Peru, in western South America, extends for nearly 1,500 mi (2,414 km) along the Pacific Ocean. Colombia and Ecuador are to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. Five-sixths the size of Alaska, Peru is divided by the Andes Mountains into three sharply differentiated zones. To the west is the coastline, much of it arid, extending 50 to 100 mi (80 to 160 km) inland. The mountain area, with peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m), lofty plateaus, and deep valleys, lies centrally. Beyond the mountains to the east is the heavily forested slope leading to the Amazonian plains.

Peru was once part of the great Incan Empire and later the major vice-royalty of Spanish South America. It was conquered in 1531–1533 by Francisco Pizarro. On July 28, 1821, Peru proclaimed its independence, but the Spanish were not finally defeated until 1824. For a hundred years thereafter, revolutions were frequent; a new war was fought with Spain in 1864–1866, and an unsuccessful war was fought with Chile from 1879 to 1883 (the War of the Pacific).

We’ll be the first to admit that the main reason we visited Peru was to experience the world famous Incan city of Machu Picchu. After all, it is a new Seven Wonder of the World and has become one of the most recognizable tourist attractions on the planet. Like many before us, our goal was to hike the legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The challenging 4-day trek has become one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had overseas. It’s the primary reason that Peru has become one of our favourite countries!

Did you know that Peru has the second largest amount of Amazon Rainforest after Brazil? The Peruvian Amazon covers 60% of the country, creating a unique and diverse ecosystem when combined with the mighty Andean Mountain range and Pacific Ocean.

We traveled from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, where we transferred to a river boat that took us 3 hours upriver to an isolated jungle lodge along the banks of the Tambopata River. There is something eerie, yet peaceful, about sleeping in an open cabin in the middle of the Amazon Jungle, while howler monkeys chant in the distance and quite rain drops hit the thatched roof.

Even if hiking is not your thing, witnessing the beauty of the Colca Canyon should not be missed. Along with its spectacular scenery, the Colca Canyon’s claim to fame is that it’s twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States, though the walls are not as vertical or dramatic. The region is also well known as the home of the rare Andean Condor, an enormous bird with the largest wing span of any land bird, at 3.2 meters.

It’s easy to book overnight trekking and/or sightseeing tours from Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city. The journey passes through remarkable volcano country, at heights as high as 4,900 meters, before descending into the stunning, lush Colca Valley below. There are several mountain villages in the valley but the most popular with tourists is the town of Chivay, celebrated for its natural hot springs and dramatic views.

Aside from having the title as being the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca is famous for its floating reed islands. The islands are home to the Uros tribe, one that pre-dates the Incan civilization.