Peru Tours
THE VIBRATING METROPOLIS ON PACIFIC SHORE - CAPITAL LIMA(1-2 DAYS)
Francisco Pizarro founded the "City of Kings" on January 18th 1535. Wort visiting are the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, the San Francisco Monastery and its catacombs, the museum of archeology and anthropology, the Huaca Pucllana pyramid as well as the quarters Miraflores and Barranco nearby the sea.
PARACAS - SMALL GALAPAGOS OF PERU(1 -2 DAYS, FROM LIMA)
The 335.000ha big nature reserve Paracas and the Ballestas Islands are home of pelicans, dolphins, sea lions and penguins you get close to during a boat trip.
MYSTERIOUS NAZCA (2 DAYS, FROM LIMA)
Astronomic calendar or runway for extraterrestrials? The gigantic lines in the middle of Nazca desert are still a mystery. During a half hour flight you can see trapezoids figures and impressive animal profiles like the monkey, the hummingbird and the spider.
AREQUIPA - THE WHITE CITY BELOW VOLCANO MISTI(1 DAY)
The patrician houses of the colonial time built with white volcanic stone (sillar) as well as the white population gave Arequipa the name white city. In addition to walking through its nice streets it is worth visiting the Monastery Santa Catalina and the Museum Santuarios Andinos, with the mummy Juanita.
CONDORS IN THE COLCA CANYON(1-2 DAYS, FROM AREQUIPA)
Before the Inca, locals already constructed terraces on the steep hillsides in the valley of the Colca River and made them cultivable land. Their agricultural abilities are still admirable today. The canyons main attraction is the viewpoint Cruz del Condor where majestic condors circle.
ALTIPLANO AND LAKE TITICACA(1-2 DAYS)
On the trip from Cusco to Puno it is worth to stop at the colonial church of Andahuaylillas, the Inca ruins of Raqchi and the pre Inca ruins of Pucará. The trip from Puno over the deep blue Lake Titicaca is possible within a day visiting the floating islands of the Uros and Isla Taquile or within two days with an additional visit to Isla Amantaní.
CUSCO - IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF THE INCA(1 DAY)
The "navel of the world" was once the capital of the Inca empire Tahuantinsuyo. Within centuries the trapezoid Inca structures and colonial architecture formed a unique mixture of styles (you can see well in the sun temple Coricancha).
FERTILE SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCA(1-2 DAYS, FROM CUSCO)
In the Sacred Valley today as then people cultivate vegetables, fruits as well as different kinds of cereals like quinoa and amaranth. The fortresses of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo are impressive ruins, you can see a scientific cereal plant in Moray and salt terraces where salt was already produced during Inca time in Maras.
MACHU PICCHU(1-2 DAYS, FROM CUSCO)
"The lost city of the Inca" is located on a hidden hill in the cloud forest, encircled by deep valleys and impressive mountains, the apus (gods). Its name in Quechua means old mountain, it is still unclear if it was a summer residence, a fortress or a ritual place.
CITY OF CHURCHES - AYACUCHO(1-2 DAYS)
On December 9th 1824 the battle of Ayacucho determined the South American independence. Beside this historical importance Huamanga (original name of Ayachucho) is the capital of Peruvian handcraft and religious centre with more than 30 churches that are visited by believers from all over the country, mainly on Easter.
NATURE EXPERIENCE MANU(5-6 DAYS, FROM CUSCO)
The National Park Manu with its 1.7 Mio ha is one of the biggest in the world. There are more than 800 species of birds, 200 species of mammals, numerous insects and reptiles as well as about 2.000 species of plants - some of them endemic. The National Park Manu also is the homeland of indigenous tribes. Equally beautiful but less famous is the Nature Reserve Tambopata in the South West of Puerto Maldonado.
THE OLDEST CIVILIZATION OF AMERICA IN ASPERO, CARAL AND BANDURRIA(AT LEAST 1 DAY)
In the valley of the River Supe so far 19 cities has been found that were built between 2.600 and 3.600 B.C., among them the quite well conserved respectively restored Caral and the seaport Aspero. Bandurria is dated to 3.200 B.C. and is located more southward on the shore of the pacific.
TRUJILLO - LAND OF MOCHE AND CHIMÚ(2 DAYS)
Before Diego de Almagro founded Trujillo (Pizarro's hometown in Spain) in 1534 on the water mouth of the River Moche the Moche (approx. 100 AD until 700 AD) an the Chimú (approx. 750 AD until 1470 AD) had built big cities, pyramids and palaces of adobe. The Huaca del Sol of the Moche originally was the biggest pyramid of America, Chan Chan of the Chimú with an extension of about 20sqm and 80.000 inhabitants the biggest city of adobe in the world.
MOCHE AND SICÁN PRINCES IN CHICLAYO(2 DAYS)
Most of Peru's treasures are from the Moche (approx. 100 AD. until 700 AD) and the Sicán (approx. 700 AD until 1.000 AD). The grave goods of the "Señor de Sipán", of the "Viejo Señor de Sipán" and of the "Sacerdote de Sipán" (Moche Culture; exhibited in the Museum Tumbas Reales in Lambayeque) and of the "Señor de Sicán" (Sicán Culture; exhibited in the Museum Sicán in Ferreñafe) are outstanding. A visit of the burial sites in Sipán and in the Bosque de Pomác as well as of the Valley Of The Pyramids near Túcume are worth it.
BATHING FUN IN MANCORA(AT LEAST 3 DAYS)
Palm trees, white beach, rolling waves and warm seas: In Mancora you can definitely relax.
BEAUTIFUL CORDILLERA BLANCA(3-5 DAYS, FROM LIMA)
Cordillera Blanca with its bizarre snow covered mountains, turquois lagoons and well cultivated valleys is one of the nicest regions of the Andes. Thanks to some routes and mountain passes not only hiker and climber are able to enjoy the gorgeous panorama. Beside the trip up to the mountains both the excursion to the Puya Raymondii valley and to circa 3.000 years old temple Chavín de Huántar are worth it.
CITY OF FATE - CAJAMARCA(2 DAYS)
1532 Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca near Cajmarca, arrested Atahualpa and executed him later in spite of an immense ransom (in gold). Destinations near Cajamarca are the temple mountain of Kuntur Wasi (with an impressive exhibition of gold handcrafts), the water temple of Cumbemayo as well as the rock tombs of Otuzco and Combayo (all are regional cultures of the time B.C.).
KUÉLAP - THE CLOUD WARRIORS FORTRESS(4 DAYS, FROM CHICLAYO OR TARAPOTO)
The Chachapoyas ("cloud forest") were martial people that settled in the northern mountains of Peru and offered resistance to the Inca for decades: The gigantic fortress Kuélap maintained position against Inca attacks. A journey to the ruins of the Chachapoyas is nicely combined with a stay in the Gocta Valley and an approx. 4 hours walk to the Gocta Falls (more than 700m high). Further witnesses of the Chachapoyas Culture are the rock sarcophagi of Karajia as well as the mausoleum of Revash. To the deeply hidden (National Park Río Abiseo) city Gran Pajatén you arrive within several days from Trujillo, but because of scientific working it is actually closed.
AMAZONAS AND JUNGLE AROUND IQUITOS(4-5 DAYS, FROM LIMA)
The only way to get to the "rubber city" is by plane or by boat. One of the most impressive nature reserves you can visit in the area of Iquitos is the "forest of mirrors" of Pacaya Samiria where you can see pink and gray river dolphins, Charapa turtles, monkeys and exotic birds.
