Go into the Amazon from Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos
Lodges on the river with night walks, canopy towers and oxbow lakes. Iquitos is reachable only by boat or plane.
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South America
Things to do in Peru
High-altitude ruins, a coastline of ceviche stalls, and mountains that don't do things by half.
Explore Peru on the map →Budget$$
Best for10-14 days
CapitalLima
VisaVisa-free 90 days for US/UK/EU
CurrencyPeruvian sol (PEN)
LanguagesSpanish, Quechua
InternetPatchy outside cities
Typical lodging$20–$65/night
Driving sideRight
Power & voltage220V / 60Hz (Type A/B/C plug)
Time zoneUTC-5
Emergency number105 (police) / 116 (fire) / 106 (ambulance)
Dialing code+51
★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Culture★★★★★ Photography
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled or filtered water recommended. 10% at restaurants is common.
Peru holds a coastal desert, 6,000-metre peaks and a share of the Amazon within a few hours' flight of each other, which is why the ingredient list is so long. It's also where the potato was domesticated: several thousand varieties still grow in the Andes, most of which never leave the country.
When to go
Dry season (highlands)May–September
The main window for Cusco, Machu Picchu and trekking: clear days, cold nights, and the busiest months. Book permits and trains well ahead.
ShoulderApril, October
Green landscape, fewer people, and a reasonable chance of dry days. Often the best balance of the year.
Wet seasonNovember–March
Afternoon rain, muddy trails and cloud over the peaks, but lush scenery and far fewer visitors. The Inca Trail closes entirely each February for maintenance, in 2026, 1–28 February, though Machu Picchu itself stays open.
Coast and AmazonYear-round
Lima is grey and misty May–November and sunny December–April, the opposite of the mountains. The Amazon is hot and humid throughout, wettest December–April.
21 things to do
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Wildlife & nature
3Watch condors at Colca Canyon
Twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, with Andean condors riding the morning thermals up the walls.
Take a boat to the Ballestas Islands
Sea lions, Humboldt penguins and dense seabird colonies off the Paracas coast, often called the poor man's Galápagos.
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Culture & history
5Reach Machu Picchu early$40
An Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba, cloud usually burning off mid-morning. Entry is by timed slot and route, decided when you book.
Walk the salt pans at Maras
Thousands of terraced evaporation ponds fed by a salt spring, worked by local families since Inca times.
See the circular terraces at Moray
Concentric agricultural terraces with a measurable temperature difference between top and bottom, widely read as a crop laboratory.
Look at the stonework at Sacsayhuamán
Blocks weighing hundreds of tonnes fitted without mortar so tightly a blade won't go between them, on the hill above Cusco.
Fly over the Nazca Lines
Enormous figures scratched into the desert floor two thousand years ago, only legible from the air. Small planes, short flights, bumpy.
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Food & markets
4Eat ceviche at a Lima market counter
Raw fish cured in lime with chilli and onion, eaten at lunch when the catch is fresh: never at dinner, if you ask a Peruvian.
Eat at one of Lima's tasting-menu restaurants
Central, Maido and Kjolle regularly appear near the top of the world's restaurant lists, built around Peruvian ecosystems and ingredients.
Try a pisco sour where it's argued over
Grape brandy, lime, egg white and bitters: with Chile contesting the origin, which Peruvians will happily explain at length.
Wander a highland market day
Pisac and Chinchero fill with produce, textiles and trade. Sunday is the big day, and the mornings are for locals rather than tour buses.
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Adventure & outdoors
4Trek the classic Inca Trail
Four days over two high passes on original Inca paving, arriving through the Sun Gate at dawn. Permits are capped and sell out months ahead.
Take the Salkantay or Lares route instead
Alternative treks to the same destination: Salkantay is higher and wilder, Lares passes through weaving villages. No permit cap.
Climb to Rainbow Mountain
Mineral-striped slopes above 5,000m, a hard day out on thin air. Acclimatise in Cusco for several days first.
Sandboard the dunes at Huacachina
A palm-ringed desert oasis surrounded by dunes tall enough to make your stomach drop, ridden down on boards or in dune buggies.
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Coast & water
2Float across Lake Titicaca to the Uros islands
Reed islands built and rebuilt by hand on the world's highest navigable lake. Taquile and Amantaní offer homestays further out.
Surf the long left at Chicama
Reputedly the longest left-hand wave in the world, on the north coast, rides measured in minutes rather than seconds.
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Cities & design
1Spend time in Cusco itself
Inca foundations with colonial buildings on top, at 3,400m. Worth two or three days purely to acclimatise before anything strenuous.
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Slow days
2Ride the train through the Sacred Valley
The line to Aguas Calientes follows the river through a gorge that road traffic can't reach. Panoramic carriages, and worth the window seat.
See how alpaca textiles are actually made
Weaving cooperatives around Chinchero demonstrate natural dyeing and backstrap looms, and explain why the cheap 'alpaca' in markets isn't.
Common questions
▾Is Peru safe to visit?
Peru's main tourist circuit, Lima's tourist districts, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, is generally safe and well set up for visitors. Standard precautions around petty theft apply in Lima and Cusco, and altitude, not crime, is the more common issue travelers actually run into.
▾How much does it cost to visit Machu Picchu?
A standard foreign-adult entry ticket costs about 152 soles (roughly $40), with tickets that add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain access running closer to 200 soles (about $53). Prices are set to rise slightly from May 2026 onward, and tickets are capped daily by quota, so book well ahead, especially for the mountain-access circuits.
▾How many days do you need in Peru?
10-12 days covers Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu at a comfortable pace, with a day or two built in around Cusco to acclimatize before trekking or visiting the ruins. A tighter one-week trip can work if you fly rather than trek in.
▾Do I need a visa for Peru?
US, UK, EU and most Latin American passport holders can enter Peru visa-free for up to 90 days as tourists. Check the current list for your specific nationality, since a smaller number of countries do require a visa in advance.
▾What's the best time to visit Machu Picchu?
May through September is the dry season and the most reliable window for clear views over the ruins, though it's also the busiest and most expensive time to book. The shoulder months of April and October often balance decent weather against noticeably thinner crowds.
▾Is Peru expensive?
Peru is a mid-range destination overall: food, transport and budget lodging are inexpensive, but Machu Picchu's train, entry ticket and quota system add a fixed cost that's hard to avoid regardless of your travel style. Booking trains and entry tickets well in advance keeps prices closer to the low end of what's available.