Here are a few things you may not know about the third largest country in South America which encompasses everything from deserts and a neverending coastline to the Andes mountain range and the Amazon Rainforest and of course the Incan city Machu Picchu.
- Machu Picchu is one of the new seven wonders of the world.
- Peru is home to the Condor, the largest flying bird in the world.
- Peru is the worlds second-largest producer of cocaine and the 6th largest producer of gold.
- Ayahuasca retreats (hallucinogenic plant) are becoming a big attraction for tourists in Peru.
- Two thirds of Peru is encompassed by the Amazon rain forest and the Amazon river actually begins in Peru.
- Peru has the longest left-hand wave in the world, measuring 4km!
- There are over 3,000 varieties of Potato all grown in Peru
- Guinea Pigs are considered a delicacy to eat, high in protein and served complete with head legs and eyes attached.
- The coca plant has been getting a bad rap since the 1980’s when people figured out you could make cocaine with it. In Peru, the coca plant has been used for thousands of years in the Andean world, mainly for its medicinal properties and religious significance. Coca leaves have been used as a stimulant to overcome fatigue, hunger, and thirst and they are particularly effective against altitude sickness.
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