If you are looking for some good books to read up on prior to your trip, the following list may prove useful!

For some of these books, not easily available in bookshops, Amazon.com is your best bet.

Travelouges

Ted Simon's Jupiter's Travels only has one chapter on Peru - a most apt one - but this has to be one of the great travel books of all time!

Inca Kola charts the story of young guys travelling in the Andes - stories that we can all relate to.

Contemporary Peru

The Peru Reader is often used as a university textbook! (Sounds boring, I know). However, this book provides a fascinating overview of the country and its people. It also includes some interesting literature from eminent Peruvian authors and is really a good read if you are spending some time in Peru.

Andean Lives was originally written in Quechua, translated to Spanish and then to English. It is not always a happy book but provides an insight into the lives of Andean indians.

Shaman, healer, sage delves into the spiritual side of the Andes.

Footprint - lots of good off the beaten track information

Lonely Planet Peru - the name says it all.

Rough Guide - not bad. Difficult to get used to if you are used to Lonely Planet.

In addition to the "big names" listed here, we can recommend the following more localised and detailed guides:

Peter Frost - Exploring Cusco (5th ed.) is most easily found in book stores around Cusco.

Hilary Bradt - Backpacking and Trekking in Peru and Bolivia

Inca History & Exploration

The White Rock by Hugh Thomson is highly readable, interesting and thought provoking. You learn about the Incas in a interesting way. This is my number one choice for pre-Andean adventure reading.

Also a favourite is explorer Hiram Binghams highly readable account of his discovery of Machu Picchu in the Lost city of the Incas.

Considered the seminal work about the Incas, John Hemming's Conquest of the Incas is not light holiday reading but really interesting for those who want to delve deep into Inca History.

The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru is a bit dry but otherwise interesting if you want to understand a bit of the archaelogical background of Peru.

APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au

© A.Svenson 2005. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru.