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Introducing South Coast
Peru’s southern coastal desert is refreshed by palm oases and spanned by a ribbon of pavement, the Carretera Panamericana (Pan-American Hwy), which slices all the way through the country from Ecuador to Chile. It’s the best overland route to Arequipa, Lake Titicaca and of course, Cuzco. Yes, you guessed it: this is the start of Peru’s well-beaten Gringo Trail.
But the south coast holds far more depth and diversity than the kilometer upon kilometer of arid desert and coastline viewed from a bus window. These lowlands gave birth to some extraordinary pre-Columbian civilizations, especially the Nazca – remembered for their cryptic lines etched across 500 sq km of desolate land – and the Paracas Necropolis culture, whose burial sites still lie in the sands. Spanish haciendas became the birthplace of Afro-Peruvian music and dance, whose untamed protest strains live on, especially around Chincha.
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