There are so many interesting archeological sites in Peru it would take years to explore them all. We will mention several of them here but the reader should see other articles in this series for more information where several of the more famous sites are presented in more detail. The tiny village of Pisaq at the entrance to the sacred valley of the Incas exhibits many features of Incan construction. It is located in the province of Calca where you will find the Huchuy Qosqo archeological complex.

The natural untouched beauty of the might Andean mountain range, the majestic Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca Islands that are barely affected by the modern world. Street markets and Andean culture in Bolivia, sand-boarding in the Atacama Desert and 4x4 drives across the Bolivia salt flats. All this can comfortably be experienced in around a month travelling through this awe-inspiring corner of South America.

There is no shortage of activities to indulge the more adventurous traveler on a Peru tour. From beaches in the north, desert landscape to the south and wild Amazon jungle further inland, it's as if all the world's environmental extremes have descended on one country. But perhaps the biggest draw card is the elevated world of the Andes, and the best way to experience the physical beauty and the rich cultural history of this lost world is on your own two feet.

In my missionary work here in southern Peru, I sometimes help out some short-term teams that come from the U.S. On one of these occasions, I drove to near Oyolo, a village about five hours away from Cotahuasi where I live, to meet Pastor Eddie and his team from Florida. They were driving from Pausa and were supposed to be meeting me up on the high plain, about an hour before Oyolo, as they were going to be using the "new road" we had learned about when we were there a number of months before.

A few years ago, I was planning on spending the whole month of July in the neighboring district of Ayacucho, working with other missionaries there, but as often happens here, plans change. I had to go to Arequipa to take care of paperwork for my car on July 1st and returned to Cotahuasi on the 5th, expecting to take the combi early the next morning to Oyolo. However when I checked on the schedule, they said there had been a snow storm on the high plain and the road between Cotahuasi and Oyolo wasn't passable.

Colca valley is one of the most scenic areas in Peru. There are 14 colonial villages some of which date back to the16th century. It is the home of the Collaqua and Cabana people who are descendants of the pre-Incan inhabitants. This area is also famous as as starting point for many hiking trails that wind their way through villages, past lakes and stone formations.

The women shamans of Peru have come to visit. They carry the sacred objects we will use in ceremony, and between them, over 50 years experience in healing. In Peru they are called curanderas, here they are sometimes called shamans. I have booked Ysabel and Olinda heavily during their 3 day stay. It is a rare opportunity for people to receive healings in the U. S. from these women. They do not often travel from their neighborhoods or villages in Peru.

Admire the spectacular ruins of Choquequirao in relative privacy on a customizable Peru vacation with the travel experts at Peru For Less. If you arrived at Machu Picchu wishing you arrived 50 years earlier, then Choquequirao might be right for you. If you are a shoestringer with a strict budget but want to get a taste of Andean ruins, then Choquequirao might be right for you. If you hate luxury hotels and tourist attractions, then Choquequirao might be right for you.

Here's how the story goes: One hundred years ago, when Hiram Bingham stumbled across the Lost City of the Incas, he picked himself up, jotted down his find in his notebook and kept on going. It's hard to believe that Bingham could miss a trick. The intrepid explorer was on an expedition from the US to find a fabled Inca city high in the Andes called Vilcabamba. He was successful. But it was only when he returned home and reported his findings, that he realised the importance of his first discovery.