House of travel South and Central America Brochure 2017 | Page 34

Experience
Peru
A
Fast Facts
Country name: Republic of Peru
Population: 31.9 Million
Capital: Lima
Languages: Spanish
Currency: Nuevo Sol
Time zone: 17 hours behind New Zealand (18
hours with daylight saving)
Electricity: Current is 220V, 60HZ
Plug is a 2 point round or
rectangle-pin adaptor
Festivals and Events 2017
30
Feb Virgen de la Candelaria Parade, Puno
Apr Easter Week, Ayacucho
Mar Feast of Alacitas Festival, Puno
24 Jun Inti Raymi Festival, Sacsayhuaman,
Cuzco
Sep Trujillo Spring Festival, Trujillo
realm of lost empires from the Incas to the Spanish Conquistadors, Peru is
the perfect blend of intriguing history, fascinating cultures and stunning natural
landscapes. The gateway to Peru’s treasures is its capital, Lima, which was once
one of South America’s wealthiest cities. Peru is also home to South America’s most
famed attraction and one of the new seven wonders of the world – Machu Picchu.
These ancient Inca ruins which have laid hidden in the Andes for centuries are an
unforgettable sight, and also considerably rewarding for intrepid travellers who
reach them by walking one of the world’s most awesome hikes, the Inca Trail.
Machu Picchu is definitely good reason enough to visit Peru, but this country
offers so much more. There are the spectacular 5000m plus Andes Mountains,
Amazonian jungles where indigenous tribes still live traditional lifestyles, and the
breathtakingly high altitude of Lake Titicaca. Take a boat cruise and visit locals who
still live on the floating islands that are man made from totora reeds. You will no
longer wonder what a Pisco Sour is after a few days of trialling for ‘the best in Peru’.
Colourful and folklore festivals which celebrate all that is Peru are scattered
throughout the calendar year, and are regarded as South America’s most exciting.
You’d want to hope that your Peru visit will land on some of these festival dates!
It’s not just the Incas who are surrounded by myths and legends, another intriguing
Peruvian sight is the Nazca Lines – mysterious drawings etched into the desert. Best
seen from the air, the lines remain steeped in controversy – no one is quite sure why
ancient people created them 1000 years ago, but they still rattle the thoughts and
presumptions of geologists today.