The Inca Empire built an advanced network of roads that crisscrossed the empire and connected each of the four corners of the Tawantinsuyu. It stretched from Quito, Ecuador in the north to south of Santiago in Chile. The Inca trail to Machu Picchu is a 43km segment of that magnificent network of which has become a popular hiking route in the last 30 years. This section of the trail connected the which was the capital of the to the citadel of . Machu Picchu is believed to …

It is commonly questioned as to how the were able to develop such an exquisite architecture without the use of the wheel and modern tools. Their buildings have withstood five centuries in an earthquake prone zone and provided the foundations of many current buildings.
Inca architecture was inherited from. Archeological studies show that the reproduced and updated many buildings, especially those in the . In newly conquered territories the Incas built administrative centers using pre-existing buildings and adding new elements, such as in the Sanctuary of Pachacamac located south …

is considered the Folkloric Capital of Peru, there are more than 300 different local dances representing centuries old traditions inherited from the and the . Folk dances and songs are accompanied by colorful costumes and masks to celebrate Catholic holidays or Inca celebrations related to the agricultural calendar. These celebrations are based on beliefs and myths of the relationship between men and god, to honor Andean gods, Catholic saints and the Virgin Mary.
Costumes can be very elaborate and imaginative; they are generally richly embroidered with shiny sequence and …

The town of Puno is the capital of the department of Puno in Peru. It was founded on November 4, 1668 by the Spanish for its closeness to the colonial silver mine of Laykakota.
Puno Peru is located at an altitude of 12,565 feet or 3,830 meters above sea level and has a population of 102,800. Puno is a small port city where the main industry is tourism, it offers a departure point to the many Inca and Pre-Inca ruins and to

Traditional lifestyle inherited from the Incas
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The region’s economy is …

The Inca society was a vertical hierarchical organization divided in four social classes. At the top of the stratum was the Sapa Inca, the most powerful person in the empire. Below was the royalty, comprised by the sons of the Sapa Inca and his close relatives. The third social class was the nobility which included royal relatives and those who attained distinction through their services such as priests and chiefs. At the bottom of the pyramidal social structure was the ayllu which included the majority of the population.
 

Ayllu workers gathering …

In 1527 Sapa Inca Huayna Capac died of smallpox, which was brought by the Spaniards from Europe and had spread from Central America to South America, weakening the empire. Ninan Cuyochi, his eldest son and heir to the throne also died of smallpox, leaving no clear successor. According to only the son of the Coya and the Sapa Inca can become the next Sapa Inca after the death of his father. Following this tradition Huascar was the next in line after his brother as he was the son of …

Interesting facts about the lost city of Machu Picchu.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million tourists visit Cusco every year, and the city of Cusco have become the main tourist attractions in Peru and one of the most visited in South America. In 1983 UNESCO declared Cusco as a World Heritage Site. The highest concentration of tourists is during the dry month of June when the celebration of the takes place.
When you travel to Cusco you should be aware of . Cusco is located at an altitude of 10,800 feet or 3,300 meters above sea …

The Tradition
In Quechua Inti means Sun and Raymi celebration. Inti Raymi is the celebration of the God Sun, the most venerated god in . According to Inca tradition, Pachatutec, the first Inca, created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the winter solstice which marked the first day of the New Year in the Inca calendar. The winter solstice begins on June 21st but according to , the sun stays in the same place until the 24th when it finally rises. Therefore, every year on June 24th the festival of the Inti …

The tumi was adopted by the government of Peru as a symbol to promote tourism. Many people in Peru hang a tumi on their walls for good luck.
The Tumi is a ceremonial knife made of bronze, gold, silver or copper and usually made of one piece. Its handle has a rectangular or trapezoidal shape, its length varies but it always exceeded the width of a hand. At the bottom there is a sharp semicircular blade. Tumis were used during ceremonies to sacrifice an animal to honor the . In the …