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

On the Puno to Cuzco road, not far from Lake Titicaca, Pucara is a tiny, hidden away Peruvian village that sits at 4,000m altitude,

Pucará

Uruguay

The Galapagos Islands

Patagonia

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

Asia

Middle East

Oceania

I had the opportunity to briefly discover Pucará when taking the bus from Puno to Cusco. To tell you the truth, my exploration was quick, the time between getting off the bus and getting back on around 20 minutes later...
Pucará is above all known for its archaeological site. There are objects and tools which would have belonged to native Indians from Pucarábetween 500 years before and after JC. The Pucará culture is particularly known for its arts of pottery and weaving. Incidentally, you'll see ceramic pots engraved with typical motifs from the pre-Colombian era at the archaeological site.
The Pucará archaeological site used to be a stone pyramid but these stones were used some centuries later to build churches when the Jesuit missionaries arrived. 
Unless you are keen on archaeology, I would recommend that you go along your way and head in the direction of Cusco or Puno according to the direction of your <a href="/peru/">circuit of Peru</a>.

Pucará is a little town situated 80km from Titiaca Lake.

During my <a href="/peru/">trip to Peru</a>, I found myself at Pucara a bit by chance. At 100km north of Puno, quite close to the famous Lake Titicaca, this archaeological site is known country-wide for its bull design ceramics. These clay animals were placed on the roofs of houses to bring prosperity as well as to protect families, children and livestock. It was a custom that slowly spread from the high plateaus to other Peruvian towns. Whether you're in Puno, Arequipa, Cuzco or even the capital, Lima, you'll often see these figurines on rooftops. It's an unusual and moderately interesting stopover. I suggest you pay it a visit if you're heading that way but not if it means taking a detour.

On the Puno to Cuzco road, not far from Lake Titicaca, Pucara is a tiny, hidden away Peruvian village that sits at 4,000m altitude,

Pucará Vacations

Pucará: How to get there?

Pucará: See when to go ?

Pucará: For how long?

Pucará: What to see nearby?

Peru: our articles for your vacations