Walk like an Inca – Holidays to Peru

There are many different types of holidays to Peru a truly diverse country offering a wide range of trips and tours for every visitor. It is a place for adventure and if you seek it out you can have wonderful experiences of taking in the scenery, wildlife and the culture which is steeped in history.


Chile holidays will encompass trips into the mountains as the country is peppered with them. The most famous of things you can do in Peru is to take the Inca trail up to Machu Picchu which is a must if you visit the country. You certainly need a fitness level to be able to cope with the days of climbing.

Top Tips for Holidays to Peru

Peru’s main attraction is the Inca trail and hiking to Machu Picchu, which you should definitely do, but don’t forget the other tours and trips on offer as many travellers often overlook and miss completely from their itineraries. Below are some of the kind of holidays available to travellers in today’s Peru:

Trekking the Inca Trail

First things first…as this is such a popular activity remember that the local authorities have put a cap on the number of trekking permits available to tourists. As such they sell out very quickly and so don’t just turn up and expect to be able to trek especially in peak season as it will be almost impossible. Since 2005 only 200 tourists and 300 porters can start the trail every day. Make sure you plan in advance and book your trek a few months before you plan to do it.

Once you have your permit you are in for the trek of your life, but oxygen is less up there so make such you have a good level of fitness. It usually takes about 4 days to complete and the crowning glory at the end is to see the breathtaking citadel of Machu Picchu. There are a number of campsites on the way and make sure that the tour operator you go with has good equipment and will take you to the best campsites. Public toilets are not very nice so ask the company whether they provide chemical loos. You will also get good local food and even water bottles if it is cold, if you pick the right operator.

Some highlights from the trek will include the ascent to Dead Womans Pass, which is the most demanding on your body, you will be exhausted but the views alone are worth the tiredness. When you think back to the days when the Incas build this route it should put into perspective your drive to climb to over 4200m. The porters also make it look easy, but descendants of the Incas themselves have the unenvious job of carrying all your equipment and food. Phuyupatamarca, known as the ‘town above the clouds’ is a real landmark on the Inca Trail and after passing through cloud forests you will know that you are close to the end of the Inca trail. Wayna Picchu or ‘forever young’ is almost as stunning as Machu Picchu itself. This is a great place to rest and camp before your final trek to Intipunku and Machu Picchu itself. To see the famous Machu Picchu in all its glory many group head for the Sun gate of Intipunku and get there for sunrise, where the place comes to life as the sun beats down. No matter how tired you are you will be invigorated by its beauty and it will be imprinted in your mind forever.

Machu Picchu

As discussed in the previous paragraph to get to Machu Picchu involves a 4 day trek, however there is another way to get up there and that is by railway. It takes 4 hours by train to Machu Picchu and only 2 trains run per day. It is also possible to catch a bus from Aguas Calientes which will take about 20 minutes up a winding dirt track…not for the fainthearted.

A UNESCO site Machu Picchu is truly one of the great wonders of the world. It is still not known why it was build, but there are many theories surrounding its history. Discovered only recently it lay only a few km from a town in the valley for hundreds of years. Hiram Bingham found it in 1911, but it survived the Spanish invaders and no written records of it have every come to light. It is a maze of palaces and temples carved into the stone nestled between 2 stunning peaks and looking out over green terraces with the Andes and hillside beyond.

UNESCO and interested parties are keeping an eye on the way tourism is affecting the area. The permits have been put in place, but with so many eco tourists looking to conquer this great trek and get the reward, who knows how much longer it can be sustained.

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest was put firmly on the map years ago when the burning of it to make way for cattle ranches etc..was aired by the media. This however mainly happened in Brazil, but the Peruvian side is one of the most untouched areas in all of Peru. Conservationists, naturalists and flora and fauna lovers flock here to see some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet. Many parts have never been entered by man and new species are being found all the time. You get a full assault on the senses, with smells of the jungles plants and animals as well as noises from animals and insects too.
Many individuals and organisations are fighting to create organised wildlife and plant tours in the Amazon whilst having minimum impact on the natural environment. It also helps bring money to the jungles native economies, which are struggling to survive. Ecotourism in this way helps to boost local economies and help flight exploitation from illegal logging and other untoward industries.

Volunteering holidays

Peru offers a number of volunteering holidays to proactive travellers looking to make a difference to places they visit. Opportunities include wildlife conservation in the Amazon basin and parrot observation in the Tambopata region of Peru.

About Peru

Peru has a long coastline with over 2400km of beaches. It sits north of Chile and is surrounded by the following South American countries; Ecuador and Colombia to the north as well as Brazil and Bolivia to the west. It is split into 25 regions and is a democratic republic. Surprisingly it has an estimated populous of over 29 million and has a diverse multiethnic people.

Peru has a varied landscape from mountainous peaks to the outstanding natural beauty of the Amazon rain-forest river basin.

Holidays to Peru encompass a number of options, so do you research and choose the right vacation for you.

Things to do and places to visit in Peru

Holidays to Peru – Review of Lake Titicaca Tour

Lake Titicaca straddles the two countries of Peru and Bolivia. It is a lake high up in the mountains with a surface area of over 3000 sqm. The Incas believed it to be a sacred place with the islands relating to the sun and the moon.

The Uros people live on a group of islands made from floating reeds. The original purpose of these islands was maneuvrability if a threat rose they could be moved out of harms way or ready for attack. They are now a must see for tourist visiting the lake and the city of Puno is the best place to see them.

Some tours allow you to visit the Uros islands and meet the people living and working on them. You have got to respect their way of life and bringing them some offering like fruit or vegetables is a welcome gesture.

Amantani is a permanent island not visited by all tourists. You will however be welcomed with open arms and get an insight into the people, food and culture of this amazing place. If you are lucky and brave enough a spot of traditional dancing is always on offer, so join the party.