Huaraz is the perfect departure point for excursions into both the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra. It's in the heights of the Sierra that you will truly discover all the fantastic features that the Ancash region has to offer.

Huarez: a jewel nestled between snow-covered peaks

It's at Lima that the great numbers of Peruvians found themselves in the 50s, when the rural exodus was at its peak. The capital has seen a tenfold increase in its population and it's this mixture of people and cultures from all over the country that gives it all its variety today.

Visiting Lima's various neighbourhoods

A visit to the heart of the various pre-Incan civilisations in the land of the Lambayeque. The region is brimming with important archaeological remains, so let's follow the tracks of this impressive historical heritage...

Lambayeque: follow in the footsteps of ancient civilisations

Located between the Selva and the Cordillera of the Andes, the Huancavélica and Cerro Pasco region will put you under its spell, with its incredible landscapes, the welcoming nature of the local inhabitants and the old traditions that are still very much alive

Pasco and Huancavélica: a voyage combining nature and tradition

The huge capital of Peru sprung up out the desert. Lima is a noisy town, an easy going place where clouds cover the sky for 8 months of the year.

South America

On these pages you will find ideas for a trip to Peru to help you prepare for your trip. All these ideas are there just to get your imagination going; you can alter, mix and match them as you please. Your local agent will help you create a unique and unforgettable trip, just for you! Peru has three distinct parts, each with its own character: the Pacific coast, which is the most densely populated; the Andes range, with the highest mountain being the towering Huascarán at 6,768 metres; and the Amazon, which covers the largest part of the country. If you’re going, start with the must-see: Machu Picchu – fortunately not found by the Conquistadors – rediscovered in 1911. You should visit it at dawn to see the ruins shrouded in mist. This extraordinary site still clasps a few secrets to its bosom. Not far away, the Andes range draw ramblers and trekkers to magnificent landscapes. The ultimate rambling experience is the Inca Trail through exceptional archaeological sites. During your stay in Peru, you must stop in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. The Spanish erected their buildings, especially religious ones, over Inca constructions which they systematically destroyed, only sparing their characteristic foundations, which are still visible today with their large, perfectly cut and fitted stones. A voyage out of time awaits you in Cusco.

Peru

Lima

 Pisac: a wonderful site that remains still very well preserved today and where you can see and appreciate the ingenious system of terraces developed during the pre-Inca era in all its splendour.

Pisac

 The town of Ollantaytambo and it's archaeological site are situated between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Take the time to visit this charming, little Inca town.

Ollantaytambo

Andahuaylillas, a small village in the Andes mountains is still protected from the many tourist buses roaming all around Cusco.

Andahuayillas

An Inca site that is usually reached by a two or three day walk.

Huchuy Qosqo

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I discovered the beautiful archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo during a one-day trek. We met up early in the morning, in <a href="/peru/">Cusco</a>. After reaching Chinchero by bus, we drove to the small Andean village of Tauca. It is there that we finally put our feet on the ground, our Andean adventure in the Sacred Valley could begin!
The Peruvian mountains rose up and up, but the sights which gradually emerged along our trek to Huchuy Qosqo made us forget the pain and fatigue: shimmering lagoons, terraced crops, mischievous llamas and traditional villages were unveiled throughout our hike. Once we had arrived at a pass, at an altitude of more than 4,000m, we had to go back down. We watched, with admiration and compassion, the Bolivian children who make this journey every day in order to attend the nearby school.
We descended 400m to reach Huchuy Qosqo. At an altitude of 3,600m, the legendary citadel appeared before us . Formerly a theatre for religious ceremonies, the site is excellently preserved; an impressive sight to see...The sun began to set and it was time to make our way back to Cusco. We left that magical place, our eyes full of wonder.

Nicknamed "Little Cusco", Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca site located north of Cusco.

Nearly all travel agents offer this trek, even though it's quite off the beaten track. However, there many ways to reach the site so therefore plenty of alternatives to walking. It might therefore be a difficult choice to make if ever you decided to include this citadelle in your list of <a href="/peru/">Peruvian destinations</a>! In my case, I made the excursion without a guide, starting from the very pretty village of Chinchero, going via Cuper Alto and finishing in Lamay. A little trip report: paths lined with eucalyptus, breathtaking views over the valley, crops growing on terraces, isolated villages without electricity or with solar power, lakes, llamas, snow-covered peaks in the background... a perfect Andean patchwork! Arriving at the the site of Huchuy Qosqo, or little Cusco, is truly lovely especially the view, which left me speechless. It must be said that to have visited this spot with a guide would have been a bonus. I had read beforehand that it had been both a royal residence and an astronomical observatory, a slightly disappointing piece of information considering that the main point of the trip was to discover the site. In any event, the hike was really nice, partly because the Sacred Valley is just sublime but also for the pleasure of discovering the local culture, which the people seem to be happy to share. Perhaps this is also because tourism is an additional source of income, which seems to be much needed in this isolated area...

Huchuy Qosqo Vacations

Huchuy Qosqo: How to get there?

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Huchuy Qosqo: For how long?

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