Explore Peru - The Land of the Incas

Peru is a living marvel and a mystery that was the heart of the famous Incan Empire that once extended northward from Peru into Ecuador. You will marvel at the towering Andean Cordilleras, or mountain corridors, that rise up like giant fortress walls from the deep Peruvian river valleys. You will also marvel at the extent of the massive earthworks left by the Incas, from stone paved processionals over the Andes to tunnels, temples and mountain citadels.

Mystery is inherent in the landscape of this region. How did the Inca erect megaliths that equal and surpass any found in Europe? Why would they carve an entire hillside into the shape of a condor, and how did they form a mountaintop into the head of a jaguar using colossal stones that would challenge any modern crane? As you venture into the Sacred Valley of the Inca the mystery of the landscape merges with the human mystery of spirit as you notice the Inca have carved large natural stones along the trails to mirror the distant mountain ranges they look out upon. You are left in a constant state of awe that seems to sharpen the mind and heighten the senses until it climaxes when you see Machu Picchu from the Gate of the Sun with your own eyes against the towering stone sentinel of Wayna Picchu.

The proud descendants of the Inca still make their home in this magical land, often living in the same places and honoring a way of life similar to their ancestors. At the end of each day you will have a full range of accommodations available, from 5 star hotels found in fine examples of en Colonial architecture to camping along the Inca Trail, and many levels in between. The wonders of Peru extend toward Bolivia to Lake Titicaca and south along the coast to the mysterious effigies of the Nazca lines. You can combine your journey to the Galapagos with a visit to Peru either before or after your cruise. For example, you can change planes in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil on your way back from the Galapagos and fly directly to Lima, Peru, arriving that same evening.