Discover Peru: Nature and History

Peru offers a variety of options for nature and cultural trips: high mountains, forest ecosystems, a marine coastal area and archaeological sites. When planning your trip, consider whether nature, architectural history or a combination of both should take centre stage.

Landscapes from the Andes to the coast

Huascarán National Park includes 27 snow-capped peaks over 6,000 metres, including Nevado Huascarán at 6,768 metres. Laguna Parón is the largest lake in the same national park and was formed by the melting glaciers of the surrounding mountains. The mountain peaks and the lake’s formation offer distinct natural points of interest.

Manu National Park lies at the transition between the Tropical Andes and the Amazon Basin. Its ecosystems range from high-Andean puna grasslands and mountain cloud forests to Yunga forests and lowland rainforest. The succession of habitats makes Manu a striking example of the diversity found within a single national park.

The Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu encompasses 24 original ecosystems. They range from montane humid forests above 1,900 metres to snow-capped peaks over 6,000 metres. The sanctuary’s ecological diversity can also be understood in terms of this clear altitudinal range.

Paracas National Reserve offers a different natural highlight: a unique marine coastal area in the Ica Desert, with distinctive biodiversity and geography. This gives you a choice of different focal points: high-mountain landscapes, various forest ecosystems or a marine coastal landscape.

Archaeological sites and urban history

Chan Chan was the largest adobe city in pre-Columbian America and was divided into nine citadels or palaces. Its archaeological remains include industrial, agricultural and water-management facilities that helped sustain the city. Exploring Chan Chan therefore means looking at both the city’s layout and the facilities that contributed to its preservation.

The archaeological site of Chavín includes buildings made of hewn stone blocks, artificial terraces in plazas and an internal gallery system. The system has a complex network of ventilation openings and drainage channels. Chavín thus reveals several aspects of its architecture: the plazas and terraces, as well as the interior galleries and their openings.

Caral-Supe is a 5,000-year-old archaeological site with monumental platforms made of stone and adobe, as well as sunken circular plazas. The contrast between the platforms and the sunken plazas offers a concrete way to explore the site’s different architectural forms.

Cuzco became the capital of the Inca Tawantinsuyu Empire in the 15th century. The city preserves an urban fabric that brings together buildings from the Inca and Spanish colonial periods. These include temples, monasteries and mansions built over the Inca city. Compared with Chan Chan, Chavín and Caral-Supe, Cuzco stands out for its history as a capital and for the buildings erected over the Inca city.

Nature experiences and activities

At Laguna 69, you can go trekking, enjoy the scenery and observe the flora. The Ruta Circuito Turístico Norte is 26 kilometres long and can be travelled by bicycle or quad bike. This allows you to distinguish the activities mentioned for Laguna 69 from the modes of transport specified for the Ruta. Check the access conditions for the Ruta again before your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tacna, Cajamarca, Moquegua, Apurímac, San Bartolo District, Huánuco, Huancavelica, San Martín, Piura, Lambayeque, Cajatambo, Callao, Lima, Cuzco, Ica, Arequipa, Pasco, Ayacucho, Ancash, Tumbes, Junín, Puno, Loreto, Coronel Portillo, Madre De Dios, Amazonas, La Libertad

For the overarching travel overview: South America.