Lonely Planet Peru

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• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781786573827
• eBook ISBN: 9781788685467

Cuzco & the Sacred Valley

Cuzco

Around Cuzco

Saqsaywamán

Q’enqo

Pukapukara

Tambomachay

The Sacred Valley

Pisac

Pisac to Urubamba

Urubamba

Salineras de Maras

Chinchero

Moray & Maras

Ollantaytambo

Machu Picchu & the Inca Trail

Aguas Calientes

Machu Picchu

The Inca Trail

Cuzco to Puno

Andahuaylillas

Raqchi

Cuzco to the Jungle

Cuzco to Ivochote

Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado

Cuzco to the Central Highlands

Cuzco to Abancay

Cachora

Choquequirao

Abancay

Andean Cuisine

Cuzco & the Sacred Valley

Why Go?

For Incas, Cuzco was the belly button of the world. A visit to this city and its nearby ruins tumbles you back into the cosmic realm of ancient Andean culture – knocked down and fused with the colonial imprint of Spanish conquest, only to be repackaged as a thriving tourist center. The capital of Cuzco is only the gateway. Beyond lies the Sacred Valley, Andean countryside dotted with villages, high-altitude hamlets and ruins linked by trail and railway tracks to the continent’s biggest draw – Machu Picchu.

Old ways are not forgotten here. Colorful textiles keep the past vivid, as do the wild fiestas and carnivals where indigenous tradition meets solemn Catholic ritual. A stunning landscape careens from Andean peaks to orchid-rich cloud forests and Amazon lowlands. Explore it on foot or by fat tire, rafting wild rivers or simply braving the local buses to the remote and dust-worn corners of this far-reaching, culturally rich department.

When to Go

• Jun–Aug High season for tourism, events and festivals, days are sunny and nights cold.
• Late Jun Celebrate the solstice at Inti Raymi, the largest festival of the year.
• Sep & Oct Shoulder season for tourism, with fewer crowds in Machu Picchu.

Best Places to Eat

A MIL

A Cicciolina

A Limo

A Marcelo Batata

A Le Soleil

Best Places to Stay

A Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

A Nunu Boutique Hotel

A Niños Hotel

A Explora

A Tocuyeros Boutique Hotel

A Mama Simona

Cuzco & the Sacred Valley Highlights

1 Machu Picchu Drinking in the sublime grandeur of South America’s signature ruin.

2 Cuzco Exploring the cobblestone streets of San Blas, attending street festivals and sampling the diverse culinary offerings.

3 Sacred Valley Wandering ancient ruins and sta...

Table of contents

• Table of Contents
• Welcome to Peru
• Peru’s Top 20
• Need to Know
• First Time Peru
• What’s New
• If You Like…
• Month by Month
• Itineraries
• Peru Outdoors
• Trekking the Inca Trail
• Travel with Children
• Regions at a Glance
• Lima
• South Coast
• Arequipa & Canyon Country
• Lake Titicaca
• Cuzco & The Sacred Valley
• Central Highlands
• North Coast
• Huaraz & The Cordilleras
• Northern Highlands
• Amazon Basin
• Understand Peru
• Peru Today
• History
• Life in Peru
• Peru’s Cuisine
• Ancient Peru
• Indigenous Peru
• Music & the Arts
• The Natural World
• Directory A–Z
• Transportation
• Health
• Language
• Behind the Scenes
• Our Writers