Peru
Few places on earth have as rich and natural heritage as Peru. Its archeological treasures are unearthed each day reflecting many of the oldest and some of the most cultured civilizations which existed long before Christ. The local cultures could fuse metals in a plating process before the new testament was written, tamed the llama and irrigated crops more than 6,000 years ago. Its fauna and flora are amongst the reachest in the tropics. From the standpoint of popularity the most obvious attractions are Machu Picchu, Paracas, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Iquitos, Pulcalpa, Cuzco, Lima and the Manu.
Northern Peru - From Lima to the border with Ecuador, one finds extraordinary archaeological monuments such as: Sechin in Casna, Chan Chan in Trujillo and Tucume in Chiclayo.
The Amazon - The Peruvian Jungle, a large area encompassing more than 500,000 Kmq. crossed by the Amazon River, an area where plant and animal life abound. An ideal place where nature and adventure lovers can thrill to the sight of the incredibly wide variety of birds, insects and plants.
Central Peru - Lima is the main site here, the old capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty in the New World. To the south, the Bay of Paracas is alive with fauna, Ica produces its famous wines and the Nazca Lines sit majestically in the desert area. More to the south there is Arequipa, a city known for its beautiful colonial structures and the impressive Colca Canyon.
To the south-east is Puno with Lake Titicaca. the highest in the world, has been declared the Folklore capital of America, due to the variety of its music and dances.
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When to go
Peru's peak tourist season is from June to August, which is the dry season in the highlands, and this is the best time to go if you're interested in hiking. Travellers do visit the highlands year-round, though the wettest months, January to April, make trekking a muddy proposition. Many of the major fiestas occur in the wettest months and continue undiminished in spite of heavy rain.
In the eastern rainforests, it naturally rains a lot. The wettest months are December through April, though travelers visit year-round since it rarely rains for more than a few hours and there's still plenty of sunshine to enjoy.
| FACTS FOR THE TRAVELLER |
| Full country name: |
Republic of Peru |
| Area: |
1,285,215 sq km (501,234 sq mi) |
| Population: |
27,012,899 (1.9% growth) |
| Capital city: |
Lima (pop 8 million) |
| People: |
54% Indian, 32% Mestizo (mixed European and Indian descent), 12% Spanish descent, 2% Black, Asian minority |
| Language: |
Spanish, Quechua, Aymara |
| Religion: |
Over 90% Roman Catholic, small Protestant population |
| Government: |
Democracy |
| Visae & Health: |
For information on Visae and health requirements, please call your nearest consulate and appropriate health authorities. |
| Time: |
GMT/UTC minus 5 hours |
| Electricity: |
220V, 60Hz |
| Weights & measures: |
Metric |
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