Peru is a stunning country filled with a variety of landscapes from coastal regions to Andean Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest. There is so much to see and experience so here is a list of 16 amazing places to visit in Peru to add to your bucket list and kickstart your travel planning.
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1. Lima
Peru’s capital city, Lima is the starting point for many adventurers. Lima is known for its food and amazing restaurants. There’s no better time to try ceviche than by the coast in Peru! While in Lima be sure to explore the vibrant Barranco and Mirraflores neighbourhoods as well as the historical city centre.Â
Things to do in Lima
- Walk along the boardwalk and Love Park in Miraflores
- Visit the ancient ruins of PucllanaÂ
- Join a walking tour around the historic centre
- Discover the Catacombs of the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco
- Explore Barranco and the Bridge of Sighs
2. Paracas
Paracas is to the south of Lima. It is known as Peru’s version of the Galapagos Islands due to the abundance of wildlife living on the tiny Ballestas Islands just off the coast.
On land, the Paracas National Reserve is worth exploring too. The reserve is a desert landscape sweeping along the coast. Highlights in the reserve include red sand beaches, tiny fishing harbours and spectacular sunsets.
3. Ballestas Islands
You can take a short boat trip from Paracas to explore the Ballestas Islands. There you will find flocks of birds, penguins swimming alongside your boat and sea lions sunbathing on a shipwreck.
4. Huacachina
Huacachina is one of my personal favourite places in Peru. It is a tiny town built around a desert oasis. The town is bordered by huge sand dunes. You can walk up the dunes, take dune buggy rides and even go sand boarding if you’re feeling brave!
5. Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are one of the most famous and mysterious landmarks in Peru. They are huge geoglyphs – markings etched into the ground hundreds of years ago depicting lots of different animals.
There has been a lot of speculation over the intended purpose of the lines. They were thought to serve a purpose related to astronomy, perhaps as a representation of constellations. It is now more commonly thought that they were made for rituals, as prayers to the gods for water and fertility.
To get the best view of the Nazca lines, take to the skies with a helicopter tour. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, there are some roadside towers that you can walk up to view nearby lines.Â
6. ArequipaÂ
Arequipa is known as ‘The White City’ due to the abundance of white sillar rock nearby that was used to construct many of the buildings. You can visit some of the Sillar mines on a Ruta Del Sillar tour, they have now transformed into outdoor sculpture parks displaying carvings created from the rock.
In the city, there are also lots of places and museums to explore. Here is a quick list of things to do in Arequipa, Peru.
Things to do in Arequipa
- Visit the Santa Clarita monastery
- See the Plaza de Armas
- Try queso ice cream
- Admire the view at Mirador de Yanahuara
- Shop for handmade crafts at the Fundo el Fierro MarketÂ
- Visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos to see the mummy of Juanita
- Take a Walking tour
7. Colca Canyon
The Colca Canyon is one of the world’s deepest canyons. It is a great spot for trekking and spotting one the largest flying birds – the Andean Condor. Colca Canyon is fairly close to Arequipa so you can visit for a day trip or take a multi-day tour to really explore the canyon. Many tours also include trips to rural villages and a soak in the hot springs.
8. Puno & Lake Titicaca
Puno is a town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, one of the world’s highest lakes. There is another settlement on the lake – a series of floating islands created from reeds by the Uros community. The Uros were pushed onto the lake hundreds of years ago by Incas encroaching onto their land. The islands were originally built as a defence but over 1000 people still live on the islands today.Â
There are several tour options that allow you to visit the islands, meet the communities and learn about their way of life.
Peru Travel Posters
9. Cusco
Cusco is a must visit in Peru! The city, high up in the Peruvian Andes is a great base from which to explore Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley and other Incan ruins. There is plenty to see in the city itself too. If you are staying for a few days and thinking about visiting several attractions, it’s worth picking up a Tourist Ticket from the Tourist Information Office which provides entry to lots of museums and attractions.
Things to do in Cusco
- Visit the Plaza Mayor de CuzcoÂ
- See the view from Mirador de Sán Cristobal
- Explore Saqsaywama and Quenco Archaeological complex – the ruins of an Incan complex
- Visit the Museo Machu Picchu Casa ConhaÂ
- Discover the Regional Historical Museum of CuscoÂ
10. Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is probably Peru’s most famous landmark and likely at the top of your Peru Bucket List! The Incas built the citadel around 500 years ago on a remote mountain top. No one is certain what the purpose of the site was but it’s certainly impressive!
Many people chose to trek to Machu Picchu over multiple days. If you’re not up for this, don’t worry! You can actually get to Machu Picchu fairly easily via train and bus from Cusco.Â
Be sure to book your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment and save time queuing.
11. Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, has earned its name from the colourful mineral stipes streaking across the mountain. It’s situated next to the Red Valley which is just as spectacular. You can visit easily on a day trip from Cusco although it’s best to book a tour with an early start to avoid the crowds.
The mountain is over 5,000 metres above sea level. Although the hike up from the car park isn’t too long, it can be tricky due to the high altitude. Drink lots of coca tea and take a few days to acclimatise to Cusco’s altitude first if you have just arrived in Peru.
12. The Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is the area surrounding Machu Picchu. It’s full of incan ruins, rural villages and terraced farmland. There are lots of tours offering day trips or multi day trips from Cusco that will show you some of the best spots in the Sacred Valley. I recommend at least visiting Ollantaytambo, Moray and Pisaq.
13. Maras Salt Mines
The Maras Salt Mines are a hidden gem in the Sacred Valley around Cusco. The array of pools look similar to the tanneries of Fez, Morocco but have a very different purpose. The site was first built around 500 years ago and has been expanding ever since. Each pool is fed by the same stream flowing from an underground salt-water lake. The water fills the shallow pools and is left to evaporate, leaving the salt behind. The mine is still active, using the same ancient techniques of salt extraction.Â
14. Iquitos
Iquitos is a city in North East Peru, inside the Amazon Rainforest. It is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by roads. Your options to get there are flying from Lima, Tatapoto or Pucallpa or by boat along the Amazon River. The city is often a gateway for tourists travelling further into the rainforest but the city itself is also worth exploring.Â
The city is full of European architecture from the rubber boom in the late 1800s, but one building in particular stands out – Casa de Fierro, also known as the Iron House. This was designed by Gustav Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame!) and there are several legends and stories around how it made its way to Iquitos, Peru. While we were there, we were told that the building was intended for Quito, Ecuador (some versions say a city in Bolivia instead!) but somehow made its way to Iquitos by mistake and for some reason the building was just assembled here anyway. While the stories may not be entirely true, the restaurant now inside is very nice and worth a visit!Â
15. Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest covers an enormous area across nine countries in South America, one of which is Peru. So there are several entry points and parts that you can visit. We entered via Iquitos and took a 3 day, 2 night tour with Amazon Experience Tours. This was a very rustic excursion, as you might imagine! We stayed in a lodge in the jungle with one hour of electricity available per day. There were mosquitos everywhere – wouldn’t recommend wearing black leggings, my entire legs were covered in bites! Despite that we got to experience some amazing things – piranha fishing, sunrise cruise, night treks to see cayman, a trip to a monkey sanctuary and we had the chance to meet a tribe and learn about their culture.
There are many tour companies offering experiences of different lengths but 3 days was the right amount of time for me! Accommodation can also vary from camping to lodges to luxurious cruises. If Iquitos is too far out of the way for your itinerary, you can also find trips from Puerto Maldonado, Pucallpa and Tarapoto.Â
16. Manu National Park
Manu National Park is inside the Amazon Rainforest. The park can be accessed by road from Cusco, but it is a 4 hour drive. Manu Park is famed for its high biodiversity. You could spot jaguars, monkeys, capybaras, giant otters and hundreds of exotic birds.Â
There are a few well trodden tour routes within the park that are designed to show you the best views and take you to the best wildlife spots. These range from one day to one week. The one day Tres Cruces Tour is perhaps the most popular.