Adventuring in South America: Overland Peru

From racing to rock crawling, our customers and fans all over the world use our performance exhaust systems to support their way of living. This week we’re highlighting Jose Salazar Calderon of Peru, AKA: OverlandPeru (Ig: @overlandperu), who has gained a significant following on Instagram over the past few years, with followers drawn to the jaw-dropping jungle vistas and breathtaking mountainous backdrops of his homeland. Together with his formidable MagnaFlow equipped Toyota 4Runner, he has given his global audience an up-close look at the off-roading and adventuring opportunities that the South American country has to offer.

Jose has always loved getting out and exploring nature. When he was young his parents taught him how to camp, and he’s always admired those he’d seen online who spend their free time traveling around the world by van. After looking into it he realized that no one was really doing anything similar in Peru, which he saw as a chance to combine his passion for the outdoors with his own sense of wanderlust. Thus, OverlandPeru was born.

A Reliable Rig

When it came to deciding on a vehicle for his new venture, he wanted a reliable truck that gave him “the peace of mind of being able to travel the loneliest roads in Peru and only worry about gas.” Jose has made extensive modifications to his rig over the years, including an upgraded heavy duty suspension setup, new M/T tires, off-road wheels, intake, winch, RTT, awning, fridge, small kitchen setup, auxiliary lights, VHF radio and a complete audio system, to name a few. However, despite all the mods, he says his favorite part of the whole truck has “got to be the angry faced front bumper. It just looks so nice!”

Of course, his 4Runner is also rocking a complete MagnaFlow exhaust system, which he says “runs and sounds amazing! Since I was very young, I have modified my cars and trucks with MagnaFlow parts. They’re a great option for me thanks to the great craftsmanship, and the warranty is definitely a huge plus.” With all the time he spends exploring Peru’s beaches, epic Andes mountains and vast rainforests, Jose needs components he can rely on to perform optimally with little to no maintenance, so a MagnaFlow exhaust is certainly up to the task. He thinks his rig in its current state is pretty perfect as is, but acknowledges “there’s always a new product you want, something to replace, etc.”

Searching for (And Showcasing) Paradise

Jose uses his job as an airline pilot as a scouting opportunity for his overlanding hobby, marking scenic canyons, rivers and mountains as he soars over them: “As soon as something catches my eye, I look up the  GPS coordinates and write them down. I know then my next road trip adventure is around the corner.”

Of all the places he’s visited in home country, Jose shares that his favorite spot so far is the Peruvian rainforest, which he enjoys for its “incredible beauty, awesome waterfalls and great views.” In particular, he recommends that first time visitors to the rainforest start in Chanchamayo first, which is a province in central Peru. He said that locals consider it “our intro to our beautiful jungle.”

That recommendation ties into Jose’s overall mission with @overlandperu, which is to act as a social ambassador of sorts for his beloved country:

“I am very proud of my country and of everything that Peru can offer the world. I want to show the world along with my truck and through the lenses of my cameras that Peru has the most beautiful places you can visit in the world. We have it all, exciting  beaches, the awesomeness of our Andes mountains , and our extensive rainforest. And you know what? You can actually do it all on half a day of driving. I want to show to all the travelers of the world that when the time comes to visit South America, Peru has to be first on their wish list.  It won’t disappoint. Trust me!”

We’d like to thank Jose for taking the time to share his story with us. We look forward to following his continued adventures and can’t wait to see where he takes his truck next! It’s always awesome to see the ways which our customers put our products to the test, and it’s spectacular to see them put to use throughout the globe in varied environments. If you’d like to follow Jose’s journey for yourself, you can follow him on both Instagram (Ig: @overlandperu) and YouTube (OverlandPeru). Interested in having your vehicle and story featured in our blog? Tag us on  Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter with #magnaflow for a chance to be featured.