10 Must Visit Attractions in La Paz, Bolivia!

Estadio Hernando Siles is a Sports Stadium in La Paz, Bolivia. It is the country’s largest sports complex with a capacity of 41,143 seats.

La Paz has become a major destination for many backpackers and adventure travel enthusiasts as there are many great things to see and do in the capital city of Bolivia and the surrounding area around La Paz! It’s one of the many treasures of traveling in Bolivia! When arriving on my bus from Copacabana after visiting Isla del Sol, I was amazed by the enormity of La Paz! Our bus rounded the corner of the last crest of the high mountains of the Altiplano, where La Paz city skyline came into view and it took my breath away. I just wasn’t expecting such a large city located in a huge valley surrounded by so many snow capped mountains. As our bus worked it’s way down the side of the mountain we passed through the sprawling outer limits of La Paz that were full of chaotic traffic. The city’s official name is Nuestra Señora de La Paz, which in English means, Our Lady of Peace. It has a population of about 2.3 million people and is the highest capital city in the world, located 11,975 feet above sea level and it’s a city full of things to discover! Take a look at the 10 must see things in La Paz!

Read more about it on Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

My Three Favorite Nazca Lines In Peru!

A hummingbird etched into the Nazca Desert!

The Nazca Lines in southern Peru might not be considered one of the wonders of the world, but they really are a wonder!  They are a treasure of Peru!  It is amazing to think that a group of people etched these designs into the desert floor.  The Nazca Lines are located in the middle of the Nazca Desert and the best way to view them is from the air as the designs are hundreds of feet long.  If you don't have a desire to climb into a tiny Cessna Plane then you can skip over the Nazca Lines if you have the time while visiting still see the lines from certain viewpoints from the surrounding foothills and towers that have been built up along the highway, but the best view is from the sky above in the cockpit of a plane!  There are many lines and geometric shapes and other figures that are more complex in design.  There are multiple shapes that you can see with a short plane ride from the Nazca Airport.

Read more about the Nazca Lines on Treasures Of Traveling Website.

-- Luke Keeler

The Beautiful City of Ayacucho!

Plaza Mayor with the Mountains of Ayacucho in the distance.

The Shoulder Sack is the best way to carry children!

Little did we know that we would fall in love with Ayacucho and the many treasures of Peru when we were first planning our independent study there.  We had planned for months and studied about the area, but it wasn’t until we arrived and got to see the beauty of the Andes Mountains and got to know the wonderful people that we fell in love with Ayacucho!  It’s one thing to read about a place and a completely different thing to experience it and the people that live there!

Children playing their instruments in the parade!

We were all Bonner Scholar students at Berea College and at the time wanted to complete one of our ‘summers of service’ volunteering at medical and dental clinics in another country.  We thought if we were going to complete a summer of service in Ayacucho, we might as well also complete an independent study there so we all decided focus on a different subject.  I decided to shadow a dentist at the Centro de Salud in the San Juan Bautista district of Ayacucho while another one of my fellow Bonner’s decided to concentrate within the laboratory of that Centro de Salud, while my other friends shadowed doctors.  From the moment we flew into Ayacucho, and viewed the Andes Mountains from the window of the plane I was in love with the thought of our upcoming adventures in a new place of the world!  

Read more about Ayacucho on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Experiencing the Bullfight in Socos!

The mountainous terrain and beautiful vistas of Socos!

While living and working in Ayacucho, we decided it was time to explore the small rural village of Socos, Peru, high up in the Andes Mountains with an elevation of 11,200 feet above sea level to be exact. At this point we had spent a decent amount of time in the hustle and bustle of the urban center of Ayacucho and we wanted to be surrounded by mountainous countryside with less motor vehicles and motorcycles so we went to visit the small and remote village of Socos!

Gathering in front of the church in Socos, Peru.

It was a treat to say the least!  The long journey in the back of a truck with people and animals and really anything that could fit back there was an experience in of itself.  We thought when we arrived it was going to be a low key experience, but Socos was having a bullfight in the village so the village was packed with people who were there to see the fight and have a good time at the festival!  Now, you have to remember, this is not like the bull fights that occur in Spain where

The mountainous terrain and beautiful vistas of Socos!

they actually kill the bulls.  In Peru and at this bullfight, they were just playing with the bull, but they did not kill it.  The matador had his red cape to entice the bull to attack and after each session the matador spent with the bull, they also had multiple clowns to entertain the crowd!  They were hilarious to watch while they were antagonizing the bulls and running away from them.  Some of the clowns didn’t run fast enough and had a run in with the bull’s horns, but they were prepared and had lots of padding on their rear ends!

Read more about Socos and the bull fight at Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Sandboarding in the Oasis Town of Huacachina!

The Oasis of Huacachina!

I arrived to the desert town of Ica on a late night bus and my final destination was the oasis town of Huacachina, which has a small natural lake in the middle and is surrounded by sand dunes!  It is a short distance from the city of Ica, located about 3 miles west and I was trying to figure out the best way for me to get there from the bus station as I was traveling solo.  When I got off the bus at the bus station, there were lots of men automatically asking me if I wanted to go to Huacachina, as it is a traveler’s destination, and they were all leading me to what I thought would be a taxi, but it was actually what they call a mototaxi, a three wheeled motorcycle with sides to it. It has room for the driver and you can fit up to four people in the back, but with more weight, the harder it has to work and the slower it goes which I found out at a later destination when I took one with four people! There are many countries around the world that have these little mototaxis, but they may be called something different. In Thailand, they are called tuk-tuks and in India they call them auto-rickshaws. Either way, I thought it was so cute as this was one of the first times in my life that I had ever seen a small vehicle like that. I must remind you that this was one of my first times traveling outside of the United States. Prior to Peru, I had only gone to England, where my entire Mom’s family lives so it was a first time experience for me.  

Read more about the oasis town of Huacachina on Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

The Ballestas Islands are the Poor Man’s Galapagos!

Sea Lions basking in the sunlight!

After experiencing the sand, sun and friendly atmosphere of the oasis of Huacachina, I continued north to Pisco and the sea side resort town of Paracas to view the wildlife of the Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas in Spanish) or what is commonly known as the Poor Man’s Galapagos and is located in the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region.  After arriving in Pisco I walked around the the city center and since I was completing an independent study about dental care in Peru, I visited a few Dental Clinics throughout the town and was blown away at how nice the dentists were and how welcoming they were to allow me into their clinics and even to give me a tour around each of their facilities. After my afternoon of experiencing local dental clinics, I spent my evening visiting different tour companies who offer trips to the Ballestas Islands to find one to go with. I went to bed fairly early as the boat tour out to the Islas Ballestas leaves early in the morning when the wildlife and the birds are most active.  

Read more about the Ballestas Islands on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

The Famous Peruvian Arch Formation Which Sadly No Longer Exists

The famous arch at Paracas National Reserve.

After visiting the Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas in Spanish) or what is commonly known as the Poor Man’s Galapagos we continued to the Paracas National Reserve along the Peruvian pacific coast, which is located in the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region. This Peruvian Reserve was established in 1975 to protect not only the marine wildlife and habitats of the area which also includes the tropical desert, but also to protect the prehistoric sites of the Paracas culture and to preserve the cultural heritage of the ancient indigenous people of this area of Peru.  The Paracas National Reserve is the oldest marine reserve in Peru and includes the coastal areas along with the desert and miles of coastal waters including the Bahía de la Independencia or Independence Bay to protect the large variety of wildlife species that live in the water, in the air and on the land! There are so many species of birds concentrated in the reserve that it is considered the largest concentration of birds on earth!

Read about why the arch formation no longer exists on Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Four Places to Visit in Lima Peru!

The Government Palace of Peru or the Palacio de Gobierno in Plaza Mayor houses the executive branch of the Peruvian Government and is also the official residence of the President of Peru.

Lima is the capital city of Peru and is filled with an endless amount of treasures to experience from the museums and archaeological sites located throughout the city, to the beautiful Pacific beaches with the adventure sports that take place along the boardwalks and cliffs of the Miraflores district. Lima is the place to visit to taste the famous Peruvian cuisine which can be found in some of the best rated restaurants in South America and Lima also offers multiple nightclubs for people eager to experience the pulsating nightlife!

Walking down a palm filled street in the San Isidro district of Lima, Peru.

All this can be found in Lima and makes for an authentic South American experience within a large bustling city! Lima is a huge metropolitan area located on the arid central Pacific Coast of Peru and is actually the second driest world capital after Cairo, Egypt. You can view pre-Columbian adobe pyramids and archaeological sites nestled next to high rise skyscrapers with tons of loud traffic pulsating through the streets below, while you can leisurely stroll through the streets viewing the colonial style architecture of the buildings along with the many Catholic Cathedrals dotted around the city.

The Huaca Huallamarca Adobe Pyramid is surrounded by modern constructions in Lima’s financial district San Isidro.

Lima has a population of almost 10 million people so it is the most populated city of Peru and is actually the third largest city in the Americas, following only behind Mexico City and Sao Paulo! Lima’s original name was actually Ciudad de los Reyes and was founded by Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador on January 18, 1535. After the Peruvian War of Independence that took place high in the Andes Mountains surrounding the city of Ayacucho, Lima became the capital of the Republic of Peru!

I love the blue eyes and red feet of this pigeon!

After experiencing the Ballestas Islands, better known as the Poor Man’s Galapagos and the Paracas National Reserve off the south central coast of Peru, it was nice to visit a sprawling urban city filled with people and chaotic traffic filled streets! It was definitely a different environment compared to the seaside village of Pisco and Paracas, the desert city of Ica and the peaceful oasis of Huacachina. Lima has so many wonderful things to experience, but if you are short on time, these are four places or activities that I recommend visiting while in Lima!

Read more about Lima on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

The Journey from Ayacucho to Huancayo!

The Mantaro River runs through the valley along the road from Ayacucho to Huancayo!

When living in Ayacucho for the summer, I decided to travel to Huancayo to visit another college friend who was living there for the summer and the easiest way to get there was a 12 hour bus ride through the Andes Mountains. So one weekend, I decided to visit her and venture out from Ayacucho to experience the long, bumpy bus ride and let me tell you, what a ride it was!  I think the bus ride through the Andes Mountains from Ayacucho to Huancayo is one of the most exciting ones I had the pleasure to experience and I had quite a few. It was a rough, unpaved road and it was in very poor condition most of the way.

Read more about the journey on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Three Locations You Must Visit in Huancayo!

Group photo at Torre Torre park, with the towering Rock Sculptures of Huancayo!

While completing my independent study in Ayacucho, Peru over the summer, I decided to visit Huancayo because I had a friend, Joni, who was also staying in Huancayo for a cross cultural experience over the summer and so I decided I had to take some time and visit her because she said it was a great city.  I left Ayacucho for a long weekend trip and I took a twelve hour bus ride from Ayacucho to Huancayo and what an experience it was!  You can read about the bus ride here.  I arrived late in the evening and went straight to where she was staying! I must say, it was so wonderful to actually see another familiar face after a couple of months in Ayacucho. Huancayo is located in the central Andes highlands of Peru and originally in the native language Quechua, the city’s name was Wankayuq, which means ‘place with a sacred rock’. It was such a cold night as Huancayo is located in the Andes Mountains at about 10,692 feet above sea level, so her host family gave me multiple homemade blankets that I used to bundle up as to help keep me warm all night.

Read more about Huancayo on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Lessons Learned From a Border Crossing!

Sign at the border crossing from Peru to Bolivia.

We were thankful to arrive in Copacabana, Bolivia after having a mix-up at immigration on the border of Peru and Bolivia. When we got off the bus at border control we thought everything was in order with our documents, but on the Peruvian side, they would not let us leave the country.  We asked them why and they said I had overstayed my visa. I didn’t quite understand so I asked them how that could be and they informed me to look at my passport and see that when I entered the country the border patrol agent had stamped my passport and wrote in “60” days next to the stamp. I couldn’t even tell it said “60” and I thought it was the border patrol agent’s signature. They wanted me to pay a fine because I had overstayed my visa and I told them they hadn’t even asked me when I entered Peru how long of a visa I would need, typically it was 90 days, but the agents didn’t want to help me out so I had to pay a large fine which ate into a good chunk of my travel money so I was very upset. 

Read more about this border crossing experience on the Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

At the immigration border waiting for our bus load of people to pass through immigration from Peru to Bolivia.

6 Things to do in Copacabana, Bolivia!

View of downtown Copacabana from Cerro Calvario.

We were thankful to arrive in Copacabana, Bolivia after having a mix-up at immigration on the border of Peru and Bolivia. When we got off the bus at border control we thought everything was in order with our documents, but on the Peruvian side, they would not let us leave the country. You can read more about that in our post about Lessons Learned From a Border Crossing!

A view of Copacabana below from the top of Cerro Calvario.

We enjoyed the next couple of days relaxing in Copacabana after the border crossing fiasco! Copacabana is a beautiful town on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, which is actually the highest navigable lake in the world. The word Copacabana comes from the Aymara language ‘Kota Kawana’ which means ‘view of the lake’, and was viewed very highly by the Inca, but when the Spaniards came, they turned this lake town into a pilgrimage site for Catholics. Which brings us to one of the first things you must see in Copacabana.  

Read more about Copacabana on Treasures of Traveling Website!

-- Luke Keeler

Visiting Isla del Sol!

A view of Isla Del Sol and Lake Titicaca. As you hike around this enchanting island, you will see beautiful rolling hills that are covered in terraced fields along with stunning views of the island & of the lake.

One of my favorite TREASURES OF TRAVELING in Bolivia was the peaceful island of Isla del sol! The best starting point to explore Isla del Sol is from Copacabana where there are many tour companies practically begging you to come on their half day or full day tour of the famous Inca Island called Isla del Sol!  It is the largest island on Lake Titicaca and it is a great day trip from Copacabana. You can also visit Isla del Luna on a tour as well. I didn’t have a chance to visit Isla del Luna, but I really enjoyed the natural beauty of Isla del Sol!

Read more about Isla del Sol on Treasures Of Traveling website!

-- Luke Keeler