The word ‘diverse’ is often as over-used as ‘magical’ to describe a destination, yet Peruvian geology, cuisine, culture, ecology and history is genuinely as diverse (and as magical) as it comes. Split by the magnificent Andes mountain range that ripples down the length of the country, Peru is home to over half a million square kilometers of Amazon rainforest and almost 2,500 kilometers of dry, arid coastline.

If that boggles the mind, then imagine the thousands of species of birds, animals and plants that live here. Just as there are many species still left to be discovered, this is one of the richest areas of archaeology in the world, with over 5,000 years of human inhabitation to be excavated. The Inca civilization was just a blip in the history of this land which has seen the Mochica, Nazca and Chimu peoples among others inhabit Peru before it. They left beautiful cities, such as Caral and Arequipa not to mention the mysterious Nazca lines.

It’s easy to get carried away with the statistics, but if history and beautiful scenery are not your bag, then maybe the rich traditions of celebration and cuisine will fire your soul. Peruvian people are a heady mix of native Indians, Spanish descendants, Japanese and Chinese, African and other European immigrants, and you are spoilt for choice with the constantly energizing fiestas, music and dance on offer. While your tastebuds will be inspired by Peruvian cuisine – a wonderful fusion of ancient and contemporary flavors created by the hundreds of unique ingredients on offer, varying from hundreds of potato varieties to alpaca meat to oceanic crustaceans.

To know Peru is to love it, and we have two new itineraries (Nila’s Favorite and Ricky’s Favorite) lovingly created by two of our team, Nila and Ricky. For more details about the reopening of Machu Picchu and the broader attractions of Peru, read this Financial Times article or contact us.