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From trail-weary trekkers to lifelong Iquiteños, everyone agrees that this corner of South America is a land of extremes. Peru pulsates with a rich cultural heritage, whirls under head-spinning political fluctuations, and dazzles the imagination with some of the world’s most astounding geographical diversity. To the east, chilly Andean slopes plummet into the humid Amazon Basin, while in the west, those snow-crowned peaks fall to the driest desert on earth. Indeed, this is a region brimming with superlatives. One of the most extensive empires in history called Peru home. The world’s highest navigable lake laps Peruvian shores. Some of the world’s longest and tallest waves crash onto Peru’s beaches. UNESCO has named no fewer than ten World Heritage Sites in Peru. Offering myriad opportunities for the adventurous of heart and the inquisitive of mind—from sandsurfing to jungle-tripping, museum-hopping to llama-spotting—Peru has many secrets to share.

Of course, a look at the media makes Peru appear even more extreme than it is in some ways: a nausea-inducing roller coaster of riots, political scandal, and economic instability. In reality, once one leaves the major urban centers, life progresses calmly, coolly, and slowly. Peru is a place where everything gets done in its own time—if not today, then mañana, sin falta.