Peru: the fascination with this amazing country is nothing new, but it's no longer Inca gold that attracts visitors to this part of South America. Today's visitors come to follow their guides into the mountains and take the Inca Trail to the precarious World Heritage site of Machu Picchu, perched above the clouds on a green mountain ridge. They come to stroll through the stone streets of Cusco; see the great Andean condors soar over the Colca Canyon; explore the sites in the Sacred Valley and admire the sarcophagi of Karajia in the Cordillera Blanca mountains (part of the Andes); the crazy colours of Vinicunca; the giant unexplained drawings in the Nazca Desert; and the Santa Catalina Monastery in Arequipa.
In the Lima region, visitors can explore the ruins at Caral, Peru's oldest city; surf the north coast in Mancora; take pictures of the penguins on the Ballestas Islands; experience the humidity of the Amazon Rainforest; sail the waters of Lake Titicaca and travel to the Arequipa region on the southern coast to explore the juxtaposition of the pre-Colombian and the colonial. When is the best time to visit? Which part? What are the sites? This Peru travel guide provides useful tips to help you plan the perfect trip.