Peru
Take an adventure holiday to PERU with World Expeditions, one of the world’s leading travel companies.
Peru – A Superb Trekking Holiday Destination
Cusco, once capital of the great Inca Empire, stands at 3400 metres (11,200') in the heart of the southern sierra. It is remarkable for the perfect stonework of its Inca ruins, its many beautiful colonial churches and palaces, and of course the World renowned ruins of the lost city of the Incas at Machu Picchu.
World Expeditions operates a wide variety of treks in Peru from the classic Inca Trail trek to more remote treks through the Andes, such as the Huayhuash Circuit, through to easy walks that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Our most famous adventure in Peru is the classic trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, which can be enjoyed on its own or combined with other touring options in Peru.
Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
This classic trekking holiday combines visits to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the unique markets at Chinchero with a trek along the spectacular Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This holiday in Peru has been described as probably the most spectacular short trek in the world. You will be walking along a granite path built more than 500 years ago. More about the Inca Trail - Machu Picchu Trek.
About Peru
Peru has a population of 21 million, made up of pure-blooded Indians (biggest group are the Quechuas, whose forebears were the "Incas") and Mestizos, who are a mixture of Indian and European backgrounds. More than half the population live in the largest cities, namely Lima, Arequipa and Trujillo. Its capital, Lima, located 12° south of the equator, was the capital of Spanish South America from its founding in 1535 until the early 19th Century.
Geographically, Peru is made up of the three distinct regions: the arid coastal strip, mainly desert and up to 60 kms wide. Down the centre of the country runs a great range of snow peaks and highlands that make up part of the immensely long chain of mountains known as the Andes, running from Colombia in the north all the way to the southern tip of Chile. Trekking in the Andes is arguably one of the world's great adventure travel experiences.
The third region is the jungle - from the "eyebrow of the jungle" in the Andean foothills to the pristine jungles of the great Amazon rain forest. The coastal area is the economic heartland of Peru, and the coastal waters with the cold Humboldt Current running north up the coast contain some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The highlands or "sierra" contain more than a third of the population, mostly the Quechua- or Aymara-speaking Indians engaged mainly in pastoral farming.This is a high, very often lush and fertile land of gentle slopes and valleys surrounded by the high peaks of the Cordilleras Vilcabamba, Vilcanota and Blanca.
Featured Adventures
Alpamayo Circuit
Amazon Rainforest
Andes & Altiplano Trek
Andes Adventure
Ausangate Eco Lodge Trek
Best of Peru
Best of Peru & Bolivia
Best of South America - Over 55's adventure
Classic Inca Trail
Coastal Cultures of Peru in Style
