Peru:

Peru’s appeal lies in the sheer beauty of its various landscapes, the abundance of its wildlife, and the strong and colourful character of the people.

Peru is peppered with Incan sites, but none so famous as the lost city of Machu Picchu. For many travelers to Peru, a visit to the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu is the whole purpose of their trip. With its awe-inspiring location, it is the best-known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent. Despite being busiest from June to September, it still retains an air of grandeur and mystery.

South America's archaeological capital and oldest continuously inhabited city, Cuzco is now an important link in the region's travel network. Its legacy as the hub of the Incan empire is readily apparent: Quechua-speaking Incan descendants crowd the centuries-old stonewalled city streets.

Spread across an incredible 500 sq km (193 sq mi) of arid, rock-strewn land, the Nazca Lines remain one of the world's great archaeological mysteries. Eight hundred straight lines, geometric figures and some spectacular animal and plant drawings, the lines are almost imperceptible at ground level; only viewed from above do they form their striking vision.

Peru has been blessed with natural gifts as well: a huge chunk of Amazon rainforest falls within Parque Nacional Manu. This vast national park in the Amazon Basin covers almost 20,000 sq km (12,427 sq mi) and is one of the best places in South America to see a stunning variety of tropical wildlife. Progressive in its emphasis on preservation, Unesco declared Manu a Biosphere Reserve in 1977 and a World Natural Heritage Site in 1987.

The unique Islas Flotantes (floating islands) of the Uros people are Lake Titicaca's top tourist attraction. Although their popularity has led to massive over-commercialization, there is still nothing quite like them anywhere else in the world. The biggest island has several buildings, including a school, post office and an overabundance of souvenir shops.

Did you know?

• Hiking the Inca Trail - Culminating at Machu Picchu, this is one of the most popular and eye-opening trails in the world.
• Ballestas Islands - Are often called the Peruvian Galapagos, these islands located off the coast of Pisco, are teeming with bird and marine life.
• Ceviche - Peru's national dish is a refreshing treat – fresh fish soaked briefly in limejuice and chilies, and best accompanied by a cold cerveza.
• Colca Canyon - Twice the size of the Grand Canyon, the enormous Colca, one of the deepest canyons in the world, is also one of Peru's biggest destinations.
• Lake Titicaca - The world's highest navigable lake is home to the unique waterborne reed islands and boats of the native Uros people. these man-and-woman-made floating villages have existed in the lake since Inca times.
• Arequipa - The irresistibly sexy Arequipa, aka 'White City' for its dazzling colonial sillar (off-white volcanic rock) stonework, is surrounded by some of the wildest terrain in Peru. It's a land of active snowy volcanoes, high-altitude deserts, thermal hot springs, salt lakes and the world's deepest canyons.
• Manu National Park - Peru's greatest treasure in biodiversity. Covering 20,000 sq km (7,722 sq miles) of tropical rainforest, this World Natural Heritage Site is home to around 2,000 plant species, 1,200 butterfly species, 800 bird types and 200 different mammals, including monkeys, tapirs, sloth, jaguar and capybaras.
• Nazca Lines - Theories abound regarding their purpose, from a giant astronomical calendar to an extraterrestrial landing site. A more recent (and down-to-earth) hypothesis posits that the lines were part of a water fertility cult that once ruled Peru's southern desert.
• Machu Picchu - Nobody knew of Machu Picchu's existence until American historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it in 1911. When Bingham returned in 1912 and 1915, he also discovered some of the ruins on the so-called Inca Trail.

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