Peru

Arequipa // The White City at Night

| Emma Louise

Arequipa is a city in the south of Peru, and it should definitely be included in your itinerary when you come to visit the country. It is just as deserving as a trip to Cusco or to the northern beaches.

It used to be the capital of Peru for a time during the 1800s once Peru had declared independence from Spain, and the historic centre is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The beautiful white stone used to construct many of the buildings here is just absolutely stunning, but we only caught a brief glimpse on our arrival as the sun was setting. However, we were greeted by this view as we checked into our hotel for the night.

Basílica Catedral de Arequipa // A Slice of Peru

An amazing sight and such a perfect welcome!

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Trekking and Camping near Obrajillo

| Emma Louise

THE ROUTE // Taking route 18 from Lima (well, from the northern Carabayllo district) we drove North East along a very bumpy highway to Canta. The roads are currently being re done so we encountered a few traffic stops along the way to allow for the removal of rubble and cement mixers unloading. If you are lucky, there will also be ice cream sellers too as it starts to get warmer. In winter you take any route out of Lima for about an hour and you hit sunshine!

THE TOWN // Heading through Canta and just down the mountain is the small town of Obrajillo, sitting alongside the River Chillon. Obrajillo is surrounded by beautiful mountains, some waterfalls and is home to quite a few horses. These horses (and donkeys) are taken up to graze in the fields high up in the mountains, and these would be the routes we would take when trekking up to the ruins of Pumakoto and to our home for the night.

The town of Obrajillo, is primarily around the main square, but one road takes you down and over the river where there is a cluster of restaurants, a place to take horse rides and a few campsites, then the road turns and takes you up to the town of San Miguel.

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