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Packed with color photographs, illustrations and maps
In-depth look at the Inca Trail and Amazon Jungle
Cutaways and floor plans of all the major sights
Huge selection of hotels and restaurants
Sights, museums, markets and festivals listed town by town.
Street-by-street walks and thematic tours
Peru conjures up images of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, but there's much more to see. Besides archaeological sites, there are several natural treasures, including the world's deepest canyons and the highest navigable lake. Peru is also a racial melting pot, a mix of indigenous peoples, mestizos, and African, Chinese, and Japanese migrants, whose profound cultural influence is everywhere.
At an elevation of 12,500 ft (3,800 m), Lake Titicaca is the highest lake of its size in the world. South America's second largest lake, it covers 3,210 sq miles (8,300 sq km), is 120 miles (194 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) wide at its broadest point. Its water level flucuates according to the seasons, receding slightly in winter. numberous islands are sprinkled across the lake, and the inhabitants cling to a traditional way of life centered around fishing, farming, and weaving. The Uros people live closest to Puno, on floating islands, like huge straw-like nests. They describe their buoyant life as living "between water and heaven".
Peru neatly divides into nine regions, each with its own distinct character and landscape. The capital, Lima, lies on the parched coast, hemmed in by the Andes. The other regions include high peaks and glaciers in the Andes, desert landscape in the south, marvelous beaches in the north, and unparalleled biodiversity in the Amazon Basin. The country's architecture stands testament to the great Inca builders and their Spanish conquerors, while numerous monumental ruins reveal how Peru was one of the cradles of civilization in the ancient world.
Putting Peru on the Map
With the Pacific Ocean lapping its 1,500 mile (2,400 km) coast, Peru shares borders with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east and Chile to the south. The third largest country in Latin America, its 500,000 sq miles (1,300,000 sq km) encompasses soaring mountains, vast canyons, coastal desert, and lush jungles with dozens of microclimates in between. Peru has a population of 27 million, more than half of whom live in coastal areas. Lima, the capital, is home to 8 million people, while a million live in Qrequipa, the second largest city. Other major cities include Trujillo, Piura, Iquitos, Cusco, Cajamarca, Puno, and Ayacucho.
Learn Spanish Fast!
Learning to speak Spanish can be quick and easy with our Spanish language courses and learning aids. Whether you are looking for an all audio Spanish course like Pimsleur or a computer based Spanish course like Rosetta Stone, we have what’s right for you. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to learning Spanish.
Learn Spanish on the Go
Having a busy life shouldn’t keep you from learning Spanish. We offer several Spanish language courses that will allow you to learn to speak Spanish while driving, exercising, doing housework, etc. This means you can learn Spanish anywhere, anytime. The ease with which you’ll learn Spanish is amazing.
Can I Really Learn Spanish?
The answer is YES! Learning Spanish is easier than ever with our full line of Spanish language courses and learning aids. Learning Spanish is not as hard as you might think. With all the available Spanish resources, you can learn while commuting, while watching TV or while sitting in front of the computer. If you want to learn to speak Spanish, there is no excuse to not. The world is at our fingertips and learning Spanish will help you better communicate with everyone.
Here are 5 Secrets to Learn Spanish Fast:
Set a Goal - Decide how many minutes each day you are going to set aside for your Spanish studies. Stick to this no matter what comes about. Setting a goal to study each day will help you more quickly achieve your goal to learn Spanish fast.
Set a Time - Know at what time you are going to study Spanish each day. This is part of your goal setting but of equal importance to your success. Your time might be first thing in the morning. Or it might be on your evening commute home. Whatever the time is, stick to it.
Take Notes - Buy yourself a notebook to use for your Spanish studies. In your notebook take notes of the words or phrases that may be difficult for you to remember. Spell them out. Write their definition. You’ll be surprised with how much this will help you in your goal to learn Spanish fast.
Collect Spanish Articles and Pictures - Keep a folder and collect Spanish articles and pictures about the language and country you are learning about. You might find an article about Spanish, Mexico or South America. Add those to your folder. The internet is full of Spanish language newspapers. Print off some articles to look over and see how many words you recognize.
Have Fun! - There is no sense setting a goal to learn Spanish if you don’t have fun. Use your new language skills to practice with native speakers. And before you know it, you’ll be on your way to learning Spanish. Good luck and have fun!
The SPANISH Language: Spanish is the official language of Spain and 19 Latin American nations. Spanish is spoken as a first language by about 330 million persons and as a second language by perhaps another 50 million. Spanish is the mother tongue of about 40 million people in Spain, where the language originated and whence it was later brought by Spanish explorers, colonists, and empire-builders to the Western Hemisphere and other parts of the world during the last five centuries. Spanish is the native tongue of over 17 million people in the United States, and is one of the official languages of the United Nations. The Spanish vocabulary is basically of Latin origin, although it has been enriched by many loan words from other languages, especially Arabic, French, Italian, and various indigenous languages of North, Central, and South America. The Spanish language employs the Roman alphabet. There are a number of Spanish dialects and there are several striking differences in pronunciation between Castilian and major dialects of Latin American Spanish. On the whole, however, the difference between the Spanish dialects of Europe and of Latin American with reference to pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar are relatively minor.
Spanish Audio 
