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10 Places Not to Miss in Peru

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10 Places Not to Miss in Peru

First Time to Peru ? 10 Best Things to Do and See

 

1.- Visiting Cusco City

 

Its narrow streets still preserve their temples and palaces that once housed men and women who forged one of the most powerful empires of America known as Tawantinsuyo. Cusco is the entrance door to one of the most spectacular archeological existing place of the continent, the citadel of Machu Picchu, imposing incan architectonic creations located between Mountains and deep Canyons.

 

Coricancha Cusco Peru

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.- Visiting Sacred valley of the incas

 

Before the beginning of the Incan civilization the Sacred Valley was placed on the heart of the empire because of its fertile land. Corn and other corps were developed in the area. The end of the extensive Valley of Urubamba between the villages of Pisac and Ollantaytambo is named like that, located in a short distance from Cusco City where the incan livestock areas, the agricultural areas and beautiful towns were placed. It’s characterize to have especial conditions like a great weather, fertile lands and the Incan sacred river’s water, the Vilcanota (That means sacred or wonderful thing in Quechua) which changes name upriver to Urubamba RiverThe Sacred Valley of the incas is located between Pisac and Ollantaytambo towns. It owns beautiful Andean landscapes where its inhabitants (Natives from the Quechua ethnicity) preserve many ancestral customs and rites.


Sacred Valley of the Incas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.- Visiting Machu Picchu


You can’t go to Peru without visiting Machu Picchu. You won’t be disappointed once you get to the ruins. The tour to Machu Picchu with a guide is really useful since he’s going to explain all about the ruins and he’s going to answer all your questions. The ruins are incredible and the fact that they were handmade and hidden from the human for so long is unbelievable. 

 

Machu Picchu Peru

4.- Inca Trail Trek


Trekking through the Inca Trail in one of the best experiences you could have in Peru (There’s a Lares Trek which also involves hiking along stunning paths). You realize it’s all worth it when you enter to the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu trough the Sun’s door. Pack some things for the trek. The high altitude can make the trek really difficult so check this blog: 10 tips for making the Inca Trail (Peru).

We also found some useful source of the Inca Trail Itinerary. One thing you should know is that you’re going to need a permission to trek the Inca Trail so book your trip with anticipation if making the trek is on your plans because they sold out really fast in the peak season.

Here you have some information about the Inca Trail permissions: In order to preserve the Inca Trail and its surroundings the Peruvian authorities currently limits 

the number of Inca Trail trekking permissions to 500 per day which includes hikers, guides, porters and other support staff. Permissions often sold out several months before so they must be booked in advance to ensure your place especially if you want to trek in the peak season that takes place between June and August.

 

Inca Trail trek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu


It’s an old and remote alternative path to the Inca Trail. It owns more spectacular landscapes, different ecological floors, a walk between lagoons, breathtaking snow-capped mountains such as Salkantay and Humantay, rivers and subtropical areas with abundant vegetation and fauna. This trek is an excellent option for those who want to escape from the congested routes and in a fast way or for those who are searching for an alternative when all the places for the Traditional Inca Trail are taken. TThe first two days will be dominated by the spectacular snowy Mountains of Salkantay and Humantay while walking the high Andean landscape. The third day you’ll go down to the warm cloudy forest to reach Aguas Calientes the fourth day. The spectacular sacred citadel of the Incas “Machu Picchu” is visited in the last day of the trek. This trek is an interesting alternative for those who didn’t find space for the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu trek. The trek to Salkantay was recently named one of the 25 best treks of the world by National Geographic Adventure Travel.


Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.- Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu

 

. The best thing about this place is that you can only reach it by trekking because there are no railways or roads that takes you to Choquequirao or nearby. That’s why it’s done by full trekking. Many tourist consider this journey as a pilgrimage, an escape from the routine, a challenge itself and an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Sometimes the trek is empty (without tourist) because is not well-known and in other occasions you can find some tourists but these are few. Sometimes the trek is full of tourist (nationals, school students and foreign tourists) of course but the trek is empty the most part of the year.

 

Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.- Lares Trek to Machu Picchu

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This is a trip to the heart of the Andes where few tourists have ventured. This wonderful path takes you to know beautiful natural landscapes adorned with stunning glaciers. A completely different world from ours. A paradise where the small town’s inhabitants still use ancient forms of life. This wonderful journey takes you to know the Machu Picchu sanctuary (One of the 7 wonders) too.


Lares trek to Machu Picchu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.- Ausangate Trek


The Ausantage trek offers some of the most wonderful landscapes of all Cusco without a doubt. It’s one of the most difficult of the region too with three open passes at 5,000 m/ 16,000 ft. The Apu Ausangate dominates the Cusco’s south horizon on the sunny days. As we approach this massif we get more and more fascinated and we understand why the ancient Incas used to respect this spectacular Mountain. During the entire Ausangate trek circuit we go through local villages where people dresses with their traditional costumes (women with beautiful ornament hats) and where the llamas graze freely.

 

Ausangate Trek Peru

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.- Fly over the Nazca lines

 

 You can only recognize the animals if you’re looking from above because the sand drawings are big. The best way to get a glimpse of these sand drawings is by taking a 20 minute flight on a plane that turns in circles above the drawings allowing you to take pictures of the lines. If you’re not interested enough on the flight you can pay to climb an observation tower too but the views aren’t good as the plane’s views. You can only see 3 drawings from the tower and the lines are difficult to see.


Nazca Lines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.- Walk through the floating islands of Titicaca Lake


Walking through the floating islands of soft sponge is a strange feeling because you’re really actually on a floating platform made of plants. Originally they lived on the island for defensive reasons but nowadays tourist from all over the world visit the islands. Reed boat on the floating islands: You travel by boat from Puno to visit tmhese floating islands and you get to see the living conditions of the people of the different islands. You also see how the islands are made of cane and you get to see the traditional huts. There are also totora boats in which you can take excursions.

 

 Titicaca Lake

 

 

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