Thanks to the Humboldt Current also known as the Peruvian Current the waters adjacent to the is one the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. This 200 nautical mile area is a coastal upwelling which is characterized for its deep and cool waters where phytoplankton thrives. Phytoplankton is at the bottom of the food chain and serves as nourishment for zooplankton and small fish including the anchovy better known as anchoveta which in turn feeds predatory fish, mammals and guano producing birds. This system provides an abundance of …

is without doubt the most popular trekking route in South America, but due to its popularity it does not offer a genuine wilderness experience. This trek involves walking from ruin to ruin with some breathtaking views. The offer a wealth of more isolated routes that are not as popular as the . The best time to enjoy climbing and trekking is from May to September during the dry season and because of the different altitudes along the Andes there are .  All these treks require .
Peak Ausungate is …

The Incas were an ancient people who in the 16th century controlled the greatest empire in the Americas.

The remote ancestors of the Incas were Stone Age hunters who crossed the Bering Strait from Asia to Alaska.

The Incas explained their origin through legends. There are two main legends: The Legend of the Ayar Brothers and the Legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo who emerged from the waters of in .
How long did the Inca Empire last?
The Inca Empire lasted over 100 years from approximately 1438 to 1532.

The first Inca …

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 …

Lima Peru is a city of over 8 million inhabitants. Poverty, population density and water supply concerns.

Inca architecture is most known for its polygonal stones used in many religious buildings. One stone found in a temple wall in Machu Picchu is estimated to have at least 33 corners.

Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacuti.The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, so unlike other cities in the Inca Civilization, it was never destroyed or changed. In 1911 Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, accidentally discovered Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”.

In 2007, Pure Nacional, a variety of the cacao tree was rediscovered in Peru, to the world’s chocolate makers it was a delight. In 1916 the plant was hit by disease and within a few years 100% of the trees were destroyed and the Pure Nacional species of cacao tree was put in the list of extinct species. The cacao tree is highly susceptible to diseases and insect pests.

Chocolate from Pure Nacional Cacao
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Pure Nacional was found growing in the valley of the Marañon Canyon which flows north along the eastern …

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 …

Map of Economic Activity

Map of Peru – Vegetation

Map of Peru shaded relief