While this trip is focused on a small part of Peru (Lima, the Salkantay Inca Trail and Machu Picchu), it may be good to get a bigger picture of this interesting country.

Peru has a wide variety of geography and assorted climates and wildlife. The west coast is a narrow, largely arid plain with some valleys that host seasonal rivers. The sierra (highlands) consist of the Andes (the highest peak, Huascarán, is 6,768 m [22,205 ft] and the Altiplano plateau which is the most extensive high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet. And of course there is the jungle (Amazon rainforest - the source of the Amazon River).

The variety of geography, range of altitudes and two ocean currents result in a wide assortment of climate zones. The coastal region has moderate temperatures, high humidity but low precipitation (exception being in the northern regions which are warmer and wetter). The mountains have rainy summers with the temperature and humidity decreasing in the higher altitudes. While the Peruvian Amazon has heavy rainfall and high temperatures (exception being in the south with cold winters and seasonal rainfall).

The biodiversity covers 21,462 species of plants and animals (as of 2003), 5,855 of them endemic. Please see the links on this page for more information on this wealth and variety of life.

Peru’s economy is large and varied. In general it is classified as ‘upper middle’ by the World Bank. But as is common, there is a wide range of income between different people and regions.

Culturally, with Spanish being the official language, there are other Indigenous languages spoken such as Quechua and Aymara. English is limited to younger people and also in the primary tourist areas. The region has been populated since approximately 12,500 BCE. Many civilizations have risen and fallen over time. Irrigation systems, brickwork, pottery and clever metalwork were common.

The most known civilization/peoples to people today were the Incas in the 15th century which formed the largest empire in the pre-Columbian Americas with their capital in Cusco. The Incas from 1438 to 1533 incorporated a large portion of western South America both through conquest and peaceful assimilation. They were known especially for their amazing tightly fitted stone work and, of course, the cities of ‘gold’.

In 1532, a party of conquistadors captured the Inca Emperor Atahualpa. For several decades the Spaniards fought the Inca people, ending with a Spanish victory and colonization of the region known as the Viceroyalty of Peru with its capital at Lima. In addition to the efforts of the Spaniards to replace the local gods with the Spanish Christianity, the Indigenous population dramatically collapsed due to epidemic diseases introduced by the Spanish as well as exploitation and socioeconomic changes.

There is obviously a lot more to understand about Peru and its long history so I would encourage you to explore further. The links included on these pages should be helpful. A special recommendation for the Official Peru tourism site link - an excellent website for further exploration including some very cool/fun things to learn and enjoy.