Last week, three members of Aracari’s sales team had the opportunity to try out the climbing wall at Pirqa, one of Lima’s best indoor climbing gyms. The name Pirqa derives from the Quechua and Aymara words for a stone wall. In addition, for climbers, a pirqa is a pile of rocks used during a trek to show where the trail is so that they can continue along the right path. If your path leads you to the Pirqa climbing gym, you will discover that rock climbing can be a fun adventure for almost anyone from children to adults. Even if it’s your first time, the friendly instructors at Pirqa will give you helpful tips to get you started and make sure your experience is both fun and challenging. Here we share our expeirence testing our Piraq Climbing Wall Lima.
Scaling Pirqa Climbing Wall Lima
We arrived on a Friday evening and were welcomed by the friendly staff at the reception. They provided us with special shoes to wear. The shoes that climbers use are interestingly called “pies de gato” in Spanish, meaning “cat’s feet” because they are light, flexible and they grip well allowing the climber to move adeptly like a cat. Wearing clothes that are comfortable for exercise is recommended and there are lockers to use free of charge to leave your belongings while you climb. Mark, Giovanna and I were led off to the spacious climbing area to do 5 minutes of warm-up exercises for our arms and wrists in preparation for the climb.
There are two sections, a bouldering area and the regular 15 meter-high wall. For more experienced climbers, the bouldering wall also has an overhanging roof area to practice climbing upside down and maneuvering over tricky areas. There are also cushions below since the climbers don’t use harnesses. The main climbing wall is higher and has a slight cover but otherwise is out in the open air. We started off in the bouldering area where the instructor gave us tips about the correct way to climb. After about 10 minutes we moved on to the main wall where we were set up with harnesses and took turns climbing, each for about 20 minutes. The instructor belayed us from below, which consists of applying friction to the rope so that if the climber falls, they don’t fall far, but rather hang suspended slightly below where they fell from the wall until they regain their balance and can continue their climb. Mark climbed first, then Giovanna and then I did. It was my first time doing any sort of rock climbing and I found it to be really fun yet challenging.
While I was climbing, I was concentrating so hard on my next move and setting little goals for myself that I forgot everything else around me. It sure is a work-out for the whole body! Although I didn’t make it all the way to the top–my arms were killing me–it was a great experience that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in trying something new and adventurous, or even someone who already has rock climbing experience.
For those who are accompanying family or friends but choose not to climb, there is a lovely cafe on the second floor with a view of the city and directly in front of the climbing wall, so you can enjoy a snack and a drink while watching the climbers. There is also a shop you can peruse if you’re looking for climbing-related gifts and gear.
Things to do in Lima
From a private cooking class with a top chef to a surfing lesson, Lima offers a range of experiences. Contact us for more ideas on things to do in Lima as part of a tailormade trip to Peru.