"My Peru" is a website aimed at helping to educate visitors to Peru about the way of life in the mountain villages surrounding Cusco. Although most of the inhabitants of this area are poor in material wealth, they are very rich in culture and spirit and are a generous warm people.

We want to share with you some of the customs and traditions of these Quechua communities - the original inhabitants of the high Andes, whose ancestors made their living off the land long before the Spanish arrived over 500 years ago and who practiced their way of life even before the Incas governed the territory.

We have included information on festivals and dances, traditional clothing, textiles and handicrafts, natural medicines, education and agricultural practices, as well as plenty of photos, local stories and children's drawings.

Of course the best way to understand this way of life is to actually visit the communities and stay in the homes of these people. We have information about "homestay" programs, maps and details how to get to some of the villages and what to expect when you arrive.

Too many visitors to Cusco just take a day trip by train to Machu Picchu, take an afternoon "Cusco City Tour" and a day tour of the Sacred Valley usually only accompanied by other overseas travellers. Very few visitors ever get the chance to really experience the real life and culture of the Andes. We hope that this website will open your eyes you to some of the rich and diverse opportunities that Peru can offer, making your visit to Peru a real experience of a lifetime.