Health Insurance:
Be well informed as to exactly what your health insurance covers for your trip here in Peru.
It is highly recommended that you choose a policy that covers emergency evacuation in case, for example, you react badly to the altitude and need to depart immediately.
Not all local travel agencies have good insurances, it is very important you have a good insurance from your home country.

Buses:
The Peruvian bus network covers almost every destination in the country, with some exceptions in cities in the Amazon Rainforest. The fares vary depending on the level of comfort you wish to have, and also how direct the route is. One of the best most reputable bus companies in Peru is “Cruz Del Sur”.

Peru is a wonderful country. There is something here for everyone, and there is no doubt that you will have the time of your life. However, it is always important to do your research before traveling somewhere new. You will be faced with an entirely different culture to what you are accustomed to, so it helps to be in ´the know´ before you arrive. Here follow a few top tips created for all those of you heading to Peru to help ensure that you have the very best time here possible.

What to bring:
Regardless of what time of year you travel to Peru, it is advised that you always have with you:

• Sunscreen – the UV rays are very strong, particularly at altitude, and it is easy to burn
• Warm clothes – nights can get very cold up in the mountains!
• Hiking shoes – there is a lot of walking to be done in the Andes, so come prepared J
• Hats – both for warmth and for protection from the sun

Currency:
The Peruvian national currency is Nuevo Sol (S/) and this is the most commonly used currency.
American Dollars are accepted in most restaurants, hotels and shops, at the current exchange rate. There are places to exchange most currencies, especially Dollars and Euros.
Some restaurants, hotels and shops accept credit cards like: VISA, Master Card and American Express. Travelers cheques are exchangeable too, although not as easily; just a few banks and hotels can change them so always check beforehand.

This year is an important milestone for the nation of Peru as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the rediscovery of the mysterious Lost City of the Incas – Machu Picchu.

In typical Peruvian style, festivities will be on a grand scale. There are a multitude of events planned to honor this momentous occasion.
There are many ongoing events taking place in honor of the anniversary, including music festivals, school contests and more.

On July 3rd Cusco will see the Machu Picchu Centennial Parade through the city.
The main event will begin on July 7th at the ruins themselves. In the morning the traditional Tinkay ceremony will begin, along with the Salute to the Four Corners of the empire.  The Andean group Jaivas will perform “Heights of Machu Picchu”.

June is thé Festival Month in Peru! Peruvian festivals are, by nature, gregarious expressions of joy, pride and vitality. The dynamic celebrations come in many forms but what unites them all is the fusion of music, dance, colour and, above all, jubilation. Every visitor to Peru should experience these first class examples of Peruvian culture.

Arguably the most significant of these is the Inti Raymi Festival. In Andean mythology, the Incas were considered descendents of the Sun, and this festival is a celebration and sacrifice to the Sun God, Inti. The impressive ceremony sees a brightly coloured entourage of personalities representing the population of the four parts of the world.

This month there is a unique opportunity to visit an authentic Incan festival held high in the Andean mountains. If you are interested in witnessing first-hand Incan ceremonies & traditions in a small indigenous village under the stunning backdrop of one of the most striking peaks in the Vilcanota mountain range then please read on…

Among the many enchanting festivals that punctuate Peru´s annual calendar, the Qoyllority Festival stands out as one of the most intriguing of all.

Observing the ancient Incan belief in the intricate link between man and nature, each year thousands of pilgrims gather to celebrate Qoyllority, the Lord of the Snow Star. As legend has it the adulated snow star rests on the peak of the sacred mountain of ApuAusangate, located 180 kilometres South East of Cusco and towering at a dramatic 6362m.

Huacachina is a beautiful oasis located 5km southwest of Ica. It is a small and attractive lagoon that was traditionally revered for the believed medicinal properties of its waters. Nowadays it is famous for the more exhilarating activities of sand-boarding and dune buggying!

Sand-boarding excursions leave twice a day at either 10am or 4pm, the best option of which is undoubtedly the latter. Not only is the sand markedly cooler underfoot, but after two hours of adrenaline pumping activity you will find yourself soaring across the endless sand dunes with the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen as your backdrop.

The tour begins on the dunes next to the oasis where you climb aboard a ´Wacky Racer´ style buggy and prepare for a speedy ascent up into the dunes. After a rollercoaster ride of dips and turns your driver drops you at the summit of some of the perfectly shapen dunes and you are issued with your sand board, along with a piece of wax to rub on the base of your board for speed increasing purposes!

From here on you will spend two hours flying headfirst (or standing up if you have the skills!) down the dunes of the truly stunning landscape of the Peruvian coast. After reaching the base of one dune you will be met by your buggy and taken to the top of another dune, each time getting higher and higher as you become more confident in your sand-boarding ability.

Arequipa, the second largest city of Peru, is located at an altitude of 2325m on the Western slopes of the Andes mountain chain. It is just 3 hours drive from the coast, and as such has a dry warm climate most of the year.

This beautiful city is called the White City because its old centre is built almost entirely from "Sillar", a white volcanic stone found nearby. The main square, the Plaza de Armas, is considered the most beautiful in Peru.

Every year during the week running up to Easter, the streets of Cusco are filled with vibrant and energetic religious processions.  In 2011, Semana Santa will run from Sunday 17th until Sunday 24th of April.

Celebrations begin on Sunday 17th, Palm Sunday or ‘Domingo de Ramos’.  Today families go to church with palms and ask for blessings.   Following this on Monday, Cusco adds its own unique twist to Easter festivities and dedicates celebrations to ‘El Señor de los Temblores’ or ‘The Lord of the Earthquakes’, the patron saint of Cusco.   Around 2pm there is a procession with a beautifully decorated statue of the Saint through the streets of the old city of Cusco.  In the evening the procession reaches the Plaza de Armas, where thousands of people flood into the square to watch as the Saint is taken to the Cathedral and blessed. 

Throughout the week you will find people selling traditional sweets and cakes of Easter in the streets, or especially in the main markets of the city. Take a look in San Pedro market, 5 minute walk from the Plaza, to see a huge selection of traditional Easter treats!

In February the highland town of Puno, nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 3,870 meters above sea level, becomes the Folk Capital of the Americas. The festival gathers more than 200 groups of musicians and dancers to celebrate the “Mamacha Candelaria”. For the first nine days, the “mayordomos” (those in charge of organizing the festivities), decorate the church and pay for Mass, banquets and fireworks displays. On the main day, February 2, the virgin is led through the city in a colorful procession comprising priests, altar boys, the faithful, Christians and pagans carefully maintaining the hierarchy. This is the moment when the troupes of musicians and dancers take the scene, performing and dancing throughout Puno.

In 2011 the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru celebrate their 100th anniversary. Or at least; the ruins were discovered one hundred years ago. The village of Machu Picchu was accidentally discovered on July 24th,1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. A group of Quechuan people led the explorer up the mountains to the peak they called Machu Picchu (meaning old mountain). To his surprise there were still people living in the village. Machu Picchu was built in 1450 and abandoned a century later with the arrival of the Conquistadores.