Must See

Colca Canyon

Watch condors float on the early morning thermals, against a backdrop of spectacular scenery in one of the world's steepest and deepest canyons. Sightings are best from the dizzying rocky ledges that rise up more than a kilometre from the river bottom below.

Cusco

Cusco, once the capital city of the Incas, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Americas, and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Founded in 1100, Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and the ruins of the old city became the foundation for the Spanish architecture that exists today. Almost every central street has remains of Inca walls, arches and doorways that serve as the foundation for the colonial and modern buildings.

The main tourist area is the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding streets, with many of the cities main attractions located close by. Further up the hill is the San Blas district, where cobbled stoned streets lead up to the quaint little area, which offers fine views over the entire city.

Throughout the city, colourful murals depicting historical scenes can be seen on walls, and indigenous women with braids and embroidered shawls set up makeshift stalls selling handmade crafts, jewellery woven and blankets.

The church of Santo Domingo was built on the ruins of the famous Inca Temple of the Sun (Coricancha or Q'orikancha, meaning 'golden courtyard'). Much to the delight of the gold-hungry Spanish invaders, its walls were lined with solid gold sheets and golden statues and pieces decorated the interior. A large golden sun disc reflected the sun, casting a brilliant light on the temple.

However, all that remains today of the once glorious Coricancha is the fine Inca stonework, which forms the foundation of the church of Santo Domingo. Remains of the original Inca temple walls can be found inside the main courtyard. Huge blocks of grey and green diorite stone were placed together in a perfect fit without mortar, perfectly demonstrating the sophisticated Inca engineering and architectural skills. The smooth grey stones and sharp angles of the Inca ruins are a stark contrast to the rounded arches and Spanish architecture that surround the courtyard. Unlike much of the Spanish architecture, the Inca wall has withstood all of the major earthquakes that have rocked Cusco. Most impressive is a 6m high, curved wall at one end of the church, which can be seen from both inside and outside Santo Domingo. A further example of Inca skill with polygonal masonry is seen in the Stone of Twelve Angles.

In the centre of the courtyard is a structure that was once covered with 55kg of gold. On the sides of the courtyard are small Inca rooms that visitors can walk through. Heavy doors leading into the cloisters are now adorned with Moorish star- and diamond-shape patterns. The cloisters are lined with oil paintings that depict scenes from the life of St Dominic.

Lake Titicaca

Sail across the world's highest navigable lake, where indigenous communities still live on islands made from reeds, and the scenery and altitude will leave you totally breathless.

At an elevation of 3,820 m (12,338 ft), Lake Titicaca (Lago Titicaca) is the highest navigable lake in the world and home to the Uros people, who have for centuries built their homes and boats out on the lake using Totora reeds. Stretching 180 km (112 miles) by 69 km (43 miles) across the Peruvian and Bolivian borders, this is also the largest lake in South America, with a total surface area of 8,379 sq km (3,235 sq miles).

The lake is steeped in legend and has been inhabited throughout the centuries by ancient culture, and pre-AD1000 remains from the Pucara and Tiahuanaco cultures have been found around the lake. Today Lake Titicaca supports a unique way of life in the Andes, not seen in other areas of Peru.

One of the main attractions of the lake is the Islas Flotantes (the Floating Islands); artificial islands made from bundled reeds and inhabited by the Uros people. This traditional way of life has been in existence here for centuries. Visitors will find clear water and sand beaches in the small communities on the islands or along the shores of the mainland.

Puno is the main city on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, and is a good place to arrange tours and activities.

Lima

This charming city, with an old colonial heart is also Peru's modern capital and commercial and political hub. It is situated on the coast between the Andean foothills and the Pacific Ocean. Lima's colonial history is reflected in the opulent mansions that grace Lima's plazas with their Moorish latticed wooden balconies.

Plaza de Armas is the historical centre of Lima and was the original city centre, founded in 1535. However, almost all of the original structures were lost in the earthquake of 1746, with the only original structure remaining being its elegant bronze fountain, built in 1651. The impressive Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), located at the northern end of the plaza, is another lavish example of colonial opulence. The dining room is adorned with friezes depicting Inca history, whilst the Grand Salon was modelled on the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors. Outside, visitors can admire the elaborate military uniforms in the Changing of the Guard.

The oldest building in the Plaza de Armas is the Cathedral on the eastern side, which was rebuilt shortly after the earthquake. The square is also surrounded by the Archbishop's Palace and the Casa del Oidor.

The San Francisco Monastery and Church (Iglesia de San Francisco), constructed in 1673, has a number of highlights, including the extraordinary early 17th-century domed cedarwood roof above the broad staircase leading to the cloisters. It is most well known however for its catacombs, which houses the skulls and bones of some 70,000 souls. The library, on the upper level, houses a collection of some 20,000 volumes, plus masterpieces by Jordeans, Rubens and Van Dyck. It is probably best known for a mural of the last supper depicting the apostles dining on guinea pig and a devil standing next to Judas.

Machu Picchu

Watch the clouds part for a magical sunrise over a real-life lost city of the Incas, nestled in a crook of the Andes above the sacred river Urubamba. It's the crowning glory of the Inca Trail, a spectacular five-day hike among jagged peaks and Inca ruins, and one of the world's great wonders.

Perched 300 m (1,000 ft) high upon a ridge, the majestic Inca City of Machu Picchu is the highlight of most visitors' trips. Revealed to the Western world by the American Hiram Bingham on 24 July 1911, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, Machu Picchu attracts up to 2,000 visitors a day and is thought to be the most important archaeological site in South America. The site requires at least one day to explore fully. Highlights include the Temple of the Sun, the ceremonial baths, Temple of the Three Windows and the Intihuatana - a carved rock pillar used by Inca astronomers to predict the solstices. Almost as impressive as the ruins themselves is the incredible landscape that surrounds them. Looking out over Machu Picchu, the jungle covered mountains, and the river far below, it is not hard to imagine why the Incas chose this place to build their city.

From Aguas Caleintes, at the base of Machu Picchu, there is a bus that will take visitors up to the site, which is about a 20 minute drive. Alternatively, visitors can walk up this road, but do bear in mind that it is a long uphill walk. A 30-minute walk south from the main complex takes the visitor to the Inca Bridge, carved into the vertiginous cliff face.

Manu National Park

Located in the rainforests of the Cusco and Madre de Dios regions and extending to some 20,000 sq km (7,722 sq miles) of tropical rainforest, the Manu National Park is inhabited by indigenous people including the Arahuaca, Matiguenka, Piro, Yine and Yora tribes. It is believed that the park is home to 200 different mammals, around 800 types of birds, 1,200 species of butterflies and more than 2,000 species of plants. In the Manu region, a whole host of birds can be seen including the harpy eagle, Amazon kingfisher, orinoco goose, hoatzin and tiger herons. It is also possible to spot primate groups in the dense tree cover, such as spider and howler monkeys and the emperor tamarind; more rarely the sloth, lowland tapir, jaguar or capybaras may be seen.

The park is divided into three distinct areas:

• The Parque Nacional Manu, which can only be entered by scientists and researchers on special permits.
• The Zona Reservada, which is accessible to group tours operated by a licensed company.
• The Zona Cultural, which consists of a few villages that are outside restricted areas.

Accomodation in the Zona Reservada is made from sustainable materials such as woven palm fronds and local timber. Few of the lodges have electricity or hot water and follow strict environmental practices.

Nazca Lines

Although prior to the 1920s there was some recognition of the hillside drawings near Nazca and Paracas seen from ground level, it wasn't until planes flying over the desert discovered just how spectacular these huge drawings really were.

The Nazca Lines are located 420 km (265 miles) south of Lima and are geometric shapes and lines drawn with sand and stone, representing 70 different animals (birds, felines and reptiles) and plants, along with other shapes. The drawings are spread over hundreds of square kilometres and the lines can stretch as far as 10 km. The drawings are thought to have been made by three different cultures between 200 BC and AD 600 and most notable are a condor with a 130 m (419 ft) wingspan, a lizard measuring 180 m (580 ft) long, as well as a monkey, hummingbird, killer whale and spider.

To be fully appreciated the lines must be viewed from the air, although they can also be seen from an observation tower.

Sacsayhuaman

Sacsayhuaman is the most significant (and impressive) ruin in the Cusco area (others include Puca Pucara, Qenko and Tambo Machay) and is also the closest to the city. Sacsayhuaman is thought to have been a fortress, with both military and religious significance. Cusco was designed in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuaman forming the pumas head. Three colossal zigzagging ramparts of this ancient fortress run for more than 350 m (1,148 ft) and form the teeth of the puma. Sacsayhuaman was the site of the famous battle between Manco Inca and Juan Pizarro, Francisco's younger brother, in 1536.

The boulders used to construct the walls are immense, measuring up to 10m (33ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in depth, and weighing up to 360 tons. However, only about 20% of the original site remains, with many blocks being hauled away in the period before the 1930s to use for construction in Cusco. Most of the largest stones, which were more difficult to move, were left at the site.

The site comes alive for the colourful festival of Inti Raymi, held on 24 June each year.

Urubamba Valley

Also known as El Valle Sagrado (the Sacred Valley), the Urubamba Valley lies to the north of Cusco, and is home to a number of typical Andean villages. Inca ruins are prevalent throughout the valley, with the two grandest sites at Ollantaytambo and Pisac.

Ollantaytambo is at the eastern end of the Valley, which narrow at this point, providing a dramatic setting. The small town nestled at the foot of the ancient Inca site is one of the most beautiful in the Scared Valley, with the cobblestone streets and main plaza giving the place an ancient feel. The town also has a number of restaurants and outdoor patios, making it easy to spend a day or more here, with a half day spent touring the ruins and the rest of the day spent exploring the town and soaking up the atmosphere.