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.

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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.

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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 still little visited, Choquequirao is considered a second Machu Picchu. 

Choquequirao

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Accessible only by foot or on horseback, I recommend the ruins of Choquequirao to all hikers who like to get off the beaten track. This archaeological site, far from being completely cleared, is still very well-preserved. It has escaped mass tourism (quite the opposite of Machu Picchu), and this makes it all the more enjoyable and gives it a certain wild charm. Rather than the ruins, what I preferred were three days walking in breathtaking landscapes in the middle of the Cordillera of the Andes. If you are afraid of not being able to keep up, there is always the possibility of taking a horse, which will help you on the steepest slopes. This authentic trek is therefore a good alternative to the very busy Inca Trail, for which you sometimes need to make reservations months in advance!

An Inca site still little visited, Choquequirao is considered a second Machu Picchu.

Choquequirao is an incredible site to visit, despite the fact that only thirty percent of it is exposed. It goes without say, therefore, that it still has many secrets to reveal. As well as the economic factor involved in undertaking the clearing process, the work can only be carried out in the dry season, making it a practically endless task. I really enjoyed the "wild and untamed" aspect of the site. It makes you feel like you're just one of a handful of people privileged enough to get to see it. With no roads suitable for four-wheeled vehicles leading to the site, getting to it is not easy. If you do intend to come here <a href="/peru/">when you visit Peru</a>, you'll need to have your best walking boots on and plenty of energy and determination. Because – and as you'll often hear it described – this is not an easy trek (but nor is it impossible), though it is a wonderful one. I've been lucky enough to have had the chance to come here twice (doing both the short and the long versions of the trip), and on both occasions I found myself simply stunned by the scale of this wild, isolated and remote site. Terraces and irrigation canals actually make up most of the constructions. As for the views, they are simply incredible, as I'm sure you can imagine!

An Inca site lying between Cusco and Abancay and often referred to as "Machu Pichu's sister city".

Choquequirao Vacations

Choquequirao: How to get there?

Choquequirao: See when to go ?

Choquequirao: For how long?

Choquequirao: What to see nearby?

Peru: our articles for your vacations