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Coast - The Coast |
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The Peruvian coastline is formed by a long snaking desert hemmed in between
the sea and the mountains. The Andes to the east and the cold Humboldt
sea current that runs along the coast are what make this area so arid.
From the Sechura desert to the Nazca plains and the Atacama desert, the
dry coastal terrain is occasionally split by valleys covered by a thick
layer of cloud and drizzle in the winter.
Humidity in these areas produces a sensation of cold, although temperatures
rarely dip below 12°C. During the summer, meanwhile, the sun beats down
and temperatures often top 30°C. |
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The central and southern sections of the coast feature two well-defined seasons: winter from April to October, and summer from November to March. The north coast, meanwhile, is not touched by the effects of the cold current, which means it enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year and warm temperatures all year-long (as much as 35°C in the summer). The rain season runs from November to March. |
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| Lima |
 
Historical Center
- Cathedral
- The Convent of Santo Domingo
- The Convent of San Francisco
- Torre Tagle Palace
Museums
- Nacional Museum of Archaeology, History and Anthropology
- Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum
- Amano Museum
- Gold Museum of Miguel Mujica Gallo
Ruins
- Huaca Huallamarca
- Huaca Pucllana
- Pachacamac
- Caral
Others
- Parks in Miraflores (Parque del Amor, etc. ...), Larco Mar Shopping Center
- Palomino Island
Ceremonies and Celebrations
- Señor de los Milagros in October
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Altitude |
Lowest point: 3 masl / 10 fasl (Ancon).
Highest point: 861 masl / 2825 fasl (Chosica).
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| Climate |
The city of Lima has an arid and semi-warm climate. The average annual maximum
temperature is 21,97ºC (71,4ºF) and the minimum is 17ºC (62ºF). The temperature
increases in the years when the El Niño phenomenon occurs. |
| Access Routes |
By land: Connected by the Pan-American
Highway to different cities along the coast of Peru, Ecuador, and Chile.
To
the west, the Carretera Central is the main highway to different highland and
central jungle cities.
By air: Regular flights to the major world cities from the Jorge Chavez
International Airport (located in the Callao Region, approximately 30 minute
from Lima).
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 Typical Dishes |
- Lomo saltado: beef tenderloin slices, sautéed with onions, tomatoes, aji
(hot peppers), and other spices. It is served with French fries and rice.
- Ají de gallina: a chicken stew made with cream, cheese, aji (hot pepper),
and peanuts.
- Causa rellena: mashed yellow potatoes seasoned with aji (hot pepper) and
filled with tuna or chicken.
- Parihuela: concentrated soup of fish and shellfish.
Desserts
- Mazamorra morada: pudding-like dessert made from purple corn flour and fresh and dried fruits.
- Suspiro a la limeña: meringue with manjar blanco and vanilla.
- Picarones: doughnut-like pastries of sweet potato and squash flour, bathed
in sugar or corn syrup.
Drink
- Chicha morada: alcohol-free drink of purple corn juice.
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| Paracas, Ica, Nazca |
Ica
- Huacachina
- Regional Museum of Ica
- Wineries (Catador, etc...)
Pisco
- Paracas National Reserve
- Ballestas Islands
- Tambo Colorado
Nazca
- Nazca Lines
- The Paredones and Los Acuaductos of Cantayoc
- Chauchilla Cemetery
- Maria Reiche Museum
- Antoniini Museum
- Mirador
- Cahuachi
Ceremonies and Celebrations
- Harvest Festival in March
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Altitude |
＝Department of Ica＝
Capital:Ica (406 masl / 1332 fasl )
Lowest point: 2 masl / 7 fasl (Paracas)
Highest point: 3796 masl / 12.454 fasl (San Pedro de Huacarpana) |
| Climate |
The department of Ica features a varied terrain with extensive plains,
deserts, and some valleys. The city of Ica has a sunny climate almost all
year long with an annual average maximum temperature of 32ºC (89ºF) and
a minimum of 9ºC (49ºF). |
| Access Routes |
By land: Lima – Ica: 303 km / 188 miles on the Pan-American
Highway South (4 hours by car)
By air: There are no regular flights. Air taxi
service from Lima is available.
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| Typical Dishes |
- Pallares: A stew of savory butter beans seasoned with aji (hot pepper).
- Carapulcra: Dehydrated potatoes, boiled and cooked with pork and chicken,
aji panca and mirasol (chili peppers), garlic, and other spices.
Dessert
- Tejas: Traditional dessert made with dried lemons, figs, or pecans, filled
with manjarblanco (sweetened and condensed milk cooked down) and covered
with sugar icing.
Drink
- Pisco: Distilled grapes, a Peruvian liquor and banner product.
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| Trujillo |
Trujillo is the capital of the province of La Libertad.
Trujillo City
- Cathedral
- la Compañía Church
- The Monastery of El Carmen
- Archaeology, Anthropology and History UNT Museum
- "Joseph Mazzei Casiinelli" Museum
Near the city of Trujillo
- Chan Chan
- Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna
- Huaca del Dragón
- El Brujo
- Huanchaco
Ceremonies and celebrations
- Marinera Festival in January and February
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Altitude |
＝Department of La Libertad＝
Capital:Trujillo (34 masl / 112 fasl)
Lowest point: 3 masl / 10 fasl (Salaverry)
Highest point: 4008 masl / 13.150 fasl (Quiruvilca) |
| Climater |
The city of Trujillo has an arid, semi-warm climate with an average maximum
temperature of 22.7ºC (72.9ºF), and a minimum of 15.8ºC (60.4ºF) with no
rain throughout the year. However, when the El Niño Phenomena happens,
the weather changes, the level of precipitation increases, and temperatures
can rise. |
| Access Routes |
By land: Lima-Trujillo: 560 km./ 348 miles by
Panamerican Highway North (8 hours by car)
By air:Regular flights from Lima to the city of Trujillo (45 to 50 minutes) |
| Typical Dishes |
- Cebiche: raw fish filet cut into pieces and marinated in lemon juice, onions,
and aji limo.
- Sopa teóloga turkey and/or chicken soup with moistened bread, potato, milk,
and cheese.
- Frejoles a la Trujillana: Black beans with sesame seed and mirasol chili
peppers.
- Pescado a la Trujillana: Steamed fish with an egg and onion sauce.
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| Chiclayo |
Chiclayo is the provincial capital of Lambayeque
Museums
- Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum
- Bruning Archaeological Museum
- Sican National Museum
Ruins
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Altitude |
＝Department of Lambayeque＝
Capital: Chiclayo (29 msnm)
Lowest point: 4 masl
/ 13 fasl (Pimentel)
Highest point: 3078 masl / 10.098 fasl (Incahuasi) |
| Climate |
The city of Chiclayo has an arid, warm climate with an average annual maximum
temperature of 26.2ºC (79.2ºF) and a minimum of 17.3ºC (63.1ºF). When the
El Niño Phenomenon happens, the climate varies, the level of precipitation
rises and the temperature can increase. |
| Access Routes |
By land: Lima – Chiclayo: 770 km (479 miles) on the Pan-American Highway North
(10 hours by car)
By air: Regular flights from Lima to Chiclayo (1 hour)
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| Typical Dishes |
- Cebiche: raw fish filet cut into pieces and marinated in lemon juice, onions,
and aji limo.
- Arroz con pato a la chiclayana: tender duck meat cooked in black beer and cilantro.
- Seco de cabrito con frijoles: stew made of tender baby goat meat marinated
in chicha de jora (a fermented corn liquor whose origin dates back to the
time before the Incas) and served with beans seasoned with fried onions
and garlic.
Dessert
- King-Kong: alfajor (cookie) filled with manjarblanco (sweetened condensed
milk cooked down), candied pineapple, and peanuts.
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Sierra - The Highlands |
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A mountainous area dominated by the Andes,
where Mount Huascaran soars to 6,768 meters.
In the Peruvian highlands, there are two well-defined seasons: the dry season
(from April to October), marked by sunny days, cold nights and the lack of rain
(the ideal time for visiting); and the rainy season (November to March), when
there are frequent rain showers (generally more than 1000 mm). A characteristic
of the mountain region is the drop in temperature during the day: temperatures
commonly range around 24°C at midday before plunging to -3°C at night.
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| Arequipa |
Arequipa City
- Cathedral
- The Monastery of Santa Catalina
- Andean Sanctuary Museum
- Convent-Museum La Recoleta
Near the City of Arequipa
- Sabandia Mill
- Colca Canyon
- Toro MuertoMolino de
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Altitude |
＝Province of Arequipa＝
Arequipa (2335 masl / 7333 fasl)
Lowest point: 9 masl / 30 fasl (Punta de
Bombón)
Highest point: 4910 masl / 16.109 fasl (Mirador de los Volcanes,
Volcano Lookout, – Caylloma)
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| Climate |
The city of Arequipa has a semi-arid and temperate climate with a maximum
temperature of 21.7ºC (71ºF) and a minimum of 6.9ºC (44.4ºF). The rainy
season starts in January and ends in March. |
| Access Routes |
By land: Lima – Arequipa: 1003 km / 623 miles on the Pan-American Highway South
(14 hours by car)
By air: Daily flights to Arequipa from: Lima (1 hour), Cusco (30 minutes),
Juliaca (30 minutes) and Tacna (30 minutes)
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| Typical Dishes |
- Chupe de Camarones: chowder made with shrimp, milk, eggs, and oregano.
- Rocoto Relleno: rocotos (red hot peppers) stuffed with chopped beef, cheese,
and milk and served with mashed potatoes.
- Soltero: a salad of fresh cheese, lima beans, onions, olives, tomatoes,
and rocoto.
- Ocopa: boiled potatoes covered with a fresh cheese sauce, lima beans, onions, olives, and rocoto.
Dessert
- El Sango: a dessert made from wheat, raisins, miel de chancaca (sugar syrup),
milk, and butter.
Drink
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| Cusco |
Cusco City
- Cathedral
- The Church of La Campana
- Stone of twelve angles
- Koricancha, the Santo
- Domingo Church
Near Cuzco
- Sacsayhuaman
- Qenko
- Pukapukara
- Tambomachay
- Sacred Valley (Pisac Market, ruins of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Maras, Moray)
Others
- Piquillacta
- Andahuaylillas
- Machu Picchu
- Choquequirao
- Piquillacta
Ceremonies and celebrations
- Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) on June 24
- Virgen del Carmen in Paucartambo, July 15 and 16
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Altitude |
＝Department of Cuzco＝
Capital: Cusco (3399 masl / 11.156 fasl)
Lowest point: 532 masl / 1745 fasl (Pilcopata)
Highest point: 4801 masl / 15.751 fasl (Suyckutambo) |
| Climate |
The city has a semi-dry and cold climate. The annual average maximum temperature
is 19.6ºC (67.3ºF) and the minimum is 4.2ºC (39.6ºF). The rainy season
starts in November and ends in March, and it is the time when the mountains
are covered in green. Between June and July is the time of the intense
cold (heladas) even with occasional snowfalls. |
| Access Routes |
By land: Lima – Arequipa – Cusco: 1650 km / 1025 miles (26
hours by car)
Lima – Nasca – Puquio – Abancay – Cusco: 1131 km / 703 miles
(20 hours by car)
Puno – Cusco: 389 km / 242 miles (7 hours by car)
By
air: Daily flights to Cusco from Lima (1 hour) and Arequipa (30 minutes)
By
train: Regular service from Puno: 384 km / 239 miles (10 hours)
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| Typical Dishes |
- Humita: a sweet or salty tamale, served without sauce.
- Saralawa: soup of fresh corn, lima beans, dry aji Amarillo (yellow hot
pepper), and huacatay (native herb).
- Olluco con Carne: Olluco stew with jerky or llama meat
Drink
- Cerveza Cusqueña
- Coca tea
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| Cajamarca |
Cajamarca City
- Cathedral
- The San Francisco Churches
- Cuarto de Rescate
- Cerro Santa Apolonia
Near Cajamarca
- Baños del Inca
- las Ventanillas de Otuzco
- Cumbemayo
- Kuntur Wasi
- Porcón Farm
Ceremonies and celebrations
- Carnivals in Cajamarca in February and March (musicians and dance contests)
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Altitude |
＝Deepartmante of Cajamarca＝
Capital: Cajamarca (2720 masl / 8924 fasl)
Lowest point: 400 masl / 1312 fasl
(Nanchoc)
Highest point: 3590 masl / 11.778 fasl (Hualgayoc) |
| Climate |
The city of Cajamarca has a semi dry and temperate climate. The annual
average maximum temperature is 22ºC (71ºF) and the minimum is 5ºC (42ºF).
The rainy season begins in October and ends in April. |
| Access Routes |
By land:Lima – Trujillo – Cajamarca: 870 km / 541 miles by the Panamerican
Highway North (13 hours by bus)
By air: Regular flights from Lima to Cajamarca (1 hour and 15 minutes)
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| Typical Dishes |
- Picante de papa con cuy frito: cooked Guinea pig stew in a peanut and aji
panca (hot pepper) sauce accompanied with potatoes.
- Caldo verde: soup made with potatoes and aromatic herbs from the region.
- Dairy products (varieties of cheese, butter, white
dish, etc.
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Selva - The Jungle |
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The vast Peruvian jungle, which surrounds the wide and winding
Amazon river, is divided into two differentiated areas: the cloud forest (above
700 masl), which features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rain showers
(around 3000 mm a year) between November and March, and sunny days from April to
October; and the lowland jungle (below 700 masl), where the dry season runs from
April to October and is ideal for tourism, with sunshine and high temperatures
often topping 35°C.
During this season, the river levels dip and roads are easy to
drive. The rainy season, meanwhile, which runs from November to March, features
frequent rain showers (at least once a day) which can damage roads in the
area.
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The jungle features high humidity all year long. In the southern jungle,
there are sometimes cold spells known locally as friajes or surazos, cold
fronts which drift up from the far south of the continent between May and
August, where temperatures can drop to 8-12°C
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| Puerto Maldonado, Manu |
Puerto Maldonado is the provincial capital of Madre de Diós.
- Sandoval Lake
- Tambopata Nacional Reserve
- Manu Nacional Park
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Altitude |
＝Department of Madre de Diós＝
Capital:Puerto Maldonado (183 masl / 600 fasl)
Lowest point: 183 masl / 600
fasl (Puerto Maldonado)
Highest point: 500 masl / 1640 fasl (Boca Manu) |
| Climate |
The city of Puerto Maldonado has a hot and wet climate. The average annual
maximum temperature is 26ºC (77ºF) and the minimum is 8ºC (24ºF). The rainy
season is from December to March. |
| Access Routes |
By Land: Lima-Arequipa-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado, 2180 km (51 hours by bus),
Lima-Nazca-Abancay-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado, 1621 km (49 hours by bus), Cusco-Puerto
Maldonado, 527 km (30 hours by bus)
By air: Regular flights from Lima (1 hour and 30 minutes) and from Cusco
(30 minutes)
To get to Boca Manu:
The town of Atalaya is situated 280 km / 174 miles from the city of Cusco
taking the Cusco-Paucartambo Highway (12 hours by 4x4 vehicle). The trip
continues on the river to the town of Boca Manu (7 hours). It is also
possible to get to the town of Boca Manu taking a small airplane from Cusco
(45 minutes).
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| Typical Dishes |
- Juanes: Rice seasoned with palillo, a Peruvian spice akin to turmeric,
and chicken wrapped in banana leaves.
- Tacacho: Crushed bananas mixed with lard then baked or fried. It is served
with dry meat.
Drinks
- Refresco de cocona: Juice of a typical fruit of the area.
- Masato: Drink made of cooked, crushed, and fermented yucca, with sweet
potato or sugar added.
- Chapo: Banana and sugar juice is served cold.
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| Iquitos |
Iquitos is the provincial capital of Loreto.
Iquitos City
- Belén
- Quistococha Tourist Center
Selva
There are different Reserves and many lodges.
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Altitude |
＝Department of Loreto＝
Capital: Iquitos (104 masl / 341 fasl).
Lowest point: 70 masl / 230 fasl
(Amelia).
Highest point: 220 masl / 722 fasl (Balsapuerto). |
| Climate |
The weather in Iquitos is hot and rainy all year long. The average annual
maximum temperature is 31ºC (88ºF) and the minimum is 21ºC (70ºF). The
dry season (July – November) and the flood season (December – July) feature
particular differences in the plant and animal life as well as in the climate. |
| Access Routes |
By land:There is no overland access to Iquitos.
By
air: Regular flights to Iquitos from Lima (1 hour and 30 minutes), Tarapoto (50
minutes) and Pucallpa (1 hour). Sporadic flights to Iquitos from Yurimaguas (40
minutes) and Leticia, Colombia (1 hour).
By river: It is possible to
travel from Pucallpa (Puerto La Hoyada, 2,5 km / 1,5 miles from the city) to
Iquitos by boat via the Ucayali River with stops at Requena and Contamana in a
chartered boat, small but fast, built for 10 to 15 people, hired as a private
service. The trip lasts 1 to 2 days, depending on the level of the river. If you
elect to travel by “motonave”, a larger boat with room for 250 people, the trip
then takes longer, 4 to 5 days, depending on the river current.
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| Typical Dishes |
- Juanes: Rice seasoned with palillo, a Peruvian spice akin to turmeric,
and chicken wrapped in banana leaves.
- Tacacho: a dish of mashed and kneaded green, roasted bananas with fried
pork rinds. Generally, it is combined with cecina.
Drinks
- Cam Cam Juice
- Masato: drink made of cooked, smashed, and fermented yucca, with molasses
or sugar.
- Chapo: juice of ripe bananas (Capirona).
- Chuchuhuasi: cordial made from a bitter and astringent root, very popular
in western Peru.
- Coconachado: made from the cocona fruit, sugar, and cordial.
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| Chachapoyas |
Chachapoyas s the provincial capital of Amazonas
- Kuelap Fortress
- Karajia Sarcophagi
- Leymebamba Site Museum
- Revash
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Altitude |
＝Department of Amazonas＝
Capital: Chachapoyas (2334 masl / 7657
fasl)
Lowest point: 230 masl / 755 fasl (Santa Maria de Nieva)
Highest
point: 3450 masl / 11319 fasl (Chuquibamba) |
| Climate |
The city of Chachapoyas has a temperate climate with rains in the summer
months (December-April). The average annual maximum temperature is 23ºC
(68ºF) and the minimum is 13ºC (51ºF). |
| Vía de Acceso |
By land:
Lima-Chiclayo-Chachapoyas: 1409 km / 876
miles (21 hours by car)
Lima-Trujillo-Cajamarca-Chachapoyas: 1716 km / 1066
miles (30 hours by car)
Tarapoto-Moyobamba-Chachapoyas: 361 km / 224 miles (7
to 8 hours by car)
By air: At the moment, there are no flights available.
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| Typical Dishes |
- Juanes de Yuca: Grated and boiled yucca mixed with rice and either chicken
or beef jerky; this mixture is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.
- Enrollado: Roast beef, rolled and stuffed with ground pork and chicken
meat, raisins, and hard boiled egg.
Drinks
- Guarapo: drink made from boiled and fermented sugar cane juice.
- Chuchuhuasi: cordial made from a bitter root of the same name; very popular
everywhere in eastern Peru but found only in the Province of Condorcanqui.
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