In February next year, we’re taking Soul & Surf to Peru for a four-week pop-up in the home of one of the longest left-hand waves in the world.
Words by Jazmin | 25th November ‘17
Our hosts, Jazmin and Franco, share their experiences of discovering - and falling in love with - Peru.
"Peru chose me a long time ago. Travelling through South America, I started in the north of Argentina, passed through fantastic Bolivia and aimed towards Cuzco to discover the ancient ruins. Every step of the country is rich. Overwhelming the senses with exciting information and sensations: colours, flavours, corners, perfect waves...
Peru comes from the word Biru, which originated in the area of Panama. It means abundance - and it couldn’t be more apt. It’s the perfect way to express how it feels to truly immerse yourself in all that the country has to offer.
My first experience of Peru took me up into the mountains and along the Inca trail. The spectacular Sacred Valley is a compound of several hidden cities that lead to Macchu Pichu and my favorite one was a city called Ollantaytambo. (I leave you to discover it for yourself!)
The trails to finally get to Machu Picchu, and all that accompanied them, were completely breathtaking. Rediscovering the intelligence of our ancestors, their connection to nature in so many different ways, and how it has been preserved within the culture over time.
I also visited Puno, got lost amongst the straw-floating islands in the Titi-Kaka lake, and ventured through the desert of Tacna to get to Chile. And this is only scratching the surface! The Nisa Lines are geoglyphs that form lines and animal drawings in the land that can only be seen from a plane. Two thirds of the country forms part of the greatest jungle in the world. There are 100,000 historic sites. There are more than 400 traditional dishes not to mention 3,000 types of potatoes…tell me if all of this is not abundance?!
Meanwhile, Franco hit the hazy coasts of Lima to surf before heading North to hit the longest left in the world: Chicama.
And it was love at first sight really. To arrive in Chicama is like stepping foot on another planet. From the airport you start feeling the dryness in the air, the colour palette turns into all of these light-sand-ochres. And then that palette turns into blues once you hit the coast. Franco says that during sunset surf sessions the intense colours make it feel as though the sky is exploding!
As we settled into Chicama life, we had the blessing to meet Miguel. Miguel has created a dream space in Chicama for surfers and ocean lovers, to bring people from all over the world together and share his passion for the water.
Where the desert meets the ocean
Once we’d met Miguel and discovered this haven that he has built, hosting our first South American Soul & Surf pop-up was really a no-brainer. For a few years now, Franco and I have been dreaming of sharing our experience of Peru, and finally we’ve been able to design an all-inclusive trip: 4 week-long retreats bringing together surfing, yoga, incredible local food and the opportunity to explore this sublime place.
This wave though
