Peru

Peru was once the seat of the Inca empire as they ruled much of South America.

The Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro arrived in 1527, and for next three hundred years its culture was influenced by Spain, finally gaining independence in 1824.

The rugged Andes Mountains cover much of the country, with many peaks exceeding 20,000 ft. in height. And high in those mountains (near Cuzco) are the much visited ruins of Machu Picchu.

The lowest part of the country is in the northeast, here the fertile land and jungle are irrigated by the far western tributaries of the Amazon River.

Peru shares control of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia.

Peru has two seasons, wet and dry, but in a country as geographically diverse as Peru, weather patterns vary greatly. In fact, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single day.