Majes Valley - Toro Muerto, Querulpa & Pisco
Petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints
The Majes Valley is located in the southern desert area of the Peruvian coast in the region of Arequipa. In the Majes valley the petroglyphs of Toro Muerto can be observed.
Toro Muerto is a very important archeological site which is considered National Cultural Heritage Site, its figures of human beings, animals (snakes, llamas, deer, parrots, plants, and many other designs such as geometric motifs, solar disks, etc.) are the legacies of the Chuquibamba, Wari, and Inca cultures for more than 1,000 years old.
In order to reach Toro Muerto from the city of Arequipa will drive approximately 3 hours. It is a trip made along a paved road, On the way we will pass through the coastal valleys that are born from the course of the rivers that descend from the Peruvian Andes and irrigate these arid lands as they flow until they reach the Pacific Ocean. On this trip we will cross true oases that paint the coast of the Arequipa region green and alive.
We recommend starting this tour at 05:00 am, in this way we will have more hours of sun to make all the visits calmly. It is important to consider that in Toro Muerto the solar radiation is very intense and the weather is very hot, so the sooner we can start the walk, the better to avoid the midday heat and be able to observe more petroglyphs.
Each one of the petroglyphs is a story from hundreds of years ago engraved in stone that the new generations must value and protect. After the visit to the petroglyphs of Toro Muerto we will continue through the Majes valley towards the town of Aplao where the area known as Querullpa is located, along the way there are fields of rice or potato crops. On both banks of the Majes River crops can be seen, also fruit trees; The greenery of this valley contrasts with the aridity of the hills that flank it forming a true dream postcard.
Once in Querullpa we will leave the transport to start a hike up the hill and find the dinosaur footprints that make this site an attractive tourist destination, these dinosaur footprints are traces that pre-historic giants lived there, traces of species from a different world, a changing world, if we look carefully we can find the traces that will allow us to admire these changes.
There are footprints of different dimensions and it is presumed that there are still other hidden ones. The area also contains marine fossils. In this Jurassic park - Querullpa, we will also visit a site museum with the main paleontological finds found there. Likewise, we can take photos with the replicas of dinosaurs among which those of a Diplodocus and a Gigantosaurus stand out.
After the visit to Querullpa, we will return to the transport which will take us to the banks of the Majes River, where we can enjoy typical dishes based on the specialty of the area, the shrimp, the most popular dishes are chupe or shrimp soup, ceviche, cauche and shrimp crackling, all of them to lick your fingers. (from January to March shrimp fishing and commercialization is illegal).
The Majes Valley is a very fertile place and one of the most important wine and pisco centers in Arequipa and Peru. In the afternoon, we will go to taste the most famous national spirit drink of Peru, the pisco. We will visit a local winery and learn more about the origin, grape cultivation, production, and of course the unmatched flavor of Peruvian pisco. Finally we will return to the city of Arequipa.
This tour can also be done in two days and thus carry out additional activities such as rafting on the Majes River and bicycle rides. More information please send a message to infoperunatred@gmail.com
