Peru is a breathtaking country with a vibrant culinary scene, a rich history, ample biodiversity, resources, natural regions, and an abundance of culture. These are 7 incredible facts about Peru that will leave you completely fascinated.
Fact 1: Peru was the home of the Incas, a powerful kingdom that the Spaniards found in this part of South America. Prior to them, for thousands of years, hundreds of small kingdoms were creating civilizations on this land. The Incas were excellent warriors and organizers, they expanded to and governed parts of present day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. The Incan Empire was exceptionally successful and lasted for over 300 years!
Fact 2: Peru holds one of the 7 Wonders of the World! In Cusco you can go check out the infamous Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan Citadel nestled high in the Andes Mountains. These fascinating ruins have not only been deemed as a Wonder of the World, but they have also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. In Quechua, the native language spoken in the Andes before Spanish influence, “Machu” means ancient or old and “Picchu” means mountain, therefore “Machu Picchu” translates to “Old Mountain.” Machu Picchu truly holds a deep cultural significance in Peru, and contains so many artifacts and trails of evidence from the late 15th Century that archeologists have been studying for decades.
Fact 3: Peru is the birthplace of the potato! Potatoes were first cultivated in what is now Peru between 10,000 and 7,000 years ago. These potatoes were selected and developed by the inhabitants of the land for thousands of years. In turn, Peru now grows and cultivates over 3,000 varieties of potatoes!
Fact 4: In Peru, you can find the highest sand dune in the world, Cerro Blanco. Cerro Blanco stands at a staggering height of 6,818 feet or 2,078 meters tall and provides for extra thrilling sandboarding rides.
Fact 5: Peru has always been a top spot known for its gastronomy worldwide. With coasts, mountains, and jungle, Peru is easily one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet and provides for various unique and delicious flavors. Just recently, one of Peru’s restaurants, Central, won the official record for the best restaurant in the WORLD! Because of Peru’s immense variety of different flavors across its regions, it simply has one of the tastiest and individually distinctive cuisines globally.
Fact 6: In the Nazca Deserts of Peru, the infamous Nazca Lines can be seen from above. The Nazca Lines are enormous geoglyphs etched into the ground that range from 50 to 1,200 feet or 15.2 to 366 meters long! These massive geoglyphs depict around 70 different animals and shapes, and still baffle scientists to this day. These geoglyphs were made between 500 BCE and 500 CE before any seriously useful tools were invented. This means that the people who carved these lines not only had to scale everything accurately, but they also had no tools to help them other than their hands, and possibly a wooden stake.
Fact 7: Peru is home to the condor, one of the biggest birds in the world. The wingspan of the average condor measures to about 10.5 feet or 3.2 meters! These majestic creatures can be spotted soaring through the skies of the Andes mountain ranges.
We hope these Peru facts left you intrigued and that next time you travel you consider this beautiful country in your itinerary. To have your own piece of Peru from home, shop for our Small Llamas here.