In 1533 Spanish adventurers arrived in Peru in search of El Dorado (the city of Gold) and plundered everything in their path. It is a story of treachery and degradation and within a few years the Inca empire was in ruins. Today archaeologists, tourists and bedraggled travellers alike arrive in Peru, drawn to its glorious past, its ancient cultures and its timeless mysteries.

Peru is a land of mystery. Is it here that the famed Machu Picchu - the mountain-top fortress where the last of the Incas hid from the Conquistadors - is found high in the Andes. It is here that the strange Nazca drawings can be seen. It is here that vast civilizations disappeared. Peru has the highest lake in the world which is said to be the birthplace of man. Peru is the home of the whimsically tempered llama and a fascinating and friendly people. Come to Peru - explore and discover what is perhaps the most mysterious country on earth.

Witchcraft and shamanism are practised widely in Peru and there is a witches market in the desert town of Chiclayo where you can buy the hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus, love potions and concoctions to rid the body of evil spirits. A woman tried to sell me a dried llama foetus and seeds along with a promise that it would keep me safe on my travels. It seemed appropriate as my next stop was Lima. The capital is a city of wealth and poverty, beauty and ugliness. It seethes with humanity, the sidewalks are crammed with hawkers selling everything from fruit and vegetables to carparts and junk. Around the main plaza there are grand colonial buildings, yet only a few streets away the slums begin. Poverty, terrorism and pressure from drug barons have forced many people to leave the mountains in search of work and shanty towns have risen on the city outskirts.

I left Lima on the dawn flight to Cuzco. Within minutes we had left the desert and the plane rose into the mountains and the rising sun. For 40 minutes we flew over the snow-covered Sierra and suddenly we had arrived. Cuzco and the Urumbamba valley is scattered with ruins, traditional villages and breathtaking scenery. Cuzco is an enchanting city which seems to live and breathe history. The people, dressed in traditional colourful attire, blend harmoniously with a city that combines ancient Inca style and stonework with Spanish colonial buildings.

Cuzco literally means “the naval”. To the Incas it was Tawantinsuyu — empire of the four corners of the earth. It was here the empire began its monumental rise in the 14th century and within 100 years it encompassed an area of half a million square miles and up to 10 million people in an empire that rivalled the Romans. The Incas united all the tribes of the Andes and provided a time of prosperity unequalled before or since. Their cities were decorated with gold — “the sweat of the sun” and “the tears of the moon”. To the Incas gold was used for its aesthetic, not monetary, value.

Behind Cuzco is the ruined fortress of Sacsaywaman. Its sheer immensity is astounding, even though only part of it remains. Each wall is made up of enormous blocks of stone, many weighing more than 100 tonnes. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle, every irregular stone fits perfectly with the next. This staggering structure was created without cutting tools or mechanical devices and it was estimated that up to 30,000 men worked on the fort for 50 years. To expand and control their ever growing empire the Incas built a series of roads, traces of which are still found throughout Peru, notably the Inca trail which leads to Macchu Picchu, the fabled lost city. The trail leads up and down mountains, across valleys, past ruins and takes three to four days.

It is a strenuous climb and chewing coca leaves helps combat altitude sickness and induces a mild euphoric feeling. Near the end of the trail is Inti punka (door of the sun). On the other side Macchu Picchu spreads out in front of you. The city is a perfect example of integrating the building and the landscape so that it looks like part of nature. It’s built on a craggy mountain precipice and is surrounded by towering, snow-covered peaks.

We camped for the night and at the first hint of dawn made our way down the ancient track, squeezing past a family of llama that sprawled across the narrow path. We felt like true explorers and for the first hour we had the ruins to ourselves. Heavy clouds soon descended and the city was obscured by a misty haze, adding to its enchantment. The southern desert is home to the Nazca lines, one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time. This desolate landscape is criss-crossed by hundreds of lines, some of which run parallel for up to five miles and are so vast that they can only be appreciated from the air. A number of stylised figures, a bird, a monkey and a spider to name a few have been carved into the desert.

Many theories have been advanced as to why they are there, from runways for alien spacecraft to astronomical connotations. It seems most likely that they were paths, known as ceques and used to reach holy places (wak’as) and ceremonial sites.

The Nazcas were a morbid people, obsessed with ancestral worship and death, so these paths were probably used to bring together the living and the dead. To fly over the lines costs about £30 and a visit to the necropolis is included. Here the desert is strewn with mummified bodies, carelessly discarded by grave robbers. As far as you can see lie skulls and skeletons, many still covered in hair and skin, bleached white with the sun. It is even more impressive than the Nazca lines.

Capital: Lima

Population: 24,600,000

Area: 496, 226 square miles

Language: Spanish

Time: Always -5 hours GMT

Electricity: 220 volts AC / 60 Hz

Geography: Peru is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, by Brazil and Bolivia in the east, Chile to the south and the South Pacific in the west. There are three distinct geographical areas in Peru. The Coastal area is where more than half the population lives. It is the area which has almost all of the heavy industry. The broad Andes Range provides water in the form of rivers for the coastal areas and also supply water to the agricultural areas on the western slope of the Andes. The Andes begin only 70 miles inland and rise to over 20,000 ft. The high mountains and deep canyons of the Andes give way to the Amazon jungle area which is a tropical rain forest. In this region there is much more rainfall and no roads. All points much be reached by air or by river.

International Airport Lima - The airport is located about 8 miles from the city. City busses and taxis are available.

Tipping: On close examination you may find that your restaurant bill has been stuffed with taxes and service charges which will add another 30% or more to your bill. Oddly enough those same taxes and service charges do not occur in smaller "off the avenue" restaurants. Be careful not to tip twice. Leave small change if you have already been charged. Always leave a tip in small restaurants and always give it directly to the waiter who otherwise may never see it.

Shopping: Shops open around 8 in the morning and stay open for 12 hours. Most stay open until about 1 on Saturday and very few have Sunday hours. There are lots of fascinating things to buy in Peru. There is no one single place to do it except that Lima has the best selection and the highest (although not terrible) prices. Knitted alpaca sweaters are simply beautiful. ceramics, jewelry (particularly those associated with Indian pre-Columbian life and rituals), paintings, weaving and pottery are the best items to get. In the markets be wary of pickpockets and thieves. Bargaining expected in markets.

Food and Drink: There are a variety of local meals which will not upset the visitor's appetite of stomach. "Lomo Saltado" is a chopped steak which is fried with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and served on a bed of rice. Or try a noodle soup called "Sopa a la Criolla" which also has beef, vegetables and milk. Soft drinks are in good supply and often with brands that are recognizable. Inca Cola is obviously local has a unique taste of fizzed bubble gum. Water should not be trusted so bottled water is recommended. Should you be inclined to have a beer there are many local beers that are good. Highland beer is a corn beer stored in earthen pots which packs quite a different taste. It is not available by the bottle but only in the country and has to be asked for from the waiter or bar. WInes are not great in number and a little so in taste but not really bad.

Business: Business should be done in the mornings. Appointments are not usually hard to get, but do allow plenty of time for the appointment to run over. Lunch appointments are not common.

Banking: Banks have varying hours depending on the time of year. April - December 9:15 am - 12.45 pm on weekdays. January - March 8:30 am - 11:30 am weekdays. Banks are closed on the weekends.

Currency: The Sol

Money Exchange: Best to do at banks but you can also exchange currency at hotels and exchange kiosks

Credit cards: Visa, Master Card and American Express

Climate

Peru has several different weather patterns. Along the coastal area, the strong Humbolt current serves to cool the area which rarely gets warmer than 80F or falls below the mid fifties. There is a low lying cloud which hovers over much of the coast most of the time including Lima. This effects sunshine - which is rare - and rain - which is also rare. During the winter, which is from June to September, there is a lot of mist and dampness. In the mountains, the temperatures are much lower and can often freeze even in the summer (December - March). The rainy season lasts throughout the summer months and rains almost all the time on the eastern slopes of the Andes.

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