Introducing Peru
Travel warning:In June 2011, some governments were advising against travel to Puno and the surrounding region due to protests. Check the latest advice before going.
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Clinging to the Andes, between the parched coastal desert and the lush expanse of the Amazon rainforest, Peru offers such a wide range of experiences that it can be difficult to choose between them. Solemn pilgrimages honor gods both Christian and indigenous. Neon-lit discos get jam-packed with reveling youth. Ancient ruins divulge prehistoric secrets. There are museums to visit, lakes to ogle, waves to surf, labyrinthine cities to explore.
This is a country where practices run deep – 5000 years, to be exact. Yet it is a place continuously energized by fresh influences. In Peru, you can groove to African beats, admire impressive Catholic churches and examine indigenous textiles inspired by pre-Columbian tradition.
Meanwhile, prepare to send your vision (and camera) into overdrive. Peru is home to snow-capped mountains, giant sand dunes, flocks of brightly hued tropical birds, postcard-perfect volcanoes and rocky Pacific outcroppings inhabited by argumentative sea lions.
And let's not forget the food – a bounty of sublime concoctions made from ingredients native and contemporary. You'll need weeks to savor the vast selection of delicacies: from rare strains of potato to guinea pig to succulent ocean mollusks.
Welcome to Peru – it's going to be one tasty trip.
Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:
- Journey through the best of Peru
- Discover the hidden treasures of Northern Peru
- Explore Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
- Join on a tour to the famous Pachacamac Temple
Last updated: Jan 19, 2012
Tips & articles
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Fine tune your table manners
19 January 2012
You think that emptying the bottle into your guest’s glass is polite… little do you know that you just designated...
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The greatest races to watch live
19 December 2011
With the London Olympics on in 2012, we were inspired to take a tour of the world through the eyes...
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How to get high: a guide to staying well at high altitude
30 November 2011
High altitudes are just for the Reinhold Messners and Joe Simpsons of this world, right? Crazy feats up there where...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Peru Flight
by pfaffers9 15 September 2011
I booked the flight today, got a great deal for around $760.. We have two connecting flights there and one home, but for the price you…
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RE: Amount of Time to Acclimatise for 6088m
by arowberry 14 September 2011
vHey guys, apologies for the slow report - I had no problems with the altitude in the end but only made it a couple of hours out of the…
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Latin America four month budget and voluntary work advice
by EfectoMariposa 14 September 2011
Hi - I am planning a 4 month career break starting November through until early March. I have seen a few posts about this but it seems,…
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Peru
Things to do
- All things to do (1,243)
- Activities (190)
- Entertainment (154)
- Restaurants (435)
- Shopping (96)
- Sights (283)
- Tours (85)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Peru
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1 Lake Titicaca
Home to floating islands and singular cultures, the world's highest navigable lake is, literally, breathtaking
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2 Arequipa
The 'White City' is a colonial-era jewel within reach of smoldering volcanoes and deep canyons
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3 Lima
Peru's sprawling capital has expansive museums, thumping nightlife and some of the continent's most spectacular food
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4 Río Amazonas
Isolated villages, remote rainforest and well-equipped wildlife lodges can be found on South America's greatest river
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5 Máncora
Warm water and rippin' waves attract surfers, kitesurfers and sun worshipers all year long
Fast Facts about Peru
- Native varieties of Peruvian potatoes
almost 4000
- Famous for
Machu Picchu, Shining Path, Nazca Lines, guinea pigs as culinary delicacy rather than pets, pisco, pan pipes (zampoña), Mario Vargas Llosa, llamas
- He said it
Since it is impossible to know what's really happening, we Peruvians lie, invent, dream and take refuge in illusion. Because of these strange circumstances, Peruvian life, a life in which so few actually do read, has become literary - Mario Vargas Llosa
- Navigable tributaries in the Amazon Basin
8600km
- Head of state
Alan Garcia Perez
- Number of taxis in Lima
one in every seven cars
- Population
28.2 million
- Average daily visitors to Machu Picchu
2500
- Estimated hectares of coca production
56,000
- Languages spoken
Spanish, Quechua (official languages), Aymara, many Amazonian languages
Our favourite Peru Blogs (beta)
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Travel Inspiration – Inspired by Peru
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 3 February 2012
I was on the phone with one of my best friends. She had just found out the news that she had been selected to lead a research and development team in Peru for 6 months. After my congratulations I just blurted out, “I’m going to visit you”.
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The Great Wall of Peru, The Ruins of Kuelap
Blog: Lost World Expedition - 31 January 2012
Our original plan was a 4 day hike/horseback ride to the pre-Inca ruins of Kuelap, but 2 days into the hike I (Luis) had a slight mishap involving my ankle (read about it and the hike here). So I made it to Kuelap by Mercedes Sprinter and Lacey arrived on foot . We had never [...]
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Astrid and Gastón: The High Art of Peruvian Cuisine
Blog: GoBackpacking - 30 January 2012
n 2011, Lima’s Astrid & Gastón was ranked #42 on a list of the world’s 50 best restaurants. It was one of only three restaurants in Latin America to make the illustrious list, with the majority being located in Europe and the USA. Even if I had been planning to travel in these regions, I knew such [...]
