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Peru & the
Andes
You are now
here: Peru & the Andes
Our site is
about more than just Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Peru is a great
country with so many attractions that you just can't leave the most
important ones unmentioned. Here you'll find information about places
except Machu Picchu and those that are not in the Sacred Valley. Also,
detailed information about Peru.
Country
information and various articles are listed here...
This page contains important facts, details that any traveler needs before
travelling to this country. Statistics, important facts, flags and a map
of Peru make it this page complete.
You will find it
essential in planning your trip to Peru.
Access this page
for detailed information.
Peru has many
archeological sites, unique attractions. Not only the Inca sites are
interesting, but also those works of art left behind by the Nazca people,
the cities of the Chachapoyas and many more.
Cities have
interesting Spanish architecture as well: colonial churches, art nouveau
buildings and more!
Find out about
the destinations and attractions of Peru!
A magical place
in the Andes, adored by photographers, this valley is extremely beautiful,
colourful.
If you're an
adventure-hunter, then this could be a good place for hiking, mountain
biking, even horse riding.
Some confuse the
Urubamba Valley with the Sacred Valley, it's not quite the same...
Read the article
for full information!
Its name means
"Cradle of Gold" and it is a beautiful remote Inca city. High on a
mountain, near a river, it partly resembles Machu Picchu. It is though,
much smaller, less dreamlike, but also less frequented by tourists.
It was built by
Túpa Inca Yupanqui, the son of great leader Pachacuti, who ordered the
construction of Machu Picchu.
Discover more
about this spectacular site in this article!
Archaeologists &
explorers Gary Ziegler and Hugh Thomson have discovered a new Inca city in
the Vilcabamba region of Peru, west of Machu Picchu. The ruins are located
deep in the jungle, difficult to access through rough terrain, rainforests
infested with poisonous snakes and other wild animals.
What do we know
about the ruins of Cota Coca? Read in our article!
The city was
noticed in 1999 by famous photographer Peter Frost.
Corihuayrachina,
unlike Machu Picchu was discovered and looted by the conquistadores, but
has remained relatively well preserved.
Still remote,
impossible to visit by tourists, Choquequirao holds many mysteries from
the past.
Spectacularly
well preserved, Huinay Huayna can be seen only by those who hike the Inca
Trail that leads to the mysterious dreamlike Machu Picchu.
Inca terraces,
high mountains, a small nearby waterfall and of course, the buildings of
Huinay Huayna constitute the attraction.
Unique and well
preserved is this site near the Inca Trail. Hikers stop by it and examine
it, admire the landscape around.
It is truly
special indeed, but you'll have to hike on the Inca Trail leading to Machu
Picchu in order to see it.
It is said that
it was a Incan "tambo", a place where food was served to travelling Incas.
Recently
uncovered and mapped by the explorers and archaeologists Gary Ziegler, Kim
Malville and Hugh Thomson. The site was discovered by Hiram Bingham at the
beginning of the 20th century, but then again lost in the myst of time.
Llactapata must
have been some sort of an agricultural production & storage complex. The
shape of the construction is unique.
This massive
fortification is just outside of Cuzco, you can even walk to it, it's that
close to the city.
Immense stones
were cut and put together like puzzles. The biggest one of them weights
more than 2 M1 Abrams tanks. How did the Incas manage to cut them and put
them into place? Chronicle writer Garcilaso de la Vega speaks of the help
of demons... Read more about
Sacsayhuamán in this article.
Located near
Cuzco, this site is on the hill called Socorro. It was used for religious
practices dedicated to death.
Q'enko has many
huge stone blocks, even a cave and other things you will not see anywhere
else.
The site was
uncovered from the ground in the 1930 and it is one of the primary
attractions in the proximity of Cuzco.
View this
article on Q'enko for presentation...
Meaning "Red
Fort", Puca Pucara could have been some sort of a military complex of the
Incas. It has high, massive walls that could have been ideal for defense.
You can get
there easily by car/bus on the road from Cuzco towards Antisuyo.
Check out more
about Puca Pucara in this article...
Tambomachay
The complex is
close to Puca Pucara and it is believed to have been some sort of
water-worshipping place and Incan bath. Stories speak about the Inca ruler
taking periodical rest at Tambomachay.
At this site you
won't find big crowds. You will be able to admire ancient waterways,
fountains still functioning today.
Read this
article for further information...
A large city
close to the "Sacred Valley of the Incas", itself an attraction is often
used by travelers as a base in circuits. Good accommodation possibilities,
restaurants, an airport, good roads and railway line connecting it with
other major destinations make it the most important tourist spot in this
part of Peru.
Access our
detailed article about Cuzco...
A smaller
attraction (compared to Machu Picchu and the Nazca lines, for example),
but a very well preserved archaeological wonder. At Tipón you can
see old aqueducts functioning perfectly. The waterways there are so
perfect that you might not believe that they are over 5 centuries old.
See this article
to find out about Tipón!
Just east of
Cuzco city, in the direction of Puno, lies Andahuaylillas, a small town
with interesting attractions.
There is an old
church, over 4 centuries old in which, interestingly, you can see Arab
motifs in the the interior design. Unusually, isn't it? The Spaniards have
"imported" Arabic influence into Peru, you only have to recognize it, it's
there!
Find out more
about what to see and how to get to Andahuaylillas...
For almost half
a century, the Spaniards have been struggling to destroy the remaining
forces of the Incas, but due to the difficult terrain and the wilderness,
they could not. The Incas periodically fought back, inflicting casualties
on the Spaniards. Vilcabamba was
the last capital of the Incas. In 1572, the conquistadores found it,
destroyed it and the Inca Empire has collapsed. Read more about
his subject here...
Often confused
with the Vilcabamba city, it is actually the last stronghold of the Incas.
This was the last fortress that they held, but due to modern equipment,
the Spanish forces won the battle.
The lost city of
Vitcos was discovered too by Hiram Bingham (same explorer discovered Machu
Picchu and Llactapata), but didn't get as much attention as the "Old
Peak", due to its remote location and less impressive looks.
It is an immense
gate in the southern part of the country, just south of the Lake
Titicaca.
Aramu Muru is an
almost surreal place. Seems to
be some sort of a huge gate, built out of hard stone into the side of a
cliff-like rock formation. Myths tell us about access to another World (in
modern terms, another dimension) through that gate. It makes us think
about the movie "Stargate"... Check our article abut this interesting
giant doorway.
The ruins of
Caral, an ancient city in the Supe Valley in southern Peru are not so much
a beautiful attraction for most tourists, but rather scientifically
interesting for those passionate about archaeology and ancient cultures.
More than 4.500 years ago, the Norte Chico people (Not the Incas) have
built many buildings, among the pyramids too, these constitute what we
call today Caral, the original name is not known.
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