The Basics:

Peru is the 3rd largest country  in South America, larger than Germany,  with a relatively small population of about 32 million people. Home to some of the oldest  civilizations including theNorte Chico civilization, the Chimu and Mochica, plus of course the Incas. Conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century it proclaimed  independence in 1821. However, much of the 20th cenntury was politically unstable with coups, and territorial disputes and the Shining Path insurgency. The country is now stable with a growing economy based on mining,agriculture and tourism.

Peru is a beautiful country with a vast range of micro-climates, inclucing the arid coast, Andes mountains and Altiplano and Amazonian rainforest . There are fascinating historical sites and culture, From Macchu Picchu to Ayachuco to Lake Titicaca there is much to see in this interesting country.

Wildlife is abundant including jaguars, pumas and indigenous species such as the endangered Spectacled Bear. Hundreds of species of birds can be seen and over 300 types of reptiles.

Currency :

Sol  – Credit cards are widely accepted in the cities, but only cash for street vendors

Language:

Spanish.  Many ethnic Peruvians speak Quechua and other indigenous languages and these are recognized by the government too.

Religion:

Roman Catholic is the dominant religion.

Time Zone:

The same as the Texas  i.e. – 1 hour from New York

Visiting

Getting there:  Flying into Lima is quite easy, served by most American carriers, LATAM,TACA, COPA, British Airways,  Air France, Air Canada, KLM and more

Destination ( 1 week +) ? =

Peru is definitely worth visiting for at least a week, probably 2 or more.

Lima

Lima, the capital,  is a large cosmopolitan city at the coast, often fogged in – a local described it as “living under the belly of a donkey  – always grey”

  • Cooking classes can be arranged. Most include a market visit, making some ceviche, pisco sours and local fish/fruits.
  • Exploring the Barranco district. A colorful bohemian area with houses and murals, and some small restaurants.
  • Eating in great restaurants is a must. Lima has a great culinary offering with famous chefs and local cooks both producing excellent meals – I personally recommend Maido, Astrid y 73, La Mar and Malabar.
  • Street food is also worth tasting. A few places serve Cuy, guinea pig, personally I found it chewy and gamey, but many people really like it. Sanguche de Chicharron, a pork and salsa sandwich, really delicious when made well. Picarones – mashed sweet potato and spices that looks like a donut.
  • Surfing – the waves didn’t seem that big but there is a big surfing culture.
  • Walk along the Malecon, or you can rent a bike, it runs parallel to the ocean and offers great views – and a chance to burn off some calories
  • Explore the Catacombs – there are tours offered if you are interested in that type of thing!
  • Shopping at the LarcoMar, a shopping mall built into the cliffs. Lots of big name stores a few local stores and some restaurants. The views are beautiful
  • Visit the Museo de la Nacion to learn more about the history of Peru
Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Macchu Picchu
    • Cusco is a charming city as 11,000 feet above sea level – many people get altitude sickness. Despite the horrendous traffic, an airport that is frequently fogged in, too many tourists and the chance of an earthquake it’s a must see.  The building are lovely, the history unique, you can visit Saqsaywaman in an afternoon, explore the shops, churches and museums, wander around the town seeing the many plazas and buildings that earned in a UNESCO declaration and eat excellent food.
    • The Sacred Valley is between Cusco and Macchu Picchu. A fertile valley stretching about 60km long and 1km wide, it is the starting point for most people “walking the Inca trail” note, there are lots of Inca trails – this is just one of them. There are markets in Pisac and Ollantaytambo and lots of Inca sites and ruins.
    • Macchu Picchu. Much has been written about this unique site. Despite having seen lots of Inca ruins the week leading up to my visit I was still impressed with the Citadel.  It is truly unique.  Even though many tourists visit every day – and you must purchase a ticket in advance if you wish to hike Huayna Picchu – it doesn’t feel crowded. There is a definite peacefulness and it’s an amazing feat of engineering. If you can spend an entire day, and are fit, consider walking both Huayna Picchu and up to the Sun gate. If you want to get your passport stamped, the booth is by the main entrance gates.
Lake Titicaca
  • Full disclosure – I did not make it to the Lake, no excuse, just bad planning. Straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia this large lake is famous for its islands, frogs and birds.
  • Getting to the lake requires some effort – flying to Juliaca from Lima or Cusco, taking a bus to Puno – great views, or taking the posh PeruRail Titacaca train between Cusco and Puno.
  • Known as the birthplace of the Incas it sits at 3800 meters above sea level, 50 miles across and is fed by more than 25 rivers and glaciers
  • There are 40 floating islands dotting the lake
  • You can visit on a budget or even stay at a hotel on Isla Suasi.

What to eat and drink

The food in Peru was absolutely excellent. While I did not take to Cuy, I was horrified to discover I like Alpaca!

Eating
  • Fish are sourced from the ocean and the Amazon river. Corvina, sea bass, shrimp, crayfish are widely available. Paiche a fish from the amazon is absolutely delicious – the fish is ENORMOUS – and eaten along the Amazon by local residents.
  • Ceviche, often spelled Cebiche in Peru. A superb dish of fresh fish or shellfish, citrus juice, large Peruvian corn and spices. Eat during the day – locals don’t seem to eaat in the evening, probably because the fish isn’t as fresh. The central market has some good vendors.
  • Lomo Saltado -a stew of beef, tomatoes, onions, potatoes and spices
  • Potatoes – Peru has documented
  • Cuy – guinea pig, often roasted in the earth  – known as a pachamanca –  and served with potato, corn and vegetables.
  • Alpaca- I tried it a couple of times in the mountains – it was very good, especially as carpaccio.
  • Quinoa and Kiwicha – both high protein, the latter smaller, found in many recipes.
  • Spicy peppers – these include the rocoto, a very hot pepper.
  • Fruits – the grey sweet passion fruit – Granadilla – is grown widely and absolutely scrumptious. Lucuma, a subtropical native fruit is aromatic – great in ice-cream. Pepino dulce tastes a bit like melon. Camu camu – a bitter tasting red fruit. You’ll also see cherimoya, guava, guanabana, guaba – weird bean that takes like vanilla ice-cream , dragon fruit, mangoes and tumbo – another type of passion-fruit.
Drinking
  • Pisco sour – the national drink. Made from pisco, syrup, egg white and lime
  • Chicha morada – a delicious non-alcoholic drink made from purple maize.
  • Chicha de Jora – a type of beer made from yellow corn.
  • Chc=icha de Fruitilla – a strawberry based fruit drink
  • Inka Cola – bright yellow soda that is very sweet.
  • Peruvian beers – lager style beers seem more prevalent, but wheat and dark beer are produced by a couple of Peruvian breweries
  • Mate de Coca – tea made from steeped coca leaves. It tastes like green tea, is supposed to help with altitude adjustment but is controversial as coca is the rouse of cocaine.

What to bring home

  • Clothing: There is a vast array of Alpaca clothing, some genuinely alpaca and even vicuna, but there are lots of imitations made from regular wool or even synthetic fibers. Price should be your guide if you want the real thing.
  • Textiles – colorful woven textiles are reasonably priced.
  • Retablos altar pieces. Pretty carved, brightly colored boxes that can denote religious historical or local events.
  • Gourds – carve gourds that are also painted date back thousands of years. Some are very pretty – and they don’t weigh much.
  • Pisco the national drink.
  • Peruvian pink salt – both for chefs and a bath version. It’s all mined in the Andes mountains.

What you should know before you go

  • There is more than 1 Inca trail
  • The food is delicious
  • The altitude in Cusco, Salkantay etc can be tough
  • It’s a bug country – if you only visit Lima and Macchu Picchu you haven’t seen Peru
  • Lima is worth a couple of days
  • Get local cash, only large tourist areas take credit cards.
  • Stick to bottled water
  • Spend a night in Aguas Calientes if visiting Macchu Picchu – it will make your overall trip better
  • Be gracious and generous to the local people.