Photo of the Day - Huacachina Sand Dunes, Peru

Vast sand dunes near Huacachina, Peru - great for sandboarding!

Lacking historical importance and cultural charm, Huacachina is the kind of place to kick back, pass a couple of days under the sun and replenish your travelling zest. Near the city of Ica (where the buses will bring you) and on the road between Lima and Arequipa, Huacachina is a small village of hotels and backpacker hostels built around a manmade lake and in the midst of colossal sand dunes. The ‘oasis’ feel may be a bit contrived, but this is a town built for travellers, with plenty of activities of the adrenaline-boosting (dune buggies and sandboarding amongst others) or more sedate (vineyard tours) variety, as well as the option of just sitting by the pool all day. It is also a great base for exploring the enigmatic Nazca Lines carved into the sand about 60 miles south – the nerve-racking plane ride is the best way to marvel at the bizarreness of these pre-Incan drawings.

For our free guide to travelling in Peru, please click here.

Photo of the Day - Colca Canyon, Peru

Trekking in magnificent Colca Canyon, near Arequipa, Peru

Although not officially the deepest canyon in the world (that accolade goes the Cañon del Cotahuasi, about 50 miles to the west), the Cañon del Colca is the second deepest and the more accessible, and certainly worth the trip out of Arequipa. Organised tours are not everyone’s idea of adventure, but the tour firms in Arequipa provide the simplest way of visiting the canyon in one/two/three night packages, including varying degrees of hiking and sometimes rafting. Tours pass through the barren Parque Nacional de Salinas, where you’ll see wild alpacas, llamas and vicuñas foraging, before descending into the canyon. Although itineraries vary, the highlight of most people’s trip is rising early to see the condors soaring off the thermals at Cruz del Condor. The sight of the world’s largest bird swooping overhead (sometimes a little too close for comfort) is worth the trip alone.


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Photo of the Day 17 December 2010

World wonder: Machu Picchu (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Machu Picchu
Obvious really – but to leave Peru without seeing one of the Wonders of the World is to have wasted a trip. Lost for centuries before being ‘rediscovered’ in 1911 and reclaimed from the jungle, the ancient Incan city straddles precariously the mountain-top, as if it may slide down at any moment. It is surrounded on all sides by a cordon of verdant peaks, including the conical Wayna Picchu, the perfect backdrop for most photos over the ruins. Machu Picchu is best reached by the Inca Trail, a three and a half-day hike over 35 miles of rugged Andean terrain, reaching heights of 4,200m and following the steps laid by the Incans themselves before reaching the Sun Gate high above Machu Picchu to watch the sun rise over the ruins on the morning of the fourth day. It is magical. Make sure you book ahead online to guarantee a place on the true Inca Trail – only 500 passes are given out each day (and half of these go to the porters). If you can't plan that far in advance then there are a number of alternative treks finishing at Machu Picchu (including the popular Lares Trek), which are no less rewarding and that can be booked with only a few days notice. For the less adventurous, there is train service to Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain, and a bus which plies the meandering road up and down.


Read our free guide to Peru here.

Photo of the Day 8 December 2010

Buzzing Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

The gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Cusco is so much more than a departure point. The ancient Incan capital, and the scene of the some of the Spanish conquistadores more brutal repressions, Cusco still bares the marks of those who have fought for it. Around the majestic Plaza de Armas, the colonial cathedral and porticos vie with original Incan masonry, still supporting the town walls hundreds of years later. There is no question which one the locals will tell you is the better handicraft. Wandering the streets of Cusco, with excellent shopping, restaurants and bars as well as the artisan barrio up the hill in San Blas, you could easily lose a day or two. And you’ll need to, to acclimatise to the altitude (3,500m) before going any further – soroche (altitude sickness) is a common complaint for those not planning time to relax and take it all in.

Click here for our guide to Peru.