PERU

Peru is a country in South America, situated on the western side of that continent, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes mountain range that runs the length of South America. Peru is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Peru is a country that has a diversity and wealth not common in the world. The main attractions are their archaeological patrimony of pre-Columbian cultures and the center of Inca’s Empire, their gastronomy, their colonial architecture (has imposing colonial constructions) and their natural resources (a paradise for the ecological tourism).

Peel away the multiple faces of Peru – each face is beautiful, fascinating and different. Whether it is the colonial cities with their history of the Spanish Conquistadors, the lost city of Machu Picchu, the Inca city of Cusco or the 58km bio-reserve with its rare flora and fauna, you will be struck by Peru’s historical, natural and geographical contrasts.

Capital: Lima

Best Time of Visit:

  1. Peru’s peak tourist season is from June to August, which is the dry season in the highlands, and this is the best time to go if you’re interested in hiking.
  2.  Travelers do visit the highlands year-round, though the wettest months, January to April, make trekking a muddy proposition.
  3. On the coast, Peruvians visit the beaches during the sunny months from late December through March, although few beaches are particularly enticing.
  4. The wettest months are December through April, though travelers visit year-round because it rarely rains for more than a few hours and there’s still plenty of sunshine to enjoy.

Min Days Required: 6 days

Places of Interest: 

  1. Machu Pichu
  2. Cusco – Sacred Valley, Saksaywaman, Qurikancha, Moray
  3. Lima- Historic Center in Lima, Museum of the Nation, Cathedral of Lima, Monastery of San Francisco
  4. Arequipa – Santa Catalina Monastery, Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa.
  5. Sacred Valley

Climate:

  1. There’s a wet season and a dry one – of course the geographical region also determines the climate.
  2. The Coast is normally dry. During the coastal summer (late December to early April) the sky is clear and you could feel hot and sticky.
  3. The coastal fog moves in the rest of the year and you hardly ever get to see the sun on the central and south coasts.
  4. Inland, it is hot and satiny most of the year. In the Andes, the dry season is from May to September. You’ll shiver in the mountains here – but daytime is bright and sunny.

Currency: Nuevo sol (PEN)

Things to carry:

  1. Carry your woolens for winter and light cottons for summer, as usual.
  2. Take an English to Spanish dictionary – it will help you in your daily interactions.
  3. Prescription medicines, an extra pair of spectacle, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, moisturizer, hats and comfortable shoes (though you get some pretty good local footwear)

How to get there:

Air:

  1. The capital city of Lima has the Jorge Chávez International Airport with frequent flights all over the world. Main airlines are American Airlines, Delta, Lan, Lan Peru, United, Iberia, Copa, Taca and others.
  2. There are non-stop flights to Lima from Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, and San Francisco in the United States.
  3. There is also a non-stop flight to Toronto, Canada with Air Canada. There are five different airlines that offer non-stop service to Europe.