Peru is the oldest civilisation in South America and an incredibly diverse country which is home to one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu, the ‘Lost City of the Incas’. The country’s surface area covers more than the territories of Spain and France combined, and its own territory borders Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile. Peru possesses incredible natural sights, from the grandiose peaks of the Andes to the rich biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon. Over many years its multi–cultured people have created great historical and cultural wealth through their cuisine, traditions, art, music, folklore, and of course football, the country’s national sport.

“Peru’s incredible range of diverse landscapes was formed by the country’s distinctive geographical conditions, and holds a perennial fascination for explorers with a keen sense of adventure”

Peru’s incredible range of diverse landscapes was formed by the country’s distinctive geographical conditions, and holds a perennial fascination for explorers with a keen sense of adventure. Stretching along the entire Western coast of South America, the magnificent mountain range of the Andes is the longest in the world and spans not just Peru, but also Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The Incas established themselves in the Peruvian Andes in the 15th century, but died out as a result of civil wars and diseases brought over by European invaders, to which they had no immunity. The cities of Huaraz, where the snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca range form its magnificent eastern skyline, and Cuzco, once capital of the Inca Empire, are found along the Andes.

Located in the central coastal part of Peru on a desert strip between the Pacific Ocean and Andes Mountains, Lima is the capital and the largest city of the country. Home to a population of more than 10 million, the city is a fascinating mix of the modern and the old, where high-rise condos sit alongside pre-Columbian temples, overlooking the Pacific Ocean as its breakers roll in. The influence of three centuries under Spanish rule can still be seen in Lima’s exquisite churches, cloisters and monasteries. Peru is known as one of the world’s top food travel destination, and in Lima the abundance of incredible local produce, sourced from the surrounding sea, Amazon, and the mountains, is utilised to delectable effect in the superb Peruvian cuisine.

“Peruvian art has its roots in ancient Andean civilisations, who worked with gold, silver and ceramics to create relief carvings and sculptural works”

Peru is also well-known for its spectacularly colourful textiles, and centuries old methods of spinning, weaving, and dying are still practised and taught by Peruvian artisan textile makers. Peruvian art has its roots in ancient Andean civilisations, who worked with gold, silver and ceramics to create relief carvings and sculptural works. These ancient artistic Peruvian creations and techniques are used to this day as the inspiration for modern works of art.

The influence of the Inca Empire runs through the Sacred Valley, a 60km long region in Peru’s Andean highlands. The Sacred Valley originally formed the beating heart of the Empire, along with the old imperial capital of Cuzco and the mysterious citadel of Machu Picchu. The Spanish colonial villages of Pisac, with its hilltop Incan citadel, and the spectacular ruins of Ollantaytambo, the only Incan settlement that has been continually inhabited since its inception, are a must for exploration. Here, where the fertile river valley meanders below forests and ancient agricultural terraces, many of the local people still speak Quechua, the ancient language of the Incas, as well as growing corn, breeding alpacas, and weaving beautiful textiles from their wool, just as their ancient forbears did.

“a rich variety of wildlife including the spectacled bear and the Andean condor and jaguar”

The 550–year–old Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, an intriguing complex of palaces, plazas, temples and houses, is surely one of the most iconic sights in the world, drawing visitors from all over the globe to wonder at its spectacular beauty and mystery. Built by the most advance pre-Columbian civilisation, the site eventually fell to ruin, until it was rediscovered in 1911 by Yale University professor Hiram Bingham. Theories on why it was built are still debated, and include whether it was constructed as a ceremonial site, as a royal retreat, or as a military stronghold. Set between two forested Andean mountains (populated by a rich variety of wildlife including the spectacled bear and the Andean condor and jaguar), the site is still recognisable as a city once at the peak of its power and success, where the ancient urban Inca Empire walked, worshipped, worked, ate, danced and lived. The location is breathtaking–and at 2430 metres above sea level it certainly would be. Located on the highest part of the eastern Andes, its size also takes you by surprise; together with the surrounding subtropical forests and wilderness park, Machu Picchu sprawls over an area of 116 square miles.

Cosmopolitan Inca capital, Cuzco (also Cusco, or Qosq’o in Quechua) is rich in ancient heritage and was the historic capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th until the 16th-century Spanish conquest. In 1983 Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and today, the city thrives as a major tourist destination, hosting nearly 2 million visitors a year.  The foremost city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city. Few travelers to Peru will skip visiting this premier South American destination which is also the gateway to Machu Picchu.

“Oxygen is precious when you’re that far above sea level, and its lack gives new meaning to the word breathtaking”

The city itself represents the center of indigenous Quechua culture in the Andes, and by merely walking the streets you can see the layers of history. Spanish colonial buildings erected directly atop Inca walls line the square, while the modern tourist nightlife flourishes in their midst.

The city is surrounded by a number of ruins, the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman, the site of the 1536 battle in which dozens of Pizarro’s men charged uphill to battle the forces of the Inca.

Nowadays, Cuzco is known for its indigenous population–often seen on the streets in traditional clothing hawking their wares as well as its substantial tourist-fueled night life.

It’s worth noting that at 3,400 m above sea level, you may experience altitude sickness and breathlessness. Oxygen is precious when you’re that far above sea level, and its lack gives new meaning to the word breathtaking, which you’ll frequently find yourself using to describe the city. One thing the locals use to combat altitude sickness is the coca leaf, from a plant endemic to South America. It’s a controlled substance in some countries, but has been used for centuries by Andean peoples for medicinal and nutritive purposes. It is commonly steeped to make tea or chewed in a wad like tobacco and you can pick it up pretty much anywhere in Cuzco.

Cuzco can be very hot during the day and quite cold in the early morning and late at night so make sure you pack a hat and sun lotion as well as layers for the night. It’s also a pretty dusty city so you may want to wear boots or trainers rather than flip flops.

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