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: Tourists Overwhelm Rainbow Mountain

Tourists gasp for breath as they climb for two hours to a peak in the Peruvian Andes that stands 5,000 meters above sea level.

They’re dead tired, but stunned by the magical beauty unfurled before them.

Stripes of turquoise, lavender and gold blanket what has become known as Rainbow Mountain, a ridge of multicolored sediments laid down millions of years ago and pushed up as tectonic plates clashed.

It’s only within the last five years that the natural wonder has been discovered by the outside world, earning it must-see status on Peru’s burgeoning backpacker tourist circuit.

You see it in the pictures and you think it’s photo shopped, but it’s real, says a tourist from Mexico.

The popularity of Rainbow Mountain, which attracts up to 1,000 tourists each day, has provided a much-needed economic jolt to this remote region populated by struggling alpaca herders.

Environmentalists, however, fear the tourists could destroy the treasured landscape, which is already coveted by international mining companies.

From the ecological point of view they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, said Dina Farfan, a Peruvian biologist who has studied threatened wildlife in the area just a few hours from the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.

As proof, he points to a 4-kilometer dirt trail climbed by tourists to reach Rainbow Mountain that has been badly eroded in the last 18 months, scarring the otherwise pristine landscape.

A wetland once popular with migrating ducks has also been turned into a parking lot the size of five football fields that fills each morning with vans of mostly European and American visitors.

There are more serious threats, too. Camino Minerals Corp., a Canadian-based mining company, has applied for mining rights in the mineral-rich area that includes the mountain.

The company does not respond to a request by The Associated Press for comment on its plans.

Yet the flood of tourists has meant jobs and hard cash for the local Pampachiri indigenous community, which has struggled with high rates of alcoholism, malnutrition and falling prices of wool for their prized alpaca.

Many have abandoned nomadic life for dangerous gold mining jobs in the Amazon.

Now, they charge tourists $3 each to enter their ancestral land, netting the community roughly $400,000 a year – a small fortune that has triggered a tax battle with an impoverished, nearby municipality, which has seen no part of the windfall.

The surge in tourists also comes with a responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and their new guests, and Pampachiri community leader Gabino Huaman admits he is not sure they are ready to fully handle it.

Despite the challenges, roughly 500 villagers have returned in the last couple of years to take up their ancestral trade of transporting goods across the Andes.

The difference is that now they are hauling tourists on horseback.

It’s a blessing, says Isaac Quispe, 25, who quit his job as a gold miner after six of his camp mates were murdered.

He returned home and bought a horse that last year earned him $5,200 hauling tourists uphill.

The guides dress in colorful woolen clothes and wide-brimmed, traditional hats to lead the horses.

Farfan, the biologist, said he hopes the Pampachiri can learn from other sustainable tourism endeavors in Peru.

It was the success of one such project, in the nearby town of Chillca, that first put Rainbow Mountain on the map.

For much of the past decade, a group of shepherds had been quietly taking small groups of tourists to the mountain as part of a five-day hike around the fast-melting Ausangate glacier.

Over time, and thanks to the stunning photographs posted on the internet, the secret got out.

Today the shepherds of Chillca manage four lodges made of eucalyptus wood with a capacity for 16 tourists each. They are lighted only by candle, but have hot water.

Arriving guests are given shoes made of alpaca leather and wool.

At dawn, lodge-keeper Orlando Garcia gently awakens his guests with a love song performed in the Quechua language.

You always have to be guessing what the client wants, and take care of it so you don’t lose their smile, Garcia says.

We want them to feel the greatest comfort at almost 16,404 feet.



Tourism Observer

PERU: Tourists Thrown Out Of Machu Picchu For Displaying Buttocks

A 26-year-old Dutch man was one of three tourists removed from the Incan citadel Machu Picchu in Peru on Tuesday because they dropped their pants and took photos of their bare buttocks.

The other two tourists are a 21-year-old German and a 24-year-old from Switzerland.

The three tourists dropped their pants to show their buttocks and took photos, a police spokesperson said. They were removed from the ancient site, but not arrested.

The Peruvian authorities banned nudeness at the citadel, because they consider it disrespectful.



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: 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: 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.

Latin America Received 41 Million Arrivals 2015

With over 41 million international arrivals in 2015 and an average growth of 5%, Latin America’s travel and tourism industry has incredible potential to help generate growth, create jobs and enable regional development.

But which countries are best positioned to benefit most from the industry? You might not be surprised to find out that beautiful natural sceneries like the Iguazu Falls and iconic cultural landmarks like Machu Picchu aren’t the only factors that determine whether a destination is competitive.

Every year, we release the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, which ranks countries based on a range of polices in place to enable the sustainable development of the sector.

The report looks at factors such as how easy it is to do business in a country, specific travel and tourism policies, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources.

So which are the 10 most competitive countries in Latin America? And more importantly, what do they all have in common?

The majority of Latin American nations rely on rich natural resources and good hospitality (what we refer to as “tourist service infrastructure”) to appeal to tourists. They also tend to be internationally open, through their visa policies.

Governments in the region realize the strategic role tourism plays in creating jobs (10% of global GDP) and support the sector proactively. At the same time, the region shares some areas for development, such as ground infrastructure and the opportunity to better value cultural resources.

While the best-performing countries have many features in common, they each have their own specificities that set them apart.

Looking at the results, you’ll see that Mexico leads the way, ranking 22nd globally and toping Latin America. It is one of the most improved countries in the index, rising eight positions this year.

The government’s prioritization of the sector and the great use of both natural and cultural resources have paid off.

To continue enhancing its competitiveness, Mexico should focus on making the country safer, and further commit to improving environmental sustainability and preserving its natural resources.

The Tulum Ruins on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, one of the country’s top tourist destinations

Brazil took the second spot in Latin America, ranking 27th globally. The country is blessed with the largest and more diverse natural resources on the planet, and strong cultural resources.

Brazil also benefits from good tourist service infrastructure and air connectivity, while remaining a price competitive destination.

Unfortunately, the security and business context have worsened. The homicide rate remains high and the business environment continues to worsen due to inefficiencies in the legal system, red tape and high taxes.

At the same time, the sector has not received much governmental support, with little investment and marketing activity.
Christ the Redeemer, one of Brazil’s most famous sites

Argentina is another country in Latin America that made significant progress, rising seven places in the global rankings to reach 50th position. The country, which is already endowed with exceptional natural and cultural resources, has significantly benefited from improvements to its “enabling environment” factors such as its labour market and ICT infrastructure.

Still, Argentina could better seize the momentum by investing more in the travel and tourism sector. Today, less than 2.5% of its government budget is invested in the sector, while the taxes and charges levied on tickets are among the highest in the world. Changing these policies could have a swift and direct effect on boosting the industry.

The Iguazu Falls, on the border between Argentina and Brazil, are the largest waterfall system in the world

Places To Visit Before You Die

Choquequirao, Peru
Choquequirao, hidden across the deep Apurimac Valley, was the last Inca refuge from the conquistadors, and there’s a growing traveller buzz to see it ASAP. A cable car will squeal into life in 2017 (or later; bureaucratic feet are dragging), gliding up to 3000 visitors a day to the ruins in just 15 minutes. Visit in the early days, or take the four-day trek in Inca footsteps, and have a taste of Machu Picchu all to yourself. You’ll only encounter a couple of visitors – plus the archaeologists who continue to peel back the jungle, which still cloaks two-thirds of the spectacular site.

Taranaki, New Zealand
The joke goes that most travellers who reach Taranaki have just taken a wrong turn, a gag backed by stats showing that just 2% of New Zealand’s international visitors venture out this way. But a new motto – ‘A Little Bit Out There’ – offsets the region’s remote location with a deliciously offbeat new gallery dedicated to effervescent kinetic artist, filmmaker, painter and poet, Len Lye. In nearby Egmont National Park, meanwhile, a magnificent hiking trail is emerging from the shadows to challenge the Tongariro Alpine Crossing as the country’s finest one-day walk.

The Azores, Portugal
Blending amazing nature and super-cool Iberian culture, the Azores offer accessibility from North America and Europe without the abundance of travellers who have discovered Iceland in recent years. The ‘next Iceland’ analogy extends beyond the archipelago’s positioning as a fascinating cross-the-pond pit stop. Its natural assets resemble an array of superlative sights pulled from other destinations: lush Hawaiian volcanoes, medieval Portuguese villages, gurgling Scandinavian hot springs, towering Irish cliffs and rugged Patagonian craters. But the secret won’t last: the Azores have seen a 31% increase in tourism over the last 12 months, so visit in the 2017 sweet spot before things really take off.

North Wales, UK
On the site of an aluminium factory in the Conwy Valley, Surf Snowdonia is perhaps the most headline-stealing example of North Wales’ reinvention: the machinery of this inland lagoon generates the world’s longest surfable human-made waves. Not to be outdone, Zip World at Penrhyn Quarry boasts the world’s fastest (and Europe’s longest) zip line. The same folks run Bounce Below: giant trampolines strung in the caverns beneath Blaenau Ffestiniog, one-time capital of Wales’ slate-mining industry. Capping things off, Snowdonia National Park – Wales’ largest – has been designated a ‘dark-sky reserve’ thanks to its lack of light pollution. Telescopes out, people (if you still have the energy)!

South Australia
Its climate may be hot, but South Australia offers the coolest mix of brilliant wine country, abundant produce festivals, stark and stunning tracts of picturesque Aussie outback and crowd-free beaches that could make even the Bahamas jealous. The Queen Mary 2 is putting South Australia on her travel list in 2017, choosing to dock not only in its artistic capital, Adelaide, but also taking in the rustic charms of Kangaroo Island. South Australia is a delicious feast suitable to anyone’s taste.

Aysén, Chile
There’s only one road into the Aysén region of Chilean Patagonia and if you follow its unpaved contours from start to finish you’ll experience a kaleidoscopic journey where foggy fjords give way to brooding rainforests, bone-dry pampas and powder- blue lagoons. Shaped by the forces of the Patagonian Ice Field – Earth’s third-largest freshwater reserve – Aysén is an extreme landscape in constant flux. But with fresh routes to glaciers, a booming craft-beer scene in remote hamlets and a massive new nature reserve green-lit for national-park status, Patagonia’s last frontier has never been such a delight to explore.

The Tuamotus, French Polynesia
Close your eyes, and imagine this: you land on a strip of coral, surrounding a glinting lagoon of every hue from lapis lazuli to turquoise – a perfect ring of islets edged with sandbars and ruffled coconut trees. Remember that tropical paradise that appears in countless adverts? Here’s the real thing. As if that weren’t enough, the Tuamotus are billed as ranking among the world’s best dive destinations, and that reputation has never been so justified: the number of dive areas is growing, and a new live-aboard dive boat is launching in 2017.

Coastal Georgia, USA
You’ve probably heard of Savannah – you know, that southern belle with a vibrant restaurant scene and gorgeous 19th-century mansions framed by oaks dripping with Spanish moss. But most visitors never know what lies just beyond: a coastline complete with quirky towns, historic treasures and wilderness-covered islands. Wait, Georgia has a coastline? Indeed, and quite a lovely one at that. So lovely that Hollywood has taken notice and started filming major movies here, including the Baywatch reboot, set to release in summer 2017. So if you’re seeking a coastal getaway of uncommon beauty, with plenty of adventure and without the crowds, go now, before the secret gets out.

Perak, Malaysia
Perak’s capital, Ipoh, is nurturing a bloom of vintage-style cafes and boutiques. The nucleus of this old-meets-new makeover is Kong Heng Block, surrounding the imaginative Sekeping Kong Heng hotel. Here, cheerful joints like Roquette Cafe, Burps & Giggles and Bits & Bobs pull a vibrant crowd to shop, dawdle and slurp ais kepal (ice balls) in this historic neighbourhood. Meanwhile, guesthouse owners and tour guides on Pangkor Island are starting to lead sustainable nature walks and village tours, thanks to a mentoring scheme by NGO ECOMY. In this sunbather’s paradise, an emerging focus on wildlife is a breath of fresh, sea air.

The Skellig Ring, Ireland
A long time ago, far, far away… a small band of monks established a hidden base on a remote, wave-pounded hunk of rock rising out of the Atlantic like a giant triangle. With a setting like this, it’s no wonder Skellig Michael made the new Star Wars location list. To get to this far-flung isle, a boat trip is necessary from the Skellig Ring, perhaps Ireland’s most charismatically wild and emerald stretch of coastline. Glimpsed at the end of The Force Awakens, Skellig Michael will play a bigger role in this year’s sequel and local businesses are gearing up for the expected visitor bump.
Voyage to the far-flung Skelligs

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: Inca ruins near Choquequirao

The Quispe family has lived here since it was a colonial encomienda held from rights of conquest by Hernando Pizarro in the mid-16th century. It is Adrián’s extensive knowledge of the region that has brought us to this remote, high mountain slope with a reasonable probability of locating undocumented Inca sites. It has been an exciting morning! Earlier, a dark colored Jergón, a small, lance-headed Andean viper noted for terrifying the Machu Picchu trekking hoards, scurried off the path into the bush.

A screeching, circling, squadron of brightly colored Andean Parakeets loudly protests invasion of their home turf. Magnificent glacier-crowned peaks mystically appear out of a swirling cloud mass in full retreat as the intense equatorial sun methodically illuminates a line of unclimbed summits of the nearly forgotten Vilcabamba range. Now, we may have found what we came for, the mountainside ruins called Incaracay, predictably named ‘place of the Inca’, just below timberline at 11,800 feet.

We are camped nearby on a small, cleared bench some six thousand feet above the sacred Inca Apurimac River raging below through a deep gorge. The name Apurimac itself suggests adventure. In Quechua, traditional language of the Andes and once official lingua of the Inca state, Apu means a powerful force, spirit or God. Rimac is to speak, or in this case, perhaps to roar – The river of the voice of God. Wow, it could be the title for yet another Clive Cussler thriller or Harrison Ford film.

I have often thought that the Inca must have had works and cultivations on the other side of the Apurimac opposite Inca Topa Yupanki’s royal estate and ceremonial complex at Choquequirao. Finally, we are now here where I have only distantly been before with binoculars and recently, with the new age, arm chair explorer’s tool, Google Earth.

With the exception of Choquequirao and the well-known last Inca cities northward in the Vilcabamba, there has been little interest in regional archaeological studies.

As with many similar places in the Andean highlands, numbers of smaller, less interesting ruins remain unknown except to local herders and farmers.

The upper Apurimac has a long, rich, cultural history dating before the 15th century expansion of the Inca kingdom into the area. Actually, the Incas may have been here a bit earlier. During National Geographic Society sponsored excavations at an Inca site north of Choquequirao in 2001, Corihuayrachina, we collected samples of early Kllke, Inca transitional pottery which indicate probably earlier occupation. Anyway, there is lots to ponder and discuss around the evening happy hour.

Human cultural evolution in South America goes back some fifteen thousand years if one accepts the most credible dating. The Andes have seen waves of cultural horizons expanding, then lapsing into inter-horizon decay and cultural dark ages.

Before the Inca, the region was incorporated within the advanced Huari state which flourished around six hundred to eleven hundred AD. During following centuries, a smaller, less sophisticated polity, the Chanca, dominated the region. Remains of round, stone foundations of wood-sided houses and barrel shaped, stone-lined burial holes proliferate the regional lower summits and inhabitable ridges. When exactly the Sun God-inspired Inca arrived to reorganize the Chanca farmers into the collective Inca state remains a topic for debate.

Not debatable is that the first recorded scientific expedition to the area was organized by Yale’s Hiram Bingham in 1910. It was his second visit to Choquequirao, the year before his exploratory probe down the Urubamba river in 1911 produced the remarkable discovery of Peru’s golden tourism goose, Machu Picchu.

Bingham and crew came down the valley to the west of our present exploration from nearby Abancay, not by the modern route used today starting at Cachora. They probably went lower down, then traversed the same mountain side missing the higher sites. They would have crossed the Apurimac about where the new foot bridge is today as the only possible way down through the cliffs near the river. It is unlikely that our newly found sites had been studied or documented.

April weather in the high Andes is never completely predictable. Intensity of the rainy season usually slacks by late March allowing reasonably comfortable, landslide-free travel. Anomalies like El Niño contribute an uncertainty to an already uncertain science.

The result is we find ourselves fogged in and soaked by a persistent drizzle while attempting to measure the alignments and sight lines to something out there in the mist that may have had significance.

The pressure is on. We have only today to complete our survey. High stone walls with multiple niches and windows appear out of the undergrowth. Could this be some important Inca shrine or ceremonial complex that missed historical reference?

How might it fit with ceremonially important Choquequirao across the river? We are determined to find out. We plunge into the project, clearing out the thorny, dense growth that has claimed the structures sufficiently enough to take photos and collect the needed data.

Several intense hours later, badly damaged but still standing remains of three, nearly identical, long, rectangular, coursed stone buildings emerge from the undergrowth and fog appearing mystically like a scene out of Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.”

Three-story high gables stand starkly upright above the ridge line, once having supported long log beams and cross members covered with high puna ichu grass.

Headed by Mark Johnson, one-time student of architecture, tape measurements of walls, entrances, windows and interior niches are carefully taken and noted in his waterlogged note book.

Wayne Ross, a fellow Coloradan and survivor of wild RF-4 surveillance flights over North Vietnam in the bad old days of that forgotten war, strings out the tape with Mark’s brother Jim, another good friend and rancher from near home Pikes Peak. Jim’s talented, fit, daughter Loren is eagerly poking about looking for what we may be missing with Carrie Howard, a recent graduate in forestry and natural resources.

Veteran Choquequirao explorers, Beth DeSilva and Jack Vetter, search the perimeters for additional walls and features. Beth has previously been to Choquequirao with me. Jack has been there twice before. He was on our Royal Geographical Society sponsored team that rediscovered and studied Machu Picchu’s extensive neighboring ceremonial complex, Llactapata in 2003.

Peter Packard, professional photographer, one time rancher, horseman and brother member of my home Colorado, Pikes Peak Range Riders group, is documenting it all with a seemingly huge, for the digital age, camera with massive lens.

Whew – I have seldom seen such enthusiasm, good work and concentrated activity from a group of archaeological amateurs. While I direct the team, long time research partner and Cusco-based educational tour guide, Edwin Dueñas, works with our Quechua-speaking local crew. By midday we have accomplished all that is needed.

The site is measured, features documented, alignments, sight lines, azimuths recorded and ample photos captured.

The unbelievable happens. Pablo and Humberto, our camp cooks, appear out of the diminishing drizzle with a hot lunch on a mule. The big dining tent is set up. We sip tea from a thermos eagerly devouring plates of causa, mashed yellow potatoes stuffed with tuna, olives, onions and vegetables.

Refreshed, energy restored, we break up into scouting teams. Some climb higher up the ridge to look for additional sites, I head down. We find a nice leveled stone-walled platform and remains of a stone-lined water canal running down the ridge. It has been a long day, time to head for camp. Where this goes can be saved for another trip.

The next morning breaks bright and clear, despejado as we say in the Andes. Tendrils of clouds hang over Choquequirao and distant Vilcabamba, revealing the stark beauty and special, spiritual nature of the site. Choquequirao’s magnificent location rivals sister Machu Picchu without the desecration of trains, buses and runaway tourism.

Fueled by an admittedly American coffee, eggs and bacon breakfast, we start downhill following ancient, seldom-used trails with saddle mounts and pack mules in tow. It will be too steep and dangerous to ride most of the route today. The objective is to find and document another probable Inca site lower down then join the regular trail coming from Cachora to set camp at the river near the new bridge.

The following day, crossing the river, we will head up some five thousand feet for three nights at Choquequirao then back on the long trail for Cachora, Cusco and eventually, home.

The temperature has climbed as we descend lower on the mountainside along with numbers of annoying, biting, tiny gnats. It will reach a sweltering 96°F later when we pass through the river camp on the return from Choquequirao. Someone says this is an El Niño created anomaly. Anyway, it is much hotter than I have experienced previously in the canyon.

With the Cachora to Choquequirao trail in view a steep thousand feet or so below, we stop at a large, level area, a pampa, situated below an imposing cliff outcrop at 8,150 feet. The base rock formation here, as in much of the Vilcabamba west of Machu Picchu, is an ancient sedimentary deposit compressed by heat and pressure into a complex metamorphic formation during the early Paleozoic era some four hundred thousand years ago. The occasional, later intrusive granite or basalt pluton coupled with faulting and folding, created an interesting, colorful geological mosaic. Here, the exposed rock above seems to be one of these more erosion-resistant plutons forming a distinctive cliff outcrop.

The pampa appears to have been planted in corn or beans in recent times. The few cultivable areas here are owned and worked by the Quispes along with several other extended families from Cachora. A few fat, grazing cows wander around indicating a water source nearby.

Adrián leads us to a long narrow rock, some ten feet high, forming a side of the pampa containing an imposing raised hill of dense vegetation. “Aqui está la ruina — adentro del bosque,” he proudly exclaims. “Here there are ruins — inside the trees.”

With wranglers watching after the mules below, we set about clearing away the thorny entanglement eager to see what is hidden inside. We wade in, wildly swinging machetes now, wearing gloves; a lesson learned from the scratches and punctures acquired during yesterday’s clearings. Slowly, walls and shaped-stone niches appear out of the decreasing vegetational snarl.

It’s a Cancha; two nicely made stone buildings enclosed by a surrounding wall, constructed pirca style of coursed field stone. The entranceways are framed by worked, rounded, corner stones capped by heavy, large, stone lintels. Square niches and windows line the interior, similar to many structures at Choquequirao. These generally taper inward at the top, trapezoidal-like as at Machu Picchu and other classic imperial Inca sites. This squarish architectural design at Choquequirao is one of the features that suggest the site’s later construction.

Adrián recalls that years ago, a tall, stone entranceway gave access from the outer wall into the compound but it is now crumbled into a pile of rubble. The two rectangular buildings in alignment is common, but placement parallel to the elongated, stone outcrop is not. Another unique aspect is a tall, tapered boulder included in the perimeter wall running perpendicular to the stone outcrop wall.

The entire outlying level area is enclosed by the remains of a low wall forming a surrounding plaza. Several small boulders in the plaza appear to have been placed. I suspect that they may be spiritually charged huaca stones, perhaps shaped and placed to replicate surrounding mountains, incorporating the process of camay, bringing the power of the mountain Apu to the resident’s front yard.

I cannot identify anything in particular suggesting a ceremonial purpose for the site. It does appear located in association and alignment with the stone outcrop and upright boulder which must have been of importance for the builder and occupants.

We find many Andean Inca sites built either with a solstice orientation or cardinal placed; east-west, north-south. The long axis alignment of the buildings here is about 48 degrees, nothing that I can give significance to. This northeast looking view does not seem to offer a sight line to anything prominent on the horizon. There is no waterfall or cave to suggest a dedicated roadside shrine. The access seems to have been a minor secondary trail and not a major Inca road. We will have ample time to reflect upon what Raqrama was while camped above at Choquequirao.

As John Wayne may have said, “Daylight’s a burning.” We are nearing physical/mental burnout. The comfort of camp is beckoning. The site deserves a better, intensive investigation. This will have to wait until a future trip. We head down to a deserved cold shower, eagerly anticipating happy hour at the riverside camp two thousand feet and a short hour below. It has been a successful and exciting exploration.

The site called Incaracay by local herders was probably a group of well-made storage buildings, colcas, built for storing potatoes, corn and other products grown on the encompassing mountainside. We could not locate any ceremonial aspects, features or alignments so conclude that the group was likely utilitarian in purpose.

The design is similar to a group we identified as colas at Choquequirao. The several entranceways face west capturing afternoon sun and warm breeze coming upriver from the deep canyon below. Choquequirao had extensive coca cultivation as a result of warming created by the canyon microclimate. Storage structures here could take advantage of this as well.

Remnants of a tan colored plaster can be seen on several of the walls and niches here at both sites. At Choquequirao, Machu Picchu and other regional Inca sites, all of the pirca style walls seem to have been plastered over, inside and out.

A feature unique to Choquequirao and the high, mountain sun temple Inca Wasi, above the Neo-Inca capital of Vitcos in the Pucuyoc range , is a curious, round stone inside corner connector. We have not seen these anywhere else.

The buildings here have these unique features indicating that they probably were built at the same time by the same administration.

Like the colca buildings at Choquequirao, the structures had two levels, multiple inside niches, and high open windows at each end which could allow upper story ventilation. Excavations revealed raised, partial floors at Choquequirao. It is possible that these structures might have had the same.

Another possibility is that the buildings were high status residences, which the well-made entrances and general design could suggest. Several factors weigh against this: At almost 12,000 feet of altitude, they are located above the comfortable living zone. Few sites, other than mountain ceremonial structures, are found at this altitude. No main Inca road is close by to establish a need for a resident compound or tambo way station.

The site has no apparent water source other than rain, which would have been necessary for permanent residency. The water canal we found was some distance away and down slope going somewhere else.

Located on a level pampa at a comfortable altitude of 8,150 feet, this aesthetically placed solitary site with a spectacular view of the Apurimac canyon was probably the residence compound for the overseer, kuraka, of the local families, ayllu, who worked the mountainside fields. The families would have lived in small adobe or wood structures of which the archeological evidence is now gone. A more detailed investigation would likely reveal remnants of foundations and other items. We did pass by several groups of round depressions that may date from an earlier time.

INDIA: Discover Stone Of The Sky God

For over 1,300 years, this large rock has been confounding the locals of Mahabalipuram, a beach town near Chennai, in Southern India.

The mysterious landmark is perched on hill at a 45-degree angle, balancing off an extremely small surface area without slipping or even budging an inch. Men and even elephants have tried moving it from its precarious position , but every attempt so far has failed.

The locals call it ‘Vaanirai Kal’ (Stone of the Sky God), but the rock is more popularly known as ‘Krishna’s Butter Ball’, referencing Lord Krishna’s favorite food, butter, fallen from the heavens.

The gravity-defying rock, measuring 20 ft high and five meters in diameter, is estimated to weigh over 250 tons, which makes it heavier than the monolithic stones of Machu Picchu, or Ollantaytambo.

Despite its massive size and weight, Krishna’s Butter Ball is firmly anchored on a four-foot base along the slope of a small hill located on the outskirts of Mahabalipuram.

It looks like it might slip any moment and come crashing down the hill, but it has stayed that way for several centuries now.

CHILE: Santiago The Capital And Largest City In Chile

Santiago, is the capital and largest city in Chile and has long been thought of as just a place to stop over on your way to other destinations in South America. Located in a country filled to the brim with stunning landscapes, historic beauty, local charm and delectable foods, Santiago is fast-becoming a destination in it’s own right and with good reason.

We at Santiago Tourist believe that the city has a lot to offer, and we’re here to help guide and advise you through your time here; whether you’re staying for a week, a few months, or long-term. If you’re after basic travel information, see articles such as Getting to and From the Airport, renting a car in Santiago, using public transportation, learning Spanish, exchanging money and our accommodation series. Wondering how to get around Chile? Traveling by bus is a very common option.

If you’re planning to spend a few days in the city, visit Buin Zoo, take a mural meander or our central barrios walking tour. We’ve also got Food & Wine information, including restaurant reviews and wine tours. If you’re looking at venturing further throughout Chile, see our articles on visiting Pucón, Valparaíso, San Pedro de Atacama, Iquique and Humberstone, and more.

Do you live in Santiago now? Learn how to pay recurring bills, getting a Chilean ID, go shopping at La Vega, send something through Chile Post and and what to do in event of an earthquake. To learn more about Chile, check out these posts: La Pastora, football, events in Chilean history, el huaso Chileno, the houses of Pablo Neruda and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Chile’s a long way from a lot of places, and many people combine it with other places in South America. If you’re heading to Peru, don’t miss Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, or the Nazca Linas. Argentinean Patagonia, Mendoza’s wine country and Buenos Aires are just a few other options to consider.

For anything else, use our search bar. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter, which we keep updated with regular local events. Check back we’re always adding new material and we’ve got a lot of great stuff planned for you! If we haven’t covered what you’re looking for yet, let us know and we can help you find more information. We hope you enjoy your time exploring this continent, and please share your experiences with us!

PERU: British Airways Adds Only Direct Flight From Gatwick To Lima

From Summer 2016 travellers will be able to fly direct to Lima, Peru’s capital courtesy of British Airways putting making this South American country more accessible.

The three times a week service in the summer months will operate a three-cabin British Airways Boeing 777, with the route starting from May 4, 2016, and offering holiday-makers and business travellers the only direct flights between London and Lima.

Year-round prices start from £765 for those flying in World Traveller, £1,185 in World Traveller Plus and £2,549 for those relaxing in fully-flat Club World seats, and all fares include taxes and charges.

Lynne Embleton, British Airways’ managing director at Gatwick said:

With the world-famous Inca Trail and the incredible citadel of Machu Picchu, there’s nowhere quite like Peru. Its rich cultural heritage make it one of the most popular places in South America to visit and explore.

It is great to be the only airline to offer direct services between London and Peru. Lima is a fantastic gateway to some of the most dramatic places to visit in South America and will also provide a new link for British business seeking to invest in Peru’s growing market.

Lima is the latest destination to have been launched by British Airways and follows hot on the heels of Costa Rica, which was announced as the airline’s latest new route from Gatwick earlier this month.

Other new holiday-friendly routes started this year from Gatwick by British Airways include Cagliari, Madeira and Seville, with flights due to start soon to Sharm El Sheikh, Valencia and Vienna.

PERU: Reasons To Visit Peru Without Machu Picchu

Peru has its fair share of awe-inspiring sights, but most visitors skip right over them and head for the grand finale, Machu Picchu. And though the ancient city is certainly worthy of your time, there is much more to this vast country than a litter-ridden Inca Trail. Dine with the Peruvian elite, walk a manmade island, or raft a canyon that requires a mule to get to; but whatever you do, don't beeline for the Andes then skip town.
Here are five really good reasons to go to Peru that don't include Machu Picchu.


1. The Beach Town of Máncora
It's no longer the secluded surfer retreat that it once was, but the town of Máncora on Peru's northern coast is a must-do for anyone who likes to drink their cervezas barefoot. The former fishing village sports a classic South American beach vibe where you'll hear the Macarena perhaps a few too many times and dodge Americans practicing their best 7th-grade Spanish. But even with the crowds that come with cult popularity, Máncora retains the charm that initially attracted the carefree lot. Sandy beaches stretch for miles, dotted with beach chairs and plush resorts (plus the random hostel), while waves fit for Kelly Slater await offshore. Hut-like restaurants offer the Pacific's freshest seafood and the coldest beer south of Ecuador. When the sun goes down, so does the level of what's morally acceptable. Known for its raucous nightlife, Máncora transforms into a South American Cancun during the summer months (December to March). Your options of getting here from the capital city of Lima include a somewhat pricey but relatively short plane ride into the cities of Piura or Tumbes (followed by a taxi ride on in), a 16-hour bus ride up the coast, or renting a car and going at it alone.


2. The Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca
Deep in the Andes, Lake Titicaca splits the border of Peru and Bolivia. The massive lake is (literally) home to the descendants of the Uros tribe, one that pre-dates the Incan civilization. The Incas paid them little respect, though with their simple floating homes fashioned of totora reeds, the Uros outlasted the Incas and their colossal stone structures. Roughly 2,000 Uros still live on the lake, making their living by catching their own fish, weaving their own clothing, and now, by the money that tourism brings in. Visitors can float out to the islands on reed boats, made by the Uros themselves, and purchase crafts from the locals. The Uros children attend school on one of several islands, each made solely for the purpose of schooling. Once they're older, many go mainland to attend university in the nearby town of Puno. And though their lifestyle seems quite primitive, they actually embrace modern technology-you'll notice solar panels for televisions and motorized boats.


3. Shop at Pisac Market
The sleepy colonial town of Pisac turns into a shopper's wonderland come Sunday as locals set up stalls from wall to wall of the main square. This outdoor artisan market features anything from handmade jewelry and musical instruments to alpaca sweaters and fresh produce. Though there's plenty of tourist tack to riffle through, you'll still find a lot of classic traditions as surrounding villagers come to haggle and trade, a unique sight to witness if you post up at one of the cafés surrounding the square. Bartering is still very much an accepted custom for the people living in the Andes. Come early though, much of the activity stills by 3 p.m. so that villagers have time to walk home before nightfall.


4. Visit Cotahuasi Canyon
Peru is home to one official world wonder, though it arguably has a second that's not too far behind in sheer mind-blowing scale. Cotahuasi Canyon is the deepest in the Americas and regarded as the deepest in the world to many geologists-more than doubling the depth of the Grand Canyon. Splitting apart the Coropuna and Solimana mountains in southern Peru, the Cotahuasi River flows down the middle of the canyon, creating one powerful waterslide for hydrophilics. Raft your way down 80 miles of class IV and V rapids, dropping in after the 300-foot Sipia Falls. But like a lot of things in life, it's the journey, not the destination, that truly sets this adventure apart. Most guided tours (the first being as recent as 1994) require a 12-hour drive through steep desert mountain switchbacks and a grueling two- to three-day mule trek around the falls to finally dip your oar in the whitewater. Surrounding the canyon's steep cliff walls are extensive sections of Incan ruins; these settlements sprung up when they used the route for fur trading with coastal communities. Be prepared to spend a full five to six days paddling, camping on the riverbanks each night under a clear Peruvian sky.


5. Sand Board at Huacachina
The oasis town of Huacachina, in the middle of the barren Peruvian desert, is famed for the extensive sand dunes that tower around the water-blessed community. At one point, it was a wealthy Peruvian playground, where locals with the dough came to swim in the supposedly medicinal lagoon. Though there are now several options for travelers on a budget, it still largely caters to those looking for a luxurious respite from the endless desert swelter. Legend credits the creation of the lake to a beautiful princess who was disturbed from her bath when an overzealous suitor accosted her; fleeing, she left the bath water behind. Now, the legend says, the princess lives in the lagoon as a mermaid and can be seen peeking her head out for a glimpse at the palm trees and manicured lawns that rim her home. Whether you believe the hype or not, you're likely to leave Huacachina with your own legend to tell. Outdoor adventures abound here: buckle in for a sand-buggy ride over 300-foot dunes or tighten your straps on a converted snowboard to sail down sun-soaked sand hot to the touch. And if you tire of your rooftop pool, take a dip with the princess herself in the lagoon, or rent a paddle boat from a local outfitter to stay above water.

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.