The Complete Guide To: Peruvian journeys

THAT'S EASY, INCA TRAIL RIGHT?

THAT'S EASY, INCA TRAIL RIGHT?

Well, yes and no. The classic four-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is still one of South America's unbeatable experiences but current regulations mean that you need to book a long time in advance. Only 500 people are allowed to set off on the trail each day and that includes the legions of porters who are needed to carry up tents, fuel and cooking equipment. You can't walk the trail independently and travel agencies in Cusco need to provide trekkers' names and passport details to the local authorities at least one month before the departure date. Many trips are now booked solid until the autumn. Peru Treks (00 51 84 805863; www.perutreks.com) has availability from September onwards and charges $310 (£170) for the four days including all meals, a guided tour of Machu Picchu and the train back to Cusco.

There are plenty of other excellent walking trails in the region if you arrive in Cusco to find that the Inca Trail isn't possible. The Choquequirao route is a breathtaking 40-mile trek to a vast and rarely visited archaeological complex. Usually completed in four to five days, the reward is beautiful views of the sacred mountain Salkantay and the surrounding massif as well as the occasional glimpse of condors in the canyon. The six-day high altitude Ausangate trail leads hikers past authentic Andean villages, hot springs and turquoise lakes, passing herds of llama and alpaca along the way. Enigma (00 51 84 222155; www.enigmaperu.com) runs tours to Ausangate for $355 (£195) per person and to Choquequirao for $270 (£148).

The remote and scenic Lares valley offers moderate walking with two passes over 4,000 metres as well as a dip in the area's best thermal pools. Tucan Travel (020-8896 1600; www.tucantravel.com) has introduced Lares to its Peru programme in a 21-day tour of Peru which includes Inca highlights and two days in the valley visiting traditional villages. Alternatively, Tribes (01728 685971; www.tribes.co.uk) has a seven-day horse-supported trek, the Machu Picchu Pony Express, up into the Cordillera Vilcanota range following ancient pathways once trodden by Inca armies. From £895 per person not including flights.

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN?

Peru boasts the world's second highest mountain range so head for Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca to see the Andes in all their dazzling glory. A first-class mountain destination with dramatic snow pyramids, glaciers, sparkling blue lakes and precipitous ridges, the entire valley is dominated by Huascarán, South America's third highest peak. In total, the Cordillera Blanca is home to 22 peaks over 6,000 metres. Further south, is the Cordillera Huayhuash where the mountaineer Joe Simpson got into a spot of bother, as told in Touching The Void. Audley Travel (01869 276210; www.audleytravel.com) can arrange tailor-made trips to Peru encompassing four days' trekking around Huaraz as well as Machu Picchu and other key attractions from £2,600 per person including international flights. Andean Trails (0131-467 7086; www.andeantrails.co.uk) organises three-day mountaineering courses from £210 per person, followed by a five-day climb for around £70 per day.

SOUNDS LIKE HARD WORK, CAN'T I JUST CATCH A TRAIN?

As it happens you can catch a train across the Andes, the highest train line in the world in fact, but only if you make it to Lima for 28 July. One of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century, the Lima to Huancayo line was the brainchild of American entrepreneur Henry Meiggs who believed that he could get a train wherever a llama can walk. The track's highest point is Ticlio at 4,829 metres above sea level and the world's highest passenger railway station sits at 4,781 metres. Running only once this year, the train will depart from the Sanparados station in Lima at 7am on 28 July and arrive in Huancayo approximately 12 hours later. It returns at 7am on 31 July. The round trip costs $35 (£19). Drink lots of maté de coca to combat the altitude although, reassuringly, a doctor will be travelling on board (00 51 13 612828; www.ferroviasperu.com.pe).

For sheer indulgence, the Hiram Bingham luxury train from Cusco to Machu Picchu takes some beating. Owned by the Orient Express group and run by PeruRail, the service includes welcome drinks, brunch on the outward journey, musical entertainment on the train and a guided tour of Machu Picchu as well as afternoon tea, cocktails and dinner. Leaving at 9am daily except Sundays, the trip will set you back $476 (£261). For a more affordable rail journey with a view, take the 10-hour train from Cusco to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The landscape changes en route from imposing mountains to rolling plains patrolled by herds of vicuña and alpaca. Departures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8am. The no-frills Backpacker class costs $16.66 (£9) or pay $119 (£65) for the Andean Explorer which includes a three-course lunch (00 51 84 238722; www.perurail.com).

HOW ABOUT A SPOT OF BIRD WATCHING?

A spot? Peru is a twitcher's paradise with more than one tenth of the earth's species of birds. Nearly 1,000 different kinds have been recorded at the Manu Biosphere Reserve in the south-east of the country. Specialist birding operator Manu Expeditions (00 51 84 226671; www.manuexpeditions.com) runs an epic 20-day tour, mostly in the reserve, with the chance to see such exotic-sounding birds as the amethyst-throated sunangel, the crested quetzal and the golden-collared honeycreeper. Highlights are the opportunity to witness the strange mating dance of the scarlet Cock-of-the-Rock, Peru's national bird, and the early morning ritual of hundreds of macaws and parrots feeding at clay licks. It costs $3,990 (£2187) per person, not including air travel to Peru; next departures on 23 July and 19 November.

Peru is also home to the world's largest flying bird and one of the sacred symbols of the Incas, the Andean condor. With a wingspan that can measure more than three metres, condors spend hours spiralling on thermal currents and the best place to watch them is at the Colca Canyon down in the south. Allegedly deeper even than the Grand Canyon, this remarkable site is framed by sleepy volcanoes in the background while far below, the Colca river meanders the length of the massive gorge. Eroded into a series of caves and arches, the Islas Ballestas, off the Paracas peninsula, are often nicknamed the Poor Man's Galapagos but they attract thousands of sea birds, some of them quite rare. See the endangered Humboldt penguin and six of the world's 10 species of booby, as well as seals and sea lions. Cox & Kings Travel (020-7873 5000; www.coxandkings.co.uk) has a 15-night escorted tour of Peru that takes in the Colca Canyon and the Islas Ballestas, starting from £2,295 per person including flights and accommodation in five-star or best available hotels.

CAN I TREK THE JUNGLE?

Nearly two-thirds of Peru is made up of jungle, most of which is malaria-free. The crown jewel of the Amazon is the Manu Biosphere Reserve, one of the most biodiverse spots on the planet with thousands of different trees and millions of insect varieties and still inhabited by indigenous tribes like the Machiguenga. The main draw is the animals: giant otters, jaguar, 13 species of monkey, tapir, black caiman and sloths. The best months to visit are in the dry season between May and October but it takes a few days to go deep into Manu so if you're short on time, try the jungle * *around Puerto Maldonado instead from where you can visit the Tambopata National Reserve. Iquitos is the main starting point for trips into the northern Amazon and can be visited during the rainy season. Reef and Rainforest Tours (01803 866965; www.reefandrainforest.co.uk) offers an overland tour to Manu from Cusco which costs from £2,128 per person for two weeks including flights from the UK and a visit to Machu Picchu.

I LIKE MY JUNGLE IN STYLE

Try an Amazon cruise to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, known as the espejo de la selva or mirror of the jungle. Amazon Tours and Cruises (00 51 65 231611; www.amazontours.net) operates six-day cruises on the M/V Amazon Explorer down the Pacaya river to the protected park. Expect to see pink dolphins and endangered species like the harpy eagle and take part in activities such as a night hike to observe caimans and fishing for piranha. Next departures on 17 July and 21 August, from $1,195 (£655) per person. Located on a tributary of the Amazon, the eco-friendly Yarapa River Lodge (0051 65 993 1172; www.yarapariverlodge.com) is a wonderful jungle retreat. There's a hammock house overlooking the river and the chance to paddle downstream in a dugout canoe, go on a medicinal plant hike, find out more about the Amazon's giant water lilies or witness a shaman ceremony. A three-night stay starts from $600 (£329) per person including transfers from Iquitos, specialist tours and three meals a day.

The Reserva Amazónica in Tambopata (00 51 16 100400; www.inkaterra.com/ra) is another ecological lodge in a natural rainforest setting with thatched cabanas built in the style of the indigenous Machiguenga and Esa-Eja people. There's no electricity and the only solar-powered heaters are in the suites but it does have a massage room on the banks of the Madre de Dios river. The private reserve where the lodge stands also holds the world record for number of ant species seen in a single location - 362! You can learn how to track ants as well as how to identify animal footprints and be initiated into Amazon cooking. A two-night Exploring Tambopata stay costs $190 (£104) per person including transportation from Puerto Maldonado airport, all meals and itinerary activities. Scott Dunn (020-8682 5030; www.scottdunn.com) organises tailor-made trips to Peru from the UK and can include the Reserva Amazónica.

MOUNTAIN AND JUNGLE, IS THAT IT?

Peru's desert coast is often overlooked but the Nasca Lines and the Ica desert are both worth a detour. Etched into the desert floor and best seen from the air, the Nasca Lines are a series of more than 70 giant plant and animal figures including hummingbirds and a spider, as well as geometrical shapes. Different theories abound as to what the lines, begun around 400BC by the Nasca people, represent. Take your pick from tribal symbols, a giant astronomy book, a landing strip for aliens or an Andean fertility tradition.

One of the world's richest hunting grounds for marine fossils, the Ica desert is peppered with the remains of sea sloths, prehistoric pelicans and whale-eating sharks. Once an immense ocean, the shifting of tectonic plates two million years ago led to a startling sandscape with towering dunes. Exodus Travel (0870 240 5550; www.exodus.co.uk) features a 22-day Inca Royal Highway trip that crosses the desert and can include an optional early morning flight over the Nasca Lines.

NO BEACH?

Sofia Mulanovich, the world surfing champion, was born in Peru and there's no better place to surf than Máncora on the north coast. Once a small fishing town, the resort is said to be on a par with Hawaii, both for its waves and its night-time revelry. A long stretch of white sand and relatively safe waters make it a popular option with the backpacker crowd. To avoid a 17-hour bus journey from Lima, fly to Tumbes instead which is only 90 minutes by road from Máncora. The Hotel Del Wawa (00 51 73 858427; www.delwawa.com) can arrange kite-surfing lessons from $40 (£22) an hour.

CAN I CROSS THE WORLD'S HIGHEST NAVIGABLE LAKE?

Yes. At 3,856 metres above sea level, Lake Titicaca spans both Peru and neighbour Bolivia. Its shores and islands are home to the Aymara and Quechua peoples who predate the Incas. Legend has it that the sun god's children emerged from the sapphire waters of the lake to found Cusco and the Inca dynasty. The most commonly visited of Titicaca's 32 islands are Los Uros whose foundations are made of tortora reeds and Taquile where the men's rainbow-coloured hats take centre stage. Llama Travel (020-7263 3000; www.llamatravel.com) can arrange an extension to the Uros islands and Taquile from £200 per person. A 10-night holiday to Peru starts from £799 including flights from the UK. Exsus Travel (020-7292 5060; www.exsus.com) features the private 45-hectare Suasi island which has its own ecological reserve complete with wild vicuña. A two-night stay starts from £435 per person, including transfers by private boat. Then there's the Apurimac river, nicknamed the God River of the Incas, which offers exceptional white water rafting. A three-day rafting trip leaving from Cusco with Eric Adventures (00 51 84 228475; www.ericadventures.com) costs $280 (£153) per person. A professional guide and paramedic, safety equipment and all meals are included as well as two nights' camping on the banks of the river.

BEST TO SKIP LIMA ALTOGETHER ISN'T IT?

Not if you don't want to miss out on some of Peru's best museums and churches. Its inharmonious mix of poverty and wealth means that Lima can take a bit of getting used to but stick with it and you'll be compensated with a fine colonial centre. Don't miss the 16th-century Moorish-style San Francisco convent and its catacombs, open daily 9.30am-5.45pm, and the country's largest museum, the Museo de la Nación which offers an excellent archaeological overview of Peru, open daily except Mondays 9am-5pm. Lima is also known as the gastronomic capital of the Americas. Being by the coast, order the ceviche, a tasty dish of raw fish marinated in lemon and onion.

ANY OTHER HISTORICAL SITES?

Arequipa, Peru's most elegant city, is built entirely of white volcanic stone and flanked by statuesque snow-capped volcanoes. The 400-year-old Santa Catalina monastery (www.santacatalina.org.pe) is a town within a town containing its own citadel, churches, cobbled streets and plazas. A small community of nuns remains cloistered. Open daily, 9am-4pm, admission 25 soles (£4.20). In Museo Santuarios Andinos, you can see the Ice Maiden of Ampato, the mummy of a 13-year-old girl referred to as Juanita. Found at 6,380 metres at the top of the Ampato volcano, she was sacrificed to the mountain's spirit and frozen in the ice for five centuries.

One of the country's most important archaeological sites after Machu Picchu is the adobe city of Chan Chan, once the capital of the Chimú civilization and the largest pre-Inca empire. Then an elaborately sculpted and painted complex, it's now an impressive set of ruins with 10 royal compounds at its heart. Further north is the vast dilapidated pre-Colombian city of Túcume, built more than 1,000 years ago. Excavation of the site and its pyramids was led by Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl. South American Experience (020-7976 5511; www.southamericanexperience.co.uk) has a week-long northern Peru circuit that covers Chan Chan and Túcume. The cost, not including international flights, is £989 per person.

The Sacred Valley around Cusco showcases some of the best-preserved Inca monuments in Peru, from the ruined ceremonial centre of Sacsayhuamán on the outskirts of the city to the hilltop remains of the large fortress at Pisac. Buy a tourist ticket that allows entry to 16 places of interest in Cusco and its surrounding villages. Available from Avenida El Sol 103, Cusco, 8am-6pm, 70 soles (£11.80), valid for 10 days (00 51 84 227037; www.boletoturisticodelcusco.com).

GETTING THERE

There are no direct flights from the UKto Peru. But you can fly from many UK airports to Lima with KLM via Amsterdam, or from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester on Iberia via Madrid. Varig from Heathrow via Sao Paulo, or various US carriers, are also possibilities. Your best bet is to buy a ticket via the specialist agencies such as South American Experience (020-7976 5511; www.southamericanexperience.co.uk) or Journey Latin America (020-8747 8315; www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk). A return flight costs around £600-£700.

GETTING AROUND

Peru is a very large country and if you're tight for time, internal flights are the best option, particularly between Lima and Cusco. Lan Perú (00 51 12 13 8200; www.lan.com) has several daily departures from the capital to the ombligo del mundo, expect to pay from around $80 (£44) one-way. Buses are slow and laborious but cheap.

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