Your Peru journey starts here…
Peru is one of (if not the most) vibrant and geographically diverse countries I have ever been to. It has deserts, coasts, mountains, jungles, and bustling cities. There is so much to do and see in this country that you will be trying to plan your next trip back before your current one is even over. I spent over a month here and feel like I have only scratched the surface of what this country has to offer.
Machu Picchu is of course the main attraction that everyone comes to Peru to see but that is only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many incredible things to do and see here that I feel like most people skip over. Well let me tell you, they are missing out!!!
Below I have highlighted eight places that I have personally visited, experienced, and highly recommend for you to check out as well!
1. Cusco
Charming and historic city nestled high in the Andes Mountains – this city is your gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Being one of the highest elevated cities in the world, I strongly recommend arriving a couple days before whatever excursions you have planned in order to acclimate to the altitude. It affects everyone differently so you could be completely fine or absolutely miserable.
There is so much history nestled in the walls and streets as this city used to be the capital of the Inca Empire. The old colonial architecture is simply stunning and it is so exciting to explore all of the backstreets, alleyways, and little shops/restaurants. I will have a whole separate article on things to do while in Cusco so be sure to check that out!
2. Huacachina
A small little desert oasis in the middle of a massive sand dune forest. The main activity here is riding dune buggy’s and sand boarding. I had never tried either of those activities before this trip and let me just say: wow, what an absolute thrill! The dunes are enormous with some reaching up to 500 meters tall. Who wouldn’t want to ride a buggy or a board down that??
TIP: Highly recommend wearing a bandana/mask of some sort as well as a pair of sunglasses/glasses while on the buggy’s. As you can imagine, it gets very dusty while doing these activities so it is nice to keep it all out of your face. You can purchase these items for cheap from vendors/shops right before you go if needed.
As far the oasis of Huacachina itself, there is a little lagoon where you can rent paddle boats and the entire lagoon is surrounded by all kinds of bars, restaurants, and shops.
3. The Amazon
My time in the Amazon Jungle was one of the most incredible and unique things I have ever done. I mean how many people can say they have been to the Amazon Jungle? Or say they have swam in the Amazon River? Not many!
To be completely off the grid, in the largest rainforest in the world, surrounded by lush jungle and incredible wildlife, it was just simply breathtaking. I was there with a group for about 3 days and we did everything from jungle hikes and piraƱa fishing to monkey watching and swimming in the Amazon river. We saw A TON of amazing wildlife ranging from monkeys, macaws, tarantulas, sloths, pink river dolphins, and so much more!
TIP: Bring binoculars or if you have a camera, bring a big zoom lens. A lot of the wildlife watching will be from a distance so having something like this will make it so much more enjoyable. Plus you can get much better photos!
TIP #2: Be prepared with LOTS of sunscreen and bug spray. Heavy emphasis on the sunscreen as the sun is ridiculously intense here. One day it was cloudy so I didn’t apply sunscreen and I ended up with one of the worst sunburns of my life :/
I recommend that you stay at an eco-lodge as they provide sort of an all inclusive Amazon experience. These eco-lodges are scattered all over Amazonia and have excellent guides to take you on all of the different excursions. I will have an entirely separate post solely focusing on the Amazon and additional tips/recommendations surrounding it so be sure to check that out as well!
4. Lima
Lima, the nations capital, is one of my favorite cities in the world. Culturally rich, friendly locals, and some of the best food you will ever eat. What’s not to love?
Most people land here and immediately catch a connecting flight to Cusco which, in my opinion, is a big mistake. I highly recommend spending at least a couple of days in this wonderful city to experience all it has to offer. A culturally rich city center, incredible sunsets overlooking the Pacific, seriously some of the best food I have ever had while traveling, and it is EXTREMELY affordable!
Check out Centro Historico, eat ALL of the ceviche, and catch one of the best sunsets of your life along the parks of Miraflores. For all of the best things to do in Lima, see my article here.
5. Machu Picchu
Peru’s crown jewel. Your trip to Peru would not be complete without a visit to these ancient Incan ruins. Machu Picchu is one of those places that you truly have to see with your own eyes to understand and appreciate how incredible it is. The feeling of standing there, overlooking the ruins and walking amongst them…there are no words.
Keep in mind the time of year you plan to visit as the ruins can be completely hidden during certain days of the rainy season. We went during the rainy season and lucked out with a completely clear day. Then it was completely hidden with fog the next day for our other group members.
Note that there is a capacity limit now so buying tickets in advance is essential. I also recommend hiring a tour guide or booking a tour as it will be so much more interesting with the knowledge/history to go alongside everything.
6. Sacred Valley
Located in Peru’s Andean highlands, the Sacred Valley has some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Gorgeous mountains, long rolling hills, ancient ruins, and cozy little towns. It is like South American Switzerland.
Highlights include the Salineras de Maras (salt mines pictured above), Ollantaytambo ruins, Pisac Ruins, Pisac Market, and so much more. When I was there, we even had a group picnic on a ranch that was in the middle of the mountains. It was so incredible eating lunch with alpacas wandering in the distance and the snow capped Andes mountains as the backdrop. Incredibly surreal experience.
Nice thing is that all of this is an easy day trip from Cusco. You can book a tour ahead of time or even browse tour companies around the streets of Cusco to find something you like. Many tour operators hit several of the Sacred Valley highlights in a single day trip.
7. Las Islas Ballestas
The Ballestas Islands are a small cluster of islands just off the coast of Paracas, Peru. Here you can see all kinds of marine life like sea lions, Humboldt Penguins (YES PENGUINS!), and a ton of different sea birds. Boat tours run from Paracas should cost you around $20-30. I highly recommend booking online through a trusted source rather than from some random guide on the street.
TIP: Bring binoculars or if you have a camera, bring a big zoom lens. Some of the animals can be quite far away from the boats so they are difficult to see without them. Plus you can get much better photos!
This is also a great pit stop if you plan on heading to Ica/Huacachina as it is right along the highway from Lima!
8. Rainbow Mountain/Palcoyo Mountain
This is one you have probably seen all over Instagram with its beautiful rainbow colored peaks. I can tell you straight out of the gate that most of the images you see on Insta are not an accurate representation of how it looks and what the colors are really like. The picture above (Palcoyo Mountain) is a photo I took which shows a more realistic look at what you would see.
Regardless of that, this place was absolutely beautiful and the landscapes were incredible. The hike itself is not an easy one as you are over 16,000ft (4900m+) above sea level so if you have any health conditions then I wouldnt recommend this one for you.
TIP: bring LOTS of water and bring warmer clothes. It gets very cold up at that altitude so you want to be prepared for that.
Rainbow Mountain is the more well known of the two spots which means it can get much more crowded. I have even heard of them randomly closing it completely to all tourists – so check out Palcoyo Mountain instead if you dont like crowds/unpredictability.
