Peru

Peru Travel Guide
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Flights to South America
The land of gold and the sun-worshipping Incas, Peru was 16th century Europe’s major source of treasure, and once the home to the largest empire in the world. Nowadays, it’s not only this rich and ancient past, but the sheer beauty of its landscapes, the abundance of its wildlife and the strong and colourful character of the people that make it one of South America’s most popular destinations.

You’ll be fascinated by the multiple layers of great civilisations present when you wander around colonial cities which have preserved the legacy of the Spanish conquistador. Machu Picchu provides one of the greatest remains of an ancient civilisation in the world today, and is the most popular attraction in Peru.

Peru offers some spectacular and varied scenery, with mountainous ranges, lush tropical rainforests, empty deserts, and glistening lakes and beaches. You will need a couple of weeks to discover just a few of these amazing places. 

Peru Fast Facts
Country name: Republic of Peru
Population: 29 million
Capital: Lima
Languages: Spanish
People: 54% Indian, 32% Mestizo, 12% Spanish, 2% African decent
Religion: Roman Catholic
Currency: Nuevo Sol
Time Zone: 17 hours behind New Zealand (18 hours with daylight saving)
Electricity: Current is 220V, 60HZ, Plug can be a 2 point round or rectangle pin adaptor

Peru Hot Spots
Lima
Lima is the main gateway for visitors to Peru. It is a sprawling coastal metropolis of seven million people with plenty of opportunities for dining, nightlife and a great selection of museums.

Attractions include the Museo de Arte, which exhibits pre-Columbian artifacts as well as 400 years of Peruvian art, the San Francisco Church which is famous for its catacombs, and Lima’s many markets including Polvos Azules, which overflow with souvenirs and handicrafts. The suburb of Miraflores has the best shops, restaurants and nightspots and is a great place to be based.
Cuzco
Cuzco is the archaeological capital of the Americas. Its legacy as the hub of the Inca Empire can be seen on most city streets lined with Inca-built stone walls and crowded with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. The Coricancha ruins were formerly covered with gold (now just stonework) and the Museo de Arqueológia the interior of which is filled with metal and gold work, jewellery, pottery, textiles and mummies, are treasured sites.

Four other ruins - Sacsayhuamán, Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay are also nearby and well worth a visit.
Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
Located west of Cuzco is the Sacred Valley of the Incas, originally a key area of settlement for the Incas, now popular for the Inca ruins in Ollantaytambo and colonial church and great markets in the town of Pisac.

From here you can take the train to the amazing hidden fortress of Machu Picchu, believed to have been built in
the mid 15th century but not discovered until 1911. The ruins have two areas, the civil sector with dwellings and the sacred sector with temples, squares and royal houses.

Another popular way of reaching Machu Picchu is by trekking the Inca Trail, this is normally a 4 day camping trip with porters. Trekking the Inca Trail means you can also enter Machu Picchu early morning before bus loads of tourists arrive!
Puno & Lake Titicaca
Puno lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca which at 3820m is the highest navigable lake in the world, and is also the largest lake in South America. Its altitude means the air is unusually clear. Boat trips can be made from Puno to Uros, Taquile and Amantani Islands.

The Uros Indians dwell on the floating islands they build with the lakes reeds, they dress in traditional clothing and speak Quechua. Taquile is an enchanting island with a number of Inca ruins scattered about. Amantani Island is 9.3 sq kms in size and has two peaks both with Inca and Tiwanaku ruins on top, these ruins however are not normally open for public viewing.
Northern Peru
Northern Peru is an historical delight, full of uncovered national treasures. A short distance from the city of Chiclayo is the famed mausoleum of the Lord of Sipan, only discovered in 1987. Sipan’s tombs had a wealth of gold, silver and copper jewellery dating back to 300AD.

North of Chiclayo is Tucume, where dozens of pre-Hispanic pyramids, mounds and enclosures lie over 540 acres. Outside of Trujillo, the third largest city in Peru, are the ruins of the imperial city of Chan Chan, built by the Chimu people around AD850 then conquered by the Inca Empire in AD1470.
Peruvian Amazon
The Peruvian Amazon region is the most diverse and wildlife-rich of the whole basin. Located on the banks of the Amazon in northern Peru, Iquitos is the country’s largest jungle city and is accessed by air or river only. It is the starting point for cruises down the Amazon to protected areas of Peru, Brazil and Colombia. Tucked into remote southeastern Peru, Puerto Maldonado and Tambopata-Candamo Reserve offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the Amazon basin, sheltering dozens of endangered species. Not to forget Manu National Park, another remote area with fantastic wildlife that can be accessed by road or a flight from Cuzco.
Nazca & South Coast
The Pan-American Highway follows the coast and passes through many interesting areas. Pisco, an important fishing port, is used by travellers as a base to see the wildlife of the nearby Ballestas Islands and Paracas Peninsula which holds burial sites of the Paracas culture.

Further south is the town of Nazca, known for its colourful and elaborate pottery and the world-famous Nazca Lines - huge geometric designs, mostly of animals and birds, which are thought to have been made between 900BC and 600AD. These designs are only visible from the air on small aircrafts, they are incredible and should definitely be part of your Peru itinerary.
Arequipa & Colca Canyon
Arequipa lies in the Andes Mountains 2,380m above sea level and is the second biggest city in Peru. Many buildings around the city have been built by white volcanic rock from the Colonial Spanish era, and in the year 2000 Arequipa was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A popular overnight excursion from Arequipa is a trip to Colca Canyon, it is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, but more accessible due to the sloped sides. You’ll find parts of the canyon’s terraces still cultivated by locals from the Inca days, but the highlight here is watching the Condor birds soaring around the canyon first thing in the morning.

  

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