Located in western South America, covering a territory of 1.2 million km², (463,321 mi2), with 32 million inhabitants, and 47 native languages, Peru covers three regions: coast, highlands, and jungle. 

Peru is a country of extraordinary geography, natural reserves with some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, and archeological sites, such as Machu Picchu which is one of the seven wonders of the world. Peru also features world heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, an award-winning cuisine, a millenary history, and – even more special– Peru is a country where its traditions are kept alive through its culture and its people. 

The history all began to take shape a millennium ago high in the Andean mountains, a cradle of ancient civilizations.  Later the Andean peoples became the largest and most powerful empire in South America. 

Lima, our capital today, was also the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru during the Spanish conquest. Since then, we have received European, African, and Asian migrations.  

Today, Peru is a cultural fusion amidst the magic of an ancestral legacy. 

Everything that happened since the first pre-Columbian cultures inhabited Peru is a legacy that can be accessed by exploring archaeological sites and discovering the perfection of the Inca Empire, a fascinating way of perceiving the world. 

Another way of approaching this millenary history is through its customs, beliefs, clothing, festivals, rituals, and expressions of popular art, traditions that are kept alive even today. 

Peru is a country that allows you, in one way or another, to go back in time and into the history of humanity. 

The variety and abundance of ingredients from the coast, highlands, and jungle, the fusion of ancestral and modern techniques, and the blending of cultures such as Chinese, Japanese, Afro-Peruvian, and European have resulted in a culinary mix, which today is an important part of our identity. 

Besides being pre-Hispanic and vice-royal, Lima, with important archaeological sites, museums, and an historic center declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is a favorite destination for the art of fine eating. 

The best chef in the world is Peruvian, and some restaurants in Lima are among the 50 best in the world. 

The Andes mountain range is our country’s backbone, dividing the Pacific Ocean coast from the vast Amazon. The evolution of this geography is simply extraordinary. 

You will find beaches ideal for surfing, windy beaches for kitesurfing, and desert explorations. 

In the highlands, there are over 12,000 lakes ideal for paddling, snow-capped peaks that soar 20,000 feet into blue skies for climbing, hiking, or mountain biking, and multiple valleys to explore. 

We have the two deepest canyons in the world and protected natural reserves nestled in the heart of the Amazon; exploring them on a river canoeing expedition allows us to appreciate their untamed beauty from up close.

On the north coast, Chicama has the longest coastal wave worldwide, extending over 2 km (3mi) in length, allowing surfers to spend one to two minutes sliding on the same wave.  

Further south, in Paracas, lies the only protected marine reserve of our coast. The desert colliding with the Pacific Ocean gives birth to a rather exceptional and peculiar biodiversity. 

The Peruvian coast is also mystical and enigmatic. South of the Peruvian coast in Ica’s desert, enormous geoglyphs have been drawn in the sand for centuries, a sample of the fascinating worldview of the ancient Nazca civilization.

The Andes is the longest mountain range on the planet.  

It crosses Peru from north to south, covering 26.83% of its territory. 

The great Inca Empire was settled in this mountain massif. They built great roads connecting the mountains, the same ones that today allow us to reach Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most popular and mysterious tourist attractions. 

To this day, the Andes is inhabited by legendary, indigenous communities, places that have not yet been touched by the modern world. These mountains are a destination where we can do regenerative and community-based tourism and connect with other ways of seeing and appreciating life.

The Inca Empire governed a large part of South America and was interconnected by more than 30 thousand kilometers of roads, which converge at one point: the main square of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Empire. 

Cusco is considered a cultural heritage of humanity and one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America. It is home to countless archaeological sites and colorful colonial neighborhoods, witnesses to the passage of time, and the events that shaped Peru’s history. 

Piero Vellutino, our founder, is an experienced kayaker. He has paddled many rivers around the world, but Peru’s rivers always make him feel at home.  

Whether they flow into the Pacific or the Atlantic Oceans, we have expeditions that take us from the Andean highlands to the Amazon on the Tambopata River. Others introduce us to the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons, the deepest in the world, starting in the mountains and ending near the sea. 

Peru’s rivers take us to places we would not otherwise be able to access. 

Peru is one of ten countries with the greatest biological diversity and natural resources in the world. We have more than 200 protected natural areas, and we are home to over 1,800 species of birds. Furthermore, 10% of all reptiles, mammals, and fish existing on the planet live in Peru. 

The Peruvian jungle is also home to native communities that possess their own identity, language, and customs. 

You can explore this mystical and remote destination, either on a canoeing expedition or aboard a luxury Amazon cruise.