Since Hiram Bingham, the American explorer, described Machu Picchu as a “wonderland”, the fabled Inca city has become perhaps the single image that says ‘Peru’. But it’s not even half the story. Peru has more ancient archaeological sites than any other country in South America, with more being discovered all the time. There is much more to Peru than old stones, however. Peru has life zones from mangroves to cloudforest, mist-fuelled oases in the desert to glacial lakes. The variety that Peru offers the visitor is enormous.