PERU

                      

 

 

About Peru

Peru extends for nearly 1,500 miles (2,414 km) along the Pacific Ocean. Colombia and Ecuador are to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south.

Peru is divided by the Andes Mountains into three sharply differentiated zones. To the west is the coastline, much of it arid, extending 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) inland. The mountain area, with peaks over 20,000 feet (6,096 m), lofty plateaus, and deep valleys, lies centrally. Beyond the mountains to the east is the heavily forested slope leading to the Amazon Jungle.

Of the 110 climates and micro climates existing in the world, 89 can be found in Peru, one indisputable reason to hold the world record for the country with the highest climate diversity.

In addition to be known as the cradle of the Inca empire, Peru harbors many indigenous ethnic groups, languages that could easily exceed 300, (some observers speak of 700).

It boasts a registered archaeological Inca sites list of 5000 which increases every year due to astonishing finds.

 

Why visit Peru?

"In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it." - Hiram Bingham, Lost City of the Incas.

Peru is blessed with a rich and ancient past and a vibrant present, making it one of South America's most sort after travel destinations.

With nearly all the major Inca ruins including Machu Picchu, two of the world finest white-water rafting rivers, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon - the most pristine rainforest in the America's and home to the highest geological diversity on the planet, it can safely be said that this area is unparalleled on earth.

Over last 25 years, an obvious democracy and a merciless fight against terrorism and crime, nowadays make Peru one of the safest countries to visit throughout South America.

 

Best time to visit

Coast - any time of year
Andes - avoid rainy periods between January - February
Amazon Rainforest - hot and humid all year; avoid rainy season between January - February

High season is April to September (The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is often booked out six months in advance during these months).

 

Places to see

Lima

Lima, the main gateway to Peru, is a major city bustling with living history and movement.

As a capital city, it boasts top-class museums, a vibrant nightlife and music scene, striking architecture, richly historical neighbourhoods and genuinely friendly people.

Founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima is well known as the City of Kings due to it becoming the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty. Lavish buildings, religious and secular, graced the streets.

Lima Historic Center is now a UNESCO “Mankind Heritage Site” since its priceless artistic constructions are considered under a concept of unique style.

Over the past ten years, the Peruvian government has concentrated its efforts on beautifying the city to bring it back to its original glory. The locals are extremely proud of their city and it shows through well manicured parks and clean streets.

Any visitor to Peru, who takes a few days to visit the city’s cultural and historical aspects, will be pleasantly surprised and learn much about Peru as a whole.

Cuzco

The city of Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire, was placed on the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO in 1983, and is without a doubt one of the most important destinations in Peru.

There are Incan buildings waiting for you to discover them among its cobble-stoned streets, ones like the Koricancha and the palace of Inca Roca as well as Andean Baroque structures from the Colonial period like the Cathedral and the Church of the Company of Christ.

In addition, you can visit the picturesque neighborhood of San Blas where the best artisans in the department have set up their workshops. This magical city also has an exciting nightlife with cafes, restaurants, and bars for all tastes.

Just ten minutes away from the city, there are the massive walls of the Sacsayhuamán fortress, and a few kilometers from there, you find the archeological sites of Qenko, Pukapukara, and Tambomachay, Incan buildings constructed completely with stone.

 

Machu Picchu

The enigmatic complex of Machu Picchu, the most important and beautiful legacy of the Peruvian culture, is part of the Historic Sanctuary which is one of the few places in the Americas placed on both the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Lists by UNESCO.

It is located high on top of a mountain and complements the exuberant nature that surrounds it, creating a one of a kind place in the world.

For many visitors to Peru and even South America, a visit to the lost 'Inca' city of Machu Picchu is the whole purpose of their trip.

With its awe-inspiring location, it is the best-known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent.

Despite being swamped by tourists from May to September, it manages to retain an air of grandeur and mystery.

There are many ways to reach Machu Picchu, the easiest being a scenic train ride from Cuzco.

 

Inca Trail

For those looking for adventure, the four-day trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a great option.

This traditional trek is part of the ancient Inca highway system (Qhapaq Ñan) and is one of the most important South American trekking routes.

Along the hike, you can see several gorges and streams that originate from glaciers. There are twelve archeological monuments along the trail, such as Qoriwachayrachina, Patallaqta, Runkuraqay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Intipunku, Intipata, and Wiñayhuayna.

To join our group any time of the year (closed February) along the traditional, make sure you book quickly as spots are limited.

For those who miss out on a stop on the traditional trail to Machu Picchu, we offer a number of other great treks along other parts of the 22,000km Inca Trail system.

One of these is the four-day trek from Lares to Machu Picchu. This unforgettable and less-known hike combines amazing mountain scenery, glacier lagoons, valley cloud-forest and authentic textile Quechua communities to end up in the village of Lares, where you will enjoy fabulous hot springs.

 

Choquequirao

A breathless trek hiking down into the canyon of the Apurimac river and up of approximately 60 km (38 miles) will lead you to the well known “Macchu Pichu city sister”, CHOQUEQUIRAO, the forgotten and enigmatic last Inca refuge.

Choquequirao (3103m/10178ft) is an archaeological complex which legacy goes beyond the amazing stone walls which enclose it, the greenness of their fabulous land shelves, its two-level palaces and temples, inexplicable system of waterworks, canals and aqueducts presumably built during the Inca Pachacutec government ( XV century).

This huge site still under cleaning and restoration process located in the surroundings of the Salkantay snow-capped peak (6.271m/20569ft) will give you the chance to admire the beauty of its splendid Inca´s construction designed as well as lots of Andean flora and fauna in an average of six hours trekking per day including an optional rest day to visit the site.

 

Sacred Valley

Just a short trip from Cuzco, you can enjoy the magic of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It was here that the Inca royalty used to have their holiday homes due to the beauty of the Valley and the comfortable climate.

The Inca towns of Pisaq, Chinchero, and Ollantaytambo are spread throughout the Valley and offer great examples of Inca architecture.

Hours can also be spent at the famous Pisaq textile markets which should also not be missed.

 

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world at 3,860m (12,421 ft) above sea level. It is also South America´s largest freshwater lake.

More than 25 rivers empty into Lake Titicaca, and it has 41 floating islands, some of which are densely populated, and to this day Uros still depend on the lake for their survival.

Uros

Behind this unusual name there is an original story, since the Uros created these artifical islands to escape the Inca, who dominated the mainland at the time; today they are best known as a major tourist destination.

The larger islands house about 10 families, while smaller ones, only about 30 meters wide, house only two or three.

Local residents fish, and hunt birds and graze their cattle on the islets. They also run crafts stalls aimed at the numerous tourists who land on ten of the islands each year.

Taquile
The people of Taquile, off the coast from Puno, are known for their fine handwoven textile products, among the highest quality in Peru. The island attracts many tourists each year.

Amantaní

It is another small island in Lake Titicaca populated by Quechua speakers. About 800 families live in six villages on the basically circular 15-square kilometer island. There are two mountain peaks, called Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth), and ancient ruins on the top of both peaks.

The hillsides that rise up from the lake are terraced and planted with wheat, potatoes, and vegetables. Most of the small fields are worked by hand. Long stone fences divide the fields, and cattle, sheep, and alpacas graze on the hillsides. There are no cars on the island, and no hotels.

Ultimate Tours Peru can offer you the once in-a-lifetime experience to overnight in one of these typical guesthouses sharing with Amantaníes their food and customs.

 

Arequipa - The White City

As soon as visitors arrive in Arequipa the guardian mountain “Misti”, the cobble-stone narrow streets and its grass-liked fragance ever green countrysides give them a warm welcome.

This magical attraction is summed up in the Quechua phrase "ari, que pay" (yes, stay!), the answer that Inca Mayta Capac gave to his warriors when they asked him to let them make a stay in this attractive area.

Arequipa has many fine colonial-era Spanish buildings built of sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock used extensively in the construction of the city, from which it gets its nickname La Ciudad Blanca ("the white city").

 

Ica, Paracas and Nazca

Ica

In Ica you will find many places to visit and one of the most popular site is La Huacahina, a famous desert oasis located 5km (3.2 miles) from Ica city. Its small lake with medicinal waters, lying in the middle of a spectacular sand desert. Here you can hire sand boards to cruise down the dunes.

We recommend you no to leave Ica without tasting the excellents “tejas”, a delicious Latin American treasure made of golden caramel filling covered with roasted pecans and dipped in fine fondant, a particular French coating made from sugar. You will simply love it!

Paracas National Reserve

This reserve is known as “The Peruvian Galapagos” due to its great diversity of birds, which consist of migratory, residents, and/or endemics.

Mammals are also visible, different species of sea lions like the southern sea lion and the South American fur seal, as well as the marine otter, which is in danger of extinction.

In 1991 it was declared a Regional Reserve for Migratory Birds by The Hemispheric Network for Coastal Birds (today known as "Wetlands for the Americas").

In April of 1992, it was added to the list of places of special character for the Convention of Humid Soil of International Importance, especially to the Habitat of Aquatic Birds (RAMSAR Convention).

Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are the most outstanding group of geoglyphs in the world.

Etched in the surface of the desert pampa sand about 300 hundred figures made of straight lines, geometric shapes and pictures of animals and birds. 

There are so many theories as to where they came from and what the motivations behind them were.

Some, like the German mathematician Maria Reiche, think that they were made along the same lines as Stonehenge – as a calendar that marked astronomical movements and the coming of the solstices.

Some thought they were in honor of the Gods, and that walking the lines was an act of prayer and meditation. Some think that the fact that they were made so accurately proves the existence of a hugely advanced civilization on earth which has since died out.

And some think they were made by visiting aliens who left them as landing strips. This is made more tempting when you see the “astronaut” design.

To see the Lines you get on a tiny plane – only big enough for five people. The pilot will swing the plane round so it’s almost on its side so you can look almost straight down on the Lines, out of your window.

Seeing the lines from above makes you realize two things – firstly the huge scale of them, some 300 feet across. And also, how precise they are. How they were made without sophisticated measuring equipment and any views from above to admire their work is such a mystery.

Amazon Jungle

Three extraordinary Amazon reserves lie only a 25-minute flight from Cuzco.

Taken together, these parks are two-thirds the size of Costa Rica and protect the most species-rich natural habitats in the world (January 1994 and March 2000 cover stories, National Geographic Magazine).

The intimate Tambopata Madidi Wilderness provides the fastest and easiest route to the uninhabited, unhunted core of these parks, a vast 2.5-million-acre (one-million-hectare) wilderness full of the five top predators of the Amazon: Jaguar, Giant Otter, Black Caiman, Harpy Eagle, and Anaconda.

The Tambopata Wilderness also features the world's most accessible large macaw lick, which has registered up to 260 large macaws in one day, making it one of the five largest recorded macaw licks in the world.

Though all five of these licks are spectacular, the Heath Lick is by far the most economical to visit, making it ideal for a short Amazon itinerary to combine with the Inca sites of Cuzco and Machu Picchu.