Peru Travel Packages for Your Next Vacation
Peru travel packages offer at least three kinds of adventure, which can be enjoyed in a single vacation or several. There is the beauty of the country itself, from the modern city of Lima to the well-preserved colonial-era towns. There is the natural beauty of the country itself, which ranges from beaches to rainforests to mountain peaks. Most famously, Peru is the site of not just one but several of the great pre-Colombian civilizations, civilizations that left archaeological riches that remain to this day.
Without doubt the country's most famous destination is The Citadel of Machu Picchu. The spiritual heart of the Inca civilization, it still exudes a powerful spiritual presence. Built largely of limestone, it was once a walled structure home to as man as ten thousand people.
Machu Picchu was hidden from the modern world in the remote depths of the Cusco jungle until it was discovered in the early years of the 20th Century. Added to its spiritual aura is the mystery of just how the Incas managed to haul the massive blocks of limestone from which it was made through the jungle and over the mountain trails. Growing in legend over time, Machu Picchu is easily one of the 7 Wonders of the New World.
The Incas left behind them twenty-three thousand kilometers of walking trails all across, including the forty-three kilometer walk to Machu Picchu. The Citadel draws twenty-five thousand people each year who make that sacred walk. However, for all its renown, Machu Picchu is "only" about six-hundred years old. It is far and away the most famous Peruvian archaeological site, but there are a great many which are much older.
Possibly constructed as long ago as 1100 BCE, the Chavin de Huantar Complex is likely the most ancient stone town in the country. Within a space thought to have served as a courtyard, a series of carved heads are the Complex's most famous feature. Archaeologists believe the heads represent shamans entranced into a state trough consuming hallucinatory plants.
Peruvian packages offer more than fascinating ancient digs. There is the Allpahahayo Mishana and Pacaya Samiria in the Amazon jungle, home to aboriginal peoples open to being encountered by Westerners. Those jungles are equally famous for beautiful fauna and flora and exotic wildlife. There are also the high-altitude blue lakes in the Callejo de Huaylas mountains, a snow-capped Andean range known as "the Switzerland of South America".
One can also cast off to the Ballestas Islands for a wealth of water sport. These range from deep sea diving to wind surfing to scuba diving. The Peruvian landscapes are equal in variety to those of much larger nations, ranging from seafloor to mountaintop, from jungles to plains.
There are also well-preserved colonial towns throughout the country. Nor should Lima, the capitol, be underestimated. Lima is a fully cosmopolitan world center with a metro population of over eight million, it is home to the oldest continually operating university in the New World. It is also centrally located, and therefore a perfect point of departure for any of many Peru travel packages.
Tracy Narvaez - About Author:
Globetrotters, check out our website for complete details about the reasons why you should tour South America, now. You can also view our fabulous selection of Peru travel packages at http://www.tucantravel.com/country/overview/peru today.
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