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Writer's pictureMarion Marquardt

Through the desert to the Peruvian coast

Sandboarding the second - on the dunes of Huacachina
Paracas - harsh climate, untouched beaches
Looking for the perfect wave - surfing on the Peruvian coast
The humpback whales in Los Organos give it their all - what a show

After countless months at high altitude, we are now really looking forward to Peru's coastal region. We have heard that it is not very beautiful and quite littered, but we are still drawn to the sea - in the hope of finding a few good surfing spots.


First we have to cross the Andes again, which takes us about 4 days to drive. Then we head for Nazca, a desert city known for the lines of the same name nearby. To be precise, they are geoglyphs that were probably created by the pre-Incas as part of fertility rituals. They are best seen from the air. Numerous flights with small chesnas are offered. However, we don't want to spend any money on a few lines in the sand. Even if the flights aren't really expensive. We are more interested in nature than culture. We drive to one of the lesser-known viewpoints and ask Juan, the guard, for permission to fly the drone. Because of the high volume of air traffic for standard tourists, we don't fly particularly high, too risky :-). Unfortunately, you can't see much of it. At least we can see the picture of the Andean puma clearly.


Andenpuma Nazca Lines
The Andean Puma from above

We spend most of our time in the Nazca Lodge, a beautiful place to stay. During the week we have the entire area to ourselves, including the pool with an open bar. Enrique has created a real oasis here and is now an expert when it comes to plants and irrigation. Since we have a few repairs in the living cabin on the agenda anyway, we stay for a few days. And we can finally do some sport again. That was clearly neglected at altitude. We simply didn't have the energy and oxygen for it.


Nazca Lodge Peru
Pool from Nazca Lodge from above

Our next destination is Huacachina, also a desert town, with a natural oasis and countless sand dunes. A place that is definitely on the must-see list for every holidaymaker in Peru. Shortly before sunset, it is almost impossible to get through on the way to the dunes. Buggy trips and sandboarding are the top attractions here. We obviously don't want to miss out on the latter, after all we already had some experience in Fiambala. This time, however, we rent a professional board, i.e. with snowboard bindings and shoes. That works much better! Gravity works, even if sand has more resistance than snow. And Diego is happy again in his huge sandpit.


Sandboard Nazca Peru
Lonely Rider...



Now we're heading straight to the sea. First towards the Paracas Peninsula. In this nature reserve there are wild bays and many sea birds to observe. Dolphins and sea lions are also said to be found here, but unfortunately we didn't. The weather is fresh and the wind is rough, but for us it still feels great to finally be by the sea. However, the area can't compete with Valdez in Argentina by a long shot. We also skip the obligatory boat trip to the Islas Ballestas, where you can supposedly see penguins. In Peru, the place is apparently a highlight for observing sea creatures; since we were in Patagonia, we would probably just be disappointed.




We prefer to focus on surfing first. It's not that easy to find a good spot for beginners in the Peruvian winter. The waves are rather high there. In Cerro Azul, however, we get off to a good start. Luckily, on the very first day we meet Angel, who gives us a surfing lesson. Can't hurt after a break of over a year (two for me because of pregnancy). Unfortunately, it's not particularly warm, but above all very foggy. The sun hardly shows itself. After a few days, we drive further north - in search of the perfect wave and sun. At least time is working for us.


In Huancacho we already have almost spring-like temperatures. The inhabitants here have been fishing and riding waves with their reed boats, the Caballitos de Totora, for thousands of years. The beach is supposedly ideal for surfing. However, not every beach is suitable for us, even if it is supposedly for beginners. We just have to try it. And then the infrastructure has to be right for us. The beaches of Peru, especially those in the north, have a reputation for being unsafe. So we need a campsite (almost impossible) that is close to the beach (impossible), or a guarded beach promenade. Then it should be quiet and, if possible, there should be a public shower (cold almost impossible, warm impossible). And if that's all OK, electricity and water are our limiting factors. Without sun, there is no electricity, and access to good water or springs/taps where we can filter is also rare. If it were easy, everyone could do it! After all, Diego loves all beaches.



Surfen Peru Cerro Azul
Surfen in Perus wintertime

We find a few really beautiful places on the Peruvian Sea - and the further north we go, the better the weather. Diego also gets his money's worth





A real highlight awaits in Los Organos - the humpback whales, which stay off the coast until the end of October before they migrate to the Antarctic with their offspring. Together with Viktor, we head out to sea early in the morning at 6:30 a.m., while the Pacific is relatively calm. We use the sonar to listen to the song of the male whales. They have their own song, which is also aimed at the females. After a while, we locate a group of 6 male whales vying for the attention of a female. However, they move very quickly and hardly jump, so we only see their backs and tail fins. It is not easy for Micha to take photos, as the boat is already rocking a lot. Viktor announces that he will go out again at sunset, when the female whales and their calves are active and jumping. There is just a little more wind in the evening. Of course, Micha doesn't miss this. I decide to chill with Diego at the campsite (as best as possible when he's awake). Good thing, because what Micha reported on his return would not have been very pleasant for either of us. The waves were so strong that the whole boat was regularly flooded. Micha was afraid for his camera and his life. But it was the "show of his life". The whales jumped like world champions. But capturing it on camera (with a sharp image) was practically impossible. At least the shots are enough to imagine it. And with this highlight in our luggage, we are now heading off to Ecuador - we are very excited to see what the diverse, small country on the equator has to offer.



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