Peru has been privileged with spectacular geography and variety of climates and environments unparalleled on Earth. It has 84 of the planet's 104 recognized ecosystems; this is why we are considered one of the 12 countries that possess true mega diversity (along with Brazil, Indonesia and Zaire).

One of the best examples of what Peru can offer to every visitor is Cuzco, for that reason, we will start our trip in the Archeological Capital of South America, the heart of the Incas Empire, and the dream of many trekkers around the world...Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.

Cuzco, the archeological capital of South America
Location
South highlands at 3,360 meters above sea level.

Climate
Sunny in the morning and cold at night. The average temperature is 11°C and the rainy season is from November to March. However, this is not an obstacle to enjoy the city and its surroundings, on the contrary, it gives more life to the landscapes as well as a nostalgic atmosphere.

Landscapes
A perfect combination of Andean and tropical landscapes (jungle). You can enjoy beautiful landscapes in the Incas Sacred Valley, which gives access to the tropical zone (high jungle) as well as the mountains.

History
Cuzco was the capital of the Inca Empire which has extended by the west coast and highlands of the South American continent. You can visit many citadels and archaeological places belonging to the Inca culture and before, the most important, Machu Picchu (world heritage site). In Cuzco city and in the villages of the region you can enjoy the Incas architecture as well as the colonial one.

Customs and Festivities
Cuzco has a great number of festivities because the people are very warm and nice. One of the most important feasts is the "Inti Raymi" (June), this festival is an Incas ritual in honor to the sun ("Inti" in Quechua, Inca's language). Another important celebration is the "Qollur riti", this is a religious festival celebrated at the end of May. You can see the people's penitence when they climb a snow-covered mountain with huge blocks of ice in their backs.

Another festivity epoch is the "carnavales" (carnival) that takes place in February. Every Sunday the Main Square of the city turns into a water and shoe polish battle camp. Tourists also participate in these battles. The most important artistic expressions of the region are the painting and the craftsmanship.

Activities
Here you can practice a great quantity of adventure sports, the most recommended are trekking and hiking, especially the Inca Trail, which has two alternatives: one of 4 days and 3 nights where you can visit many archeological sites and appreciate different types of landscapes; and the other, of 2 days and 1 night. Both finish in an impressive way in the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Another activity practiced in the region is the mountain climbing in the Andes with different levels of difficulty. The canoeing and rafting is also very popular during the months of June until October. By doing this you can go through fertile valleys and old towns. Finally, nightlife here is extraordinary with a great quantity of bars and pubs open every night during the whole night until dawn.

Machu Picchu, the heart of the Incas Empire
Located at 120km NW of Cuzco, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the world's archeological jewels and a principal travel destination in Peru. Few works of man integrate so harmoniously with their natural surroundings as do this citadel and its peripheral sites.

The archeological complex is strategically located on the summit of the Machu Picchu mountain (its name means "old mountain" in Quechua). Behind it rises the towering peak of Huayna Picchu ("young mountain") whose flanks and summit also hold archeological ruins.

Perhaps the main attraction of the citadel is the astounding degree of technology that its builders achieved in working stone. The joins between the stone blocks in some of its buildings are so snug that it's impossible to insert even the tip of a needle between them. There are also stones that seem to have had a strong ritual significance. The most fascinating is the Intihuatana (a name that means "hitching post of the sun"), which served as an astronomical calendar. Nevertheless, more interesting is the energy and peace you feel when you reach to this mysterious place.

Inca Trail, path of purification
I dreamed about the Inca Trail since two years before I did it for the first time, this was why the night before I couldn't sleep too much, and at 6 am I was awake, ready to leave the city and start with my dream, this time, not only in dreams.

The 1st day: no way back
We got to Qorihayrachina, a train stop at Km 88, and in front of us was the bridge where the Inca Trail starts. After 4 hours of walk we reached the Wayllabamba camp at 9,840ft or 3,000m above sea level. We couldn't continue with the hike because the skies were close, and it started to rain. This gave us more hours to rest, but we left for the next day with too much road and we had to reach the highest point of the trail.

The 2nd day: the neverending climb
We woke up early, but it didn't help us too much because to reach the skies you have to cross the hell. After 5½ hours, we reached the highest point of the trail, the Warmiwañuscca pass ("where the woman died" in Quechua). After a few minutes to breath again, we started the downhill, we had to be careful because the trail was wet. After the effort and a good meal, the body asked for a good rest.

The 3rd day: where the mountains end, the jungle appears
Early in the morning, we started to climb again to the second pass, where the landscapes changed fast, we were entering to the jungle regions. This day is spectacular because in the hike are four archeological sites, the most important and interesting are Sayacmarca, and Winaywayna. We had to be careful because the path is narrow, and the fall down would be long and painful. We end in the Winaywayna camp, "at portas" of the Incas lost city of Machu Picchu.

The 4th day: the clouds opened to let us to see the treasure
We woke up at 4 am, when the sky was dark blue, and the sun didn't appear yet. We started to walk in the middle of the dark, but the emotion was more than the fear. After two hours we reached the Inti Punku ("sun door" in Quechua), where you could see at first time Machu Picchu, like in a dream, between clouds, like a mysterious treasure. After that, only the pictures could tell you the story.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our South America Insiders page.