National Geographic Traveler: Peru, 3rd Edition

A guide designed for those who dream of exploring the magnificent Pacific coast, contemplating the infinite beauty of the Andes and immersing themselves in the boundless Amazonian jungle.

Peru offers all this "an enviable wealth of different landscapes and climates" and, hidden in the heart of forests, mountains and deserts, it also preserves the remains of ancient cultures in over 5,000 archaeological sites. The country's natural scenarios are unique and extreme, from the arid deserts on the Pacific coast, to the humid Amazonian rain forests, the highest navigable lake on the planet, and the imposing tropical mountain ranges. If for a visitor it is almost unthinkable not to see Machu Picchu, the expert authors of the guide provide a thousand other suggestions to immerse you in the colonial streets of Lima, be amazed in its modern neighborhoods overlooking the Pacific, and taste the regional food. And from sea level you can go up to 11,155 feet (3,400 m) in Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. Nature lovers will plan to explore the first UNESCO protected natural area, the Paracas Reserve, with its red sand beaches. Lake Titicaca with its floating villages is a sight not to be missed, and the Peruvian Amazon is the best kept secret of South America, with the last virgin forests on Earth.