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Introducing Peru
Travel alert: Heavy rains and landslides have blocked roads around Machu Picchu, with the area being declared an emergency zone. Check for the BBC for news updates or Safe Travel for updated government warnings. Protests are also common in Peru; see the Dangers & Annoyances section for further details.
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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.
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: Feb 8, 2010
Tips & articles
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Kuélap: Machu Picchu alternative
3 February 2010
photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Machu Picchu may be closed to visits for several months, but you...
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Extreme cuisine: top 10 ‘exotic’ tastes
28 January 2010
Part of travel is coming up against local foods that might raise your eyebrows. Here we take a global...
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Classic Train trips
21 January 2010
Hand the porter your luggage, climb aboard and relive the golden days of railroading on these spectacular...












