Geography
Peru has a great variety of geography and landform and a climate to match. The great chain of the Andes runs through the country, more or less parallel to the Pacific coastline and divides Peru into three broad sections. The coastal plain is relatively narrow (between 30 and 60 miles wide) and consists mainly of dry desert, which is only farmed where irrigation is possible. The largest cities and much of Peru’s industry is concentrated on this coastal strip. The Andes, which rise to well over 6000 metres/19000 feet, are divided into a number of ranges, or cordillera, of which the most continuous and most well known from a mountaineering standpoint is the Cordillera Blanca. Huascaran is the high point of this range, at 6768 meters/22199 feet. In the high valleys of the Cordillera Blanca, the neighboring Cordillera Huayhuash and in the Cordillera Vilcabamba which lies to the south, the Indian descendants of the Incas continue to farm the land as they have done for centuries, growing crops such as corn and potatoes and herding cattle. On the east side of the Andes is the lowland forest and jungle of the Amazon Basin, which stretches for over a thousand miles into Brazil.

Time Zone
The time in Peru is GMT - 5 hours.

Climate
The western side of the Andes is generally dry throughout the year, although the coastal areas can experience an all-pervading fog known as the “garua” during the winter months from May to November. During this period, the high Andes have cold and spectacular sunny weather, which is ideal for trekking and for mountaineering. There can be some rain and snowfall on the western side of the Andes during the period from January to March. The influence of the warm and moist Amazon Basin, means that the eastern side of the mountains is relatively wet, with a prolonged rainy season from October to May. On this side, a lush cloud forest cloaks the foothills up to a height of over 3000 metres (9800 feet.) It is mid winter in Peru in July and the daytime temperatures in Lima will be around 24°C/75°F. At typical trekking elevations of around 4000 metres (13000 feet) in the Andes, the daytime temperatures will generally be between 16°C- 21°C (60°F and 70°F), although in the intense sunlight of midday it can feel warmer. Night time temperatures at our highest camps on the Vilcabamba, Alpamayo and Huayhuash treks will fall as low as -7°C (20°F).

History
The Incas are the most well known of the early inhabitants of Peru. This progressive race of people had their roots in the area around what is now Cusco, in the 13th century, and from this base went on to conquer much of the Pacific coast of South America, including all of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, parts of Chile and Colombia. Highly successful as farmers, road-builders and stonemasons, the Incas developed a well-ordered system of socialist government which was extremely advanced for the period. In the early 16th century, the first of the Spanish adventurers, Pizarro, heard of the apparent richness of the Inca Empire. Returning to Spain, Pizarro set about raising an army with which he could return to South America to seek his fortune. In 1532, he returned to Peru and within two months he had captured the Inca chief Atahualpa. This was the beginning of the end for the Inca Empire, although for several decades there were fierce battles between the Spanish colonists and the remaining pockets of hostile Inca warriors. One of the first uprisings against the Spanish was led by Manco Inca, who carried out his sorties from a hideaway in the rainforest of the Cordillera Vilcabamba. Once the Incas were fully subdued, the Spanish ruled relatively peacefully for over 200 years and were only removed from power in the early years of the 19th century by the Venezuelan-born liberator Simon Bolivar. Peru’ gained its independence in 1826. In modern times, the government of Peru has involved a succession of military dictatorships and sometimes-violent coups. In 1980 a democratic system of government was set up and the first elections were held.

Throughout the 1990’s, Peru was under the presidency of Alberto Fujimori, and during this period there was a gradual move to a more stable political situation and some of the country’s economic problems began to be addressed. One of the most important elements in Fujimori’s popularity was his hard line with terrorism. Several of the most important terrorist leaders were captured thanks to Fujimori’s initiatives and the most well-known of the terrorist groups, the so called “sendero luminoso” or shining path, is now almost inactive. Peru has a population of around 25 million people. Almost 10 million of these live in and around Lima. Tourism is, once again, a growing source of revenue for Peru. The country’s most important assets in this respect are: (1) Peru’s mountains - the Peruvian Andes are among the most spectacular mountains on earth. (2) The unique archaeological remains - Machu Picchu is the most breathtaking of the Inca sites.

Currency
Peru’s unit of currency is the Nuevos Soles. As of February 2006, the exchange rates are:

£1 = 5.73 Nuevos Soles
$1 = 3.28 Nuevos Soles
€1 = 3.90 Nuevos Soles

We recommend that you take US dollars in cash. If you wish to travellers cheques for security this is OK but please note that for trips to the North of Peru there is only one bank in Huaraz where these can be exchanged and the commission is very high. Credit cards can be used to purchase goods and to pay for meals in Lima and in Cusco. You can also use your credit card to get cash from cash machines at the banks in Lima and Cusco.

Unlike our trips to Asia, our holidays in South America are not fully inclusive. Clients will be expected to pay for their own meals (other than breakfast) whilst staying in hotels in Lima and in the provincial towns. Please budget $10 to $15 per meal. The individual trip dossiers/itineraries will indicate how many meals will be taken in local restaurants. We estimate that $350 will be more than sufficient to cover your requirements in respect of these meals, and should also cover incidental expenses such as tips for the “arrieros” mule-drivers and other trek staff. Lots of small denomination currency is useful to help with the sorting out of these tips.

Visas
At the present time, nationals of countries which are members of the European Union and nationals of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa need only a valid passport and a return or onward journey ticket for entry into Peru. A visa is not required. A Tourist Card is issued on arrival in Lima and this is valid for a 90 day stay in the country. Nationals of other countries should contact the High Commission of Peru in their own countries for information on how to obtain their visa.

Vaccinations
You should visit your own doctor and dentist for a check-up prior to taking your trip to Peru.
The following is a ROUGH GUIDE for immunisation: (We must stress that this is only a basic guide to the most commonly required vaccinations for travel worldwide. You must seek and abide by the specific advice of your local doctor/medical professional).

(a) Polio (normally you will just need a booster.)
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A) and (B).
(e) Anti-malarial prophylaxis: Please refer to your doctor for the most up to date information about anti-malarial medication for the areas that you will be visiting.
(f) Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Please refer to your doctor for advice on whether you need rabies pre-exposure vaccination. In the unlikely case of your being bitten, this vaccination does not eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical facility for additional treatment,. However, it does simplify that additional treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.

Given enough notice, your doctor will be able to administer all the above vaccinations.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
Trekking and Climbing in the Andes. (Globetrotter Adventure). Val Pitkethly and Kate Harper.
Backpacking and Trekking in Peru and Bolivia. Hilary Bradt.
South America - Lonely Planet Guide.
Peru - A Travel Survival Kit. Rachowiecki.
Eight Feet in the Andes. Dervla Murphy.
Trails of the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash - Jim Bartle.
Flight of the Condor - Michael Andrews.
The Conquest of the Incas - John Hemming (MacMillan).
The South American Handbook.
The Andes - Time Life Books.
The Andes are Prickly - Martin Slessor.
The Trekkers Handbook. Tom Gilchrist.
Exploring Cusco. Peter Frost (available in Peru).

Maps
The Instituto Geografica Militar, in Lima sells good topographical maps of the country.

A wide range of maps are available from booksellers in Kathmandu. However all clients are supplied with trek maps on arrival in Kathmandu.

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

Web
Lonely PLanet - www.lonelyplanet.com
Rough Guides - www.roughguides.com