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SOUTH AMERICA

Beyond Machu Picchu: my wild adventures in Peru

As the British Museum’s blockbuster Peru exhibition opens, it’s time to explore Inca civilisation and more — including the country’s thrilling surf and exquisite cuisine

Llamas at Machu Picchu
Llamas at Machu Picchu
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The Times

Beneath the intense Andean sun the dusty avenue lined by the jagged remains of once imposing stone and adobe walls stretches over the undulating valley floor into the distance.

The purpose of this prehistoric thoroughfare remains a mystery. Andean cultures never developed writing and the dozens of surrounding crumbling houses were not just abandoned a millennium ago but even had their doors and windows filled in by their fleeing owners.

Yet the scale of this heavily eroded fortified outpost of the once-great Wari empire — a culture as ancient for the Incas as the Incas are for us — leaves little doubt that in its heyday, around AD600, it would have been one of the largest settlements in the Americas.

The ruins at Pikillacta
The ruins at Pikillacta
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Archaeologists have so far found traces of human activity across more than 50 acres of a site known as Pikillacta, or “the Place of Fleas”. But that may be just a fraction of its true extent.

Their task has not been helped, my guide Diego tells me, by graverobbers, or huaqueadores as they are called in Peru. They ransacked Pikillacta long ago, including, it is thought, whisking away the embalmed remains of several former residents. “What would you even do with a mummy?” he shrugs.

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Pikillacta was once home to perhaps 10,000 people and also used to host feasts, but the riddles remain, not least the source of its name. Had it been the scene of a pre-Colombian infestation? Or does it have a more metaphorical origin?

Scrambling around the site, just a 30-minute drive southeast of Cusco, leaves more questions than answers. But it is also a breathtaking reminder of how the Incas’ short-lived civilisation dominates our imagining of Andean life before the conquistadors crashed in. After surging out of the Lake Titicaca region, the Incas were only around for the last two fleeting centuries before, by pure chronological chance, coinciding with the Spaniards’ violent arrival.

That is to the detriment of the myriad other peoples, including the Wari, who preceded them and who developed much of the culture and religious beliefs that we now regard as “Inca”.

Behind them they left an archaeological legacy as rich as that of the Mediterranean basin, one that is now the subject of the British Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Peru: A Journey in Time, which opened last week. It may be the perfect cue for that once-in-a-lifetime trip to Peru and, like Pikillacta, provides an overdue reminder that the country has so much more to offer than Machu Picchu.

That is no slight on the sublime, mystical citadel. Rather, it is recognising that the South American country has archaeological sites from across the ages, several of them rivalling Machu Picchu in scale and, arguably, splendour, yet receiving just a trickle of visitors. It also has just about every type of ecosystem on planet Earth, vibrant living cultures and truly great cuisine.

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Of course, any visit to Peru — or at least any first visit — will take in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. But if you want to get away from the crowds, you can try exploring some of the remoter corners of the valley, and also focus your itinerary elsewhere on pre-Inca sites such as Pikillacta.

Explora hotel
Explora hotel
EXPLORA SACRED VALLEY

I spent several days in the valley based at Explora, a new all-inclusive lodge that prides itself on its social and environmental sustainability, going out on foot with the hotel’s guides. Striding in light rain through the neighbouring altiplano, or high plains, some 13,000ft above sea level, the only reminders that you are not in the Scottish Highlands are the thin air and occasional llama.

Back at the lodge I was restored by a menu designed by Virgilio Martínez, the chef behind Lima’s acclaimed Central restaurant. It encompasses everything from rare Andean tubers to venison and duck, with assorted Peruvian flavourings such as huacatay, or black mint, and miel de chancaca, a cane syrup flavoured with cinnamon and cloves.

A room at Explora
A room at Explora

Andean cultures began flourishing some 5,000 years ago, with Caral, a complex of temples and amphitheatres on the coast, three hours north of Lima, among the oldest-known settlements in the western hemisphere.

These ancient peoples adapted brilliantly to Peru’s diverse and often hostile landscapes, from the coastal desert and abundant but frigid Pacific Ocean to the world’s longest mountain chain and the endless jungles.

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They included the Paracas, Nasca, Moche and Chimú peoples, who lived along the barren littoral, as well as the Chavín, Wari and, finally, Inca civilisations, up in the Andes. All feature in A Journey in Time at the British Museum.

These cultures left behind remarkable physical testaments to their ways of life in one of the last corners of the globe completely cut off, until 1528, from the rest of the world. That state of isolation resulted in ways of thinking that, for western eyes, remain fascinatingly alien.

The Wari, whose empire once covered most of the Peruvian Andes and Pacific coast and preceded the Incas by some 500 years, developed such quintessentially “Inca” features as agricultural terracing and a network of roads crisscrossing their sprawling territories.

Caral in Supe valley
Caral in Supe valley
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They were also famous for their fine weaving, featuring geometric patterns with, in some cases, nearly 400 threads per inch, a mind-boggling level of craftsmanship that can be appreciated in one of A Journey in Time’s exhibits, a ceremonial shirt or unku from about AD650, featuring broad red stripes and elaborate depictions of Andean life.

The Moche, who lived on the central coast during what in Europe was the early Middle Ages, are, in Peru at least, best known for their lascivious pottery – think a 3D pre-Colombian version of the Kama Sutra — endless examples of which can be seen in Lima’s small but packed Larco Museum.

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The Larco, though, is not for everyone. I took my son, then eight, in a failed attempt at early sex education. He radiated ennui throughout — until he realised that the restaurant had chicken nuggets on the menu.

The Moche also left behind the Lord of Sipán grave. Buried in golden, silver and turquoise armour and jewels, and accompanied by mummified soldiers with amputated feet, apparently to prevent them marching out of the tomb, this ancient ruler’s final resting place is now home to the award-winning Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum.

Chicama beach
Chicama beach
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If you are a surfer, Sipán is also a relatively short hop from the beach of Chicama, which has a two-mile wave, thought to be the longest break in the world. Only elite surfers can ride the entire thing, and only in the right conditions — I made it about 50 yards before wiping out — but it is worth recalling that Peru is a world-class surfing destination, with breaks for all levels, including in Lima.

The Nasca, who spanned 200BC to AD600, famously left behind their images of a killer whale, birds, monkey and spider, among other creatures, in the southern desert, geoglyphs that are so vast they are best appreciated from the air. There have been accidents, however, so it is advisable to set up your flight through a reputable agency, such as Journey Latin America, rather than locally.

Yet possibly the least known of the cultures on display at the British Museum is the Chavín, who were knocking around from 1200BC to 500BC. They left behind the first big religious site in the Andes, a temple complex in the central highlands near the trekking and mountaineering hub of Huaraz.

Ruins of the ancient city Kuelap
Ruins of the ancient city Kuelap
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From the outside the complex resembles a large mound of earth, but with jutting feline stone heads. Inside is a labyrinth of tunnels that lead to the Lanzón, an imposing granite stela of a snarling human-like figure with snakes for hair, claws and what appear to be jaguar teeth.

The Lanzón is thought to have been dedicated to fertility deities to ensure abundant harvests. But only a few of the Chavín people, perhaps priests and royalty, would have been allowed to approach it, and probably only in a hallucinogenic trance. Today, even in a state of complete sobriety, it sends a frisson of electricity through any visitor who sets eyes on it at the far end of a dimly lit, claustrophobic corridor.

Peru’s archaeological treasures are so varied that the British Museum has not even found room to include the Chachapoyas, a pugnacious people never conquered by the Incas who lived in the northern cloud forests.

They left behind larger-than-life sarcophagi perched in the middle of vertical cliffs, and Kuélap, a daunting mountaintop fortress whose outer walls are 20ft high and 2,000ft long. I was the only visitor during my half-day exploring Chavín, and there were just a handful of other groups at Pikillacta, despite it being on Cusco’s doorstep, and Kuélap.

Andahuaylillas church
Andahuaylillas church
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Of course the Andeans’ cultural evolution did not end with the conquest. Just beyond Pikillacta is the small village of Andahuaylillas, with its colonial church. Sometimes described as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes, it is a testament to how the Spaniards had to adapt Catholicism for even those converted at the point of a sword.

From the church’s austere façade there is little to prepare the visitor for the glitteringly detailed interior, with its painted roof and outsize, gilded baroque altar. Yet, rather than crucifixes, the altar features the Virgin Mary, a more palatable icon for the surrounding Quechua and Aymara-speaking communities, who equated it to their own Pachamama or Mother Earth.

There are more leisurely ways to discover Peru’s cultural and geographical diversity. In Lima you could try the tasting menus at Central or Astrid y Gastón, the restaurant that kicked off Peru’s gastronomic renaissance back in the 1990s. Both offer a haute cuisine tour de force that will take you from the depths of the Pacific to the heights of the Andes, and then on to the exotically varied natural pantry that is the Amazon.

Or you could just visit the British Museum. And as you take in A Journey in Time, you might want to consider that Peru is not only high on many a bucket list, it is also, as of last month, finally off the red list.

Simeon Tegel was a guest of Journey Latin America, which offers a ten-night trip to Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley from £4,563pp, including flights, transfers, most meals and guided excursions including to Machu Picchu, plus first-class hotels and a stay at Explora Valle Sagrado (journeylatinamerica.co.uk). For additional information on Peru see the PromPeru London Office’s website promperu.uk

Belmond’s Hiram Bingham Pullman-style train
Belmond’s Hiram Bingham Pullman-style train

Adventures in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador

By Chris Moss

Machu Picchu by luxury train

Most Latin American countries have lost their great railways, but tourism has allowed Peru to keep open some awe-inspiring lines. After a look around colonial Lima and the excellent Larco museum, transfer to Cusco to ride Belmond’s Hiram Bingham Pullman-style train through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. After exploring the area with expert guides, board another luxury train for a whistle-stop tour of Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, Peru’s second city, Unesco-listed for its beautiful architecture.
Details
Nine nights from £6,540pp, including flights, accommodation, transfers, most meals and excursions (journeylatinamerica.co.uk)

Colca canyon, Peru
Colca canyon, Peru
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Peru’s highlights in style

A couple of decades ago, intrepid usually meant roughing it in Peru. But a new generation of jungle lodges and savvy local tour firms have since honed the luxurious wilderness holiday. Combine a three-night stay at the Reserva Amazonica at the headwaters of the Amazon — where you can canoe to look for giant otters — with a couple of nights each at the lovely Sol y Luna hotel in the Sacred Valley and the Colca lodge close to the canyon of the same name. You’ll also stay at the five-star GHL hotel on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Details
Sixteen nights from£4,705pp, including accommodation, private tours, most meals and domestic flights (selectlatinamerica.co.uk); budget an extra £800 for international flights to Lima

The 18-suite, 40-passenger Anakonda
The 18-suite, 40-passenger Anakonda

Ecuadorian Amazon adventure

Start with a wander round colonial Quito, where the Andean altitude keeps tropical temperatures more than bearable. The road trip down to the Amazon basin is one of the most thrilling “transfers” in the world, traversing the so-called Avenue of the Volcanoes before zigzagging down to the rainforest. The highlight is six nights on board the 18-suite, 40-passenger Anakonda, the only luxury ship to sail Ecuador’s headwaters, meeting local communities and visiting remote and pristine areas where few get to travel.
Details
Eleven nights from £5,595pp, including accommodation, full board on the cruise and flights (steppestravel.com)

Flamingos in Bolivia
Flamingos in Bolivia
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Bolivia high plains

Known as Alto Peru or “High Peru” during the colonial era, Bolivia has some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery on earth. Take in the markets and colonial architecture of Sucre, the spectacular salt lake of Uyuni, Lake Titicaca — a blue jewel in the arid heart of the Andean altiplano — and the city of Potosi, renowned for the silver mines that powered the Spanish empire. Framing all these wonders are snow-capped peaks and agricultural landscapes that provide a vital link back to Inca times.
Details
Fifteen nights’ B&B from £4,805pp, including accommodation and guides (geodyssey.co.uk). Fly to Santa Cruz and from La Paz

Las Casitas, a Belmond Hotel, Colca Canyon, Peru
Las Casitas, a Belmond Hotel, Colca Canyon, Peru

Peruvian gastronomy trail

The story of Peruvian cuisine is extraordinary, from the point of view of the indigenous techniques for storing and growing food in testing environments to the global renown enjoyed by Peruvian chefs in recent times. While ceviche is now available anywhere and everywhere, a food-themed tour of Lima, the Sacred Valley, Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca affords an opportunity to expand your knowledge. You’ll visit markets, meet local cooks and chefs, take cookery classes and indulge in delicious dinners — rounding it all off with a pisco cocktail mixing session.
Details
Ten nights from £6,100 per person, including all domestic travel, some meals, luxury train travel and excursions. (belmond.com). Fly to Lima

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
GETTY IMAGES

Sacred Valley explorations

Using the Explora Valle Sagrado lodge as your base, visit remote, off-the-beaten-track areas of the Sacred Valley — the river valley between Machu Picchu and Cusco — on a series of walking, mountain-biking and high-altitude hiking excursions. More than 40 adventures are on offer, with sumptuous dinners and a soft bed awaiting you on your return. Combine three days of active tourism with a slower-paced stay in Cusco, based at the lavishly appointed Palacio Nazarenas.
Details
Eight nights from £5,080pp including accommodation, some meals (full board at Explora), transfers and flights (audleytravel.com)

Cordillera Huayhuash in the Andes
Cordillera Huayhuash in the Andes
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Huayhuash trek

For seasoned walkers after something original and away from the crowds, Peru’s Huayhuash range is hard to beat. Made famous by Joe Simpson’s 1988 book Touching the Void — and the film of the same name — the region’s jaw-dropping beauty can be experienced without ever taking out an ice-pick or donning crampons. A fully supported, locally guided small-group walk around the main circuit takes visitors into a terrain of still, turquoise-hued lakes beneath snow-capped summits and glaciers that rise dramatically from rolling grassland. Walking the trails, the only noises likely to break the serenity are the calls of herders to their llamas (including the ones carrying your gear).
Details
Fifteen nights from £1,880pp, including local transport, transfers, full-board accommodation and tour guide. The trip can also be offered to private groups on a bespoke basis (andeantrails.co.uk). Fly to Lima

Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel
Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

Private island-hopping in the Galapagos

From March 2022 the Ecuador-based tour operator Metropolitan Touring will offer a land-based itinerary with a private guide that combines three nights at the excellent Scalesia Lodge tented camp on Isabela Island with four nights at the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel on Santa Cruz — with a light aircraft providing the inter-island transfer. Spending time on terra firma is an opportunity to visit wildlife-viewing spots off most itineraries; Finch Bay guests also have access to a yacht. Spend a night at Casa Gangotena in Quito en route.
Details
Seven nights from £7,426pp, including accommodation, most meals, transfers and flights (journeylatinamerica.co.uk)

Rainbow Mountain — aka Vinicunca
Rainbow Mountain — aka Vinicunca
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Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain

Photographers have always loved Machu Picchu, but in the Instagram era a rival has surfaced in the shape of Rainbow Mountain — aka Vinicunca or “Mountain of Seven Colours”. A couple of hours’ drive from Cusco, this is a sight to behold, rising more than 17,000ft above sea level in an apex of dreamlike yet earthy hues. A visit can be built around a tour of Machu Picchu, along with an e-bike ride to the nearby sites of Maras and Moray and a fascinating visit to a bioculture reserve for the Americas’ most famous food export: potatoes.
Details
Seven nights from £2,100pp, including all accommodation, breakfasts and some other meals, transfers and train rides (setours.com). Fly to Lima

Mashpi Lodge
Mashpi Lodge

Slow Ecuador plus a Galapagos cruise

If you’re time-rich, it pays to undertake a slower, wide-ranging adventure in Ecuador. Mix up stays in cutting-edge, glass-walled Mashpi Lodge with the historic Hacienda Zuleta, near Otavalo’s indigenous markets with artisan workshops, before embarking on a week-long cruise of the Galapagos islands on the Galapagos Integrity, one of the most sustainable boats operating in the region. The trip is bookended with nights in colonial Quito and at a cacao and teak farm close to Guayaquil.
Details
Seventeen nights from £9,950pp, including accommodation, meals, tours and transport, including flight to the islands (traveldifferently.co.uk). Fly to Quito

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