Peru

Peru is one of the few countries where major travel highlights are tied directly to altitude. Cusco sits at over 3,400 meters, Sacred Valley towns slightly below it, and Machu Picchu lower still, which is why most visits are planned around gradual acclimatization rather than simple distance. Beyond the Andes, Peru’s identity widens quickly: Lima’s coastal food culture revolves around ceviche and Pacific seafood, while the Nazca desert preserves geoglyphs visible only from the air. Archaeological sites span thousands of years, from pre-Inca ruins to imperial centers, often embedded in landscapes that remain largely unchanged.