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Introducing Peru
Peru is an epic fantasyland. Imagine forgotten temples entangled in jungle vines, cobwebbed imperial tombs baking in the desert sun and ancient bejeweled treasures beyond reckoning. Wild rivers that rage around Cuzco, pumas that prowl in the night and hallucinogenic shaman rituals that are centuries old. After all, this 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 the Cordillera Blanca with dozens of peaks exceeding 5000m, down to the vast coastal deserts and the hot, steamy rainforests of the Amazon Basin.
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Wanna take it easy? Follow the Gringo Trail that connects the country’s highlights, winding up to the mountaintop Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Or step off the beaten path and groove to Afro-Peruvian beats during Carnaval, float in a slow boat down the Amazon and chase that perfect wave along a paradisiacal Pacific coastline.
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. Whether it’s your first trip to South America or your fiftieth, Peru is the perfect launchpad. 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 – because it’s all surprisingly affordable.
In short, if you crave adventure, jump on the next plane to Peru.
Travel alert: Street protests are common in Peru; see the Dangers & Annoyances section for further details.
Make it happen
Ready to go? These recommended tours make it easy:
- the Classic Inca Trail hits all the highlights, including Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
- the Peru Raft, Bike & Hiketour is perfect for those who want a bit of outdoors action
- Peru Panorama exposes you to the country’s best vistas and cultural experiences, including the Inca Trail and Lake Titicaca
Last updated: Nov 8, 2009
Tips & articles
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Top ten South American reads: a literary trip
30 July 2009
Fiction was invented the day Jonas arrived home and told his wife that he was three days late because...
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Inca Trail essentials
22 July 2009
It’s the most famous hike in South America – perhaps the world – and a must-do, life-changing experience....
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Fly me to the moon: Planet Earth’s best unearthly landscapes
20 July 2009
How’s this for a space oddity? Forty years have passed since the historic Apollo moon landing,...
Peru
Our Top Picks For Peru
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1 Lima
Vivacious capital with superb colonial architecture, museums, cuisine and nightlife
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2 Nazca & Huacachina
Condor's-eye views of the mysterious Nazca lines, plus sandboarding gigantic dunes
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3 Arequipa
Jewel-like colonial city within reach of smoldering volcanoes and the world's deepest canyons
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4 Lake Titicaca
Literally breathtaking, a high-elevation altiplano dotted with storybook isles and unique cultures
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5 Cuzco
Vibrant festivals and steep Inca-walled cobblestone streets lined with artisan shops and museums
Fast Facts about Peru
- Native varieties of Peruvian potatoes
almost 4000
- Peruvians who live in poverty
54%
- Rate of inflation
1.6%
- Navigable tributaries in the Amazon Basin
8600km
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) : US$72 billion
- Number of taxis in Lima
one in every seven cars
- Population
27.2 million
- Average daily visitors to Machu Picchu
1000
- Estimated hectares of coca production
38,000
- Median age
25 years
Related Groups
Our favourite Peru Blogs (beta)
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Tiempo Peruano
Blog: AlpacaSuitcase - 21 November 2009
Most of what we’ve learned about tiempo Peruano (Peruvian time) we’ve learned from our kid’s activities. We’ve gotten to the point where if someone tells us a las cuatro (“at four O’Clock”) we can probably show up at 4:40 and if someone says cuatro punto (“Four O’clock sharp”) we can probably show up at 4:20.
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Cusco Characters: Coach Cristian
Blog: AlpacaSuitcase - 19 November 2009
We’re eternally grateful that Coach Cristian allowed our kids to join his nightly swim practices at Cusco’s only indoor heated pool. Cristian has been gracious, friendly and willing but a variety of factors have caused our swim team experience to be an lesson in “going with the flow”.
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Kiva Update from PBS Frontline World
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 18 November 2009
Suzy Marinkovich, KF8 Peru & KF9 Bolivia One of the most exciting things about being a Kiva Fellow is the opportunity to tell the untold stories of those so remote, so rural, and so ignored by the media. When there are six billion humans sprinkled across the world, the media has the unenviable task of picking and [...]
