PERU & MACHU PICHU

From Ecuador and the Galápagos, we finally arrived in Lima, the last stretch of our long South American journey. By then, South America no longer felt unfamiliar—it felt lived in. The rhythm of travel had settled into us,  and yet Peru brought a different kind of anticipation. It carried the weight of history.

Peru is a country in western South America, known for its diverse geography including the Andes mountains, Amazon rainforest, and Pacific coast; its rich history as the home of the Inca Empire; and its vibrant culture, with Lima as the capital and a major culinary destination. It borders several nations, including Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile, and boasts significant cultural sites like Machu Picchu. 

Peruvian territory was home to several cultures during the ancient and medieval periods, and has one of the longest histories of civilization of any country, tracing its heritage back to the 10th millennium BCE Caral–Supe civilisation, the earliest civilisation in the Americas and considered one of the cradles of civilisation.

Notable succeeding cultures and civilisations include the Nazca culture.  the Kingdom of Cusco, and the Inca Empire, the largest known state in the pre-Columbian Americas.

Nazca culture

The Nazca Lines – drawings meant for the sky

• enormous drawings scratched into the desert surface,

• so large that they make sense only from above.

That is why many people forget them — they were never meant to be seen from ground level.

What do they show?

There are hundreds of figures:

• Birds (hummingbird, condor, pelican)

Why birds?

Birds were seen as:

• messengers between earth and sky,

• symbols of rain, fertility, and lif

Why birds?

Birds were seen as:

• messengers between earth and sky,

• symbols of rain, fertility, and lif

• Animals (monkey, spider, whale)

• Long straight lines and geometric shapes

The bird figures are especially striking — delicate, balanced, and full of life. Given your growing interest in birds, this connection feels almost poetic.

Why were they made? (still a mystery)

The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and Charles V established a viceroyalty with the official name of the Kingdom of Peru that encompassed most of its South American territories, with its capital in Lima.

Peru formally proclaimed independence from Spain in 1821, and for years the country first suffered from political instability until a period of relative economic and political stability began due to the exploitation of guano (Seabird droppings) that ended with the War of the Pacific (1879–1884).

Major Attractions are

• Lima: The capital, known for colonial architecture and gastronomy. 

• Cusco: A historic city in the Sacred Valley.

• Machu Picchu: An ancient Inca city in the Andes.

Lima

Lima is Peru’s capital and largest city, stretched along the Pacific coast. It’s a city of contrasts: colonial balconies and monasteries on one side, modern glass buildings and seaside promenades on the other, with a vast desert landscape behind it.

A city older than the Incas

One thing many visitors don’t realize: Lima stands on a very ancient ground, with pre-Inca civilizations such as the Lima culture and Ichma living here long before the Incas.

• Huaca Pucllana (right in modern Miraflores!) is a huge adobe pyramid dating back to around 200–700 CE. Seeing it surrounded by city traffic is quite striking.

• There are several such huacas scattered across Lima, quietly reminding you how old this place really is.

Colonial Lima – the Spanish heart

Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima became the most powerful city in Spanish South America.

The Historic Center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is worth slow exploration:

• Plaza Mayor – grand, formal, and very Spanish

• Cathedral of Lima – where Pizarro is buried

• San Francisco Monastery – famous for its catacombs

• Ornate wooden balconies, a signature feature of old Lima

  
  

  “Lima did not overwhelm me. It revealed itself slowly—through its old stones, its misty skies, and the quiet persistence of history beneath a modern city.”

Lima’s rich history is concentrated in the historical centre of the city, known by the Limeños as Cercado de Lima. The architecture consists of an interesting collection of 16th-century basilicas, convents, houses and squares. This unique cultural heritage on the shores of the Rimac River has been awarded a prestigious UNESCO World heritage designation.

To discover the history of the Peruvian capital. Take a stroll across Plaza Mayor or admire the Lima Metropolitan Cathedral. Take a culinary voyage of discovery in the evening and sample a ‘papa rellena’ or a ‘causa’ at the Mercado Surquillo. And while you’re there, sip a Pisco Sour, Peru’s natio

From Lima, we moved inland, leaving the coast behind and entering a landscape that changed steadily—first subtly, then dramatically. The air grew thinner, the mountains more commanding, and there was a quiet sense that we were approaching something extraordinary.

On our way to Machu Picchu we stopped at Cusco. I had not heard about this place earlier.

Cusco – more than just a stop before Machu Picchu

Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, called Tawantinsuyu—“the land of four quarters.” From here, the Incas ruled an empire that stretched from southern Colombia to central Chile. That alone tells you how important Cusco was.

Location & setting

• Cusco lies at about 3,400 m (11,200 ft) above sea level

• It sits in a high Andean valley, surrounded by mountains

• The altitude is why many people feel breathless or tired there

Inca city beneath a Spanish city

One of Cusco’s most fascinating aspects is that:

• Inca stone foundations are still intact

• The Spanish built churches and houses on top of them

You can actually see:

• Perfectly fitted Inca stone walls

• Spanish colonial buildings above—often damaged by earthquakes while the Inca stones remain unmoved. This tells you how advanced Inca engineering was.

Cultural & spiritual importance:

Cusco wasn’t only political—it was also spiritual.

• The city was shaped like a puma, a sacred animal

• Sites like Sacsayhuamán, Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), and Tambomachay formed ritual networks.

• The Incas believed Cusco was the navel of the world.

Machu Picchu

We stayed only one night in Cusco. Next day we were taken around the city.

But we saw only one Inca wall at only one place and then were taken to Railway

station. From here we travelled to Machu Picchu by train. Along the route here were several stations. At one of the station I bought a rug made by local people.

Another thing I noticed was that many young and strong youngsters were walking along the train route and reached the base of Machu Picchu.

The name Machu Picchu means 'Old Peak' in the Incan language. Machu Picchu was not just another place on our itinerary. Reaching it felt like a gradual unveiling rather than an arrival. Surrounded by mist and mountains, the site appeared almost shy, as if it had chosen to remain hidden for centuries. There was no grandeur in the usual sense—no excess, no display—only stone, silence, and an astonishing harmony with nature.

What stayed with me most was not a single structure or viewpoint, but the feeling that the people who built this place understood the land deeply and respected it. Machu Picchu did not dominate the mountains; it belonged to them. Standing there, one felt small, but also peaceful—as if being reminded of humanity’s place within the natural world.

Looking back now, Peru felt like a culmination of our South American journey. After Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and the Galápagos—with all their richness, wildlife, and movement—Machu Picchu offered stillness. Machu Picchu revealed itself slowly. Even after all one had heard and read, nothing quite prepared me for the way it felt. It was not dramatic in the way monuments often are. Instead, it was restrained—almost modest—despite its setting among towering mountains.

The first impression was silence. Not absolute silence, but a deep, enveloping quiet broken only by wind and distant voices that never seemed to intrude. The stones, carefully placed centuries ago, appeared timeless, as if they had grown out of the mountains rather than been built upon them.

What struck me most was the sense of balance. Every terrace, every wall, seemed to follow the natural contours of the land. There was no attempt to dominate nature, only to live within it.

What struck me most was the sense of balance. Every terrace, every wall, seemed to follow the natural contours of the land. There was no attempt to dominate nature, only to live within it. Standing there, I felt that the people who created Machu Picchu understood something essential—that human presence could be gentle. One did not feel rushed, even while walking through it. I remember pausing often, not to take photographs, but simply to look—to let the place settle into me. It was one of those rare moments when the mind grows quiet on its own.