Out-of-Date Listings - This book may have been reissued in August 2000, but it has not been comprehensively updated. Many of the listed restaurants and hotels no longer exist, which was very frustrating and time-wasting. Moreover, many good establishments that should have been in the book were missing (e.g. Inka Cafe, the best restaurant among the limited number available on the Plaza de Armas in Cusco).

Bad Organization - The city sections are organized as though you were doing a walking tour of each city. It tells you whats in neighborhood A, then in neighborhood B, etc., even if theres really nothing worthwhile to see in neighborhood A or B. This is stupid, because nobody travels that way. What it means is that you have to read the entire city section, wading through a lot of useless info along the way, to figure out what to do.

Poor Recommendations - Most travellers have limited time. A good guidebook helps them manage their time by recommending sites to see or to avoid. Unfortunately, this book seems too afraid to have an opinion, except on the most obvious things (e.g. you should visit Machu Picchu). I searched in vain for a list of the best things to do in Peru, or in any of the cities I visited. The book just doesnt help you plan.

The only caveat to the above comments is that Im not sure any other guidebook does any better than the Rough Guide. One of these days, someone will write a guidebook that tells travellers what they really want to know -- namely, where should I go, and how can I best understand the places that I visit? Until then, were forced to rely on subpar offerings like this one that promise a lot more than they deliver.

We are already planning the next trip which will include Iquitos and Machu Picchu again! I wont need any other books. I have my "blue book!"

Thank You!

The guide has three sections: "The Basics," "The Guide" and "The Context." "The Basic" section, which was solid and concise, provides all of the primary travel information that you will need before traveling. "The Guide" section breaks Peru down into six major regions. Each region is extremely well laid out and the standard information for each town or city (accommodations, eating places, sites to see, etc.) is accurate and reliable. "The Context" section is good reading - it handles history, Inca life, music, books, ecology, indigenous rights and the destruction of the rain forest.

Good Guides should have good maps and lots of them. Peru: The Rough Guide does not disappoint - 59 well-drawn maps give you a solid initial orientation. Outstanding are the multiple sidebars chocked full of meaningful - and practical - information about all aspects of the culture youre visiting, which is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

Not helpful was the accommodation pricing codes, 1-8 each representing a price range. More useful is the price grouping used for restaurants: Budget, Moderate and Expensive. Overall, you cant go wrong with this top drawer guide. Highly Recommended.