Peruvian site 'hot destination'

Peru's Sacred City of Caral-Supe has been hailed as one of this year's hottest destinations by a travel expert.

Arthur Frommer told The New York Times Travel Show in Manhattan that the 5,000-year-old site in South America was one of the most trendy places to head for in 2013. Others include China, Ireland, Oslo and India.

Caral was set for a "bandwagon rush", said Mr Frommer, whose prediction could see tourists flock to the site which may pre-date the Pyramids. Caral was added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2009 and the organisation describes it as the "oldest centre of civilization in the Americas."

Peru's government reported 3,747 foreigners visited the ancient archaeological site from January to November last year.

The 626-hectare site of The Sacred City of Caral-Supe, on a desert terrace overlooking the valley of the Supe river, dates back to the Late Archaic Period of the Central Andes.

Unesco says the "exceptionally well preserved" site is one of 18 urban settlements in the area, and features complex and monumental architecture, including six large pyramidal structures.