Five-sixths the size of Alaska, Peru is divided by the Andes Mountains into three
sharply differentiated zones. To the west is the coastline, much of it arid, extending 50 to
100 miles (80 to 160 km) inland. The mountain area, with peaks over 20,000 feet (6,096 m),
lofty plateaus, and deep valleys, lies centrally. Beyond the mountains to the east is the
heavily forested slope leading to the Amazonian plains
Comments from InfoPlease.com
This description gives you an overview of the physical aspect of Peru, but says nothing of the historical and mystical aspects that fascinate visitors to Peru who know that Peru is the center of the Inca Empire.
The Inca Empire was born in the middle of Lake Titicaca , shared by Peru and Bolivia, on the Island of the Sun and before the Spaniards arrived and put an end to the empire it had spread as far north as Colombia and south into Northern Chile.
The center of the Inca world was their capital, Cuzco, the oldest continually inhabited city on the South American continent.
But Peru is much more than Incas, no matter how many thousands of visitors make the annual visit to Machu Picchu, one of South America's premiere tourist destinations. There were civilizations prospering long before the Incas, and today's modern Peru offers cosmopolitan cities of Lima, known as the City of Kings, Arequipa, known as the White City, Trujuillo and others.
The coastal area hosts what is known as the "Galapagos of Peru" for the fantastic variety of wildlife on the Ballestas islands. For more wildlife in a completely different environmental setting, the Amazonian region of Peru, on the eastern side of the Andes and altiplano, is a hugely attractive area for wildlife observers. Add the cloud people, the opportunity to travel the length of the Amazon river from Iquitos, and visitors to Peru are faced with a cornucopia of choices.
Wherever you travel in Peru, enjoy yourself. Buen viaje!
