Peru
Peru is a country steeped in history of Inca and pre-Inca civilizations of great wealth and intelligence, to the Spanish conquistadors. With an area of 496,225 square, Peru is the third largest country in South America and is bordered to the north by Ecuador and Colombia, to the east by Brazil and Bolivia, to the south by Chile, and to the west by waters of the Pacific Ocean. Peru has emerged as a nation whose rich ethnic mix is one of its leading characteristics, with a population of around 27 million inhabitants, a mixture of European origin, indigenous descendants of the Incas as well as some influence of African and Asian migration. Eighty percent of the population speaks Spanish; others speak Quechua, Aymara and various dialects of the Amazon Jungle. The country is divided in 3 natural regions: the coast, highlands and the jungle and includes such natural highlights as Lake Titicaca., the world's highest navigable lake, the majestic Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range of about 180 km with more than 50 peaks of 5, 70 metres or higher. Huascaran, at 6,766 metres is not only is Peru's highest mountain, but also the highest peak in the tropics anywhere in the world. The Amazon river, the world's mightiest, originates in Peru and its namesake rainforest makes up much of the country. Another natural wonder of Peru is the Colca Canyon, the globe's deepest - twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. A trip to Peru must include the man-made wonders – the ancient Inca cities. Machu Picchu, set atop a mountain seems to have been the Inca’s last refuge from the Spanish and is truly one of the modern wonders of the world. There are many other Incan sites and the city of Cuzco was the Incan capital and Inca walls make up the foundations of many of its buildings. Nearby ruins such as Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puku Pukara,Tambo Machay and Ollantaitambo are also fascinating and all different in construction and purpose. There are many other Incan and pre-Incan ruins scattered around Peru, including the Moche site of Sipan near the city of Chiclayo.
One of life’s mysteries can be seen only by air on the desert plain – the Nazca Lines, drawings etched in the desert of animals and birds and geometric formations, with no explanation as to why they were made when they could not be seen from the ground.
Caral, located north of Lima, has the privilege of being the oldest city of the western hemisphere. It has been proven with carbon 14 dating that this settlement was inhabited 2900 years B.C. Peru is also a country of beautiful colonial cities. The capital of Lima is the gateway to all destinations of course, but is an interesting stop in its own right with its splendid colonial buildings and ornate balconies and fascinating antrropological museums. Lima is also renowned for its cuisine with delicious seafood specialties among other dishes, served at some very impressive restaurants. Other charming cities include Trujillo, Cajamarca, Huancayo and Arequipa. Peru will leave you wondering about the mysteries of these fascinating civilizations which preceded us.