Peru Hotels

Peru is a South American country, situated on the west side of the continent. West of Peru is the Pacific Ocean, to the north are Ecuador and Colombia; to the east are Brazil and Bolivia and Chile to the south. Although the country looks to be in the tropical climate zone, the coastal strip is relatively dry and cool. This is mainly the effect of cold Humboldt Current and it creates great diversity in both the climate and the nature. The parallel-to-ocean Andes mountains divide the country into different regions. Amazon river runs through, so does the Jungle of Amazon. Imagine the biodiversity... Basically there are moderate temperatures all year round. The first ancient civilization to live in this land was Norte Chico, which dates back to 3000 BC, is one of the oldest civilizations known today. However, the heritage of Inca Empire is more evident; actually almost perfectly preserved. Before the Spanish conquistadors arrived to this land in 16th century, Inca's were the largest empire of South America. Today's Peruvian culture is basically rooted on this heritage and some Spanish traditions. The main reason for a vacation in Peru must be to witness ancient Inca lost cities and monuments. The most important of them, the city of "Machu Picchu" is one of the most important sights in the world! It was discovered as recently as a century ago, a walled city that was hidden away from the devastation of conquistadors. It is a see-to-believe sight that cannot be described easily. Although the site can be reached by railroad, best method to reach should be following the Inca Trail which gives the opportunity to spot Cusco and the Sacred Valley as well. There are also a number of colonial cities and sights with typical architecture of the times worth seeing. The untouched beauty of Peruvian nature and environment should be acknowledged too. The gorgeous mountains supply a breathtaking view of the coastline of stunning beaches and residential areas; and also ancient sites at the same time. There are fascinating opportunities for outdoor activities like mountain climbing or trekking. Lake Titicaca is one of the highest altitude lakes of touristic interests and is currently a very popular spot. Peru has the fourth largest area of tropical rainforests in the world. It is popular to take a cruise on the mighty Amazon river, through the jungle that houses ten thousands of different species. Some forest lodges have been built in recent years to accommodate tourists willing to explore deeper. Cuisine of this country has very good diversity too. As a part of the culture, the cuisine is based on American-Indian and Spanish traditions and highly affected by influences of African, Arab, Italian, Chinese, and even Japanese cooking. The style and techniques are unique in their ways. Chicken, pork, sheep and beef dishes are common. Furthermore, some internal parts of these animals that aren't "internationally available" are available too, such as "anticuchos", a spicy recipe of beef hearth, "cau-cau", cow stomach served in a yellow sauce. If you like trying new things, you will be fascinated by the options provided. Fish from the ocean, as well as rivers are available too but be careful on the latter because there is a problem of pollution from chemicals (mostly of cocaine production and mining origin) in some areas. Food is very cheap, sometimes as cheap as half a dollar a meal but unfortunately, sanitation is a bit cheap too, special attention should be given. It is not hard to avoid being infected by diarrhea or other epidemics. Even if you get infected, don't worry too much, it is like a tradition... Mind you, the most expensive meal being unlikely to set you back more than 20 dollars it is wise to not do too much economy on your diet. All in all, Peru is a spectacular country providing considerably reasonable economy for a vacation, and with all it offers; great sites of ancient heritage, glamorous outdoors, seductive beaches, charming cities and buzzing nightlife. All things concerned, you will be astonished with the atmosphere whether it's your first visit or not.