The Andes bisect Peru from the northern, tropical regions on the Ecuadorian border, through high peaks and the altiplano to the barren, high desert on the southern border with Chile. Along the mountains lie many of Peru's top destinations.
Exploring the Andes by foot, bicycle, mule or vehicle, these 14 day tours offer an innovative and fresh way to visit Peru. The tours visit key points of interest like Lake Titicaca, Cusco and of course the famous Machu Picchu. However, this is no ordinary tour of Peru – your whole visit has been carefully designed to deepen your understanding of Peru’s rich history, and particularly their weaving processes.
Views of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu include views down deep river gorges and up at snow-clad mountain peaks. There are moments when you may be the only person on the trail and yet feel as though there are other, more ancient, beings there with you. These images are only a sample of the trek through barren puno, up and down rocky mountain trails, through meadows and cloud forest, sheer cliff faces and on to the fabled ruins at Machu Picchu. Enjoy!
The Ausangate trek is a circuit around the tallest mountain in the Cordillera Vilacanota of Peru. Ausangate is regarded as a sacred mountain, an apu, and is the site of shamanic pilgirmages and the annual celebration of El Señor de Qoyllur Ritti.
To the end of the road, in search of the famed colorful Cock-of-the-Rock bird leaves the author and her companion bycicling up and over Andes passes, through Amazon rainforest and through a number of small villages. Join them on their adventure!
"If Michael Angel had worn a poncho and the Andean chullo cap, he would have undoubtedly signed his works on the walls of the church of Andahuaylillas."
Exploring the Last Inca Refuge - Machu Picchu's lost sister.
Called Machu Picchu’s sacred sister, Choquequirau sits high above the Apurimac River, looks very similar in construction to Machu Picchu and continues to puzzle the experts and present an enticing attraction to visitors. Trek details, weather and more from Inka Natura Travel.
"Huancayo is a modern city with more than 30 000 citizens; it is only 300 km. far from Lima. It is the capital of Junín and it is located in the fertile valley of Mantaro River, which has a significant rural population. Huancayo has the principal covered shopping center of Peru."
Photos of "A classic remote and very beautiful circuit of the Cordillera Huayhuash, which included seven passes over 4500m and a detour into the Sarapococha Valley to see the site of Touching the Void and Joe Simpson's amazing escape off Siula Grande."
Daily entries and images from the 1996 high-altitude expedition led by Johan Reinhard to the summit of Sara Sara in Peru in search of frozen sacrificial mummies. From NOVA/PBS Online Adventures.
Peruvian gateway to Lake Titicaca, "Puno has been denominated the "Capital folklórica del Perú" (folkloric capital of Peru) by the wealth of its artistic and cultural expressions."
Courtesy of Lonely Planet.
Descriptions, attractions and festivals.
"There are two reasons why Ocopa is such a priceless historical monument: its ancient colonial cloisters, which have remained intact since their foundation, and the library, a unique repository of history and culture from the colonial and republican eras."
"The city of Huaraz was founded in the XVI century by Jerónimo de Aliaga. The city is located on the banks of Santa River, in the middle of the valley. For its location and for its infrastructure it is, in general, the starting point for all the tourist attractiveness of "Callejón de Huaylas". "
Beautiful photographs from Karl Grobl.
"The panoramic views experienced from our balloon basket can not be equaled anywhere else in the world. Truly breath-taking views of distant snow capped mountain peaks, lakes and the patch work quilt of rolling “pampas” as you peacefully float over a very special and magical place which has remained relatively unchanged over thousands of years."
Click on the thumbnails for larger images of urban scenes and landscapes.
Hotel chain with hotels in Cuzco Lima Puno and Yucay.
Photographs taken at Sillustani on the shores of Lake Umayo near Puno, in 1987.
The Inka Shamanism and Spirituality Journey to Cuzco and Machu Picchu.
"A beautiful country surrounds Tarma, with a colorful variety of flowers. Fertile land, which cultivation fields reach the mountain slopes. They "andenes" are well preserved since Inca times."
Recommendations include Cuzco, Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Choquequirao, Callejon De Huaylas, Huaraz, Cañon Del Colca, Arequipa, and Vilcabamba (Espiritu Pampa), Cusco.
Willka T'ika, a spectacular Garden Guest Lodge and Retreat Centre in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Inka.
