Clinging to the Andes, between the parched coastal desert and the drippy
expanse of the Amazon rain forest 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 regularly divulge bits of prehistory. And then, of course,
there is the food – a bounty of sublime concoctions made from ingredients
native and contemporary.
There’s north, there’s south, desert and jungle. There are museums to visit,
lakes to ogle, waves to surf, labyrinthine cities to explore – and enough
ancient ruins to keep archaeologists employed for centuries.
Where to start?
This is a short Peru guide to a few essentials.
Lake Titicaca
Less a lake than a highland ocean, the
Titicaca area is home to fantastical sights:
floating islands made of totora reeds,
pre-Columbian funerary towers and
fertility temples full of stone phalluses. Far out.
Parque Nacional Manu
Covering an area the size of Wales, this
vast Amazon reserve protects cloud
forest and rainforest ecosystems – making
for maximum wildlife-spotting. Not to be
missed: the clay licks that draw hundreds
of squawking macaws.
Monasterio de Santa Catalina
The eternally graceful city of Arequipa is
home to this dazzling, citadel-sized monastery, which dates back to the 16th
century. It even has its own cafe, serving
pastries and espresso.
Lima Nightlife
Tourism in Peru is devoted to the past, but
Lima is all about the present. Here, discos
spin international beats, lounges
serve frothy fusion cocktails and
restaurants draw late-night crowds with a
bevy of inventive dishes.
Máncora
This internationally famous surf spot has something for everyone – even folks
who don’t hang ten. There’s horse riding,
hot springs and beach combing to fill the
days, while street parties and beach side bonfires light up the nights.
Nazca Lines
The meaning behind these mysterious
glyphs continues to elude scholars.
Not that it matters. Their magnificence and
breathtaking scale – which can only be appreciated
from the air – make them a wonder
to behold.
Kuélap
Archaeology buffs refer to the Chachapoyas
people’s mountaintop fortress as the
‘other Machu Picchu,’ but its unique stonework
and proud position overlooking the
Utcubamba valley make it a special – and
incomparable – place to visit.
The Streets of Cuzco
Once the capital of the Inca empire, tourist thronged Cuzco – the gateway to
the mountaintop refuge of Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail – is lined with extraordinary cobblestone
passageways and indigenous structures
that have been inhabited continuously
since pre-Hispanic times.
