Sand boarding Nazca Peru

A break from flying and site seeing, a 40 minute dune buggy ride into the desert for a spot of sand boarding 

Paragliding Skye

Uros reed islands on lake Titicaca

A short visit to a couple of the reed islands on the inner part of Lake Titicaca.

These islands are floating in about 10mtrs of water.

The roots of the reeds are used as the base then the reeds are laid cross ways to build up a layer, this is a cobtinual process. The reeds are used for the island, houses, boats and some of the reed can be used for food.

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Hostal Brabant

If your looking for a clean inexpensive hostal in Nazca, why not check out this hostal.

Extremely friendly welcome from Jesus the manager who will arrange almost anything that is to be found in and around Nazca.

Over flights of the lines sandboarding and sightseeing all arranged through Jesus and picked up directly from the door of the hostal

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Mummies of Chauchilla Cementary

Just outside Nazca lay the remains of Sharman high priests of the Nazca Culture.

They date back to a few hundred years BC so well before the inca civilization. 

As with the Nazca Lines there are many theories as to what the area was for. But one was a spiritual place where the people would come on a pilgrimage .

The tombs you see on the pictures are open air, over the centuries there has been much grave robbing going on looking for riches that may have been buried with these mummies which were from high and middle class in society.

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Nazca Lines

There are many theories out there about the makings of the Lines.

But nobody really knows how they were made and what they were for.

I flew this morning over the lines keen on seeing them from the air which has to be the best option.

There are miradors ( Look out towers) along the Panamerican highway but you only see a small fraction of the figures lines.

The price was $70US, pickup from the hostal flight and return. There are some horror stories about these flights and reported crashes and deaths. But the safety is very high each plane flys with two pilots as a consequence of these accidents. The flight lasted for 30 minutes and the commentary was very informative. Just a small collection of pics.

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Bolivia

The Border between Bolivia and Chile

Really sureal on an Island in the middle of Uyunni Salt Flats covered in cacti

Sunrise over the salt flats

Duvet jacket as in the desert the temperature drops really fast after sunSet the pic is around 5.45 in the morning

One of the many salt lagoons and the resident Lamas. These lagoons are also frequented by Flamingo

The Toyota Land Cruisers we had for 4 days on the tracel from The Bolivian Border to Uyunni.
The tour company was Cordillera Traveller well recommended as one of the best operators. 

Mountain Biking Around St Pedro

The first four photos are of Valle de Luna (valley of the moon)

In some areas of this National Park is just like something off the surface of the moon.

Along steep track in canyon land just outside St Pedro, this trail heads up to a tunnel that takes you through the mountain side
It tells on you when exercising its only 2600mtrs at this point but the breathing still gets a little ragged.

St Pedro de Atacama

The town is ringed with volcanoes highest just  over 6000mtrs average 5500mtrs with daily tours leaving daily to wakk up to the crater rim.
be very aware if coming in straight from sea level get acclimatised or you will suffer badly.
there are tours everyday to lower altitude then return to StPedro which is at approximatley 2450mtrs.

St Pedro is the main hub for travellers to stop over and explore the Atacama and over into Bolivia.
The main street and plaza are lined with tour operaters selling there tours.

I can recommend Maxim Tours with our excellent guide Eric, see the pics on earlier blog.
Heading on a 4 day trip over to Bolivia and back Wednesday will post a summary when I get back.