Sprawling for several kilometers along a cactus-forested roadside are the extensive ruins of Wari, the capital of the eponymous empire, which predated the Incas by five centuries. The site occupies a beautiful, peaceful hilltop location. A small museum (information in Spanish only) explains, using artifacts, the relevance and importance of this pre-Inca culture. Look out for the distinctive Wari ceramics. Don’t leave the site too late to look for return transport – vehicles get hopelessly full in the afternoon.