Since 2006, the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute - INGEMMET has the "Heritage and Geotourism" project. It promotes the conservation and enhancement of different areas across the country with a high geological value.

GEOLOGICAL, MINING AND METALLURGICAL INSTITUTE

ENERGY AND MINES SECTOR

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Geotourism makes reference to a type of sustainable tourism. It aims to highlight the geological diversity (geodiversity) and then the geological heritage (geoheritage) of a certain territory. Also, to promote the conservation of its resources (geoconservation) and education in earth sciences (geoeducation) which develops awareness among the people.

14 years ago, through the "Heritage and Geotourism" program, INGEMMET aims to conduct research in areas that have exceptional geological value, in order make them part of the geological heritage. This way, it promotes its conservation and promotion through geotourism or the creation of geoparks.

The conservation of the nation's cultural heritage (archaeological sites) is also part of this program. It has as a product of both investigations, geotourist guides (Marcahuasi, Paracas, Andagua, Huayllay) and bulletins (Machu Picchu, Choquequirao and Caral and a section of the Qhapaq Ñan between Pasco and Ancash)

Peru is considered a territory with high geodiversity. This is due to the great variety of rocks, landscapes, geological environments, soils, volcanoes, mineral and geothermal resources, geological ages, structures, fossils, among others.INGEMMET constantly enriches the inventory of sites of geological interest in the country (geosites). It is based on studies of the geological chart, mineral resources and environmental geology, which defines them with a tourist, didactic - educational and scientific value. This inventory is part of the objectives of studies of the geological heritage of a region or country, which are: to identify (inventory), to assess, to conserve and to disclose. They all coincide with the steps that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers essential for the conservation of the cultural and natural heritage.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS PROMOTED BY INGEMMET

Marcahuasi

It is a volcanic plateau located in the town of San Pedro de Casta, at 3 185 meters above sea level on the left bank of the Santa Eulalia river basin, and 80 kilometers east of Lima. The geoforms of the Marcahuasi rock forest are the result of the effects of rain, snow, ice, heat and wind. They all molded diverse forms in the volcanic deposits. In this way, it allows the visitor to imagine the strangest and most curious figures. There are 12 geosites inventoried by INGEMMET.In 2007, INGEMMET gave the community of San Pedro de Casta a geotourism guide for its reproduction and make it useful as an economic income for the conservation of the site. Besides, it resolved queries from Copesco Plan for the improvement of tourist infrastructure as a geopark.

Paracas National Reserve

It is located 250 kilometers south of Lima, Ica Region. It is one of the few places where you can see remains of an ancient mountain range with rocks over 400 million years old in strata and with plant remains, rocks with fossils from marine environments. There are 25 geosites inventoried by INGEMMET.The geological information in the guide elaborated by INGEMMET served as a script for the current Interpretation Center in the reserve, as well as for the signage of some geosites such as La Catedral, Playa La Mina, Playa Roja, among others. Also, it is important to highlight the participation of the INGEMMET Paleontology Area, which determined the age of the rocks and developed signages, that relieve fossils as the seed for the geological understanding of nature.

GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE IN PERU

“Cerro La Mina” - Ica“Monumento de la Humanidad” - Lima

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Huallay National Sanctuary

It is located in Pasco, at more than 3900 meters above sea level. It is an extensive eroded volcanic plateau recognized as the highest geological park, and second largest in the world. Also, there are stony volcanic landscapes, calcareous rocks with fossils, thermal waters, colonial mining heritage, pre-hispanic remains and excellent cave paintings. There are 42 geosites inventoried by INGEMMET.Then, INGEMMET carried out great dissemination in different events of the annual Rural Tour Festival with geotouristic walks. For instance, two training workshops on geology, geoparks and geotourism for the local population, geology and tourism students from Huayllay and Pasco.

“La Cobra” - Pasco“El saludo de la Osa” - Pasco

Tinajani Canyon

It is located over 4,000 meters above sea level in the province of Melgar, Ayaviri district, 10 km from Puno. The geodiversity consists of plateaus in sedimentary rocks, which highlight stone towers that reach 50 meters in height, caves and geological structures. The geosite that gives the place its name is the “Marmitas de gigante Cañon del Diablo”. There are 25 geosites inventoried by INGEMMET.Through an agreement and asses to the Municipality of Melgar, INGEMMET carried out a workshop for local tourism promoters on geology and geotourism in Tinajani Canyon. Currently, there are two communities with tourist ventures in Tinajani. They are: The Dance Festival, which initially took only one day, but today takes two, including the visit to the proposed georoutes. The geotourism guide was printed by the municipality of Melgar. It was publicly presented to the population and the University of the Altiplano.

Torreones Tina y Ahani

Tina and Ahani Keep Towers – Puno“Sinclinal de Tinajani” yand Pacobamba river – Puno

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Andagua volcanic field and Colca Valley

They both are located in the provinces of Caylloma and Castilla, Arequipa. It has incredible geological landscapes made up of 120 geosites identified by INGEMMET, such as: Colca Canyon, more than 30 monogenetic volcanoes (very small cones that erupted only once), the resurgent aquifer from which the Mamacocha lagoon is born, Mismi snowy volcano (origin of the Amazon river), stratovolcanoes such as Hualca Hualca, Ampato and Sabancaya, thermal springs, waterfalls, areas with fossils, active geological faults, among others.As a result of these two projects, there are 11 proposed routes in the valley of the volcanoes, while in Colca there are 13 routes. In both cases, geological aspects, biodiversity and culture, objectives of the geoparks, are integrated. As a result of these INGEMMET projects, the greatest achievement has been obtained, because both technical-scientific studies contributed to the recognition of the "Colca and Volcanoes of Andagua Geopark" in 2019 as the first Unesco Global Geopark in Peru.

Syncline and waterfallsHuambo river – Arequipa

Twin Volcanoes – Arequipa

Since 2006, INGEMMET has carried out ten publications related to heritage and geotourism:

Geotouristic guides: Marcahuasi Plateau (2007), Paracas National Reserve (2009), Huayllay National Sanctuary (2011), Andagua Volcanic Field (2016); Tinajani Canyon (2018).

Geodiversity and Geological Heritage in Colca Valley Bulletin (2019).

Bulletins on studies in archaeological zones: Geology in the Conservation of Machu Picchu (2011); Choquequirao Geology (2011); Geology of the Sacred City of Caral (2011), Geology and Geodynamics in the Qhapaq Ñan - Huarautambo-Huanucopampa-Pomachaca sector (2020).

PUBLICATIONS HERITAGE AND GEOTOURISM

Three other publications on geological heritage that will be available the following months are: Puno Region (132 geosites), San Fernando National Reserve (38 geosites) and the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve (56 geosites).

INGEMMET is currently evaluating the “Three Canyons – Suyckutambo” area; this year the goal is to work with the population in the elaboration of georoutes from the 43 geosites already inventoried in 2019.Besides, it is expected to finalize the virtual database of the inventory of geosites at the national level and to generate virtual georoutes of the different places evaluated by the specialists.Similarly, INGEMMET, within the framework of its functions, has been providing advice on evaluations of geotouristic resources and geoparks.

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