The amazing remains of Sacsayhuamán stand on top of a hillside overlooking Cuzco: huge blocks of stone, some of which weigh several hundred tons, perfectly embedded one into the other, form what look like ramparts and a cluster of round-shaped buildi..

Huaro, a 17C Renaissance sanctuary, bears without doubt the hallmark of the Peruvian Jesuits' religious syncretism, missionaries that differed from the Spanish colonists by their relative tolerance of local culture. For example, the frescoes such as ..

From the ruins of Pisac to the fortress of Ollantaytambo passing by the salt mines of Maras and the amazing terraces of Moray, the Sacred Inca Valley bears witness to the might of the Incan Empire in the 15C. The scale of the crops, the highly sophis..

The Incan ruins of Pisac are among the most extensive and best-preserved archaeological sites of Peru. Dominated by a fort ( Q’Allaqasa which guarded the entrance to the Sacred Valley of the Incas), the site contains a religious sector ( Intihuatana..

From the picturesque village of Maras, home to colonial houses adorned with coats of arms, a rocky path winds its way through a stunning panorama of lush green pampas framed by the snow-capped peaks of the Urubamba and Vilcabamba cordilleras. An amaz..

A climb to the fortified summit and the Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo, a major urban, agricultural, military and religious centre, can hardly be described as leisurely. You will have to climb terraces that seem to stretch as far as the eye can see, und..

An Inca Trail adventure cannot be improvised (book several months ahead) and is also very demanding. You will spend four days climbing countless passes (up to 4,200m in altitude) and staircases and crossing rivers. From km88 of the railway line linki..

Lake Titicaca, an immense expanse of water (8,500km 2 ) at an altitude of nearly 3,800m, between Peru and Bolivia, straddles mountains and plains, offering a magical vista. Thousands of fish and birds have found refuge among its reeds and rushes ( to..

Time seems to have stood still on the island of Taquile. In a hilly landscape whose slopes can be steep enough to prevent cars from getting around, the locals have preserved their customs and continue to make their own clothes of which they seem very..

The headland of Capachica (or Llachón) is full of treasures. From lazing on one of the lovely beaches, admiring the stunning panorama from the top of Auki Carus mountain (where a few vestiges of the Tiahuanaco civilisation are still visible) or wan..

Whether it be the interior or the exterior, Compañía Church (17C) is a gem of Baroque architecture. Surprising plant, animal and Indian interlaced motifs and patterns adorn the portal and the cloisterb, while the church's nave is graced with finel..

The Museo Santuarios Andinos was opened following the discovery in 1995 at the top of the Nevado Ampato (some 6000m high), of the body of a young girl, sacrificed by the Incas 500 years earlier. Called the Ice Maiden , she was remarkably well preser..

It is a treat to wander through the rooms of the Museo de Arte virreinal Santa Teresa. Frescoes, paintings (particularly by Quispe Tito), sculptures and different objects of the colonial era are located in this pleasant early 18C convent, still parti..

The Cañón del Colca, a deep canyon carved out of the rock by the Río Colca between high mountains, stretches for a hundred or so kilometres. Inhabited by mankind for several millennia, who built a multitude of terraces on its flanks that are still fa..

The legendary condor can weigh up to 13kg and measure up to 3.5m in wingspan and 1.4m in height, making it one of the largest birds of prey in the world. You can see these mythical birds in full flight (preferably in the early morning) from the Cruz ..

Hundreds of birds, sea lions and turtles and thousands of shellfish and fish inhabit the natural reserve of Paracas, poised between land and sea and spread over nearly 335 000ha. The extremely rich biosphere (particularly around the Ballestas Island..

If you visit the natural reserve of Paracas, make sure you include a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. The bright white coastline is in fact entirely covered in guano (bird excrement used as fertiliser or to manufacture explosives). Cormorants, p..

Enjoy a stroll down the alleys lined with benches and greenery of the delightful Plaza de Armas, admiring the handsome edifices hidden by the arched arcades. From the cathedral and its magnificent altarpieces – others are exhibited in the Museo de..

The recently restored and embellished mythical fortress of Sondor was one of the main bastions of the Chanca nation , which during the pre-Columbian era, covered almost all the central Andes. It is a colossal pyramid comprised of several stone platf..

Sayhuite stone is a huge stone, some 4m in diameter, adorned with carvings of mountains, rivers, animals (particularly monkeys, pumas and condors) and humans. It is not known exactly when it was carved, but is generally believed to represent the Inca..