Peru

Description

Located on the west coast of South America, facing the Pacific Ocean lies Peru. Dominant feature is the Andes mountain range, running parallel to the coast, in a roughly north-south direction. Geographically, Peru can be divided in three: a narrow coastal strip in the west, a vast area of Amazon tropical rainforest in the east and northeast, and in between the highlands of the Andes with its Altiplano, glaciers, lakes, remote valleys and snowy peaks including Peru's highest: Huascaran (6768 m).

Peru's most famous and popular hiking trail is the 4-day Inca Trail from Chillca to Machu Picchu. So popular in fact, that the government has put a limit to the number of travelers allowed on the trail each day, so you need to book through a licensed touroperator months in advance to get a permit, guide, porters etc. Yet, it remains a beautiful trail through stunning high altitude scenery, past Inca monuments and ruins, culminating in the final destination of ancient Machu Picchu.

Trying to avoid the crowds, a number of alternative trails to Machu Picchu have emerged. There is the Salkantay trail, 5 days and slightly more demanding. Another option is the more strenuous 8-day trail from Cachora via Choquequirao to Machu Picchu. Whichever trail you choose, the city of Cusco is your central starting point, home base of most local operators, and the place to acclimatize to high altitude for a day or two before setting out. Some other treks in the Cusco and Machu Picchu area are the Lares Valley trek, the Vilcabamba trek, the Ancascocha trek, the Huchuy Qosqo trek, and the Ausangate circular trek.

But Peru has more to offer. Another wonderful area for hiking are the Cordillera Blanca of Huaraz, further north. Most popular here is the 5-day Santa Cruz trek, and there is the more strenuous 12-day Alpamayo trek. In the same area you will find the Cordillera Huayhuash trek. Another possibility is the region around Arequipa, featuring the volcano El Misti (5830 m) and the Colca Canyon.

Long distance hiking in Peru means camping en route, and high altitudes to which you need to acclimatize for a few days before setting out.

Trails

Regions

Mountains

Books

Stanfords
United Kingdom
2019
  • DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Peru
  • Discover Peru with this essential travel guide, designed to help you create your own unique trip and to transport you to this beautiful country before you`ve even packed your case - see Machu Picchu at dawn, explore the stunning Inca Heartland, tuck into traditional Peruvian cuisine in Cusco or ride the rapids through Colca Canyon. The DK... Read more
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2017
  • Also available from:
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
De Zwerver
Netherlands
2018
  • Reisgids Dominicus Peru | Gottmer
  • Goede degelijke gids die vooral uitblinkt in diepgaande beschrijvingen van cultuur en bevolking. Natuur komt minder aan bod. Veel illustraties en kaartjes. Peru is een land van extremen. Landschappen variëren van een woestijnachtige droogte tot uitgestrekte regenwouden en de hoge toppen van het Andesgebergte. Ook de bevolking is divers: die... Read more
Bol.com
Netherlands
1996
  • Peru
  • Peru, dessen Landschaft zu den wildesten Schönheiten der ganzen Erde zählt, wurde zu Beginn der 90er Jahre arg gebeutelt: Cholera und bürgerkriegsähnliche Zustände ließen den Fremdenverkehr des in den 80er Jahren zum Tourismusmagneten avancierenden Landes nahezu an den Nullpunkt sinken. Mittlerweile konnte die Krankheit erfolgreich bekämpft,... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
1996
  • Peru
  • Peru, dessen Landschaft zu den wildesten Schönheiten der ganzen Erde zählt, wurde zu Beginn der 90er Jahre arg gebeutelt: Cholera und bürgerkriegsähnliche Zustände ließen den Fremdenverkehr des in den 80er Jahren zum Tourismusmagneten avancierenden Landes nahezu an den Nullpunkt sinken. Mittlerweile konnte die Krankheit erfolgreich bekämpft,... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
2016
  • Moon Machu Picchu (Third Edition)
  • This full-color guide to Machu Picchu includes vibrant photos and helpful planning maps.Dawn reveals ancient stonework backed by the towering Andes?the fusion of natural and manmade beauty, built in perfect harmony with the earth and skies. This is Machu Picchu, center of the lost Inca empire. And it’s yours to explore.This is the trip of a... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
2016
  • Moon Machu Picchu (Third Edition)
  • This full-color guide to Machu Picchu includes vibrant photos and helpful planning maps.Dawn reveals ancient stonework backed by the towering Andes?the fusion of natural and manmade beauty, built in perfect harmony with the earth and skies. This is Machu Picchu, center of the lost Inca empire. And it’s yours to explore.This is the trip of a... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Footprint Peru, Bolivia & Ecuador Handbook
  • Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador is a route for thrill-seekers! Footprint's 3rd edition Peru, Bolivia & Ecuador Handbook will take travellers off the usual 'Gringo Trail' to truly discover what this exhilarating region has to offer. The Amazon, the Andes and adventure, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador has it all by the bucket load. Whether travellers fancy... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
  • Footprint Peru, Bolivia & Ecuador Handbook
  • Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador is a route for thrill-seekers! Footprint's 3rd edition Peru, Bolivia & Ecuador Handbook will take travellers off the usual 'Gringo Trail' to truly discover what this exhilarating region has to offer. The Amazon, the Andes and adventure, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador has it all by the bucket load. Whether travellers fancy... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • The Rough Guide to Peru
  • The Rough Guide to Peru is the ultimate travel guide with clear maps and detailed coverage of all the best attractions Peru has to offer. Discover the varied and exciting country of Peru whether exploring the breathtaking Machu Picchu, traversing a rainforest canopy walkway in one of the world's richest jungles or hiking the Inca Trail, the... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
  • The Rough Guide to Peru
  • The Rough Guide to Peru is the ultimate travel guide with clear maps and detailed coverage of all the best attractions Peru has to offer. Discover the varied and exciting country of Peru whether exploring the breathtaking Machu Picchu, traversing a rainforest canopy walkway in one of the world's richest jungles or hiking the Inca Trail, the... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Reise Know-How Kauderwelsch Spanisch f r Peru - Wort f r Wort
  • Die Sprachf hrer der Kauderwelsch-Reihe orientieren sich am typischen Reisealltag und vermitteln auf anregende Weise das n tige R stzeug, um ohne l stige B ffelei m glichst schnell mit dem Sprechen beginnen zu k nnen, wenn auch vielleicht nicht immer druckreif. Besonders hilfreich ist hierbei die Wort-f r-Wort- bersetzung, die es erm glicht,... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
  • Reise Know-How Kauderwelsch Spanisch f r Peru - Wort f r Wort
  • Die Sprachf hrer der Kauderwelsch-Reihe orientieren sich am typischen Reisealltag und vermitteln auf anregende Weise das n tige R stzeug, um ohne l stige B ffelei m glichst schnell mit dem Sprechen beginnen zu k nnen, wenn auch vielleicht nicht immer druckreif. Besonders hilfreich ist hierbei die Wort-f r-Wort- bersetzung, die es erm glicht,... Read more
» Click to close
De Zwerver
Netherlands
2018
  • Reisgids ANWB Wereldreisgids Peru | ANWB Media
  • De ANWB Wereldreisgids Peru is een complete en praktische reisgids voor jouw droomvakantie door Peru. Het land is er één van grote contrasten: de kale kustwoestijn aan de koude Grote Oceaan met zijn vruchtbare rivierdalen, de ruige bergen van de Andes en het tropische laagland van de Amazone. Natuurlijk mag een bezoek aan Cusco, Machu Picchu en... Read more
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2013
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Netherlands
  • Bol.com, Belgium
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
Bol.com
Netherlands
2013
  • Hiking and Biking Peru's Inca Trails
  • Guidebook to hiking and mountain biking in the Sacred Valley of Peru, including the Inca Trail. 40 routes (7 to Machu Picchu) visiting all major Incan sites discovered from Cusco, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Vilcabamba and in the remote region around Mount Ausangate. The routes are graded for difficulty, and most routes can be done on foot or by... Read more
Bol.com
Belgium
2013
  • Hiking and Biking Peru's Inca Trails
  • Guidebook to hiking and mountain biking in the Sacred Valley of Peru, including the Inca Trail. 40 routes (7 to Machu Picchu) visiting all major Incan sites discovered from Cusco, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Vilcabamba and in the remote region around Mount Ausangate. The routes are graded for difficulty, and most routes can be done on foot or by... Read more
De Zwerver
Netherlands
2013
  • Wandelgids Peru - Hiking and Biking Peru's Inca Trails | Cicerone
  • The eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes is one of the most dramatic and diverse places on the planet, dropping from over 6000m (20,000ft) to just 200m above sea level. This dramatic drop in elevation produces a wide range of constantly changing climactic and vegetative zones – it is often possible to hike from the base of a glacier down to the... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
2015
  • National Geographic reisgidsen - National Geographic reisgids Peru
  • National Geographic Reisgids Peru is een exclusieve gids met sublieme fotografie die u meeneemt naar de bekende en minder bekende bezienswaardigheden. De experts van National Geographic nemen een kijkje achter de schermen en dringen door tot de kern van de cultuur, de geschiedenis en het volk van het land. Bezoek met deze National Geographic... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
2015
  • National Geographic reisgidsen - National Geographic reisgids Peru
  • National Geographic Reisgids Peru is een exclusieve gids met sublieme fotografie die u meeneemt naar de bekende en minder bekende bezienswaardigheden. De experts van National Geographic nemen een kijkje achter de schermen en dringen door tot de kern van de cultuur, de geschiedenis en het volk van het land. Bezoek met deze National Geographic... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Peru
  • The DK Eyewitness Peru travel guide will lead you straight to the best attractions the country has to offer. Whether you're trekking the ancient Inca Trail or getting to know the locals on a homestay in Cusco, this guide provides all the insider tips every visitor needs, with comprehensive listings of the best hotels, restaurants and shops for... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
  • Peru
  • The DK Eyewitness Peru travel guide will lead you straight to the best attractions the country has to offer. Whether you're trekking the ancient Inca Trail or getting to know the locals on a homestay in Cusco, this guide provides all the insider tips every visitor needs, with comprehensive listings of the best hotels, restaurants and shops for... Read more
» Click to close
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Peru
  • Peru is the heart of the Andes and home to the driest desert in the world. This is the only guide for free-spirited travellers who want to get beyond both the Gringo and the Inca trails with detailed accounts of the best off-the-beaten-track sites. Activity-packed for thrill-seekers visiting the country, Footprint Peru takes you surfing, white... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
» Click to open
Bol.com
Belgium
  • Peru
  • Peru is the heart of the Andes and home to the driest desert in the world. This is the only guide for free-spirited travellers who want to get beyond both the Gringo and the Inca trails with detailed accounts of the best off-the-beaten-track sites. Activity-packed for thrill-seekers visiting the country, Footprint Peru takes you surfing, white... Read more
» Click to close
More books…

Maps

Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Lima
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • La Libertad
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Ucayali
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Arequipa
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Cusco
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Lambayeque
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Peru - Ecuador IGN 86170
  • Un grand nombre d?informations touristiques et routières, pour une carte que vous trouverez très vite indispensable lors de votre voyage. Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Loreto
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Puno
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Moquegua
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Ica
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Amazonas
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Pasco
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Madre de Dios
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Apurimac
  • One of the titles in a series of maps of the administrative departments of Peru, with topography shown by altitude colouring and spot heights. Most maps also indicate cultivated areas. Scales vary considerably, given different sizes of the departments. Railways and four different types of roads and dirt tracks are shown, as well as local... Read more
More maps…

Forum

  1. Cancel