The Sun Shines Over Peru's Glorious Lake Titicaca. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2009

The lake, the largest in South America and one of the highest navigable bodies of water on Earth, plays a central role in the mythical traditions of ancient Andean civilization. The Inca based the legend of their very creation on this inland ocean. It was from these waters that Viracoca, the God of Creation, emerged to create the sun and the moon, as well as mankind, and it was from here that the Inca began their long conquest of the Andes.

Stepping into this ethereal, high altitude world, where even the sunlight seems to shine with an unreal glow, it’s easy to see why ancient civilizations attached such importance to the lake. Not only is Lake Titicaca overwhelmingly beautiful, it’s also an abundant cradle of life, an environment that has sustained numerous tides of civilization over its long history.

Lake Titicaca today is an enormously popular Peru travel destination, drawing a steady stream of visitors year round. Using the city of Puno as a convenient base, it’s easy to discover some of the enchanting islands that make the lake such a unique place:

Uros

The artificial islands of Uros are one of the most unusual and interesting aspects of the lake. For centuries the Uros people have lived on these man-made floating islands, built entirely from the Tortuga reeds which grow in Titicaca in such abundance.

Originally built as an ingenious solution to aggression from the neighboring Aymara tribes, the islands provide a self-contained refuge with everything the Uros need to survive. Youngsters search for bird’s eggs within the reed forests, the men hunt and fish, while the women use the reeds to construct virtually anything, from the islands and houses themselves to impressive double-story boats capable of holding a dozen people.

The islanders are hospitable and welcoming to visitors. During your tour you will be able to meet community members who are happy to describe their unique way of life and show you round their island. It’s even possible to stay overnight in a small hostel, although most travelers prefer to move on to more comfortable accommodations elsewhere.

The Floating Islands of Uros on Peru's Lake Titicaca. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2010

Taquile

Compared to Uros, the island of Taquile is a metropolis, albeit one with no roads, cars and only intermittent electricity. All the same, the island is home to several thousand residents and is famed for its rich weaving and textile traditions. Islanders are famed for their extravagant clothing, with colorfully embroidered waistcoats, blouses and billowing skirts a common sight, as well as the ubiquitous wool hats. You can get to know this long history of expert weaving in the island’s small but interesting textile museum.

There are also a number of Inca-era ruins on the island, but the Taquile’s real attractions are the jaw-dropping vistas of vast expanses of shimmering water and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. Travelers can enjoy the views during long walks along the many trails that snake along the island’s 3.5 mile length, or from the highpoint of the island which measures over 13,000 feet above sea level.

Suasi

After exploring the relatively large Taquile, the island of Suasi appears as a microscopic dot in the vastness of Lake Titicaca. Suasi is a beautifully tranquil place to relax and enjoy the serenity. There are no permanent residents living here – other than a small herd of camelids, and it’s possible to cross the entire breadth of the island in less than thirty minutes.

Suasi is also one of the few private islands on the lake, accessible only to guests of the island’s single lodge, making this perhaps the most serene place in all of Lake Titicaca. But despite its diminutive size, the island packs a great number of activities and adventures for the visitor, from hiking the trails to sailing the surrounding waters, or simply enjoying the lodge’s spa. But the biggest treat is saved for night time, when under the blackness of night, nature’s spectacular light show of countless stars illuminates the entire island.

Islands Further Afield

Some of the lake’s other islands are much less visited and can be reached by local boat services from Puno. Amantani is one such island, home to several interesting archeological sites, while the island of Anapia is hidden way off in the lake’s far southern waters.

Meanwhile, on the Bolivian side of the lake are a duo if incredibly important islands, the Isla del Sol and Isla del Luna. It is actually on these islands that the Inca creation legends emerged and the islands are home to a fascinating complex of ruins and small settlements.

It is possible to hike along the route of an ancient pilgrimage, formally only open to the highest ranking of the Inca nobility, a trail that curves along the highest point of the Isla del Sol and passes some of the island’s numerous ruins. Reaching the Bolivian islands is possible on trips directly from Puno.

Based on feedback from returning clients, Peru For Less has compiled the following list of Machu Picchu Travel Alternatives.

Machu Picchu travel alternatives, from Peru For Less

Tipon-Piquillajta-Andahuaylillas Day Tour

This series of lesser-known and under visited ruins just west of Cusco offer a fascinating insight into the size and strength of the Inca Empire, as well as features and a history that aren’t to be found at the more famous citadel of Machu Picchu.

The ruins of Tipon are thought to be an ancient Inca palace and are home to elaborately engineered waterways, baths and fountains, plus a functioning irrigation system that reveals the ingenuity of the Inca’s engineers.

From here it’s a short journey to Piquillajta, which was originally a pre-Inca ruin from the Wari civilization and was probably conquered and re-settled by the Inca as their empire expanded. A tour of Piquillajta gives an interesting history of the growth of the empire, and how the Inca were able to incorporate previously independent civilizations into their own.

Eventually your tour brings you to a Colonial-era archeological gem, known as the
“Andean Sistine Chapel,” the 17^th century church at Andahuaylillas is famous for its beautiful decorations and unique interior design. The church’s intriguing décor, complete with graphical depictions of the routes to heaven and hell, glittering golden gilding and a blend of Christian and indigenous iconography all reflect early attempts by the Spanish to convert the locals to Christianity.

Peru Adventure Trek to Choquequirao

The Inca Trail is closed for routine maintenance every February and may remain closed into March this year, but that doesn’t mean that lovers of the great outdoors cannot enjoy the Cusco region’s unrivaled trekking opportunities.

Machu Picchu travel alternatives: the ruins of Choquequirao

One of the most dramatic (and least visited) alternative Inca Trail treks is the four day hike to Choquequirao, a challenging route that is rewarded with a visit to the magnificent ruins of Choquequirao; a huge and deeply impressive site that receives a fraction of Machu Picchu’s annual visitor numbers.

The trek crosses a range of environments, beginning in the rolling fields and small farming settlements of the sierra before entering the savage Apurimac valley with the river thundering several thousand feet below. The trail drops almost 5,000 feet to river level and the following day climbs immediately back up an equivalent distance back up the steep valley walls.

Eventually entering Choquequirao itself is well worth the challenge, especially since yours may well be the only group in the entire site. It takes at least a full day to explore the ruins in their entirety, and of particular note are the enormous complexes of agricultural terraces, some of which were decorated with unique patterns and designs that are not found in any other Andean site.

The route back from Choquequirao follows a different trail, entering the more humid semi-tropical environment of the high-jungle, where parakeets and tarantulas are a common sight and the trees drip with tropical fruits such as mangoes and avocados. After spending the third night on the grounds of an old Colonial hacienda, the trail re-enters the rolling landscapes of the first day before rejoining road transport for the journey back to Cusco.

Sacred Valley Day Tour

The beautiful Sacred Valley that runs away from the city of Cusco along the line of the Urubamba river (and past Machu Picchu, eventually) is home to a huge number of ancient settlements and towns, ruins and glorious landscapes.

Ruins of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley

It is possible to take a day tour of the Sacred Valley’s highlights, starting from and returning to Cusco. Tours start early and descend through unchanged landscapes into the Valley itself before reaching the town of Ollantaytambo.

Olltantaytambo is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in the Andes and people have been living here since at least the 13^th century.  The town is characterized by ancient stone houses built in the trademark style of the Inca, winding cobbled streets bisected by atmospheric flowing rivers and of course the hillside fortress ruins that look over the entire settlement.

The ruins are not particularly large but they have a fascinating history, as the location of a great Inca victory over the Spanish conquistadores, which almost caused the invasion to fail.

After touring the town and the ruins, it’s a short journey to the next destination, the buzzing town of Pisac. It is well worth timing your tour to coincide with market day on Sunday when the entire town comes alive with campesinos descending from the surrounding hills to sell their wares and stock up on provisions. You’ll see everything on sale, from live chickens to coca leaves, as well as a large selection of handicrafts which make ideal souvenirs.

You also have the option to visit Pisac ruins, much larger than at Ollantaytambo and dominating a breathtaking location on the hilltops above the town. The trail around the site runs above steep hillsides and deep ravines, allowing stunning views of the entire valley. A visit to the ruins is available on request.

From Pisac, it’s just a short drive through yet more stunning scenery back to the city of Cusco.

Other sites and excursions in the Sacred Valley

There are a huge number of other tours and excursions available in the Cusco and Sacred Valley region:

A tour of the ruins at Moras & Moray: known as the research laboratories of the Inca, the circular agricultural terraces at Moray were used to examine the full range of growing conditions and environments across the Inca Empire, ensuring that food was never scarce and the entire empire was well fed.

A rafting trip down the Urubamba River is guaranteed to excite and is ideal for beginner rafters with no previous experience. Trips last around 2 hours and range from class 2 and 3 rapids.

The countryside surrounding Cusco is perfect for horseback riding tours, exploring a beautiful landscape which is dotted with villages and settlements where life has changed little over the centuries.

For further information on any of these tours and more, contact a Peru For Less travel advisor at any time, on travel@peruforless.com or 1-817-230-4971.

LAN Peru has announced the new service from San Francisco to Lima, which brings an additional benefit to connecting passengers traveling from destinations throughout the continent, including Santiago, Chile, Sao Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The new service brings LAN Airlines’ total number of US gateways to four, joining New York, Los Angeles and Miami.

The route is good news to travelers planning Peru vacations, and will also help visitors experience any number of other important South America vacation destinations, such as Iguazu Falls, Patagonia and Easter Island.

For further information on the new flights, see the LAN Peru website: www.lan.com or to book a Peru vacation package, contact a Peru For Less travel advisor.

Oktoberfest organisers meeting the party goers, Peru. Photograph, Matthew Barker 2009

Never mind that Oktoberfest Peru is many thousand miles from the real thing in Munich, this four day event held around the middle of October each year, is as authentic as it gets. Organized by a group of German expats, the event is estimated to draw around 20,000 revelers and has been supported by one of the biggest breweries in Peru, Cuzqueña, who even bring out a limited edition beer for the party.

Held in the grounds of a Lima stadium and covered by a beer tent the size of a warehouse, the familiar sight of endless rows of tables packed with thousands of party goers, the sounds of live Bavarian folk music and the repeated shouts of “eins, zwei, drei, PROST!”, (one, two, three, CHEERS!) are more than enough to evoke the real thing.

Tradition is the name of the game: traditional food (sausage and sauerkraut), traditional music (yodeling and Alpenhorn) and traditional standing-on-the-table-thigh-slapping dancing. A few devotees even make the effort to come in traditional dress, with Lederhosen and distinctive Dirndl dresses a frequent sight.

How To Catch Oktoberfest On Your Peru Vacations

An Alpenhorn display at Oktoberfest Lima, Peru. Photograph, Matthew Barker 2009

Oktoberfest Peru is held during the middle of the month, starting on Thursday and lasting until Sunday. If you’re a fan of beer and boisterous revelry and find yourself enjoying your Peru vacations at the right time, head over for one of the most unusual displays of cultural fusion in Lima.

Tickets cost 22 soles for general, single night entry, or 84 soles for two people, including two free beers and a plate of sausage and sauerkraut.

The event is staged at the Videna stadium in San Luis district. Expect to pay up to 20 soles for the taxi journey from Lima’s traveler center, Miraflores.

For further details, take a look at the official website: http://www.oktoberfest-peru.com.

The battle became a decisive moment in the War of the Pacific between Chile and the allied countries of Peru and Bolivia. By crippling the Peruvian ironclad the Huascar, Chilean naval supremacy was achieved, paving the way for a land attack and eventual victory.

The Battle of Angamos, Peru. Image: Creative Commons

But despite their strong sense of patriotism, Peruvians are unlikely to let history get in the way of a good holiday, and 8 October has become an excuse for a celebration throughout the country, with plenty of opportunities for visitors on Peru vacations to get involved.

A number of public events take place in Lima’s neighboring dockland city of Callao, including a ceremony at the main war memorial monument and displays by various naval units.

The events are focused around Plaza Grau, on La Punta, a peninsula that juts out into the Pacific Ocean which is home to a pleasant neighborhood of original architecture and beachfront shops, restaurants and attractive, well conserved parkland.

La Punta is home to a large Peruvian Naval School complex and is very close to Callao’s docklands, where much of Peru’s maritime history has been concentrated. The events start at around 10:00am and last for several hours.

Getting to Callao from the popular tourist district of Miraflores in Lima is best done by taxi, as the journey is a long one and can take up to an hour, passing through some fairly poor neighborhoods. Expect to pay between 20 and 30 soles for the taxi ride.

Meanwhile elsewhere in Lima and throughout Peru, families and friends take the chance to spend the day together at home, drinking their favorite brand of Peruvian beer and enjoying a typical meal of the famous Peruvian cuisine.

National holidays are a good time to explore Peruvian culture and history during your Peru travel experience, but to ensure you have the best time possible, try to remember the following key points:

- ATMs should still be functioning and street money changers will be working, but banks and other services will be closed for the day, so don’t get caught short without enough cash.

- Restaurants, hotels and public transport will be functioning as normal, but in busy areas (especially on La Punta) expect crowds, higher than normal prices, and a queue for even the smallest purchase.

- As with any crowded area in any city, exercise caution – keep an eye on your bags, don’t put your expensive cameras or cash on display and watch out for pickpockets.

The Selvámonos music and arts festival in Oxapampa, Peru

The jungle is a popular destination for many Peru vacations, with jungle lodges and Amazon River cruises offering an easy introduction to the wild Amazon rainforest, its unique ecosystems and its vast range of wildlife inhabitants.

But the central jungle region is a little-known and under-visited region of the rainforest and is an ideal place for travelers looking for their own Amazon adventures.

Within this region is a unique community of Germanic settlers who made an epic migration from Central Europe to Peru in the 1850s and eventually established a number of settlements in the selva alta, the high jungle, where the Andes mountains and the Amazon meet.

In the towns of Oxapampa and Pasco, the German heritage is alive and well to this day, with blond hair and blue eyes a common sight, and an old dialect of German still spoken.

This unique community is playing host to a unique new event in October, with the Selvámonos music and arts festival of Oxapampa due to begin on 10 October 2009.

The first of its kind, Selvámonos is aimed at bringing music and art together in the paradisiacal location of the selva alta. The concept is borrowed from successes in other countries, where music and arts have been decentralized from the major cities and allowed to flourish in diverse, alternative environments.

The event will be featuring a variety of national and international artists, including Jean Pierre Magnet, a well known composer and saxophonist who is inspired by the musical traditions of the Andes, along with Andres Prado, a jazz guitarist also heavily influenced by the various Peruvian styles.

The location for Selvámonos has been chosen to place emphasis on the positive elements of the region, as an example of sustainable living and development. The event is being staged at the Aníbal Ruffner Ranch, located in La Florida Avenue s/n Chontabamba, Oxapampa and the doors open at 2:00pm.

For further information see the event blog: http://selvamonos.blogspot.com/

Getting to the area is a relatively easy bus journey from Lima which takes around 8/9 hours. Timing your journey to arrive in daylight is highly recommended, as the views during the descent from the sierra into the jungle are stunning.

See below to find details of a 20% discount on Lonely Planet’s Peru guide and all travel guides.

Fellow Peru Travel Fanatic and Lonely Planet Guide Book Author, Sam Benson

LAFL: Can you describe one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences you had while in Peru researching the book?

Sam Benson: For me, it was those long bus trips from the Andes down into the selva (or, jungle) that are the most memorable.

On one of my early research trips to Peru, I arrived at the beginning of the rainy season. Starting from the Andean highlands town of Cusco, those rickety public buses would literally crawl along jagged mountainsides and rollick over waterfalls and nearly flooded-out passes as I held my breath, crossing my fingers that we’d make it to our next destination.

The buses always seemed to be cheerfully overloaded with all kinds of colorful trading goods, from tropical fruit to sweaters, hats and gloves knitted by hand out of llama wool. I could travel through several seasons in just one bus trip, starting out in near-winter conditions in the Andes and ending up in sweltering summer-like weather down in the Amazon.

LAFL: Peru is packed with some pretty well-known attractions but what are your favorite off-the-beaten-track destinations?

SB: For Lonely Planet, I covered the popular “Gringo Trail” route, starting from Lima and traveling down the South Coast, then heading east through Arequipa to Puno & Lake Titicaca, then north to Cuzco and ultimately, Machu Picchu.

The fascinating Inca ruins of Moray in the Sacred Valley, Peru. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2009

But even on this well-beaten track, it was possible to visit rural villages and incredibly scenic natural areas. In the well-traveled Sacred Valley, I had places like the Incan terraces of Moray practically all to myself.

On the South Coast, I remember tasting pisco and wine by myself in the Lunahuaná Valley, a jumping-off point for wild whitewater rafting trips. Outside of Chincha, I took a ghost tour that included the spooky catacombs of a former African slave plantation, Hacienda San José.

Busy Nazca and its mysterious lines in the desert are a must-stop along the Gringo Trail, but there are also dozens of more remote and less-visited ruins from Peru’s ancient cultures that few tourists see, like Cerro Baúl, a royal brewery built by the Wari people, or the funerary towers of Cutimbo, in the Lake Titicaca region, which is dotted with remote isles where traditional villagers offer homestays for adventurous tourists.

LAFL: You must have spent plenty of time in Peru, researching and writing the guide. But how would you advise a traveler with just two weeks to spend their time?

SB: If I had just 2 weeks to spend in Peru, and assuming it was my first time visiting the country, I’d start by making the semi-loop from Lima to Cuzco, taking time to visit villages around the Sacred Valley and making an excursion by train to Machu Picchu or trekking the famous Inca Trail to visit the country’s most-famous ruins.

Then, I’d have to choose between visiting a wildlife lodge and taking a river trip in the Amazon river basin, or flying back to Lima and traveling north to Huaraz, a mountain adventure base-camp, then hitting the beaches and hidden archaeological sites farther up the North Coast toward Ecuador.

LAFL: Is Peru a country you’d recommend for family traveling? Where in particular are good spots to visit with the whole family?

SB: If your children are older (i.e., pre-teens or teenagers) and have a keen sense of adventure, then Peru would be a great destination for your family, especially if you’re interested in outdoor activities, from hiking and trekking to surfing and kayaking. There’s something of an Indiana Jones or Lara Croft allure to Peru, with its archaeological sites, lofty Andean highlands and deep jungle.

LAFL: Where should a budget traveler head for the best bargains?

SB: One of my favorite bargains for traveling in Peru is the city of Arequipa, which many travelers pass right over. It has beautiful historic inns where you can stay overnight for much less than you’d pay in Lima or Cuzco. It’s surprisingly urbane, with impressive educational museums, convivial restaurants and lively nightlife. It’s also a gateway to myriad outdoor adventures, from climbing volcanoes to whitewater rafting or trekking through some of the deepest canyons on Earth.

LAFL: And what about visitors looking for a bit of luxury?

SB: For luxury, look to Lima, the capital city, and also Cuzco, the Andean mountain town that’s a must-see on anyone’s itinerary. In Cuzco, you can splash out on the Hotel Monasterio, which inhabits a 16th-century Jesuit monastery, and where in-room services and amenities extend to supplemental oxygen, should you find yourself needing it at the city’s elevation of nearly 11,000 feet.

LAFL: Finally, are there any insider tips you can offer us that aren’t in the book?

SB: When I write Lonely Planet guidebooks, I put my heart and soul into it. I rarely hold anything back from readers. After all, they’re the best reason why I do what I do for a living! All of my insider tips are already in the book.

Though my best piece of advice is one that readers often ignore. Travelers with an independent spirit and more time on their hands than just your typical two weeks should look into alternative treks to the Machu Picchu. By that I mean not just alternative routes to the crowded Inca Trail, but also trekking routes that visit less-impacted, more pristine Andean peaks — after all, that’s what real adventure is all about.

Lonely Planet's Peru Travel Guide

Catch up with more of Sam Benson’s stories from the road on her blog: www.indietraveler.blogspot.com.

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To redeem your 20% discount, visit shop.lonelyplanet.com, and enter the promo code LAFL20 in your shopping cart.

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Overcoming the islands’ remoteness is easy and comfortable on one of the many Galapagos Islands tours that are available, but for those without the time to spare, there is a little-known alternative that can be visited as an easy diversion during most Peru vacations.

Although incomparably smaller than the Galapagos Islands archipelago, Peru’s Islas Ballestas make an excellent day drip from the southern coastal town of Pisco, near the regional capital of Ica.

A rocky outcrop at the Islas Ballestas, Peru

Three hour tours can be arranged on the spot in Pisco, or longer and professionally guided excursions are offered by providers of Peru vacation packages. The trip involves an outward boat journey that takes around 1.5 hours, depending on the conditions, followed by around an hour sailing round the islands themselves.

The islands are protected and disembarking is forbidden but the boat tours will get you close enough for a clear view of the astonishing range of creatures who have made the Islas Ballestas their home.

You’re guaranteed to spot rafts of boisterous sea lions, competing for space with squawking cormorants, penguins and pelicans (along with colorful flamingos if you visit during the summer months).

This massive concentration of bird life has given the islands a peculiar and unexpected significance, thanks to the excellent properties that the deep piles of bird droppings have as a fertilizer. In fact, these droppings were once such a valuable export that wars were fought for control of the Islas Ballestas and their neighbors. Thankfully, the bird colonies are now protected and such disturbances are a thing of the past.

A view of the candelabra from the Islas Ballestas, Peru

On the return journey you might be lucky enough to catch a sighting of some other marine creatures, including the dolphins that make the most of these fish-laden straits. You’ll also spot the gigantic ancient shape etched into a sandy hillside, known as the candelabra, which has echoes of the mysterious Nazca Lines in the desert nearby.

How Best To Enjoy An Islas Ballestas Tour:

- For the most professional and knowledgeable guides, book ahead with a Peru vacation package provider,

- Wrap up from the elements – either sun or rain – and take a hat to keep your head protected (both from the weather, and the copious amount of falling bird droppings),

- Boats can get very close to the islands but for the best views, take binoculars,

- The water in these straits can get very choppy so those prone to sea-sickness should remember their medication!