Peru Guidebooks / Recommended Reading List

Before setting off for adventures in far distant countries, you may want to do a little background reading. It will help you to understand the people and culture a lot better as well as appreciate the amazing history of Peru. We hope that Andean Travel Web provides you with a good start to finding your way around, but it's no substitute for a real guide book which you can sit and read for hours on a bus or a coffee shop balcony overlooking the town. Below we've recommended some of the best books to wet your appetite. All the books listed can be bought at www.amazon.com but we recommend that you support your local bookshop and buy them there. 

South American Handbook 2010 (86th Edition)

By Ben Box

Countries Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Galapagos, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, The Guianas

This is THE travel guide to South America and is often referred to as the travel Bible. Invaluable source of information including just about everything you'll need to know to travel around this varied continent. Highly recommended.

Published August 2009

Paperback 1810 pages

Footprint Handbooks; ISBN: 9781906098711

www.footprintbooks.com

Peru Handbook (7th Edition)

By Ben Box

Covers: Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, Cordillera Blanca, Amazon Basin. Special Features: Coverage of all the ‘classic’ Inca sites and the all the more recently discovered sites, ‘Adventure travel’ in Peru – climbing, trekking, rafting, skiing, surfing and the rest

If you are just planning on coming to Peru and have time to visit some of the more off-the-beaten-track places then this is the guide book for you. Basically its the section on Peru taken from the South American Handbook in slightly larger print with a little more detail and more maps. There's enough good reading material in this guide to last many a long bus trip.

Published November 2008

Paperback 752 pages

Footprint Handbooks; ISBN: 1906098433

www.footprintbooks.com

Lonely Planet Peru (6th Edition)

By Sarah Benson & Rafael Wlodarski

This classic guide book has been carefully brought up-to-date by Sarah Benson and Rafael Wlodarski making it, by far, the best and most detailed edition to date. Highlights include 55 maps of regions, towns, and historical sites; extensive background on archaeological sites; advice on food and accommodations for every budget; a useful history section ranging from pre-Inca cultures to modern; helpful hints on outdoor activities; and a traveller's Spanish section.

Published February 2007

Paperback 564 pages

Lonely Planet; ISBN: 9781740597494

www.lonelyplanet.com

The Rough Guide to Peru (7th Edition)

By Dilwyn Jenkins

Packed with detailed, practical advice on what to see and do in Peru; this guide provides reliable, up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels in Peru, recommended restaurants in Peru, and tips on everything from shopping to festivals in Peru for all budgets.

Based in rural Wales, Dilwyn Jenkins has a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology from Cambridge University, has dedicated significant time and energy to sustainable development, particularly in the rainforest region. As well as writing travel books and working on community renewable energy development, Dilwyn has established a company, www.ecotribal.com, to offer indigenous people a alternative income from sustainably produced crafts, organic forest gardens and ecotourism.

ISBN: 9781848360532
656 pages – 78 maps (32-page full-colour introduction)
Published: UK: July 2009 US: June 2009     

www.roughguides.com  

Cuzco & the Inca Heartland (4th Edition)

By Ben Box & Steve Frankham

If you are just planning on visiting Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu on your trip to Peru then this guide book has it all. As the name suggests this guide book specializes in the Cusco region of Peru including Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail, Choquequirao, Vilcabamba and the Southern Jungle. Includes detailed background information on the history of Incas and the Spanish Conquest. We were a little disappointed with the first edition of this book but this second edition has been thoroughly researched and updated making it, in our opinion, the best and most up-to-date guide to the Cusco region. Well-done Footprint Handbooks. Highly recommended.

Published February 2008

Paperback 352 pages

Footprint Handbooks ISBN: 9781906098209

www.footprintbooks.com

The Inca Trail: Cusco & Machu Picchu

By Richard Danbury (updated by Alexander Stewart)

This is definitely the best guide to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu with plenty of excellent detailed route maps and trek descriptions. This third edition was published in 2005 and contains fully revised information about the new Inca Trail regulations. This edition has also been extended to include the Vilcabamba trail, Choquequirao trek and the Santa Teresa trek. The guide book also contains information about the cities of Lima and Cusco as well as the history of the Incas, help in planning your trip, green hiking and flora and fauna. Just about everything you really need to know. Highly recommended.

Published 2005

Paperback 320 pages, 65 maps, 22 colour photos

Trail Blazer Pubns; ISBN: 1-873756-86-0 www.trailblazer-guides.com

The Conquest of the Incas

By John Hemming

If you thought history was boring then think again. The Conquest of the Incas by the Spanish is an absolutely incredible story and John Hemming makes it easy and enjoyable to read. It feels like a great novel rather than a history lesson. Learning about the history will help you to appreciate your visit to Peru and understand the significance of the battle sites and Inca ruins. Highly recommended.

Published August 2004

Paperback 640 pages

Pan books: ISBN: 033042730X

Machu Picchu Guidebook: A self-guided tour

By Ruth Wright, Alfredo Valencia Zegarra

Published February 2004

Paperback 192 pages

Johnson Books; ISBN: 1555663273