Cusco is more than a stopover to adjust to altitude on the way to Machu Picchu, it's ancient Inca ruins and agriculture laboratory, salt mines, bustling food markets, and spectacular plazas, make it well worth a longer stay.
Read MoreMachu Picchu has earned its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. It offers breathtaking views, photo opportunities with llamas, and impossibly precise architecture from the 15th century that aligns neatly with the sun during solstices and equinoxes.
Read MoreThe tiny Peruvian village of Huacachina is one of the only true desert oases in the world. Tens of thousands of tourists flock there to sand surf and speed around in desert dune buggies.
Read MoreMachu Picchu's"Sacred Sister City", Choquequirao, is the true lost city of the Incas. Receiving roughly 30 visitors per day, compared to Machu Pichu's 3,000 visitors, Choquequirao allows adventurous travelers a taste of Machu Picchu without the crowds.
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