Indeed, when you think of Peru what often springs to mind are images of forgotten Inca temples, wild Amazon jungles and forgotten tribes. However, whilst Peru is renowned for its beautiful historical attractions, there is a new undercurrent of tourism growing in the popular South American travel destination. 

As such, visitors are flocking to Peru to seek out the country’s reputation for extreme sports; and one of the most popular of these sports is paragliding. Peru’s beautiful mountainous terrain and vast unspoilt landscape provide scenic views that make it an unforgettable location for paragliding. What’s more, low-turbulence laminar winds make Peru an ideal location for practicing those difficult paragliding manoeuvres that most weather conditions would not permit. 

As well as continuing to grow in popularity as a paragliding location, Peru has also developed a reputation as a surfing destination, particularly amongst spring break students. Peru’s enviable position on the Pacific Ocean means Peru can offer surfers some of the longest waves that are to be found anywhere in the world. In fact, such waves – which often stretch for several kilometres – combined with its reliable weather and relatively unspoilt beaches make Peru an ideal location for a surfing holiday. 

Probably the most famous of all Peru’s surfing locations is Chicama; with waves that can stretch more than 4kms, Chicama is the professional surfer’s dream come to true. In addition, 60km up the coast lies another of Peru’s most popular surfing destinations, Pacasmayo; whilst the waves don’t tend to be as long, they can still reach around 500 metres in length. 

Although popular with surfers, over the past few years the area has also begun to attract a large number of kite and wind surfers. With wind-speeds averaging around 14 knots, the area is perfect for such water spots, the beautiful Peruvian coast providing a beautiful backdrop for an unforgettable surfing holiday. 

While Peru’s warm seas and long waves have made it a haven for surfers, its rugged mountains and high peaks make it a mecca for mountain climbers. One of the most popular climbing spots is the Cordillera Blanca mountain area near Huaraz. 

Although the mountainous region offers various peaks for climbers to enjoy, Huascaran – Peru’s highest peak – always proves to be the most popular. Sitting high above the Rio Santa valley, Huascaran offers unforgettable views of the Peruvian countryside and a challenging climb to mountaineers of all levels. 

Peru’s growing number of extreme sports means that the country is making a worldwide name for itself as one of Latin America’s most popular extreme sports holiday destinations. The wide range of flights to Peru, scenic open spaces and growing number of resorts specialising in extreme sports all make Peru an attractive destination when considering your next adventure holiday.