overview
Forgotten temples entangled in jungle vines, cobwebbed imperial tombs baking in the desert sun and ancient treasures beyond reckoning. Wild rivers that rage, pumas that prowl in the night and hallucinogenic shaman rituals that are centuries old… Peru is the South American country that chewed up and spat out empire after empire – even Inca warriors and Spanish conquistadors didn’t stand a lasting chance. No one could completely conquer this jaw-dropping terrain, from glaciated Andean peaks where condors soar, down to the vast coastal deserts and the hot, steamy rainforests of the Amazon Basin.
Almost like a continent in miniature, Peru will astound you with its diversity, from its countless indigenous peoples, languages and traditions to its rainbow variety of wildlife. Fishing villages, fine beaches, agricultural lands, and Peru's major towns and cities, including the capital of Lima, are interspersed along the narrow belt of desert coastline that stretches the length of the country. The lush Amazon Basin takes up half of Peru and is an ecologically rich area of tropical rainforest that encompasses some of the world's most remote and least explored areas, sparsely populated and for the most part, inaccessible. Separating the coastal desert from the jungle is the splendid Andes mountain range, an endless chain of soaring peaks over 22,000ft (7,000m), and home to millions of indigenous highland people, speaking the ancient Inca language of Quechua, and living in traditional villages with steeply terraced agricultural fields, with their wandering herds of llamas and alpacas.
An interesting history of ancient civilisations, tales of lost cities, undiscovered treasures, and unsolved mysteries make Peru one of the most exciting countries to visit. Marvel at the sophistication of pre-Colombian cultures and explore the many legacies left by the imperial Inca Empire, particularly the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco. Hike along the legendary ancient royal Inca highway to the awesome, majestic 'Lost City of the Incas', Machu Picchu. Charter a boat to the unique floating islands and the traditional world of the island people on Lake Titicaca. Wander around splendid colonial cities that have preserved their Spanish architecture, look into the depths of the world's deepest canyon, and contemplate the intriguing mystery of the Nazca Lines.
Travel however and wherever the spirit moves you – a luxury lodge in the Amazon, cheap ceviche (raw seafood marinated in lime juice) at a beachfront café or a panoramic train ride through the Andes. Or step off the beaten track and groove to Afro-Peruvian beats during Carnival, float in a slow boat down the Amazon and chase that perfect wave along a paradisiacal Pacific coastline.
In short, if you crave adventure, jump on the next plane to Peru.