Peru, a real high altitude experience full of spectacle, colour and mystery.
Here you can have your feet in history and your head in the clouds. Suspend disbelief as you wander through the architectural marvel that is Machu Picchu, ponder the mysterious Nazca Lines and be intrigued by the floating village communities of Lake Titicaca.
If you’ve no head for heights, there’s the lush biodiversity of the Peruvian Amazon where you may even catch a glimpse of the elusive jaguar.
Throughout your journey you will be charmed by the haunting music and delightful people of this captivating country.

With a rich Andean and Amazonian heritage and cuddly llamas too, this is quintessential South America.

For high altitude outdoor adventure and all the wonders of nature.
Go to Peru for sandboarding,surfing, extreme mountain biking and rafting. Trek snowy peaks, paddle a dugout through lowland rainforest or negotiate a traditional tortora reed boat on the world's highest lake. Add to these medicinal hot springs and you have the complete package.

Nature enthusiasts should venture beyond the Andes into the Peruvian jungle to experience some of the richest biodiversity on earth: black caiman, spectacled bears, tapirs, ocelots, monkeys, giant otters, and jaguars.

To appreciate the Amazon from the tree tops, take a canopy walk 95 feet above the ground and discover a world teeming with exotic birds and butterflies.

1km from cliff edge to river bottom, Colca Canyon boasts some of Peru's finest Andean scenery and is the most reliable place for wild condor spotting at fairly close range. The condors hunt in the early morning and late afternoon, so it is best to be there during those times.

For peace and quiet visit Taquile Island in the waters of Lake Titicaca - here local Indians actually do speak in whispers and with only llama power there is absolutely nothing to disturb the tranquility.

A treasure trove of history, culture and gastonomic discovery.
11 world heritage sites, 180 museums and historical places and over 3,000 festivals each year.
Peru is bursting with archaeological sites even predating Machu Picchu.

Take to the skies to get the best views of the ancient Nazca Lines. Etched into the surrounding desert plateau these enigmatic drawings of animals, birds, reptiles and geometric shapes were created by the Nazca culture between 200 BC and 600 AD. Their purpose remains a mystery.

Join in as all of Peru gravitates each June to Cuzco for Inti Raymi the Festival of the Winter Sun. Costumed priests and richly decorated dancers re-enact the ancient Inca ceremony in all its glory, though happily without the live sacrifice!

A big surprise is just how good Peruvian food is, it could take weeks to try all the superb local delicacies. With almost 400 native varieties of Peruvian potato and unexpected ingredients such as Guinea Pig it makes for very interestiing and adventuorous eating.

Arequipa "the white city", so called from its pearly white colonial buildings built from local volcanic rock, also boasts an extraordinary gastronomic heritage. Try some of the exquisite dishes in the traditional ‘picanterias’.

In Lima make sure to spend at least one evening in a Peña. These lively music venues serve up delicious Creole fare. Listen to folk music, dance and have lots of fun –all washed down with generous quantities of beer and pisco sour.

Lima, Peru's desert metropolis also boasts some of the best museums in all of South America.

When to go
Best time to visit is during European summer, from June to August. It is the coolest and driest season in the Andean highlands, and therefore the best time for a Machu Picchu trek, or hiking elsewhere. Cuzco hosts Inti Raymi in June, other big festivals such as la Virgen de la Candelaria, Carnaval or Semana Santa take place during the wettest months October to April. Lima and the desert coast are generally dry. December to April is the best time to avoid the coastal mists.

Getting there
There are no international direct flights from the UK to Peru
LAN and Iberia fly via Madrid
KLM fly via Amsterdam
A number of American airlines via the US

What to Buy
There are many attractive Peruvian handicrafts such as alpaca wool sweaters, alpaca and llama rugs, Indian masks, colourful weaving and silver jewellery and traditional musical instruments. Look for outdoor Andean craft markets in places such as Pisac near Cusco and the Mantaro Valley near Huancayo.