Things to do in Peru

Everyone who emerges through the Sun Gate is just as awestruck as the explorer who rediscovered this mountaintop treasure a century ago. Few - if any - world attractions can boast such a dramatic setting, as it clings atop a ridge surrounded by lush humid valleys and rugged Andean peaks.

Even the sheer number of tourists fails to dull the impact of Machu Picchu, and the Inca stonework - cut to perfection and requiring no cement - is mind-blowing, especially when you ponder how it was achieved in such a precarious spot by a civilization which never invented wheels or metal tools.

What's more, those who hike the four-day Inca Trail have a special chance to get really immersed in the Lost City, as Tim Winkworth, from our supplier the Family Adventure Company explains: "The difference is that by hiking the Inca Trail, you get involved in it. Instead of flitting from one sight to the other, you're in it for four days. You're so immersed, it's just going to resonate much more and give you much richer, longer lasting memories." Read our guide about the Inca trail to find out more.

Read Professor Hiram Bingham's account of his 1911 quest to find Machu Picchu here.

Over half of Peru is blanketed in thick rainforest, which is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Manu National Park alone hosts more bird species than the USA and Canada combined, and Amazon tours based out of Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado are likely to reveal howler monkeys, sloths, anacondas, peccaries, macaws, and pink river dolphins. Keep an eye out too for elusive tapirs and pumas.

Despite being Peru's largest region, only five percent of its population lives here - including several uncontacted tribes. Not all local communities are inaccessible though; local guides are essential to get the most out of your Amazon tour, as they will reveal the secrets of the rainforest, including identifying and explaining medicinal plants - bringing the jungle to life.

Even today, the lake carries a magical aura - whether that's because of the Andean light playing off the glassy surface, the wafting incense of Catholic-Aymara ceremonies, or the altitude causing a strange lightheadedness. Visiting an Aymara community on one of Titicaca's many little islands is one of our top cultural things to do in Peru. Experience life without electricity or roads, and sample trout fresh from the lake, grilled with a dash of lime.

With hidden valleys, cut-off canyons and Quechua villages within a stone's throw of its famous landmarks, you don't have to go far to escape the crowds. One of our favourite things to do in Peru is spending a day or two in Cabanaconde, a little agricultural town near Colca Canyon and the starting point for little-hiked canyon floor trails. You'll have the canyon - and its inviting hot springs - all to yourself.