800 meters above sea level, of soft sand mountain), it is necessary to travel across desert fertile valleys up to great dunes.  On the way, we can observe groups of isolated geoglyphs.  Cerro Marcha’s name is due to the sound that the wind does in the summit. From Cerro Marcha’s summit, we will softly go downhill through awesome different sand color formations. 
Included: transportation, driver, sandboard specialist guide, water, and snack and sandboard equipment. Departures: morning and afternoon.
  Descriptions and Prices
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4. Nasca ceramics workshop* / COD. NTC
 

One of the most outstanding Nasca manifestations, as well as its geoglyphs, is the ceramic: design of drawings, its ‘fear to void', the use of vegetable and mineral dyes, etc. Our passengers have the opportunity to step into the world of desert ceramics visiting the workshop of a family of potters whose technique passes from generation to generation.
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5. Life in the mine Program * / COD. NVM
 

We travel through Aja Valley up to the gold mine. After a security lecture and equipment delivery, we get into the galleries in order to see the mining work they developed, identify minerals samples and observe the tools used during perforation and milling work.

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6. Pampa Galeras National Reserve* / COD. NRM
 

We will cross desert mountain formations during 90 minutes up to the National Reserve that host wild vicuñas and guanacos. These animals shearing, the Chaccu, is carried out between May and October, then we visit an American camelids study center.
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For more information please contact:
actividades@casa-andina.com









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