Before I went to Lima, Peru everything I read said there was absolutely no reason to spend much time in the city. Stay a day or two and go on to more interesting places like Machu Picchu and the Amazon, they said. I, however, have never been one to follow the crowd. I’m a city girl, and I like to travel slowly. So I spent nearly three weeks exploring Lima, and I don’t regret the time spent there at all. This is what I did!

Although the black population in Peru is largely invisible, the influence of Afro-Peruvian peoples permeates the culture. From food, to music, to dance, and language, Afro-Peruvians have left their mark on the country. While in Lima, I learned that there is a town about three hours south that is considered the cultural capital of Afro-Peruvian traditions – El Carmen. 

In my mind, my trip to Arequipa promised to be both a welcome respite from big city Lima and a time of more activity, as I had more tours and excursions planned in a shorter amount of time. Arequipa definitely…