As one writer put it: “If Peru didn’t exist, travel guide books would have to invent it.” Travel to Peru can also provide a window to its unique wildlife and intriguing jungles, perhaps best explored on an Amazon River cruise in the comfort of a small luxury river boat. A trip to Peru wouldn’t be complete without time spent in the mountains, in the jungle, and along the coast, and well planned Peru vacation packages account for this. (see more below)

One could theoretically go from the relatively mild climate of the Southern Peruvian Coast to the harsh extreme of the frozen heights of the Andes, before descending into the sultry heat of the Amazon Basin, and all in one day. Because of this, the weather in Peru is extremely diverse, with thirty of the thirty-two types of microclimates existing within the country. Generally speaking, the climate of the Peruvian Coast depends on the relative distance to the equator. The Northern Peruvian Coast experiences temperatures that range between the eighties and low one hundreds in Fahrenheit. The Southern Peruvian Coast experiences temperatures of between forty and eighty degrees. It rains sporadically and yet torrentially during the summer on the North Coast, and almost never on the Southern Coast. In the interior of the country, the climate of Andes depends primarily upon elevation, with the valleys recording mild temperatures and the highest reaches averaging high temperatures below freezing over the course of a typical year. The climate on the western side of the mountains is very dry, while the climate on the eastern side is extremely wet, as the Andes give way to the Amazon basin. It typically rains ten months out of the year in the Peruvian Amazon, with a brief dry season to be experienced between July and August.

Peru river cruises are available on the major waterways of the Amazon. Limited rail service is available between the country’s major cities and along the populated shore of Lake Titicaca, but bus or air travel is recommended for reaching other destinations inland. For transportation in and around Peru’s cities, taxis are available, but be sure to negotiate (haggle the price in advance). Lima and the other large cities also have mass transit options available.

Hands down, eating in Peru only enriches your trip. Of the top ten world's best restaurants, Lima is the only city with multiple winners. Ceviche here is with red onion and aji pepper, and choclo, a white Andean corn. The leftover marinade delicacy is the leche de tigre (tiger’s milk). One very common local dish is loma saltado, a Chinese influenced stir fry of beef, tomatoes, onions, peppers and soy sauce, served with potato fries. Peru claims the potato and its hundreds of varieties as its own; the causa is a sliced and layered potato casserole or terrine, sometimes with other ingredients that's served cold. Aji de gallina is a creamy chicken stew made with condensed milk, thickened with white bread with cheese and ground walnuts. Rocoto relleno is a hot spicy pepper stuffed with spiced, sautéed ground beef and hard-boiled egg. As in Chile, cuy (guinea pig), is a popular if gamey dish. Alternatively, alpaca is a lean meat also available. For some of the best, try to score reservations at Central or Astrid & Gaston.

Death in the Andes (M. Vargas Llosa), In Search of an Inca: Identity and Utopia in the Andes(A. Flores Galindom), Lost City of the Incas: The Story of Machu Picchu and Its Builders (H. Bingham III), The Last Days of the Incas (K. MacQuarrie), Turn right to Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time (M. Adams), Andean Tragedy: Trail of Feathers (T. Shah), The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics (O. Starn), The Heights of Macchu Picchu (P. Neruda).