J>;HEK=>=K?:;je EZgj HEK=>=K?:;I F;HK FJ>ID 8DADB7>6 :8J69DG G c h IjbWZh IJB7:H >fj^idh V G:H:GK:9ODC: 7dg_V CVjiV IVaVgV E^jgV 7VggVcXV E686N6"H6B>G>6 D^bdh IVgVedid C6I>DC6AG:H:GK: 8dciVbVcV 8]^XaVnd AZnbZWVbWV 8V_VbVgXV ?jVc_j^ 7G6O>A Igj_^aad EjXVaaeV E 6 8 > ; > 8 =J6H86GÍC D 8 : 6 C C6I>DC6A The Rough Guide to Peru written and researched by Dilwyn Jenkins www.roughguides.com PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 1 25/3/09 10:50:08 PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 2 25/3/09 10:50:20 Contents 6 Huaraz and the Colour section 1 Cordillera Blanca............... 349 7 Trujillo and the north ......... 391 Introduction ............................... 6 8 The Jungle ........................ 477 Things not to miss ................... 13 Contexts 553 Basics 25 History ................................... 555 Getting there............................ 27 Inca life and Entry requirements................... 32 Costs, money and banks ......... 33 achievement ....................... 577 Insurance ................................. 36 Ancient wizardry in Health ...................................... 37 modern Peru ....................... 583 Information and maps.............. 41 Peruvian music ...................... 586 Getting around......................... 42 Wildlife and ecology............... 598 Outdoor activities and sports... 47 Indigenous rights and the Accommodation....................... 50 destruction of the Eating and drinking ................. 52 rainforest ...............................610 Communications...................... 54 Peru’s white gold ................... 616 The media ................................ 56 Peruvian recipes .................... 618 Crime and personal safety ....... 58 Books .................................... 622 Living and/or working abroad .. 61 Travellers with disabilities ........ 62 Language 629 Senior travellers ....................... 62 Travelling with children ............ 63 Travel store 639 Sex and gender issues............. 64 Opening hours, public holidays Small print & Index 645 and festivals.......................... 65 National parks and reserves .... 67 Directory .................................. 68 Festivals and Celebrations colour Guide 71 section following p.248 1 Lima and around ................. 71 Peru’s Mythic Wildlife 2 Nasca and the colour section following South Coast ...................... 129 p.440 3 Arequipa, Puno and Lake Titicaca..................... 177 4 Cusco and around ............ 233 5 The Central Sierra ............. 317 3 왗왗 Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca 왗 Market stall, Pisac PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 3 25/3/09 10:50:26 | CONTENTS | .BOBVT #FMÏNUIF"UMBOUJD 4 PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 4 25/3/09 10:50:28 | INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO J B B× .S M Ø P 3 Ó B Z O 6D B P Ó 3 .FUSFT 26*50 & $ 6 " % 0 3 $ 0 - 0 . # * " (VBZBRVJM 1FWBT 5VNCFT *RVJUPT T 56.#&4 $BCBMMPDPDIB -FUJDJB 3&4&37&%;0/& .BODPSB $&330%& #PSKB /BVUB 5BCBUJOHB 3BNPO ".05"1& 1VFSUP"NÏSJDB $BTUJMMB 5BMBSB /"5*0/"-1"3, 0SFMMBOB #BSSBODB 1"$":" 1JVSB -BHVOBT 4".*3*" 3FRVFOB /"5*0/"- $BUBDBPT 4BOUB$SV[ #BHVB(SBOEF 3&4&37& +BFO 4FDIVSB :VSJNBHVBT 0MNPT 3JPKB .PZPCBNCB # 3 " ; * - $IBDIBQPZBT 5JOHP -BNBT 5BSBQPUP -BNCBZFRVF -FZNFCBNCB $IJDMBZP $BKBNBSDB $FMFOEJO $POUBNBOB +VBOKVJ 1BDBTNBZP 4BO1FESPEF-MPD )VBNBDIVDP 1VDBMMQB 5SVKJMMP )6"4$"3«/ 5JOHP $IJNCPUF $BSB[ /"5*0/"-1"3, .BSJB B P 3 P Ó O 1 P B QP 3Ó [ [ UB T B 1 V U N V / B B V B B S ) B 3 3 N Ó P P . 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Ó " P Z S %"/(&30643065& +6"/+6*5*/(0."3*" M × P O P H P 3 P M Ó Ø O B Ó B 3Ó 3 C 35BNCP 5 PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 5 25/3/09 10:50:31 V 6 S | INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO 1 $ - 0 ( 0 / $ " $ % 0 / " $BTNB )VBSB[ )VÈOVDP 1P[V[P 0YBQBNQB "UBMBZB $FSSPEF1BTDP 1 " $ * ' * $ -B.FSDFE 4FQBIVB *×BQBSJ $BOUB 0 $ & " / 4BUJQP -B0SPZB 5BSNB . *CFSJB #PDB )VBODBZP .BOV ."/6 #PDB -*." ,JUFOJ & /"5*0/"-1"3, $PMPSBEP 1VFSUP)FBUI )VBODBWFMJDB 2VJMMBCBNCB 4IJOUVZB 1VFSUP.BMEPOBEP .BDIV1JDDIV 1JMMDPQBUB 5".#01"5"$"/%".0 3&4&37&%;0/& 6SVCBNCB 1BVDBSUBNCP $B×FUF "ZBDVDIP #")6"+"40/&/&/"5*0/"-1"3, 1JTDP "CBODBZ $VTDP 6SDPT 1FOJOTVMB *DB EF1BSBDBT 4JDVJOJ # 0 - * 7 * " /B[DB 0 $IJWBZ -BLF +VMJBDB $PUBIVBTJ 5JUJDBDB $IBMB : 1VOP +VMJ -"1"; "SFRVJQB $BNBOB :VOHVZP .PRVFHVB .PMMFOEP *MP 5BDOB LN "SJDB $)*-& P / * 3 Ó " E 2 B J S * / F J 5 1 F B M BT N B C N BT S P E * 6 × Q P C & 3 6 Ó B B 3 Ó P D C & P 3Ó U B N 3 F O 3 B B B Z Ó M J P Introduction to Peru A fantastic land of gold, Peru was sixteenth-century Europe’s major source of treasure, and once the home of the largest empire in the world – the sun-worshipping Incas. Since then, the riches of the Incas have fired the European imagination; the country was home to the world’s first stone pyramids, whose genuine antiquity was only discovered in the last few years of the twentieth century. The desert coast, meanwhile, is studded with monumental adobe temples and ruins from several pre-Inca civilizations. These archeological sites generate more than enough awe and wonder to attract visitors and pilgrims from all over the globe. Equally unique and appealing, however, is the sheer beauty of the country’s landscapes, the abundance of its wildlife, and the strong character of the people – which has withstood a relatively recent, lengthy period of bloody political upheaval. Peru is often visualized as a mountainous place, but that’s not the whole story; in actual fact, it’s the most varied and exciting of all the South American nations, and many visi- tors remain unaware of the splendour of its desert coastline and vast tracts of tropical rainforest. Dividing these contrasting environments is a range of breathtaking peaks, the Andes, over six thousand metres high and four hundred kilometres wide in places, rippling the entire length of the country. So distinct are these three regions that it is very difcult to generalize about the country, but one thing is for sure: Peru ofers unrivalled opportunities to experience an unusually wide range of spectacular scenery, as well as a wealth of human culture. There’s a rich diversity of music, dance and fiesta activity from every one of its distinctive regions, and Peruvian cuisine is some of the 6 best in the Americas, partly because of the oceanic and tropical resources from which it draws. PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 6 25/3/09 10:50:35 | INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO 왔 Peruvian Amazon, near Iquitos Fact file • Ancient Peru developed several very important civilizations, both coastal (Paracas, Nasca, Mochi- ca, Sícan and Chimu) and Ande- an (Tiahuanaco, Chachapoyas, and, of course, the Incas). The Incas were easily and savagely defeated by the Spanish con- quistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, with the remaining Spanish forces eventually defeated by the end of 1824. • The population of Peru today is almost 28 million, with 34 percent of the population pres- ently below the age of 16. There are two official languages – Spanish and Quechua – but there are scores of other indig- The country’s natural resources were enous languages spoken here, likewise motive enough for the Spanish including Aymara in the South- conquistadors, whose fire-armed take- ern Andes and numerous jungle over the Incas and their native allies were Indian tribal languages. unable to resist. Following the Conquest • The eleventh highest coun- in the sixteenth century the colony devel- try in the world, Peru’s moun- oped by exploiting its Inca treasures, vast tains reach 6768m above sea level in the Cordillera Blanca mineral deposits and the essentially slave range. The Andes here are the labour which the colonists extracted from highest mountain range any- the indigenous people. After achieving where in the tropics. independence from Spain in the early • With 2414km of coastline, nineteenth century, Peru became a and well over half a million republic in traditional South American square kilometres of Amazon rainforest, Peru is also one of style, and although it is still very much the most ecologically diverse dominated by the Spanish and mestizo countries in the world. Over 66 descendants of the conquistadors’ leader, percent of Peru has forest or Francisco Pizarro, about half the popula- woodland cover, only 3 percent tion are of pure Indian blood. In many is arable land and around 21 percent permanent pasture. rural parts of the country, native life has The coast is an unusually dry changed little in the last four centuries. desert; east of the Andes the However, “progress” is gradually trans- Amazon rainforest stretches forming much of Peru – already most thousands of miles beyond cities wear a distinctly Western aspect, 7 Peru, all the way to the Atlantic. and roads or tracks now connect almost PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 7 25/3/09 10:50:41 | INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO Peruvian food In addition to creating great regional distinctions, Peruvian ecological diversity has helped to produce a proud national cuisine, and it would be a shame to spend much time at the many fast-food and Western- ized places that have popped up across the country rather than in local restaurants. The national dish – ceviche – is made from fresh seafood marinated in lime juice and chillies, then served with sweet potato, a cob of corn and salad. Washed down on Sunday lunchtime with a cool Cusqueña beer, this is an experience not to be missed. Meanwhile, exot- ic local specialties like cuy (roast guinea pig) are also worth a try, even if the thought may at first be off-putting. Street snacks are quite tasty and also good value – things like grilled meats and empanadas are available most anywhere, alongside excellent tropical produce. every corner of the republic with the industrial cities that dominate the few fertile valleys along the coast. Only the Amazon jungle – nearly two-thirds of Peru’s landmass, but home to a mere fraction of its population – remains beyond the reach of Peru’s coastal markets, and even here oil and lumber com- panies, cocaine producers and settlers often think of themselves as being closer to Brazil and Colombia. Over the coming decade, however, the new Transoce- anic road from Brazil may begin to erode this sense of isolation, at least in the southeast corner of the jungle region. Despite it all, mundane, unafected pleasures remain in place. The country’s prevailing attitude – despite the sometimes hectic pace that permeates the capital, Lima – is that there is always enough time for a chat, a ceviche, or 8 PERU_colour intro 1-24.indd 8 25/3/09 10:50:48 왔 Machu Picchu | INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO