Peru

Some destinations are perfect for a one-week holiday, others are better suited to two. But to make the most of Peru, you need at least three weeks, plus a meticulously planned itinerary.

The absolute musts are Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, and the still under-visited treasures of Sipán, Túcume and Chan Chan in northern Peru. The lure of the Amazon is hard to resist, it's a shame to miss the weirdness of the Nazca Lines, and the seabird and condor sanctuaries of the south are essentials for anyone with a love of the wild. However, too many off-the-peg tours rush you first to the guaranteed crowd-pleasers - Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu - with the option of bolting on other big-ticket attractions such as Titicaca, the Amazon and the Nazca Lines. That's a mistake. Rushing straight to Cusco invites altitude sickness while Machu Picchu is a hard act to follow: much better to save it for the main course, with the lost civilisations of the north for dessert, and Lima's limited attractions relegated to one final time-killing day on the way home. So, start in Lima and head south, travelling in an anti-clockwise direction until you are north of Lima.

If you're organising your own trip, you will have to give some thought to getting around. You could hire a car - the roads for the most part aren't bad, but distances are very long and landscapes intimidating. I would hire a driver/guide. Most of the more upscale Peru specialists offer this option and I think it's worth spending extra for the experience of a lifetime.

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