Peru
ANCIENT LOST CITIES: Flowers and terraces at Machu Picchu
Peru holds a special place in a traveller’s wish list and imagination
It is a kaleidoscope of natural wonders, ancient civilisations, legends and folklore, echoing with music and exploding with colour. Festivals honour its ancient customs at the Inca festival of Inti Raymi while its Spanish Catholic heritage is remembered in another bout of feasting and prayer on All Souls’ Day.
Geographically, Peru can be divided into three distinctive regions – the long, low coastal strip home to the main cities of Lima and Trujillo; the remote vastness of the Amazon basin in the east, and the magnificent heights of the Andes in the centre. Any visit to this region must include Cusco, not just for its amazing mix of Inca and Spanish culture, but also for its standing as the gateway to Machu Picchu. Here visitors can choose from a rigorous and invigorating four-day trek, less active one-day trek or a stunning train journey all ending at the famous Inca citadel.
Apart from its ancient civilisations, Peru is also filled with a magnificent array of natural wonders including the vast mountains of the Huascaran National Park and magical Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world and home to the unique floating reed islands of Uros. The extraordinary Amazon rainforest, with its abundant flora and fauna, is a dramatic contrast to the volcanoes and canyons of the Colca Valley. Peru - a fascinating land of history, life, colour and contrast.
Flights & Facts:
Fly to: Lima - British Airways/American Airlines daily via Miami.
Flying time: 15 hours
Time difference: GMT-5hrs
Visas: Not required for UK passport holders
Health requirements: Yellow fever certificate required if arriving from an infected area.
Best time to travel: Apr - Nov.
Weather:
The coastal region of Peru is quite dry year-round with the warmer temperatures in the summer months (January to March). Winters are not too cold but low cloud is frequent. Inland, the temperature drops significantly, with little seasonal variation during the day and average highs of approximately 20°C. Winter nights can be chilly, particularly at higher altitudes. Between December and April there is a moderate wet season. The Amazon is hot and humid throughout.
A&K Recommends
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Central and South America | Peru
Duration: 17 days
Lima (1nt) - Cusco (2nts) - Machu Picchu (1nt) - Cusco (2nts) - Quito (2nts) - Galapagos Cruise (7nts) - Quito (1nt)
• Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu
• Cruise the unique wildlife islands of the Galapagos
• Visit the former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco
Active | Culture | Wildlife
from £4,595 per person
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Central and South America | Peru
Duration: 14 days
Lima (2 nts) - Arequipa (1 nt) - Colca Canyon (2 nts) - Lake Titicaca (2 nts) - Cusco (3 nts) - Machu Picchu (1 nt) - Cusco (1 nt) - Lima (1 nt)
• Colca Canyon’s condors
• Beautiful Lake Titicaca
• The Sacred Valley of the Incas
• Spectacular rail journeys
• Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas
Active | Culture
from £3,995 per person
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Central and South America | Peru
Duration: 22 days
Lima (2 nts) - Cusco (3 nts) - Machu Picchu (1 nt) - Cusco (1 nt) - Lima (1 nt) - Santiago (2 nts) - Puerto Varas (1 nt) - Bariloche (3 nts) - Buenos Aires (3 nts) - Iguazu (1 nt) - Rio de Janeiro (3 nts)
• Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas
• Stunning Andean scenery and Iguazu Falls
• Vibrant Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro
• Professional A&K escort
• A&K ‘& Moments’
Active | Culture
from £8,595 per person
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Central and South America | Peru | Cusco
125 rooms
Ideally located in Cusco’s town centre, this 16th century monastery serves as a museum hotel, resplendent in its unique features and ‘Cusco Baroque’ architecture. Originally built in 1592 on the ...
from £126 per person per night
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Central and South America | Peru | Machu Picchu
29 rooms
Nestled within the unique setting of the Machu Picchu Inca citadel itself, the Sanctuary Lodge allows you to enjoy a place rich in ancient heritage, spirituality and stunning natural beauty. ...
from £328 per person per night
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Central and South America | Peru | Iquitos
Duration: 4 days
Embark on the voyage of a lifetime, sailing the earth’s mightiest river — the Amazon. The first true luxury vessel in the region, the M/V Aqua caters for adventurous world ...
• New for 2008
• Unchartered tributaries
• Teeming wildlife
Active | Culture | Wildlife
from £1,995 per person
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Central and South America | Peru | Aguas Calientes
85 rooms
Inkaterra Machu Picchu is located in a private five-hectare cloud forest garden, alongside the Urubamba River and just on the edge of the village of Aguas Calientes. A walk ...
from £155 per person per night
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Central and South America | Peru | Cusco
254 rooms
Located in the historic centre of Cusco inside the splendid Casa de los Cuatro Bustos, the old home of the first Spanish governor of Peru, the Libertador Hotel is a ...
from £118 per person per night
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Central and South America | Peru
Duration: 8 days
Lima (1nt) - Urubamba (2nts) - Machu Picchu (1nt) - Cusco (2nts) - Lima (1nt)
• One-day Inca trail and walking into Machu Picchu
• Horse riding in the Sacred Valley
• River rafting
• Exploring Cusco
Active | Culture
from £3,008 per person
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Central and South America | Peru | Iquitos
72 rooms
For a total contrast from the rest of Peru, fly north to Iquitos to begin your jungle experience. Here you can explore one of the best eco-lodges in the Amazon ...
from £198 per person per night