PERU: Visit Popular Tourist Attractions In Peru

Peru is a country of history, culture, beauty, and adventure, with a full spectrum of possibilities for travelers. The ancient Inca City of Machu Picchu is one of the highlights of any trip to South America, but there is much more to discover throughout Peru.

Visitors can take a boat trip on the highest navigable lake in the world, look out over one of the deepest canyons in the world, try their luck sandboarding in the dunes, hike in the Andes, fish for piranha in the Amazon, explore the mysteries of the Nazca lines, walk through ancient ruins in the Sacred Valley, or experience modern Peru while wandering the streets of Lima.

The diversity of the landscape, the people, and the experiences here make Peru one of the most unique destinations on the continent.

Sacred Valley

Less than an hour's drive north of Cusco is the beautiful Sacred Valley and the towns of Pisac, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo. This fertile valley has many Inca ruins worth exploring but is also a peaceful area to spend some time wandering through markets or soaking up local culture.

Some of the main highlights in the valley are the Pisac Ruins, the Sunday Market in Pisac, smaller market days are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the ruins and fortress at the beautiful little town of Ollantaytambo.

A little out of the way but worth the trip is the town of Moray with circular terracing used as an agricultural testing area by the Incas, and the salt mines at Salinas, which have been in use since the time of the Incas.

Machu Picchu

Perched high upon a ridge, 300 meters above the Urubamba River, the majestic Inca City of Machu Picchu is one of the most dramatic settings of a ruined city anywhere in the world.

Almost as impressive as the ruins themselves is the spectacular backdrop of steep, lush, and often cloud-shrouded mountains.

Standing near the caretaker's hut, 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.

Hiram Bingham came across Machu Picchu in 1911 and believed until his death that it was the Lost City of the Incas, first documented by Spanish soldiers in the 1500s. However, historians believe the real lost city of the Incas was at Espíritu Pampa, a ruin Bingham knew of but discounted as being insignificant.

The journey is also part of the experience of visiting Machu Picchu, whether it's by hiking the Inca Trail or seeing the route by train. In either case, it's impossible not to be inspired by the scenery.

Trains leave from Cusco, Ollantaytambo, or Urubamba to Aguas Calientes. From Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, a bus takes visitors up to Machu Picchu, which is about a 20-minute drive. It is possible to walk up this road to the site, but this is a long, uphill climb.

To avoid the crowds, the best times to visit the site are in the morning or late afternoon, either before the trains arrive from Cusco or after they have left.

The high season is June to August, but the two months on either side of this also see decent weather and can be a good time to visit with fewer crowds.

Arequipa's Historical City Center

Arequipa, at more than 2,300 meters, is often regarded as Peru's most beautiful city. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the city center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city's main claim to fame is the old architecture constructed of sillar stone, a volcanic rock that radiates a bright color in the sunlight. Most of the colonial buildings in the historic city center are made from this stone, giving rise to its nickname of the white city.

Arequipa is also often a stopping-off point for those looking to visit the Colca Canyon or Canon del Colca, which is about a four hour's drive from the city.

Ica and the Sand Dunes at Huacachina

For the sporting type looking to try something a little different, the oasis resort of Huacachina on the outskirts of Ica has just the answer.

This picture-perfect, palm-fringed resort town just west of Ica, and technically still part of the municipality of Ica, is situated around a lagoon surrounded by huge sand dunes, some of which reach 1,000 meters in height.

While they are beautiful to see, people come here to try out the sport of sandboarding. Similar to snowboarding, sandboarding is surfing down the sand dunes on specially made sand-boards, which can be rented in the area.

For the less coordinated, renting dune buggies is another great way to get out and enjoy the landscape.

Ica is slightly higher than the ocean and consequently is not affected by the usual coastal mist like other towns along this stretch. The town has a year-round sunny and dry climate, making it a good place to visit at any time.

Inca Trail

The famous Inca Trail is a four-day hike, which terminates at Machu Picchu, and is regarded by many as the highlight of their trip to Peru. This scenic trail is often more demanding than what many people are expecting, but also more rewarding.

There are a couple of different starting points for the Inca Trail, but the traditional four-day hike begins at km 82 of the Cusco - Aguas Calientes rail line.

From this point, the trail passes more than 30 Inca ruins and traverses through some spectacular scenery. The most difficult portion of the trail is the second day of the hike, with a climb of 1,200 meters in elevation gain and two high passes.

The hike must be done with an agency, and reservations should be booked well in advance, particularly in the high season of June to August. Some agencies offer a shorter version of the hike, which entails either the last two days or just the last day of the hike.

There are campgrounds at intervals along the trail and one at the base of Machu Picchu. Depending on the type of tour, hikers can either carry their own backpack or have it transported for them.

Cusco's Architectural Treasures

Walking through the streets of Cusco is like wandering through a museum, with history built upon history in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inca ruins have been used in the foundations of many of the lovely old colonial buildings lining the narrow roads, showcasing the city's long history.

The main square, Plaza de Armas, in the city center is home to the Cathedral and La Compania, two equally impressive structures. The square is also a great place to start a walking tour, grab a meal, or people watch during the day.

While there are countless buildings and museums worth visiting, the church of Santo Domingo, resting on the ruins of the Inca site of Coricancha, is one of Cusco's must-see attractions.

Barranco

The quaint hillside district of Barranco, just south of Central Lima and Miraflores, is a charming area within easy commuting distance of downtown Lima.

With unassuming colonial architecture lining the narrow streets and hillside ocean views, the area offers a much more relaxed pace than the city. The area has long been popular with artists and poets, giving it a Bohemian feel.

This is a great place to wander in the afternoon or enjoy a meal, particularly at sunset, at one of the restaurants overlooking the ocean. Besides the atmosphere, the one main tourist attraction in Barranco is the Puente de Los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs).

Pisco and the Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas)

The main reasons visitors come to Pisco, about 200 kilometers south of Lima, are to see the nearby Islas Ballestas and the Reserva Nacional de Paracas on the Paracas Peninsula.

Almost directly west of Pisco, the Islas Ballestas, sometimes referred to as the poor man's Galapagos, are home to hundreds of thousands of birds, large colonies of sea lions, pelicans, penguins, and dolphins.

Boat tours, which visit the islands daily, leave in the mornings from Pisco. The full tour takes passengers past the Candelabra, a hillside geoglyph seen from the coast, and then spends a considerable amount of time boating around the islands watching for wildlife.

This tour is generally a half-day trip, returning around noon.

The Paracas Peninsula, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean just south of Pisco, is home to the Reserva Nacional Paracas and the largest section of protected coastline in Peru.

The shoreline of the Paracas Peninsula supports a huge variety of wildlife, with approximately 200 species of seabirds, two types of sea lions, a rare type of otter, and the endangered Humboldt penguins.

Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon

Just a half hour flight from Cusco, Puerto Maldonado is a key jumping-off point for tours of the Amazon. This is a completely different experience than visitors will find in other parts of Peru, with hot humid jungle and a chance to see all kinds of unique wildlife.

Caimans, capybara, monkeys, parrots, turtles, and piranhas are what visitors can expect to find in this part of the country.

The Reserva Nacional Tambopata and the Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene are the two main attractions, and they are well serviced by a number of jungle lodges. The Reserva Nacional Tambopata jungle lodges are approximately a one-hour boat ride from Puerto Maldonado.

Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene is across the river from the Parque Nacional Madidi in Bolivia and takes about four hours to reach by boat. Tours typically range from a couple of days to week-long adventures.

Lake Titicaca

The sparkling blue water of Lake Titicaca is surrounded by rolling hills and traditional small villages, offering a mix of beautiful scenery and culture that sets it apart from other regions of the country.

Sitting at 3,820 meters above sea level, Lake Titicaca is known for being the highest navigable lake in the world, but it is also an extraordinarily scenic area where visitors can relax and enjoy some tranquility.

A boat trip to the islands and surrounding villages is the best way to appreciate the lake. One of the main tourist attractions is the Uros Floating Islands (Islas Flotantes), which sustain small communities of Uros Indians.

These are man-made islands constructed of reeds that have sustained a traditional way of life since the time of the Incas. What travelers see on tours to these islands is designed for tourism, but it does offer a glimpse into a traditional way of life.

The floating islands are only one very small part of Lake Titicaca's attraction, with the real charm lying in the small villages in the hills along the shores of Titicaca and on the main islands of Isla Taquile and Isla Amantani.

The main gateway to Lake Titicaca is the city of Puno, a less than inspiring destination, with hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. There are trains and buses to Puno and flights in and out of the nearby city of Juliaca.

Colca Canyon Or Canon del Colca

Although it was once thought to be the deepest canyon in the world, Colca Canyon or Canon del Colca, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, is the second deepest after nearby Cotahuasi Canyon.

The canyon reaches a depth of 3,400 meters and is the result of a seismic fault between two volcanoes. At the base far below is a winding river.

The Colca Canyon area has been inhabited for thousands of years and was home to the Collagua, Cabana, and eventually the Inca peoples. Stone terracing along the canyon walls dates to AD 800 and is still in use today.

The canyon is about a four-hour drive from Arequipa. Day trips to the canyon are available from Arequipa but two or more days are recommended considering the driving time involved in accessing the canyon.

Besides gazing out at the canyon, there are also hot springs, churches, villages, and Inca ruins to explore. Condors are also a big attraction in Colca Canyon as they soar past the cliff walls.

Lima's Plaza de Armas

One of the most pleasant places in Lima is the main square, Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor), in the heart of the city's historic district. Most of the buildings on the square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, date to the mid 18th century.

Many of the structures were rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1746. The highlights around the Plaza de Armas are the cathedral on the east side and Government Palace (Palacio del Gobierno) on the north side. Also of interest are the Archbishop's Palace and the Casa del Oidor.

Leading off the square is the pedestrian street, Jiron de la Union, with shops, restaurants, and the historic Iglesia de La Merced.

Sillustani

Sillustani, outside the city of Puno and not far from Lake Titicaca, is the site of some of the area's most impressive funerary towers (chullpas).

Standing as high as 12 meters, these structures were built by the Colla people around AD 600 to bury their nobility. Entire families, along with food and personal possessions, were buried in these cylinders.

Most of the towers are set in a scenic area along the bank of Lake Umayo. Visitors walk up a hill from the parking lot to the plateau above. The towers stand at the far end of the field with the lake behind.

Below the parking lot is a small marshy lake where locals can be seen poling along in their boats, harvesting reeds.

Nazca Lines

The mysterious Nazca lines are an unusual sight that will leave visitors with a sense of awe. These huge images on the desert floor were relatively undiscovered until planes flying over the area in the 1920s saw the lines from the air and realized they formed distinct patterns and images.

Until that time there was some recognition of the hillside drawings near Nazca and Paracas, which can be seen from ground level. However, the huge drawings on the flat desert floor are so large that it requires an aerial view to be appreciated.

From the air, it is possible to see 70 different plant and animal drawings as well as hundreds of lines and other geometrical shapes. Some of these lines stretch as long as 10 kilometers, and they are spread over hundreds of square kilometers.

Most notable among the figures are a lizard measuring 180 meters long, a condor with a 130-meter wingspan, and several others that include a monkey, hummingbird, killer whale, and spider.

Although it is not known exactly who created the lines or how and why, theories hold that the lines were the product of the Paracas and Nazca cultures sometime between 900 BC and AD 600. Why they were created is the subject of much debate.

Some of the theories put forward suggest the lines were a type of astronomical calendar for agriculture, an alien landing pad, a running track, walkways joining ceremonial sites, or part of a water cult.

The lines were created by removing the dark surface layer of stones and piling them at the sides of the lines, creating a contrast between the dark stones and the exposed lighter soil below. Flights can be booked in advance or on a walk-in, first-come first-serve basis.

Approximately four kilometers outside of Nazca are the Cantalloc Aqueducts. Built around AD 300 to 600, the aqueducts were designed to provide a year-round water source for the area. They conduct water from the mountain springs down to Nazca by means of underground canals.

Some of the Cantalloc Aqueducts are still used by farmers in the area.

Also of interest in the area is the Cemetery of Chauchilla, which contains Nazca remains and mummies.


Tourism Observer

PERU: Visiting Machu Picchu New Rules Introduced

In order to ensure the adequate flow of tourist visits to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu, the Decentralized Culture Bureau of Cusco ordered that, from July 1, 2017, all the articles of the “Regulation on Sustainable Use and Tourist Visit for the Conservation of the Llaqta or Inca City of Machupicchu” will be effective .

Two entry periods have been established for the visits: the first one will run from 06:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and the second, from 12:00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

In case a visitor wishes to visit the citadel throughout the day, two tickets must be purchased, one for each period.

The use of a tour guide will be mandatory. The guides will be able to attend a maximum of groups of 16 people.

The guides will deliver a ticket that will serve tourists who wish to re-enter Machu Picchu the next day to be shown at the entrance of the citadel.

It should be noted that tickets that have been booked and purchased until May 2 for the months between July and December will not have restrictions on the entry and exit.

This implementation responds to compliance with the “Regulation on Sustainable Use and Tourist Visit for the Conservation of the Llaqta or Inca City of Machupicchu”, approved by Ministerial Resolution No. 070-2017 of the Ministry of Culture.

The 2017 edition of the prestigious World Travel Awards South America will be held on September 9 in the Riviera Maya of Mexico and has 41 nominations for our country.

In total there are 31 nominations for the private sector - hotels, cruises, airports and travel agencies - and ten as a country, among which we highlight our capital as Best Destination for Meetings and Conferences, Best Sports Destination or Best Travel Destination of business.

Likewise, our country competes as Best Culinary Destination - a reward we have obtained for five consecutive years - Best Green Destination, Best Cultural Destination and Best Adventure Destination.

Voting for this award can be made until July 19.

The winners of the South American edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA) will compete in the worldwide edition of these awards, to be held on December 10 in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

Peru is again in the eyes of the world!

The National Geographic Traveler Magazine of the United Kingdom has placed it within the five destinations to visit in 2017. The competition was tough, managing to impose itself among tourist places like Donegal, Greenland, Helsinki and Santiago.

This year has been very noticeable for Peru in the tourist area, after the BBC of the United Kingdom broadcast documentaries on the Peruvian Amazon and the fortress of Kuélap, being seen by millions of spectators.

Also, a new direct flight from London to Lima by British Airways was inaugurated.

National Geographic Magazine highlighted Peruvian gastronomy, tourist attractions such as Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the modern world, and Kuélap, known for being built on top of a high mountain in Chachapoyas.

Those in charge of this list are the editors and writers of the magazine, who were fascinated with Peruvian culture and cuisine.

PERU: Peru Is More Than Just Food

Starting January 1, tickets prices to visit the city of Machu Picchu in Cusco increased for foreign visitors.

This announcement came from Cusco’s culture department who made the decision last January as a way to ensure the adequate measures are implemented to meet the international standards and recommendations set by UNESCO.

The entrance fees for foreign tourists to the ancient city of Machu Picchu will have an increase of S/ 24 for adults and S/ 12 for university students.

Foreigners who enter the Llaqta Inka of Machu Picchu and also intend to visit the mountain of Wayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain, Camino de las Fuentes and Inkaraqay Trail must pay an additional S/ 48.

The afternoon entrance to Machu Picchu, after 1 p.m., will increase by S/ 10 for adults and S/ 5 for foreign university students.

As for the Inca Trail Network, the adult rate for routes 1, 2, 3 and 4, will increase by S/ 38 and S/ 19 for students.

“Tourists operators were aware of the new prices since last January and had all year to adapt to the new rates,” said Vidal Pino, Director of the Culture Department in Cusco.

Peru’s ancient city of Machu Picchu was TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Landmarks top selection for 2016.

According to the world’s most popular travel site, Machu Picchu claimed the Travelers’ Choice 2016 Award, the most important prize granted by TripAdvisor.

Peru is more than just food

Peru’s Exports and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru) announced: “this important recognition is the outcome of intense efforts by PromPeru, which has allowed our country to position itself as an important destination for visitors year after year, through campaigns such as ‘Peru, land of hidden treasures’ and ‘Peru, to the world.’”

Here are the top 10 destinations (out of 25):

1. Machu Picchu, Cusco region (Peru)
2. Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
3. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap (Cambodia)
4. St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City (Italy)
5. Taj Mahal, Agra (India)
6. Mezquita Cathedral, Cordoba (Spain)
7. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg (Russia)
8. The Alhambra, Granada (Spain)
9. Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. (United States)
10. Duomo di Milano (Italy)

TripAdvisor has highlighted the planet’s top landmarks based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected throughout the year from travelers from all over the globe.

PERU: Lima Airport Partners Invests Over US$5 million In Jorge Chavez International Airport

Lima Airport Partners (LAP) has invested US$5.355 million in the expansion of services at the capital's Jorge Chavez International Airport, the private operator informed.

This way, LAP seeks to improve services for domestic and international passengers passing through the main Peruvian terminal.

Works include the expansion of check-in facilities with 16 new desks (8 new double counters).

As a result, part of the International Hall will be closed for a two-month period (from May 10 to July 1, approximately.)

In addition, the renovated airport will feature a larger baggage claim area for domestic flights with 2 additional carousels.

The project will also involve new operational facilities, as well as the revamping of the Domestic Arrivals Hall and commercial area.

New airlines

"We keep working on enhancing services offered at the [Jorge Chavez] airport," LAP General Manager Juan Jose Salmon affirmed.

"This time, we will make significant improvements in check-in and baggage claim area services to increase our service capacity," he explained.

Said upgrading works owe to the airport's growing operations following the entry of new airlines and greater passenger flow.

Northeastern Amazonas region expects to double last year's number of visitors to the archaeological complex of Kuelap and hit the 120,000 visits mark expected by the cable-car system concessionaire, said head of Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur) Jose Luis Alvarez Ramos.

"We expect about 120,000 visits to Kuelap, and 300,000 to the whole region. This is the growth margin forecast for this year," the official told Andina news agency.

Other interesting tourist attractions include Gocta Waterfall, Valley of the Waterfalls, canyoning in Cuispes (Bongara province), the Cocoa Route and visits to conservation areas.

Alvarez noted the surge in hotel investment volumes in the region, which results in an improved economic performance.

"We also want to work on quality products," he added.

Remarks were made at the launch of 22nd Tourist Week- the Chachapoya's Raymi Llaqta 2017, an event that combines cultural and dancing traditions of northeastern communities.

Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Eduardo Ferreyros on Wednesday said southern Peru regions lure 85% of foreign tourists visiting the Andean country throughout the year.

"We are working to link regions and pursuing Jorge Chavez International Airport decongestion," he pointed out.

Moreover, he referred to the airline travel industry's proposal of opening new interregional routes in Peru.

This is a result of Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry's work to invigorate tourism industry in the South American country.

Ferreyros disclosed Latam Airlines will introduce a new service between Cusco and Trujillo. This direct flight is set to operate three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) starting in second half of July.

"Connecting Cusco and the Moche Route will facilitate tourists' entry into the country," he added.

More than 3,000 passengers are expected to fly on Cusco-Trujillo flights each month.

The time will be approximately 110 minutes, a 56% reduction from the flight with a stop in Lima.

Domestic flight ticket prices will go down by up to 25% in two months.

He went on to say China has become Asia's second largest source of visitors to Peru, after Japan.

He referred to Peru's recent international recognition as Best Americas Tourist Destination at the 2017 Shanghai World Travel Fair (SWTF).

According to the official, it is the result of a government strategy to attract Chinese tourists to the country.

Peru's Culture Minister Salvador del Solar unveiled completed restoration works on Inca agricultural terraces located in Yucay district's Paraccaypata area, Urubamba province.

Conservation works helped patch up said agricultural terraces, which experienced serious deterioration and showed loss of stone elements in the structure.

Emergency works entailed an investment of S/100,000 (about US$30,413) from Decentralized Culture Directorate of Cusco (DDCC).

Paraccaypata agricultural terraces, or Andenes, are about 100-meter long and 5-meter high. They are surrounded by a river channeled during Inca times, which irrigates fertile lands destined for the Panacas (royal families) during the Incanato (period of rule of the Inca empire).

Bifacial stairs stand out among the place's most distinctive features. They resemble two bifurcated stair-step like access points that facilitate the flow of people.

Another highlight includes the impressive stone-lined irrigation channel, which denotes Incas' stylish architectural practice.

Located in Peru's southern Arequipa region, Colca Valley welcomed 60,241 (domestic and foreign) tourists in the January-April 2017 period.

According to local authorities, the number "was important" taking into account the Andean country had been hit by natural disasters over recent months.

The current figure is lower than the one registered in the same period last year.

However, the number of foreign arrivals was not affected by recent events.

"Over 50% of tourists, who visited Colca Valley, had come from the United States and other countries in Europe," Caylloma province Mayor Romulo Tinta expressed.

Lastly, the official is confident the area will receive more than 250,000 sightseers by year-end.

Colca Valley is located four hours from the city of Arequipa if traveling by bus. There is a paved road leading to such natural site.

PERU: Mandatory Guides For Tourists To Machu Picchu

Visitors to Machu Picchu will have to hire an official guide to enter the Inca Citadel starting July 1, a top official at the Ministry of Culture said..

“Most tourists have made those arrangements long in advance, but for those who have not, there are official guides available (for hire) at the entrance,” said Dr. Elías Carreño Peralta, the Ministry of Culture’s official in charge of implementing the 2015-2019 Machu Picchu Master Plan.

Currently, the official guides at Machu Picchu’s entrance charge approximately a hundred soles for up to four visitors, or approximately 25 soles, or just under $8, each.

He said the regulations mandating the use of official guides is the culmination of months of public hearings and workshops with local authorities, tourism federations and travel businesses.

A ministerial resolution approving the new Regulations of Sustainable Use and Touristic Visits for the Conservation of the Inca City of Machu Picchu was published in February.

Carreño Peralta’s comments to Peruvian Times come a week after Cusco’s regional Culture Directorate announced that starting July 1, visitors to Machu Picchu will have to enter in two shifts, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

The first shift would be from 6 a.m. until 12 p.m. and the second from 12 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The maximum size of tourist groups will also be reduced from 20 to 16 visitors, Carreño Peralta said.

Carreño Peralta offered an in-depth explanation about the changes coming to Machu Picchu in an exclusive interview with Peruvian Times, published in January.

The new ticketing system for visitors to Machu Picchu to enter the Inca citadel in two shifts, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, will start July 1.

Cusco’s regional Culture Directorate announced the long-heralded change on its Machu Picchu ticket sales page in a pop-up communique.

The first shift would be from 6 a.m. until 12 p.m. and the second from 12 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

“Reservation and sale of entrance tickets for these two different shifts will be starting June 1, 2017,” in accordance with the UNESCO-endorsed Master Plan for the iconic Inca sanctuary. “In the month of May the necessary adjustments will be made in the system,” the communique said.

A government resolution approving the new Regulations of Sustainable Use and Touristic Visits for the Conservation of the Inca City of Machu Picchu was published in February.

“This measure is adopted with the aim of ensuring a better flow of tourism, conservation and preservation of the citadel in accordance with the Master Plan of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu,” the statement said.

Dr. Elías Carreño Peralta, the Ministry of Culture’s official in charge of implementing the 2015-2019 Machu Picchu Master Plan, explained this measure, among several others, in an extensive interview with Peruvian Times, published in January.

The Master Plan lays out a drastic “reconceptualization” ofthe site, which each year receives an increasing number of visitors.

A record 1.4 million visitors toured Machu Picchu in 2016, an 11 percent increase over the prior year, according to official figures provided by Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

“Unlike petroleum and gold, which can be depleted, Machu Picchu should remain forever,” Carreño Peralta said, “But all of us have to do our part and respect the regulations.”

Immigration office deported four tourists this week, on charges of acts against “public and internal order.”

The tourists —from Uruguay and Argentina— were caught painting graffiti on an adobe wall in the Tricentenario square in Cusco. Although the graffiti was painted on a “non historical” wall that is covered in cement and white paint, and caused no irreparable damage, authorities said the paintings damaged the visual aspect of the city.

Justice Luz Cardenas ordered the tourists to repaint the wall before they were escorted to the Bolivian border for deportation on Wednesday. Three of the tourists were from Uruguay — Sereno Borderolle (31), Nicolle Saad (23), and Luisina Moreira (26)— and the fourth, Ludmila Nykolajczuk (27), was from Argentina.

Under the new Immigration Law enacted in March this year, (D.L. 1350, Art. N° 58° subarticle “f”), the tourists are prohibited re-entry into Peru for 15 years.

PERU: Incoming Foreign Tourists Increase

December 2016 was a busy month, though the report shows less arrivals came with work visas. Can you guess which nationality had the greatest count of arrivals?

What could have possibly been driving a greater number of tourists to visit Peru last December? Was it the warming temperatures as summer innocently crept into our lives, the year-round offering of delicious food, or perhaps looking for a brighter future outside of their country?

According to INEI (National Institute of Statistics and Information) a 13% increase of foreigners arrived in December 2016 as compared to the same month of 2015. More than 404,000 tourists, diplomats, among others, landed at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International airport the final month of the year alone.

Interestingly, INEI notes that despite more incoming foreigners, there was a 3.1% decrease in those arriving with work visas.

Of those taken into account, 26.4% of arrivals were of US American nationality. Chileans (8.1%), Colombians (7.7%), Argentinians (7.4%), and Spaniards (6.4%) rounded out the top five nationalities to arrive to the capital’s airport.

Peruvians themselves were also on the move, as INEI reports over 298,000 Peruvians traveled abroad that month, a 7% increase as compared to the year prior. The principal destination was the United States (27.4%), followed in popularity by Spain (11%) and Chile (10.3%).

Peru’s southern Arequipa region has attracted over 1.5 million visitors so far this year, said Miguel Apaza Peña, regional foreign trade and tourism manager.

This 6 percent increase reflects 1.3 million domestic visitors and just over 200,000 foreign visitors.

The influx of domestic tourism relects Peruvians’ increasing interest within their own country despite the time of year; the influx of foreign tourists only happened during certain months.

The Regional Foreign Trade and Tourism Management has a goal to increase the tourist inflow by 10 percent in 2017.

This can be achievable through the international conferences Arequipa has been chosen to host come next year. One such conference is the Mining Convention put together by the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers.

These events are an opportunity to get more people interested in the city and its tourist attractions, since many take advantage of their academic stay in Arequipa to go sightseeing.

During the APEC holiday in Lima, thousands are traveling to enjoy the beaches of northern Peru. What are your plans?

Located in the extreme northwest region of Peru, the city of Tumbes is a popular travel destination throughout the year.

And as the city of Lima hosts the APEC conference next week, thousands of natives and visitors alike will visit this provincial capital.

According to Wilfredo Barrientos, the regional director of foreign trade and tourism, this November 17-19 are declared non-working holidays.

Many Limenos are traveling to take advantage of the holidays. Thus, companies are already advertising promotional packages…We expect around 8,000 visitors during these holidays, who will enjoy the best of the region, Barrientos said.

Tumbes for kids: Get to know the activities they can do

In preparations for the influx of visitors, local authorities are making arrangements for cleanliness and ideal beach access for all, including the main southern beaches: Canoas de Punta Sal, Zorritos and La Cruz.

Barrientos encouraged all visitors to research their travel destinations and utilized companies beforehand as well as to make reservations in advance for smoother trips.

For the third consecutive year, the Global Destination Index crowned Lima as the most visited city in Latin America.

For the third consecutive year, the Global Destination Index study by Mastercard placed Lima as the most visited city in Latin America with 4.3 million visitors during 2016.

For the report, 132 cities worldwide were included, divided into which ones had the most visitors per region. Nineteen cities in Latin America were rated and among the top selections are previous winners like Mexico DF and Punta Cana.

This recognition puts Lima among the most important cities in the world and adds to the important awards our country has already collected this year. Awards such as the Best Culinary destination in South America by the World Travel Awards and having the top two ranking restaurants in Latin America’s 50 Best list.

The Pincholla hot springs offer a new destination for tourists who want to witness volcanic activity.

Tourists flock to Arequipa for its beautiful scenery and trails, even more so in recent years. In fact, this month, approximately “120,000 tourists” are expected to visit Arequipa, estimated Arequipa’s Hotels, Restaurants and related Establishments Association (AHORA-Arequipa) Chairman Rafael Cornejo.

Now, a new tourist route arises: Pinchollo geysers, located in Arequipa´s Colca Valley. This unique natural attraction may increase tourism even more. State-run Colca Valley Autonomous Authority (Autocola) is promoting the Pinchollo hot springs, acccording to Andina News.

Caylloma Province Mayor Romulo Tinta claimed the Pinchollo springs are in the process of being improved for both domestic and foreign tourists.

One feature of the hot springs which people may be interested in is the constant steam rising, indicating volcanic activity. Water rises simultaneously with eruptions of the Sabancayay volcano, located 100 km northwest of Arequipa.

Additionally, Hualca Hualca peak is visible in the distance at the Pincholla geysers. Colca Valley also maintains its culture, which consists of towns dating back to pre-Incan times.

There is a lot to see and appreciate at Arequipa´s Colca Valley. Currently, the area receives few visitors, but that could change soon.

The Chamber of Tourism expects the Schengen visa waiver agreement to increase flow between Europe and Peru regions.

More than one million tourists arrived in Cusco in the first half of this year. This figure is destined to increase however, with the elimination of the Schengen visa, according to the Chairman of the Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) Jorge Jochamowitz.

The Chairman indicated that the tourist flow between Peru and the European Union will increase by 3% next year, once the elimination is in full force and biometric passports are implemented.

This month the National Superintendency of Migration (Migrations) announced that starting in December, the biometric passports will be issued to Peruvians, allowing them short-term travel to the Schengen region countries.

Jochamowitz said that the visa waiver agreement means a “vote of confidence to Peru” and will increase the lure as a travel destination for Europeans.

According to Jochamowitz, about 700,000 European tourists arrived in Peru in 2014, Their favored destinations include Arequipa, Cusco, Puno, Lima and the jungle.

Of the European travelers coming to Peru, the Spanish make up the highest percentage followed by German, French, English and Italian.

Once completed, will we see the ancient citadel become the Machu Picchu of the north?

Have you been to Kuelap, the fortified citadel in northern Peru?

Despite being one of the largest ancient monuments in the Americas, Kuelap has yet to receive the same amount of attention from tourists as Peru’s famed citadel, Machu Picchu.

Although Kuelap, noted for its exquisitely built round houses, sits at about half the altitude of Machu Picchu (3,000 m.a.s.l., as compared to 7,000-plus m.a.s.l. of the Incan fortress), the ease of getting to the Kuelap site has always been an issue.

Travel to the Amazonas region and visit: Kuelap

In the next few weeks however, we can expect that to change. According to Eduardo Ferrereyos, Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, a cable car service stretching 4 km should be completed by the end of January or early February of this year.

The service aims to increase tourism to the Amazonas region gem, by cutting the travel time (typically done by car) from 1 hour 30 minutes to as quick as 20 minutes. Tthere will 26 cabins with the capacity to hold 8 passengers each. Round-trip tickets will run S/ 20.

Back in December 2016, the minister noted locals would be able to ride for free during an initial 10-day trial period.

We are working in different ways to boost private investments, so the area has all services to cater for tourists, such as hotels, Ferreyros told local station TV Peru.

In October 2016, LATAM began offering direct flights from Lima to Jaen, a significant boost for tourism in Chachapoyas, a town in northern Peru just hours from Jaen. From here, travelers can take a 2 hour 30 minute drive to Kuelap.

Built between 500 and 800 AC by the Chachapoya civilization, the well-preserved remnants of Kuelap have led archaeologists to label it a fortress as well as a religious or administrative center.

Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel aims to delight the senses with the latest series of web videos in mark of their renovation.

What makes for an unforgettable journey?

Is it one that forces you to step out of your comfort zone or, perhaps, a journey so freeing that you feel like a completely different person?

Whatever may be the cause for its significance, an unforgettable journey is no doubt full of stories – some of which you’ll share with friends and family back home, and others that are better kept private.

Nestled in the foothills of the sanctuary sits Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel, which boasts itself as the “only five-star hotel in Machu Picchu town.” The company promises to combine luxury with responsible tourism, though these factors really play backdrop to the magical setting.

The hotel has recently gone under a renovation and is on its way to celebrating 10 years.

Does this video make you want to experience what it’s like “immersing yourself into an unknown culture, while feeling catered for as if at home”?

We have just one question: who’s doing the catering at home, and how can we sign up?

PERU: Machu Picchu Is Highest Among "Top 25 Landmarks - World" On TripAdvisor

One of the seven new wonders of the world continues appearing among the most enigmatic cities. This time, El Santuario de Machu Picchu (The Sanctuary of Machu Picchu), located in the province of Cusco in Peru, took first place on the list of top 25 landmarks in the world by TripAdvisor in the Travellers' Choice Awards 2016, overtaking legendary places like the Taj Mahal in India and the Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

TripAdvisor, a tourism website that has more than 340 million monthly site visits, holds the Traveller's Choice awards every year, where they recognize remarkable performance in the tourism industry. The travelers are the ones that pick the best option.

They offer their opinions and comments among thousands of other users, rating quality, service, and satisfaction on each trip.

The Inca Citadel took first place on the list of the top 25 landmarks in the world, surpassing the Mezquita in Cordoba (Spain), the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Russia), the Alhambra (Spain), the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (United States), and the Milan Duomo (Italy), among others.

TripAdvisor's results had an impact in international media such as the Daily Mail from the UK, the Malay Mail Online from Malaysia, and La Republica from Italy, highlighting the historical, cultural, and natural importance of Machu Picchu, and continuing to incentivize tourism in this wonder of the world.

Millennials – anyone between 18 and 34 years of age – are a group on the rise in Peru’s domestic and inbound tourism industry.

This information was published in the studies “Millennials 2014 – Domestic Tourism” and “Millennials 2014 – Inbound Tourism” based on a collection of statistics, studies, and analyses of companies and organizations associated with this sector.

“Millenniums place importance on a variety of factors, but two are particularly significant: when they pick a destination, they don’t choose the typical cities and mass attractions, and they have the advantage of being continually connected and frequently posting to social networks,” explained Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

This group consists of young people that reached adulthood with the change of the millennium. They are collaborative and very connected. They like to learn, and they hold themselves to a high standard because they like to be rewarded for their hard work.

They are very travel-oriented and likely to know more about various tourist destinations and packages because of their familiarity with technology.

Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism stated that approximately 541,000 millennials from South America, North America and Europe visited Peru in 2014. 55% were male, 34% were students, 12% technical professionals and 11% work in the service industry.

The average amount spent by each was US$1,086. The aim of their travels was personal growth in line with their social and environmental values.

Millennials make up 35% of the population of Peru. A total of 476,000 Peruvian millennials took 1.2 million trips within the country, with an average stay of six nights and 484 soles spent per person.

Peruvian millennials organize their trips on their own: 45% found information on the internet, 55% became interested in traveling because of the comments and experiences of family members and friends and 43% did not look for information because they had already visited the place.

Most millennials prefer the beaches of Piura, the Churín Hot Springs, the historical monuments of Libertad, Ica and Colca Canyon in Arequipa. 60% are male, 44% students, 18% technical professionals and 16% work in the service sector. The majority live in Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Huancayo and Piura.

The Autonomous Authority of Colca has suspended the visits to the Colca Valley until August 17, 2016 after the earthquake that took place in Caylloma, which affected the districts of Ichupampa, Yanque, Achoma, Chivay and Coporaque.

According to official reports, the quake didn't cause any damage in the city of Arequipa.

Local and national authorities are working on cleaning and unblocking the roads disrupted by landslides as a result of the earthquake. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR ) would like to remind the public that INDECI is the organization in charge of preparation, response and recovery of natural disasters at national, regional and local levels.

Also, through iperu, MINCETUR accepts emergency calls at (00 51 1) 574-8000. We will be giving updated information as soon as possible.

Lima, the capital of Peru, is leading at the continental level in organizing international meetings according to the 2015 ranking from the International Congresses and Convention Association (ICAA). In addition, as a country Peru is #39 on the world ranking of countries in terms of event organization.

In the ranking provided by the ICCA, Lima leads in international meeting growth, and though it is tied with Buenos Aires, the capital still leads in number of attendees, which experienced an increase of 86% from 2014 to 2015.

In this ranking, Peru demonstrates an increase of 25% as a destination for international meetings. Additionally, the number of participants in the meetings increased by 73% in comparison to 2014, ranking #39 in the world.

It is worth nothing that Arequipa appears for the third consecutive year on the ranking list with 10 meetings, the largest figure of 2014; and Cusco appears again with 5 events.

The International Congresses and Convention Association (ICCA) has almost 1,000 members dedicated to meetings tourism in 90 countries around the world.

The ranking is put together annually, offering destinations greater visibility and prestige to organizers of meetings worldwide, considering just meetings that regularly rotate between countries and have a minimum of 50 (foreign) participants.

The member countries of the Pacific Alliance staged the 2nd Tourist Caravan in each of their capitals, starting on April 5th in Mexico City and ending on April 14th in Lima, Peru.

This second caravan aims to increase tourist traffic between the four countries and consists of a training seminar held in each country. Participants included 104 Peruvian companies and representatives of the flagship airlines of the Pacific Alliance countries: Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

In each of the cities, the flagship airlines and tourism board representatives of the Alliance countries took a walking tour where they were able to interact with the business people attending the event.

“A key item on the seminar’s agenda was sharing success stories. Three private companies from each country presented tourism packages which feature destinations within the Pacific Alliance and which are now part of their current travel portfolio,” explained Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

The minister also explained that Peru presented the success stories of companies such as PTS Perú, Mava Travel Perú and Fiesta Tours International.

It is a momentous week for the region as new airlines are set to add flights to the land of the Incas and establish it as the hub of South American air travel. Airlines such as British Airways and Interjet, and direct flights between Washington D.C. and Lima will all boost the tourism industry.

The service offered by new flights and airlines solidifies our capital’s position as a hub for South American air traffic. In connection with the launch of each of these operations, PROMPERÚ is making a great effort to form strategic alliances with the aim of promoting tourism activity in the country, said Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

On May 3rd, LAN operated its first flight between Washington DC and Lima. The passengers that arrived at the capital around 6:20 a.m. were given a special welcome with typical Peruvian dances.

It should be highlighted that last March, the capital of the United States declared the first Sunday in June as Peruvian Gastronomy Day.

The new airlines, such as British Airways, will offer direct flights between London and Lima, opening up the possibilities for growth in the UK market and in European countries.

The inaugural flight took off from Lima on May 4th. Also, Mexican airline Interjet will offer a new itinerary to Mexico City, strengthening the commitment to integrate Peru with the Pacific Alliance between Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru.

Air travel between Peru and the world’s main cities saw substantial growth during 2015: 3.5 million international tourists set foot in this country in 2015, a 7.5% increase over 2014.

With regard to the events of the early morning of 14 July on board the Amazon Discover cruise ship, which at the time was conducting normal tourist operations on the Amazon River, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) hereby reports the following to the public:

MINCETUR is saddened by the news of the Amazon Discover cruise ship and stands in solidarity with the tourists that have been affected.

The Peruvian National Police is conducting an investigation in order to clarify these events and find the culprits.

It is important to note that this hold up on board the Amazon Discover cruise ship was a completely isolated event.

MINCETUR, through the Tourist Protection Network, working with the Ministries of Defence and of the Interior, and the Peruvian Navy and Peruvian National Police, have taken the necessary measures to ensure the smooth operation of tourist activity on the Amazon River and prevent similar events from occurring.

PERU: Peru Is Where To Go In 2017

The famous US news agency, specialized in economic and business issues, Bloomberg, chose Peru within the 20 tourist destinations that must be visited in 2017 worldwide.

The list "Where to go 2017" highlighted the increase of tourist services of the Andean country. The traveler has to think beyond Machu Picchu to the Incan salt ponds of Maras, the uncharted, snow-capped mountains of Veronica and Sawasiray.

It also remarks other tourist attractions such as Lake Titicaca, located in the city of Puno, considered by the agency as a mystical place and with an infinite horizon that every traveler should encounter, specially for those who want to visit little popular circuits.

Among the activities recommended are the so-called Trekking, long-distance or mountain excursions, ideal for the adventure lovers.

In addition, the tourist will find a wide offer of hotels and lodgings, as well as public transport services that will make it easier to get to these attractions.

It should be remembered that this year The New York Times recognized the Sacred Valley of Cusco as one of the most interesting places to see, highlighting its gastronomy and cultural traditions.

The famous Machu Picchu ruins have long made Peru one of South America’s leading tourism destinations.

More recently Peru has attracted new segments of international tourists with Peruvian cuisine, ecotourism and other cultural highlights which drive continued growth in Peru’s tourism sector.

With major infrastructure projects underway, the city of Lima attempts to position itself as a regional hub for business tourism.

The Jorge Chavez airport in Lima is also an important hub strategically located for connecting flights within South America.

Tourism to Peru has more than tripled since the year 2000. The MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index has ranked Lima the most visited city in Latin America since 2011, when it surpassed Buenos Aires.

In 2015, MasterCard estimates Lima received 5.1 million international overnight visitors, which was significantly more than Mexico City (2.6 million) and Sao Paulo (2.5 million).

The sites with the highest proportions of international visitors are Raqchi (88.8%), Huaca Pucllana (79.7%), the Titicaca National Reserve (75.6%) and the Santa Catalina monastery (72.4%).

The sites with the lowest proportions of international visitors are the Paracas National Reserve (17.3%), Huaca del Sol y de la Luna (22.4%), Chan Chan (23.2%) and Huascaran National Reserve (24.1%).

Visitors from other countries in South America account for 57.4% of international visitors to Peru. With Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the total reaches 60%. The United States, Canada and Europe account for just over 35% and Asia makes up 4% of total visitors.

PERU: Machu Picchu, Iquitos And The Amazon River

After experiencing Lima and Cusco as newlyweds, we were headed off for the adventure portion of our honeymoon: heading into Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and then jetting off to a jungle town to depart on a three-day river cruise down the Amazon. Traditional honeymoon? Not so much. An adventure of a lifetime? Definitely.

With limited time in Peru, we took the Hiram Bingham train from Cusco to Machu Picchu which helped with altitude sickness (Machu Picchu is actually at a lower elevation than Cusco). Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most iconic sites, filled with mystery and dramatic beauty. In all honesty, part of me was a bit fearful that we’d arrive and it would be a bit anticlimactic; so built up and just like every picture I’d seen. It wasn’t.

It was magical. The journey from the base town of Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu is breathtakingly beautiful and the park itself is an incredible experience. We had a tour guide take us through and point out the sites. While I’m not typically a tour guide person, I don’t think there’s any other way to see this place properly. There’s too much history and mysticism around Machu Picchu to see it without someone explaining the history and sacred-qualities of some of the sites. Incredible.

After our time in Machu Picchu, we headed to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where we spent two nights in Urubamba. Perhaps the biggest surprise of our trip (we had no expectations or pre-conceived notions about the area), the Sacred Valley left us mesmerized.

Where we questioned the authenticity of people in Cusco from time to time, there was no questioning anything here. While there were other tourists, they were few and far between. We spent one of our most memorable days exploring a local market in Urubamba, buying nothing but taking everything in.

Our desire to experience a more authentic side of Peru was accomplished more than ever during our day in the Sacred Valley.

The Amazon River was the final piece of our honeymoon puzzle. We had experienced city life, Incan culture and Machu Picchu and were excited to experience the river. We started with a full day in Iquitos, the river town from which we were to depart on our three-day river cruise. The city was a totally different experience, home to an incredibly impoverished community.

The majority of visitors to the town were there to explore the Amazon or to participate in an ayahuasca retreat. We were part of the former group and boarded our Aqua Expeditions ship to begin exploring the region with 19 other passengers, ages 12 - 80. Our cruise gave us the perfect taste of the Amazon.

We spent days going out on excursions in the morning and evening, taking off on skiffs with small groups to explore deeper into the river. We swam in the Amazon (I know, sounds suspect, but it’s totally okay), went piranha fishing, trekked in the jungle with local guides and did a late-night excursion to spot caimans.

We bonded with the small group of other passengers on the boat, and sipped on red wine, exchanging stories with other guests while floating down the river. The cruise was bittersweet. It was an exciting new adventure that also marked the last days of our time in Peru.

Sure, we could have spent much more time in Peru but we left feeling fulfilled after our disparate adventures. In two short weeks, we had explored a region that was unlike any other place we had visited together. And no, Peru may not be the sexiest honeymoon destination, but those memories and those experiences are hard to beat. Watching the sunrise in Machu Picchu together? Well, that doesn’t get much better.

PERU: Chinese Visitors To Peru

The capital city, Lima, the country’s beach area and the famed folklore of Peru are some of the most popular attractions among Chinese visitors to the Inca nation.

"We should take advantage of the long-lasting friendship between these two nations, particularly now that the Asian Giant has money," says Teresa Joo Lamg, general manager at Peru-China Chamber of Commerce.

"Chinese vacationers spend money, are keen to explore the world and travel in groups," she told Peru’s official newspaper El Peruano.

To Chinese, Peru is a faraway nation on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. "So once they are in South America, they expect to find interesting places and shows."

"While in Cusco, they are prone to altitude sickness, and not everyone is able to avoid it," however, she explained such visitors like Lima.

A few year ago, Joo had the chance to join a delegation visiting Congress and the Government Palace. "They looked astonished! This caught their attention. People can visit the Great Hall of the People in China. They just like those kind of places."

Asian visitors also look for museums, but the beach is what is loved the most. China has a coastline; however, many cities are inland.

"Churches? They don’t like them very much, and dislike catacombs. Although they are interested in political topics, given the different systems."

Moreover, Chinese travelers take an interest in folklore. China has 56 different ethnic groups, who have preserved their dances and customs.

They usually buy crafted items, mainly alpaca wool scarves and sweaters.

BOLIVIA: Amaszonas Offers Flights To Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Amaszonas offers flights to a wide range of destinations within Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Amaszonas, the Bolivian private airline whose aim is to be come the best regional airline in South America, now offers a wide range of destinations within South America.

These destinations include Montevideo, Ciudad del Este, Asuncion, Iquique, Uyuni, Sucre, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, La Paz, Rurrenabaque, Rurrenabaque, Lima and Cusco.

Amaszonas offers to flights to see Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat and Rurrenabaque, the door to the greatest reserve of biodiversity in the Amazon.

PERU: Unrecognised Small Fields of Peru

The mountain and hill slopes of Peru look different from anywhere else. Around Cusco and elsewhere in the Andean republic they look quilted from a myriad of small field and foot paths while in my home they are large swaths of uninterrupted space. The difference is that in Peru they slopes have been cultivated continuously for millennia.

Though the slopes are very steep still they contain fields, as if every bit of land were valuable for producing food and sustenance. You can see the boundaries marking families’ plots and some days you will see men and women working them, using a foot plow, a chaquitaqlla, to turn the earth and plant seed.

These tiny fields, so different from the endless stretches of corn in Nebraska, or the soybeans that have claimed entire savannahs in Bolivia, Paraguay, or Brazil, have been the backbone of Peruvian civilization and life.

It is not just the small fields, but also that they are farmed and often still “owned” in community—families have enduring rights to till, that has made the system work and has fed millennia of Peruvians. Even today, this system provides much food, perhaps even the vast majority of food, that feeds the cities and towns of the country.

Nevertheless, the country currently pushes larger scale and capital intensive farming, especially for export. In Ica you an see vast expanses claimed from the desert and watered with advanced and expensive systems of limited irrigation that produce onions, peppers, and fruit for export.

These exports also make their way into markets and especially stock supermarkets throughout the country, though most agriculture is the small scale variety.

Nevertheless, Peru’s government is uncomfortable with the traditional system, because it is traditionally communal and not individual, labor intensive and not capital intensive, dedicated to small internal markets rather than vast internal and external exchanges, and so on. Peru is interested in modernity and development though its laws still protect and support the small farm sector.

The small family farmers of Peru are under appreciated for their contribution to Peruvian civilization and for their important role in modern times. Planners lament the many small coffee or cacao plantings worked by small scale farmers because of their “inefficiencies”, while they fail to see the efficiencies of such historically and even in the present.

The planners’ scope is myopic, focused of large scale management and monetary profits, things that are calculable in ways that enter on ministerial forms to show the growth and advancement of the country as a neoliberal power.

Still the farmers of Cusco and elsewhere in Peru continue. They keep the thousands of varieties of potatoes and corn alive and send them to the market, sometimes int he trucks of cooperatives or those of aggregators, and sometimes in bags they carry them selves.

The richness of Peru may lie these days in formal investment and percentages of return on capital, but it also rests in its small farmers. Their seed stocks and productive fields, their knowledge, and their contribution to feeding the country are immense and should be recognized and valued.

Not all is a large modern tractor slicing into the earth or endless fields of oil palms, the quilt of fields and foot plows should be images on the walls of every planner and every politician. They are the ancient, contemporary, and future support of Peru.

PERU: Inca Festival Of The Sun In Cusco, Peru

Tika t'akaqkuna, the emperor's chosen women, scattering flowers ahead of his arrival.

Five centuries ago, the approach of the winter solstice must have been an anxious time for llamas grazing the Andean mountainsides near Cusco in modern-day Peru.

Here at the heart of the vast Inca empire that stretched from Colombia to Chile, the Inca emperor and his subjects would gather as the Sun reached its furthest point from the land and order a mass sacrifice of llamas to appease the Sun god, Inti. The Incas believed that the spilling of llama blood and other rituals would ensure Inti and his life-giving warmth and light would return; crops would grow and thus save them from starvation.

The Inca emperor arrives on a replica of the original golden litter.

Today, during the re-enactment of the ceremony that takes places annually in Cusco, llamas are once again centre stage, but, like the crowds who come to watch, they all get to go home afterwards unscathed.

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) celebrations take place in Cusco over several days but the most important rituals occur on June 24, the day of the winter equinox. Thousands of Peruvians, augmented by many hundreds of overseas visitors, start the day by making their way to the plaza beside the ruins of what was once the richest temple in the Inca Empire, Qorikancha.

Cusco was the capital of the Incas' vast empire and was built in the shape of a puma, an animal they held sacred. Now probably best known as the builders of the stupendous "lost city" of Machu Picchu, the Incas for just over 100 years controlled the largest empire in the Americas. Springing from modest origins, probably as Andean llama herders, the Incas first began to figure in South American history during the late 12th to early 13th centuries but, for a relatively brief golden era between the 1430s and just before their final defeat by the Spanish in 1572, the Incas ruled the Andes and an empire encompassing most of modern-day Peru, along with parts of Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.

The representatives from the expanse of the Inca empire saluting the sun during the ceremony.

When the Spanish conquistadors fought their way through to Cusco in 1533 they found the walls of the Qorikancha temple lined with gold, 700 sheets of it, about 1400 kilograms in total. Subsidiary small temples dedicated to the moon and the stars were lined with sheets of solid silver. The temple, which had been built by the Incas' 10th emperor in the mid 15th century, was stripped of its treasures by the Spanish. By 1536 the temple had been handed over to the Dominican religious order, which converted it to a church and monastery, and banned the Inti Raymi for good measure.

Although the Incas' veneration of the Sun, along with their fascination and plethora of beliefs connected with the night skies, imply a heritage of age-old beliefs, the first Inti Raymi was in fact held for the first time in only 1412. It would not be reinstated until 1944.

On the morning of the 2015 re-enactment, Cusco's streets were a jostling mass of humanity... and a few llamas. Most of the locals were Quechua, direct descendants of the Incas. Traditionally dressed women, small in height but due to the voluminous nature of their skirts almost circular in breadth – posed artfully in their bowler hats beside immaculately groomed llamas. Some even added a snowy white lamb to the composition and ruthlessly pursued any tourist who neglected to pay a tip for a photo.

A sacred fire, lit from the rays of the sun, takes hold.

The aroma of giant heaps of freshly cooked popcorn drifted over the crowds; I resisted and chewed on coca sweets instead. At 3300m, Cusco can be literally breathtaking and coca leaves (from which cocaine is derived) are a recognised treatment for keeping mild altitude sickness at bay (quaffing coca tea is the more regular way to imbibe one's perfectly legal dose of coca, but to me it's akin to trying to drink a cupful of bay leaves steeped in hot water).

There was roast guinea pig available for lunch too. It's surprisingly rich and rather greasy but, if the painting in Cusco's cathedral is any indication, it received divine approval – it was the main dish served at the Last Supper, according to an 18th-century Quechua artist.

We watched the first part of Inti Raymi from a classroom overlooking the temple ruins and the grassy expanse of the adjacent plaza. Accompanied by a band of drummers and panpipers, hundreds of performers in an array of traditional costume danced their way into the open space. Above them, on the Inca-built stone terraces on which the temple was built, more participants emerged – Inca high priests, sweepers cleaning the path before the emperor, his chosen women scattering flowers ahead of him, and finally the emperor himself, along with the empress.

The Inca emperor’s handmaidens make their ceremonial entrance.


The rhythmic beat of the drums, the repetitive melodies from the panpipes and the swirl of colour and pageantry below was mesmerising. After addressing the Sun, the emperor, now borne on a golden litter, was carried in procession for 5km through the city and up to the former Inca stronghold of Saqsaywaman.

We made a less splendid journey to the site by bus. Saqsaywaman had, until the Spanish arrived, been a centre for Inca religious and military events and, with a backdrop of snow-capped Andean peaks, now made a spectacular setting for a second re-enactment of the Inti Raymi.

There were temporary stands for tourists but the hill behind had disappeared completely under a sea of locals; balloon sellers, wares bobbing overhead, wove among them, while down at our level, paramedics stretchered away at least two spectators with breathing problems.

A Quechua woman and companion making the most of one of the busiest days in Cusco's tourist calendar.

Dancers, some clad in multi-coloured skirts, other with feather headdresses, and others in rather scanty Amazonian-inspired attire (who were noticeably shaking with cold as the sun dipped low after about 4pm), filled the grassy square. The emperor descended from the fortress ruins, heralded by plumes of red smoke. His subjects paid homage, each section of the assembly dancing before him and offering tributes.

Corralled at the base of some of the original fortifications were a dozen or so llamas. As the climax of the ceremony approached several minions were sent to collect the chosen animal which was then "sacrificed" on the central altar.It could have been even more dramatic as apparently the Incas regularly made blood sacrifices of children or slaves.

The llama was either exceptionally well trained or tranquillised as it lay totally still, giving an extremely good impersonation of a sacrificially dispatched offering. Bonfires were lit and as one, the entire cast of hundreds turned towards the setting Sun and saluted its wintry light.

Yes, it was all very stage-managed and far more of a choreographed spectacle than what would have transpired 500 years ago. However, as the emperor, breastplate gleaming gold in the light, arms raised, pleaded with the Sun to return, it was impossible not to be transported, albeit briefly, back to a time of Sun gods, Earth mothers, sacred pumas and revered llamas.