Preventing & Dealing with Altitude Sickness

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Pirwa
Enjoying the Bolivian Heights

Enjoying the Bolivian Heights

You’re finally realizing that dream to make it to Peru or Bolivia! But altitude sickness (soroche) can put a damper on all those sightseeing plans and tours that you’ve been planning… Its troublesome symptoms can vary in strength, and include fatigue, nausea, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath. It can even lead to vomiting and other symptoms, and can become so severe that you’d need to be taken to a clinic and hooked up to an oxygen tank and IV- definitely something to be avoided! Ideally, your trip will allow you sufficient time for acclimatization, allowing your body to adjust to the lower amount of oxygen at higher altitudes, but sometimes this just isn’t possible with limited vacation days and so much to see.

Pre-Trip Tips

Itinerary Planning: Gradually Increase Your Altitude

Tackling the famed Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

If you’re planning on visitingvarious cities, you can try to structure your itinerary in order to gradually increase your altitude level. Rather than going from sea level to Cusco (flying in from Lima) or Puno, you can put in an intermediary city like Arequipa in order to acclimatize as you go

  • Many times visitors to Cusco take advantage of a Sacred Valley Tour to spend some time at a lower altitude than Cusco.
  • Planning on tackling some of the famous peaks surrounding La Paz? You must spend a few days in the city of La Paz itself (the world’s highest capital), because your chances of altitude sickness are high!

Medicate: Pre-Trip Pill Popping

Skateboarding the Uyuni Salt Flats!

Acetazolamide, sold under the name Diamox and available as a generic drug, can help prevent altitude sickness. It is taken prophylactically, starting a few days before going to higher altitudes. If you’re going from sea level to over 3,000 meters (9800 feet) or ascending more than 600 meters (2000ft per day). If you have a history of suffering from acute altitude sickness, this may be the choice for you. You take a half tablet starting one day in advance and continuing until the third day of your trip. Once started you need to take Diamox three days, even if you start to feel ok

Preparations: The Day Before

Avoid alcoholic beverages and hard-to-digest foods the day before you travel, and make sure to get a full night’s sleep! You also don’t want to have sleeping pills or tranquilizers in your system when you begin your trip.

During your Trip

Take It Easy

On your first day or two, stay hydrated (avoiding alcohol), and don’t plan too much for Day 01- you want a leisurely pace and time to rest if need be. You can plan a day of rest, or if you don’t want to lose a day stick to a restful morning and then a half-day tour or some independent exploring in the afternoon.

Coca Tea

The local remedy is drinking a tea of steeped coca leaves- you’ll find it available in most hotels and hostels and in the little stores and markets in either loose leaves or tea bags. Limit yourself to no more than five cups per day, as it’s also a stimulant. (A lot of people ask whether they can fly back home with coca leaves- the official answer is no if they’re loose leaves, but yes if they’re packages in tea bags.

 

Carb Loading & Going Bananas

Bananas are a great choice as an energy snack, as they’ll help replace the potassium that high altitudes can leached from the body. Also, you’ll want to forget any restrictive diet you might be on and treat yourself to carbohydrate-heavy foods!

Local Pharmacy Solutions

Other options are the sorojchi pills which you’ll find easily in the local pharmacies, but be aware that they’re mostly just aspirin and caffeine, so if headaches are your problem, you might be better off with just Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Many local pharmacies and tourist supply stores (there are lots) also provide mini-oxygen bottles

 

Posted in Arequipa, Cusco, General Travel Tips, La Paz, Lima, Nazca, Puno | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Inti Raymi: The Inca Sun Festival in Cusco

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Pirwa

The Incan Sun Festival

Each June, 50,000 spectators gather in Cusco to celebrate the Winter Solstice and kick off the Andean New Year during Inti Raymi, the Sun Festival. Honoring the supreme Inca deity, the sun, this was the year’s most important celebration in the time of the Inca Empire. Tradition holds that Inti Raymi dates back to Pachacutec, the first Inca. The celebration and rituals were repressed after the Spanish Conquest and through the Colonial period, but were reborn in 1944. Now, each year hundreds upon hundreds of actors, dancers, and musicians present a theatrical reenactment based on historical chronicles.

It all begins on June 21st, which was the first day of the Incan solar calendar and marks the winter solstice, with opening ceremonies throughout the week. You’ll see the streets fill with color and activity thanks to the numerous street fairs, free concerts, and elaborately costumed dancers. The Festival´s main day, falls on the Day of the Peasant (formerly celebrated as Day of the Indian), June 24th, which is also the anniversary of Cusco.

Getting Tickets

Acts I and II at Qorikancha Sun Temple and the Plaza de Armas are open to the general public. You’ll want to go early if you want to be able to see. (One benefit of getting your Inti Raymi tickets through an agency as part of a festival package is that you will usually get a private balcony from which to watch the celebrations in the Plaza.)

Tickets are sold for Act III at Saqsaywaman, where viewing platforms are arranged in three different zones. The cost of Act III, the central ceremony, ranges from $80 to $115 depending if you are in the Green, Blue, or Orange Platform. It’s limited to 3,859 spectators. Ticket costs include the official program/script in 3 languages and a DVD about the ceremony.

If you buy your tickets for Act III directly through the government agency with handles festivals, EMUFEC, payment is required in advance, by deposit into their account or through their online purchasing system. (Unfortunately, they’re taking their time…at the moment, the account information has not yet been published, nor the purchasing system activated!)

The 6 Day Inti Raymi Tour

Pirwa Travel offers both a shorter and longer Inti Raymi tour, the shorter of which includes the festival itself, including a packed lunch and knowledgeable guide, and ensuring balcony access overlooking the Plaza de Armas and seating at Sacsaywaman.

The longer, 6-day tour includes guided tours of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu in addition to Inti Raymi. Those of you interested in a tour package, or assistance with specific elements of your trip such as transport, entrances, guided visits, and more, can get in touch with our travel department, Pirwa Travel Service at pirwatravel@gmail.com.

Travelers’ Tips

  • June is wintertime in Cusco, but the afternoon sun scorches and the temperature can spike up quickly in the afternoon.  Prepare for the variability of Cusco´s climate by dressing in layers to put on for the mornings and evening, and remembering the sun screen.
  • Cusco fills up quickly for Inti Raymi, as it also coincides with the travel industry’s “high season”- whatever you can arrange in advance, do. Especially lodging, train tickets, Machu Picchu entrances, and treks go quickly. (The Inca Trail sold out already! Perhaps you can find spaces in the shortened 2-Day trek, or alternative treks such as Salkantay or Inca Jungle.)
  • Packed streets, visual spectacles, and well-laden tourists….violence is not a worry but pickpockets are guaranteed, so watch outer pockets and bags, carry backpacks along your front or not at all, and guard your small electronics with care- cells, camaras, and mp3s are popular with thieves as they are easy to resell and bring a good price.
  • Tickets can be bought by those who want prime seating for the main ceremony at Sacsayhuamán.  Many, however, choose to simply gather in the surrounding area and hope to catch a glimpse of proceedings while picnicking along the hills.
  • Prices for transport, lodging, and food can soar in July due to the increased demand, so plan some flexibility into your budget. (Don’t worry- none of our Pirwa hostels raise prices during high season or festivals.)

Official Program: Inti Raymi’s Central Day

Friday, 24th of June 2012

08:15   The flag of Tahuantinsuyo, represented the united regions of the empire, is hoisted by 5th Mountain Brigade

08:30   Mass & Te Deum at the Basilica Cathedral, headed by Cusco’s Archbishop

09:00   Sun Greeting at Qorikancha

At Cusco’s famous Temple of the Sun, characters representing noble figures, the chosen women, the Inca’s entourage, and the royals themselves gather for the gather for Salute to the Sun. They arrive as the sounds of traditional Andean Instruments and conch shells fill the air, and exit along flower-strewn streets when they exit en route to the Main Square (Auqaypata). This lasts for half an hour.

11:00   Meeting of the Times at Auqaypata

The Inka and his entourage enter along Inti K’ijllu Street. The Inka will formally address Cusco’s mayor from his ushnu, a ceremonial platform constructed in the center of Cusco’s Main Square for the occasion. This lasts for 45 minutes.

13:30   Main Ceremony Sacsaywaman Fortress

The central ceremony lasts an hour and a half. It begins with the reports from the 4 Suyos (Regions), the Chicha Rite, Rite of Sacred Fire, Llama Sacrifice (simulated) and divining, the Sankhu (Sacred Bread) rite, and Q’ochurikuy (explosion of popular exhaltation). Expect llama viscera, bonfires, dancing, and more.

It doesn’t stop at Sacsayhuamán- the fun will continue throughout the following days through concerts, dancing, and fairs along Cusco’s main streets. Don’t miss the vibrancy, excitement and historical charm of South America’s 2nd largest festival!

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Nazca Tourism Week (& María Reiche’s Birthday) Is Coming!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Pirwa

Maria Reiche's BirthdayMaria Reiche’s birthday is coming up, this May 15th. She’s the famed Lady of the Desert, who devoted the majority of her life to the study and protection of the mysterious Nazca Lines. In celebration of this, the city of Nazca holds its tourism week around the same time, with celebrations beginning around 10 days in advance, May 5th, and lasting until the 15th. We don’t have the specific program yet, but will hopefully have the full event list, dates and times soon!

After the fall of the Ceremonial City Cahuachi around 400AD due to a series of natural disasters that foresaw the fall of their civilization, the center of Nazca civilization was based in the area on which today’s city of Nazca sits. The civilization is known above all for the enigmatic Nazca Lines which cover miles of the desert floor in geometric shapes and pictures of animals and people and can only be fully seen from the sky. Their purpose is still debated, although the most popular theories contend that they were the world´s largest astronomical calendar designed to correlate with celestial movements, please the gods, and remind them of the need to provide for the crops and harvests. The most recent theories now suggest that they were also used as ceremonial pathways for the same reason.

Tips on the Nazca Lines

  • Remember that most tours do not include the Air Tax, which at the moment is S/.25.00 (soles).
  • Flights are short, but you can also book a longer flight that also includes the nearby Palpa Lines.
  • Earlier flights are better for increased visibility. (Flights run from 7am – 4pm.)
  • Some people choose to take motion sickness pills in advance, since the pilots tilt and turn as much as possible to ensure that everyone gets good views of the ground.

(Click for info on Flights over the Nazca Lines.)

Getting to Nazca

Nazca is located about 400km south of Lima. If you’re only going to go see the Nazca Lines, try a one or two night trip departing from Lima, although a couple nights extra would allow you the opportunity to visit the Cantayoc Aqueducts, Chauchilla Cemetery, or the ruins of Cahuachi.


A view of the Pirwa Nazca Patio!

A direct bus takes about 9 hours, although you can split the trip up if you were planning on visiting Paracas Bay to see the Ballestas Islands, or Huacachina Oasis for some sandboarding, as companies such as Cruz del Sur make stops in both Ica and Paracas. You can do overnight buses or during the daytime. If you’ve stopped in Ica to visit Huacachina, small buses known as colectivos leave frequently for Nazca, the 2-3hr trip costs S/.12.00 (soles).

Overnight buses from Cuzco will take you 14 hours, and from Arequipa 9 hours, although trip times are very approximate, depending on the weather, road conditions, etc. Expect prices to range from S/.60.00-S/.180.00 (soles), and vary during high and low tourist seasons.

When looking for a place to stay, we hope that you’ll give Pirwa Nazca Backpackers a try! Not sure? Click here for an independent review of Pirwa Nazca from another travel blog….

What to Do in Nazca Aside From the Lines…

  • A visit to the Museo Arqueológico Antonini on Avenida la Cultura will give you priceless insight into the Nazca people, teaching about the archeological sites and the Nazca Lines, the system of aqueducts that they created, the detailed polychrome ceramics for which they are famed, their mummies and their skilled textile work.
  • The Cantayoc Aqueducts is an impressive underground irrigation system unlike any you’ve seen, that managed to bring life to this arid landscape. After a thousand years, some are still in use today! (Tour Info on the Cantayoc Aqueducts)
  • At Chauchilla Cemetery you can observe incredibly well-preserved mummies and artifacts including deformed skulls and ‘trophy heads’ more than a thousand years old. (Tour Info on Chauchilla Cemetery)
  • The Cahuachi Archeological Site 20min from Nazca was once a ceremonial and pilgrimage center, the Nazca’s most important city. Stop by to see the adobe pyramids and temples, which are still being excavated to this day.
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Sampling Cuy: Eating Guinea Pig In Peru

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Pirwa

Guinea pigs have been popular pets ever since European traders introduced them to the West in the 16th century, due to their docile responsiveness and ease of care, meaning many of us have sentimental feelings for these cuddly creatures. For those of us who’ve grown up considering these cuddly creatures as pets, it can come as a surprise to know that guinea pigs originated in the Andes, where they were domesticated as early as 5000BC for their meat and are known as cuy. Originally reserved for ceremonial meals, it’s become a very common dish year-round, especially for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions. Many urban and country households of the Andean highlands raise cuy, feeding them table scraps. They’re considered a good investment because they require little room and reproduce quickly.

In fact, cuy pervades the popular culture. The Peruvian town of Churin is known for its guinea pig festival, which involves costume contests (see the photo to the right), races, and of course, tastings. Those of you visiting Cusco will also be surprised to see in the Cathedral a famous painting of the Last Supper which features guinea pig as the main dish (see the photo below, couldn’t resist including that one either) The meat is rich in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, and the taste is slightly reminiscent of rabbit and the dark meat of chicken. A lot of tourists who try the dish, daintily picking with their knife and fork for the purely meat parts, find that it’s more little bones than meat, but locals get their fill by taking the animal apart and sucking the meat off the bones.

How do you take your Guinea Pig?

You’ll be surprised to know that if you’re interested in trying guinea pig during your travels through Peru, you’ll have a variety of options. Cuy Chactado is guinea pig flattened and fried whole, originating from the Arequipa region. Cuy Asado, which is broiled, or Al Horno, which is roasted, is a traditional preparation that you can try if you’re in the Cusco region, especially in Tipon, a small town just outside of Cusco. You can expect it to be an expensive dish relative to other local dishes … One of the most traditional methods of eating it is with potatoes in an oven of earth or rocks. This preparation- pachamanca or huatia is common throughout the countryside, but you won’t find it in any restaurants. An option for the squeamish among you is to try the more modern fusion dishes of the Novo Andino school- cuy in casseroles, in fricassee, as a filling for ravioli….much more palateable, although you won’t have the impressive whole cuy pictures as a souvenir!

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Save Big in Puno with our Unbeatable Hostel Prices!

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Pirwa

We’re offering 15% off for all room types at Pirwa Puno Backpackers! If you’ve been hoping to see the world-famous manmade Floating Islands of Uros and other traditional Aymara- or Quechua-speaking islands throughout the world’s highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca, this is the perfect time to do so- and Pirwa Puno Backpackers is only a 15 minute walk from the harbor!

Pirwa Puno Backpackers boasts an enviable location near Calle Independencia Lima, a couple of blocks from Puno’s Plaza de Armas, and a range of private rooms and shared-dormitories fit to accommodate all stripes of travelers. The friendly staff is waiting to welcome you and help you discover all that Puno has to offer!

Pirwa Puno Backpackers offers the services you’ve come to expect from Pirwa Hostels- continental breakfast, hot water 24/7, self-catering kitchen, internet & Wi-Fi, travel information counter … not to mention the fun to be had with us and other travelers in the in-house bar and TV/game lounge!

You can access the 15% discount easily by booking through our website! You can also book via email with reservaspirwa@gmail.com. They can also help you out if you have any questions or requests regarding your trip. We’re waiting to hear from you!

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Mystical Tourism: Trying Ayahuasca in Peru

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Pirwa

Ayahuasca is Quechua for spirit vine, or vine of souls; it is a brew which shamans of the Amazon Basin have been preparing for hundreds of years

It is employed throughout the Amazon and Andes for divinatory purposes, as a religious sacrament, and for healing. Popular in Peru’s indigenous communities and among many mestizos, it’s seen throughout the country as an herbal medicine rather than an illicit hallucinogenic drug, and a valued part of Peruvian spiritual and economic life, with government tourist agencies even sponsoring ayahuasca festivals.

Popular Ayahuasca destinations include the Amazonian urban center of Iquitos and the outlying Shipibo town of San Francisco, although you can also experience it in the Andean region, such as in Cusco’s Sacred Valley. You can even take part in ayahuasca healing retreats during which you will take part in multiple ceremonies.

Apprentices spend years under the tutelage of elder shaman getting to know the individual plants used to prepare ayahuasca, learning about their individual healing properties and the spirits associated with each. According the shaman, these spirits teach them icaros, or spirit songs, which they then sing or whistle during ceremonies in order to call forth the plants’ unique assistance.

Preparations vary, but of the basic leaves, seeds, and bark combination which are boiled together to prepare the brew, it is the caapi vine which must be present. The vine is considered to be the gatekeeper and guide to otherworldly realms. Traditional additions of barks and plants are often added on top of the main ingredients for their spiritual properties, from Ayahuma bark which is used to retrieve parts of the soul lost to trauma, Capirona bark for cleansing, Remo Caspi bark to heal dark energy, and much more. Each of the many possible ingredients has a recognizable spirit; the Ayahuma bark, for instance, appears as a headless giant.

CAUTION: If you’re interested in trying Ayahuasca, you must take responsibility yourself for researching possible severe adverse reactions with various prescription medications, as most shamans are unfamiliar with Western pharmaceuticals.

Ceremonies take place as night falls, generally after a brief midday fast. The freshly prepared ayahuasca will be blessed with mapacho, a tobacco whose smoke is believed to ward off negative spirits, as the shamans pay homage to the ayahuasca’s spirits, entreating their assistance. The shamans will serve you the amount which they feel you are in need of. The taste is not pleasant, and vomiting is a normal occurrence, viewed as a purging of dark energy.

Once all have drunk, the lights are put out and the shaman begin to sing their spirit songs to the rhythm of their chakapas, leaf rattles and in somewhere around 20 minutes, the visions will begin to appear. Ideally, during this time practitioners seek a window into themselves, wrestling with their fears and releasing negative spirits. Many feel they are traveling among realities. Sting famously says that during his Ayahuasca ceremony, he chased a bee through a Joshua tree for hours. You can expect the average ceremony lasts about four to five hours.

In each of Pirwa Hostels’ thirteen locations throughout Peru and Bolivia, you’ll find the help desks of our own travel agency and tour operator, Pirwa Travel. If you are interested in trying ayahuasca, you can ask them to help arrange this for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t the time to make it to the jungle, as there are also options throughout the Andean region for mystical tourists looking for a unique experience!


Posted in Cusco, General Travel Tips, La Paz, Lima, Puno | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Peru: A Surfer’s Dream

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Pirwa

Learning to Surf in Lima

Lima and its surrounding area has several beaches that are popular among surfers, with the best time of year to go being May through August.

If you’re a beginner and would like to learn something new, your best bests are Waikiki Beach and Makaha Beach, both in Miraflores. (That’s the Miraflores District to the left. Its green seaside cliffs lead down to sandy beaches going into the Pacific Ocean.) If you’re staying in one of our Miraflores locations, the Pirwa Inclan B&B and Pirwa Prada Backpackers, you can stop by the in-house Pirwa Travel desk to ask them to hook you up with some affordable surfing lessons. Classes begin with instructions on using the gear, paddling, standing, dealing with rip tides, etc. Usually they are about 10 percent theory and 90 percent practice and charge by the hour. For a memorable time in Lima, definitely check with Pirwa Travel for surfing in Lima and other excursions!

Chasing the Waves

Surfers with a little more experience can go a little further down to La Herradura Beach in Chorrillos, known for its strong left break, or south of Lima at Cabelleros in Punta Hermosa. More serious surfers can head a little further south to Pico Alto beach in Punta Hermosa, where waves average around 4 meters high. If you’re visiting during the Peruvian summertime, you’ll find that the beach strip south of Lima becomes a party hotspot.

If you’re willing to leave Lima, there are beaches north of the city, such as in Mancora or Cabo Blanco, and really any of the beaches in Chicama, which are considered to have some of the world’s best surfing, as they have some of the longest waves on the planet- the ride you’ve been dreaming of !

 

An Ancient Sport

The ancient Mochica culture, which predates the Inca by two civilizations, would fashion from reads surf craft used for fishing and leisure, which today are known as Caballitos de Totora- Reed Horses. You can find artifacts depicting wave riding which date as far back as 3,000-4,000BC, which is why there are those who advocate for Peru as the origin of surfing rather than the Polynesians. You can still see fishermen using the Reed Horses today, especially in the town of Huachaco.

A Little More About Pirwa Travel

For years, Pirwa Travel has been providing quality traditional, ecological, and adventure tours throughout Peru, eventually branching out into Bolivia as well along with Pirwa Hostels. It’s more than just day trips such as surfing lessons or paragliding in Lima- Pirwa Travel can help you trek the world’s deepest canyons in Arequipa, take you down into the pristine lushness of the Amazon, and introduce you to the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu.

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Why Choose a Hostel Rather Than a Hotel?

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Pirwa
Arriving at Pirwa Nazca

Arriving at Pirwa Nazca

If you’re a travel junkie, you’re sure to come across die-hard hostel, or backpacker, fans throughout your trip. As hostels become more savvy and begin to provide a greater range of options for travelers, they’ve become more popular for those who wish to lodge with like-minded travelers (why, the young and the young-at-heart, of course) and save some money in the process. For those of you who’ve never stayed in a hostel before and are looking to take the leap, here are the top reasons for choosing a hostel from those of us who are converted.

Value For Money

Hostels have become more advanced with time, and for those who’d prefer to spend their money on other costs, such as food and drink, excursions, or longer trips, they offer great value for the money by keeping costs to a minimum while also offering other benefits you can’t get from hotels, such as a cooking or barbecue area.

Social & Cultural Interaction

Barbecuing at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers in Cusco

Barbecuing at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers in Cusco

One of the best things about staying in a hostel rather than a hotel is that they facilitate interaction with other like-minded travelers. Many find themselves altering itineraries in order to fit in suggestions from, or excursions with, new-found friends! Hostels like Pirwa focus on young people interested in meeting others, but those craving privacy can always opt for private rooms rather than shared dormitories.

Each Pirwa hostel is different, but all have common areas for socializing, whether it’s hammocks in the patio, a rooftop terrace, bar, fast-food stand, and/or a TV and movie lounge with billiards, ping-pong, darts, or other games. Often, social activities are scheduled such as barbecues, tournaments for poker, twister, and other games, day-trips, movie nights, and dance classes.

Celebrating New Year's at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers in Cusco

Celebrating New Year's at Pirwa Colonial Backpackers in Cusco

Flexibility

Those without fixed itineraries will find that finding availability without a prior booking is much easier at a hostel than a hotel.

Local Flavor
Those of you who’ve stayed in hotel chains know that city to city, country to country, they don’t change. Many who choose staying in a hostel do so because they want to stay in a place with a more authentic local touch, preferably locally-owned like Pirwa.

Knowledge & a Personal Touch

Often people working in hostels are themselves backpackers and because of this they are usually a fountain of knowledge for anything and everything in the local area. Receptionists in a hotel may provide you with a map and a few pointers, but in a hostel these people really know what they are talking about and often go out of their way in order to help.

Trips and Tours

Starting the Day in Pirwa La Paz's Breakfast Room

Starting the Day in Pirwa La Paz's Breakfast Room

Hostels generally have a wide range of trip and tours on offer. In all Pirwa hostels, you can conveniently book short day trips or multiple-day tours and treks, as well as lodging in other cities of Peru and Bolivia.

Customized Facilities

Because hostels usually cater to a younger crowd, you’ll find that Wi-Fi is always free, and in the case of Pirwa Hostels, internet access is included as well, should you be without a computer. Since backpackers are often a thrifty lot as well, you’ll also find kitchens in all of Pirwa’s hostels, should you feel the need to fix up a quick snack. We provide the bed linens and towels, but as always in hostels, soap and shampoo are on you.

How We Address Backpacker Concerns

Security

One of the Shared Dormitories in Pirwa Inclan B&B in Lima

One of the Shared Dormitories in Pirwa Inclan B&B in Lima

A good hostel should be secure, ensuring that no one enters shared dormitories who is not a guest staying in that particular room, but you should also exercise common sense and not leave money, passports, cell phones, cameras, and other electronics or valuables lying around in a shared room. (In fact, whether you’re staying in a private room or shared, in a hotel or hostel, this is not a recommendable practice.)

Pirwa offers in-room lockers for your bags in the shared dormitories, secure luggage storage whilst you are in the middle of a hike or trek that will keep you away for a night or two, and lockers or safes around reception for those who require extra security for their smaller valuables. (The first two are included, the last is often a rentable service, depending on which locale you are staying at.)

Cleanliness

With so many people sharing common spaces, hostels have gotten a bit of a reputation for unhygienic practices, but hostels have improved in this area. Pirwa Hostels has daily cleanings, and for shared bathrooms, cleanings throughout the day, in order to ensure the comfort of our guests.

Most hostels provide individual lockers for your valuables, though you’ll need your own lock.  Otherwise, you can leave your valuables under lock and key at the reception.

Posted in Arequipa, Cusco, General Travel Tips, La Paz, Lima, Nazca, Puno | Leave a comment

What Food to Try During Your Trip through Peru!

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Pirwa

For you foodie backpackers out there who are planning on swinging through Peru, we’ve put together a list of some of the most traditional, and delicious, Peruvian foods and desserts to add to your must-try list! Make sure not to skip the following while eating your way through the coast and the Andes!:

Ceviche: Considered Peru’s national dish, ceviche is fish slightly cooked in citrus juice, and spiced with red onion and ají pepper. The leftover marinade is often served alongside as a drink known as leche de tigre, tiger’s milk.                                                                           Lomo Saltado: This stir-fried dish of beef, tomatoes, peppers and onion flavored with soy sauce and served over fried potatoes and with rice is one of the most famous dishes to

Aji de Gallina: This chicken dish with yellow ají pepper sauce is mildly spicy and deliciously creamy…one of your friendly blog-writer’s favorite meals anywhere!

Cuy: In the Andes, guinea pig is a traditional meal. Often baked or broiled, it has a flavor reminiscent of rabbit or wild fowl and is quite boney. For maximum effect, it’s often served with the head still on, causing less intrepid travelers to simply take souvenir photos and leave the meal uneaten, while more intrepid travelers take home a story about one of the more unique meals one can eat in Peru!

Rocoto Relleno: You can find this spicy stuffed pepper throughout Peru, although it originated in its present form in Arequipa. The stuffing is usually spiced ground beef with chopped veggies and hard-boiled egg, and the topping is white cheese. The pepper is boiled to remove some of the bite….but they can still get pretty spicy!

Anticuchos: These marinated and grilled meat skewers are served on the street and in high-class restaurants. You can find endless variants, but beef heart is the most traditional. Slathered in some spicy ají sauce, these are a great cheap treat. If you dare to buy one on the street, we’re talking around a dollar for your basic meat-and-potatoes combo! If you’re going to go for it though, go all out and go for the heart….

Causa: A cold layered dish of potatoes, avocado, and fillings such as tuna, meat, or hard-boiled egg, Causa has innumerable tasty variations.

Alpaca: The alpaca is the smaller camelid cousin of the llama, with a lean meat similar to buffalo. The most common dish is tender grilled medallions of alpaca, although you can even find more modern preparations such as alpaca carpaccio.

… …

Pollo a la Brasa: Roast chicken in Peru is unlike any you’ve tried before, with a smoky, salty taste resulting from marinating the meat in red peppers, garlic, and cumin.

Most of the following treats were colonial-era adaptations of Spanish sweets whose original forms were prohibitively expensive in Peru, creating treats so delectable that you’ll still find them all over Peru just by strolling down the streets.

Arroz con leche & Mazamorra Morada: This rice pudding seasoned with cinnamon or nutmeg and raisins is a soothing velvety treat served hot, and often with mazamorra morada, the jelly-like treat made of Peruvian purple corn and seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, chopped pineapple, and sweet potato flour. Together, they’re one of the most traditional desserts in Peru.

Lúcuma Ice Cream: One of the most popular ice-cream flavors in Peru is the orange-colored lúcuma ice cream. This exotic subtropical fruit is only grown in quantity in the Andean region of Peru. Sometimes called eggfruit in English due to the dry texture of its flesh, its flavor is reminiscent of maple and sweet potato.

Picarones: Think pumpkin or squash donuts, dipped in a caramelized honey sauce. Hot and fresh, these fritters are irresistible.

Tejas: Originating in Peru’s Ica Region, these colonia-era candies are made of candied fruit filled with a caramel-like manjar blanco and covered in a creamy fondant. Variations include tejas de almendras, which is made with almonds rather than candied fruit, or chocotejas, which are covered in chocolate.

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Ica’s International Vendimia Festival 2012

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Pirwa

March 2 to March 12th

The Vendimia, or Harvest, Festival has been realized in the region of Ica during the first weeks of March since 1958 in honor of the region’s claim to fame- the best quality wines in Peru, and the world’s finest piscos, the Peruvian grape brandy which originated in this region.

During the festival, the city and countryside are transformed as musical festivals celebrating the region’s Afro-Peruvian heritage abound, with Marinera dance contests, shows exhibiting the unique side-stepping Peruvian paso horse, open-air parties nightly, folkloric shows, fireworks, and more.

You’ll definitely want to visit one of the food fairs to experience the region’s cuisine, or check out the sandboarding competitions on the dunes outside of Huacachina Oasis. If you plan a daytrip to the oasis, you can even experiment with this unique adrenaline-filled sport as well! Our agency department, Pirwa Travel Service, can arrange an sandboarding excursion for you to Huacachina Oasis if you want to give it at try!

Other attractions include the Main Parade with its floats and local and international beauty queens tossing bunches of grapes and the Election of the Festival Queen, which was scheduled pre-festival for Feb 25th but has been postponed due to permit issues. The Festival Queen and her court will tread the grapes after the rite of the cutting of the bunches.

The main parade is on Sunday and is traditionally followed by a yunza, whereby a tree is laden with treats and prizes like a piñata and one by one people come to try and cut it down. Once the game is complete attendees scramble for the treats.

One of the best activities that travelers can engage in is known as the Pisco Route- visiting the valley’s wineries to learn about the process of creating these artisanal wines and brandies and enjoying tastings afterwards. During the festival the wineries will often schedule fiestas with traditional wine stomping, dance contests, cockfights, and more.

Who are some of the confirmed artists thus far? Well, it’s been a little difficult tracking down the official programme, which will hopefully hit the web in the coming days. Columbian artist Tego Calderon, one of reggaeton’s first superstars, often referred to as The Street Poet, will be performing at the campground on March 3rd along with the Argentinean Wachiturros, who’ve had a lot of hits in Peru the last year. Classical guitarist Gianmarco will perform on the 9th, and Chino and Nacho on the 8th.

From there on, there are names being thrown around as disparate as Evanescence’s Amy Lee and Mexican rockers Maná, but we’re still waiting on the official roster, so check back here for the programme because we’ll be confirming as soon as it’s available.

While in Ica…

Well, first, you need to get there- Ica is just a 4 hour drive south of Lima, so it’s easy to arrange for a bus trip. If you need any assistance or recommendations, Pirwa Travel Service can help. You can reach them at pirwatravel@gmail.com, or, if you’re staying in one of our hostels in Miraflores, Lima, simply stop by the information desk which you’ll find in each of our hostels.

Of course, the number one item on your sampling list needs to be the aromatic Peruvian pisco, but also try another local drink known as cachina. Together with the liquors, you can sample snacks such as the delicious tejas caramelized fruit filled with a rich caramel sauce and coated with fondant, or in the case of tejas de pecanas, with pecans instead of fruit.

The Verano Negro Festival continues in Chincha, so this is a great time to stop by Ica. If you’re not sure what activities you’re interested in exploring while here, check out our earlier blog post with our top recommendations in Nazca.

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