![60 Interesting Facts About Peru That You Must Know [Part 2]](https://cdn.blogarama.com/images/posts_thumbs_site_id/13723/1372257-972974760.jpg "60 Interesting Facts About Peru That You Must Know [Part 2]")
Here is the second part of interesting facts about Peru. Continue marveling knowing each one of them and explore every corner of this country from beginning to end.
Facts About Peru:
- The world’s tallest bromeliad (in the pineapple family) at 30 feet tall is native to Peru. It’s called the Puya Raimondi or the Queen of the Andes. Its thousands of flowers bloom only once, after 80-150 years of growth, and then the plant dies.
- Peru produces gourmet, fruity dung coffee in partnership with long-nosed, raccoon-like coati animals from the jungle.
- Peruvian coffee, in general, is an absolute delicacy raved about by professional cuppers around the world!
- Peru has a native dog breed, the Peruvian Inca Orchid sighthound. They’re usually black/gray or pink and hairless, except for a mohawk and tail puff!
- Camu Camu is one of the world’s most potent superfoods and native to the Peruvian rainforest. For example, it has more vitamin C than any other edible plant, up to 60x more than oranges.
- Actually, Peru produces around 40 superfoods!
- San Marcos University in Lima is the oldest in the Americas, established in 1551.
- The queuña tree native to the Andean highlands is an essential yet endangered part of the ecosystem. It’s one of the highest-growing trees in the world, thriving at up to 16,400 FASL (5000 MASL).
- Kids finish high school at 16 years old and often only go in the morning or in the afternoon, not all day.
- Peru has more than one Rainbow Mountain. The 3 discovered so far are Vinicunca, Palccoyo, and Pallay Punchu.
- The challenging Huayhuash Circuit near Huaraz is considered one of the best and most beautiful treks in the world, often compared to the Himalayas.
- Peruvian music is extremely diverse and catchy! It developed as a fusion of various cultures – native highlands, jungle, Latin, African, and Spanish.
- At the World Travel Awards 2021, Peru was named the World’s Leading Culinary Destination for the 9th time, more than any other country ever!
- We have penguins! Find them on the Ballestas Islands in Paracas National Reserve.
- Most of Peru’s rural population still cooks over a fire, sadly often in enclosed spaces, causing a high risk of lung cancers.
- Peru’s divine natural landscapes nurture the practices of jungle shamans and mountain shamans – each with unique knowledge and traditions.
- We have 2 of the world’s deepest canyons, both near Arequipa – the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons.
- The national cocktail is the pisco sour, made with a grape liquor developed in Pisco, Peru. Peru and Chile have an endless feud over who invented it, but the town of Pisco is in Peru, so…
- Wearing yellow underwear on New Year’s in Peru will give you a lucky year.
- Vicuñas are an important symbol of Peru. They’re graceful, non-domesticated camelids who thrive in Andean altitudes above 11,500 FASL (3500 MASL). They’re on the coat of arms, the flag, and every citizen’s ID card.
- Over 70% of the world’s alpaca population lives in Peru!
- The minimum wage is 1025 soles a month, which now equals $262. That’s an annual salary of only $3144.
- Mining, fishing, agriculture, and manufacturing are the Peruvian people’s top income sources.
- Peru currently has 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
- The national dance is the flirty marinera, a mixture of the Spanish fandango, the African zamacueca, and the traditional Andean courtship dancing of the highlands.
- July 28th is Independence Day – Fiestas Patrias – in Peru.
- In the highlands, old wives’ tales are respected. If someone’s startled, they should have egg white hovered over them so it passes. If it’s about to rain, you can send a firecracker up into the air to stop it. A potato shaped like an animal is a good luck.
- We have the Walking Palm, a tree that gives you goosebumps. Its above-ground roots stretch like legs or stilts, and the tree can move up to 2 cm per day!
- The capital city, Lima, has 3 restaurants in the world’s top 50!
- In the Amazon, you can try eating suri – grilled grub!
The End!
There you have it! All the Interesting Facts about Peru you ever wanted to know about my favorite country. Did you buy your plane ticket yet?? There’s no way you could be disappointed by a trip to Peru. It’s got some of the most spectacular panoramic views in the world, a bunch of stunning hikes, and historical significance unlike anywhere else.
Check us out in Cusco to make your adventure travel dreams come true!
See you soon!
Written by: Bethany Iversen Marrou
The post 60 Interesting Facts About Peru That You Must Know [Part 2] appeared first on PERU TRAVEL GUIDE, General Information About Peru.
