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Peru: A Privileged Destination! Peru Hotel Reservation
Welcome to Peru, the most fascinating destination in South America. Visit Lima Peru, and its other wonderful cities: travel to Cusco, explore the incredible sites of Machu Picchu, Choquequirao, Sillustani or Kuelap, overfly the Nazca Lines, go into Manu rainforest, navigate the Titicaca Lake or walk the Inca Trail. Practice your favourite adventure sport in the coast, rivers or mountains, or be in touch with the widest variety of flora and fauna of the Peru Amazon jungle. Make your Peru hotel reservation now!
Peru is blessed with a rich and ancient past and a vibrant present, making it one of South America's most popular travel destinations. Heir to ancient cultures and a rich colonial tradition, Peru is a magical spot which involves one of the richest biodiversities of Earth, and is a melting pot of different cultures who together are forging the promise of a better future. Taking a trip to Peru means to live an experience that you will never forget! The country is divided in 3 well-distinguished types of terrain: the Coast with a approx. 3000 kilometers long fringe of land , 50 to 80 kilometers wide, crossed by green valleys separated by desert plateaus; the Andes mountain chain with its snowcapped peaks, deep valleys & canyons and never-ending winding roads and the Amazon rainforest covered by a lush and evergreen forest crossed by wide and meandering rivers (see map of Peru.) With this variety of terrains it is no wonder that Peru is also becoming a heaven for the adventurous type of traveler who wants to get away from the threaded paths and see more out of the way places, appreciate less conventional ways of living, and perhaps also feel the high adrenaline trying some of the adventure type of sports available such as whitewater river rafting, off-road Mountain biking, cross country horseback riding, hot air ballooning, paragliding, and birdwatching, among others.
Hotels in Peru : Peru has an important hotel infrastructure and accessibility by air and land. It offers 7,068 lodgings, 27 five-star hotels, 24 four-star hotels and more than 460 three-star hotels; 36 airports equipped to receive commercial flights and 9 ready for international flights: Lima, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Pisco, Pucallpa,Iquitos, Cusco, Trujillo and Tacna. 19 airlines operating international flights, 7 airline companies offering domestic flights. More than 73,000 kilometres of highways, 8,865 of which are asphalted (see map of Peru .) Make your Peru hotel reservation here !
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Archaeological heritage
Ten thousand years of history are lived through 180 museums and historical places. While Peru inevitably evokes images of Machu Picchu and the Inca empire, the country is also riddled with archaeological sites which are a legacy of even more ancient times, when great civilizations bequeathed a legacy of their art, customs and rituals, their wisdom and skills.
The Inca empire was a recent arrival during the process of cultural development in the Andes during the pre-Hispanic era, and the history of the Incas barely accounts for a century within the 20,000 years of human occupation of Peruvian territory.
Long before the Incas, the Chavin civilization (1500-400 BC) achieved considerable prowess in architecture, engineering and agriculture in the northern highlands. Along the north coast, the Moche civilization (200 BC-700 AD) is famous for its realistic pottery (portraits carved into pots and gourds) and its pyramid-shaped temples. The same area was later controlled by the Chimu kingdom (900-1450 AD), who built Chan Chan , an immense mud-brick citadel featuring 12-meter-high walls and superb architectural work.
To the south, the Nazca people (200 BC-900 AD) etched an impressive series of figures etched into the desert floor known as the Nazca Lines, while graves belonging to the Paracas culture (800 BC-600 AD) have unearthed superb weavings which point to the magical and religious vision that governed the lives of this ancient civilization.
Centuries later, the Incas (1300-1500 AD) were to make Cusco the center of their empire, building major constructions such as Sacsayhuaman, Pisac and Koricancha. It is here that myth and history merge, where the Inca roads, the towns, people and traditions are a living example of the Andean spirit, sacred and monumental.
Discover why Peru is for many the heart of South America 's greatest civilizations. See map of Peru |
Nature & Landscapes
Protected Natural Areas
To date, Peru features a total of 57 natural areas or conservation units, covering approximately 13% of the country's territory.
Rivers & Canyons
The beauty of Peru 's rivers stems from the canyons which their waters have carved out over centuries, the plant life which grows alongside and the varieties of fauna found in their waters. All this makes them ideal spots for swimming, resting and adventure sports such as rafting.
Lakes & Lagoons
Peru 's geography is reflected in its thousands of lakes and lagoons, which according to the environment, feature their own particular characteristics.
Waterfalls
From the Andes down to the river, sea or lake into which Peru 's rivers flow, the waters cascade down cliffs and mountainsides, forming spectacular waterfalls. Some of these lie near roads, while others take hours of hiking to reach amidst dense forest.
Flora & Fauna
Peru 's astounding variety of climates and eco-systems ranks the country amongst the world's top eight nations in terms of biodiversity, where one can find 84 of the 104 life zones existing around the planet. The country is home to more than 400 species of mammals, 300 reptiles, 1,700 birds and more than 50,000 plants registered to date.
Festivities & Traditions
Peru is a country that sings and dances in joy and sadness with color and a great deal of paraphernalia. Peruvians celebrate some 3,000 festivals all over the country. Most of them are held in homage to a patron saint and are part of the Christian calendar adopted in colonial times, although they have blended with the magical beliefs of ancient forms of worship. Peru 's festivals form a radiant rainbow, whose colors blend with sounds, textures and a vigorous theatrical concept aimed at reinventing history and producing a celebratory synthesis of Man and the Earth goddess, the Pachamama .
Incomparable Cuisine
Over 40,000 restaurants across the country reflect the diversity of a nation that has mixed its native traditions with the cuisines of Europe, Arabia , China , Africa and Japan . The result: unique flavors that make Peruvian cuisine one of the best and most varied in the world. The quality and variety of dishes in Peru are due to the country's ecological and climactic diversity ( Peru is home to 84 of the 104 eco-systems existing on Earth) that has given rise to a major supply of fresh produce, which any chef would be ecstatic about. Also, the rich Peruvian fishing grounds abound in fish and shellfish species, the heart of the succulent coastal gastronomy; rice, fowl and goat, meanwhile, are the key ingredients of Peru 's north coastal cooking. In the Andes , meanwhile, delicious ingredients such as the potato and sweatcorn in all its varieties, plus cuy (guinea pig) and aji (chili) are the basis of highland cooking and are to be found across the country. The jungle adds its own touch, wild game with a side serving of fried banana and manioc root. Local fruit varieties such as chirimoya (custard apple) and lucuma produce incomparable deserts. It is a veritable privilege to experience Peruvian's cuisine.
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