10 Best Places to Visit in Peru

If you haven’t been to South America you might want to add Peru to your list. Bordering Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia and the Pacific Ocean, Peru’s ancient ruins, natural diversity, food and drinks are some of the things that make Peru stand out as a top destination in the region.

Here are Travelmath’s 10 best places to visit in Peru:

1. Machu Picchu
Without a doubt, Machu Picchu is among the “greatest artistic, architectural and land use achievements” in the world as described by UNESCO. This massive architecture with about 200 structures remains a mystery today.

Located almost 8,000 feet above sea level between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin, to get there, most visitors fly into Cusco from Lima Peru. The flight between Lima and Cusco is one hour 13 minutes. There are over 25 airlines flying into Lima and five airlines serving between Lima and Cusco.

You can take the 4-day Inca Trail trekking tour to Machu Picchu or take the comfortable Peru Rail to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu.

2. Cusco
Cusco is South America’s oldest continually inhabited city and one of the most important archaeological capitals in the world. Located around 11,000 feet above sea level, you need to take it easy when you arrive to avoid high altitude sickness.

Here you will find Inca-built stone walls, cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial churches and modern buildings. Cusco’s main tourist attractions are Sacsayhuaman, Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), San Pedro Market, Plaza de Armas and Cusco colonial churches.

More about Cusco: 5 Things to Do in Cusco

3. Arequipa
Arequipa is an important city in Southern Peru and the gateway to Colca Canyon and Colca Valley. Flight time from Lima to Arequipa is only one hour 27 minutes. Two must-visit places in this UNESCO world heritage city include a visit to Museo Santuarios Andinos and Santa Catalina Monastery.

Inside Museo Santuarios Andinos is the Ice Maiden named Juanita. According to records, Juanita was a 12-year-old Inca girl sacrificed to the gods in the 1450s. Archaeologist Johan Reinhard and his climbing partner discovered Juanita in 1995 in Mount Ampato, near Arequipa.

Read more: PBS

4. Colca Canyon
You can either join a day or overnight tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa. We recommend an overnight tour. Some adventurous travelers may prefer to take the two or three-day Colca Canyon trekking tour.

Colca Canyon is twice the depth of Grand Canyon. The main attraction in the canyon includes the views of terraced fields, canyons and villages. The highlight is viewing the soaring Andean condors at Condor Cross (Cruz del Condor) viewpoint. See the silver and black-winged Andean condor circling around the lookout point between 7 to 10 am. The numbers of condor flying vary from day to day.

4. Nasca (Nazca)
Located 278 miles south of the capital city of Peru are the lines and geoglyphs of Nasca. According to UNESCO, these lines are scratched on the surface of the ground between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. The best way to view the lines like the spider, monkey, hummingbird, dog, lizard, killer whale and hand is by taking a 24-minute tour on a 12-seater passenger plane.

Those who hate flying on small planes may be able to view three of the lines (hand, tree and frog) from the observation tower located on the Pan American Highway, 12.4 miles (20 km) north of Nazca.

5. Ballestas Islands
Known as the poor man’s Galapagos, Ballestas Islands is filled with over 150 bird species including Humboldt penguins, cormorants, boobies and pelicans. This national reserve in Peru boasts of thousands of sea lions and seals sunning on the unique rock formations year round and the occasional dolphin swimming around tourist boats.

Another attraction is the Candelbro figure drawn on the side of a mountain that looks just like the Nasca lines and is believed to have links to Nasca. Tours to the islands depart from Pisco. Pisco is 148 miles south of Lima.

6. Huacachina
If you like the thrills of going on a dune buggy and sandboarding, Huacachina is the place for you. Huacachina is a sand oasis town with towering sand dunes, located in the desert of southern Peru. A trip on the sand dunes on a 4-wheel-drive dune buggy is like going on an extreme roller coaster ride. The only difference is your safety is in the hands of a driver.

All 4-wheel-drive dune buggy tours include sand sledding as you lay on your stomach on the sand board. The level of difficulty increases as you sled through the dunes.

7. Lima
Lima is the culinary capital of South America according to CN Traveler. The city has the best ceviche (raw cured fish), best fusion food, best Pisco Sour (cocktail), best pollo a la Brasca (Peruvian roast chicken) and best chiva (Peruvian Chinese food).

Learn more about Peruvian food at the Gastronomy Museum located in the old Post Office building (Casa de Correos y Telegrafos), near Plaza de Armas.

Lima is a five hour 43 minute flight from Miami, eight hours 50 minutes from Los Angeles and seven hours 46 minutes from New York.

8. Peruvian Amazon
Peruvian Amazon is the most accessible Amazon in South America. You can take a 54-minute flight from Cusco to the river town of Puerto Maldonado, the gateway town to the Peruvian Amazonian national parks.

Stay in one of the all-inclusive rainforest eco-lodges and experience the Amazonian jungles by taking jungle hikes and canoe tours organized by the eco-lodges.

9. Lake Titicaca and Puno
Close to Bolivia, 818 miles south of Lima is the city of Puno, gateway to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. You can take a direct flight from Lima or travel by bus and train to Puno.

A visit to Lake Titicaca usually includes a tour of Uros Floating Islands (a group of touristy manmade islands close to Puno), a homestay in Amantani Island and a day trip to Taquile Island.

You can take an overnight tour with Edgar Adventures on a 35-foot boat from Puno to Uros Floating Island, Amantani and Taquile Islands. The tour includes the three hour boat ride each way, overnight homestay with meals with a local family, activities at Amantani island, tour to Taquile island with lunch and an English speaking tour guide.

Information: Edgar Adventures

10. Mancora
Mancora is where you can find Peru’s best beaches and surfing spots. Located 726 miles north of Lima, Mancora is closer to Guayaquil, Ecuador than the capital city of Peru. The best time to visit Mancora is between mid-December to March.