Peru Tours

Peru Tours cover a country that shifts dramatically across short distances, from the Pacific coast through the Andes mountains to the edge of the Amazon rainforest. The Inca Empire's former heartland left behind a concentration of archaeological sites unmatched elsewhere in South America, anchored by Machu Picchu but extending across the wider Cusco region and beyond into the Sacred Valley and the high Andean plateau.

Peru forms part of the region covered under South America Tours, and many visitors combine a Peru itinerary with neighboring Bolivia, Chile or Argentina to cover several Andean and desert destinations within one longer trip.

Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Cusco, the former Inca capital sitting above 3,400 meters, combines colonial architecture built directly atop Inca stone foundations with a compact old town centered on the Plaza de Armas and the nearby Qorikancha, once the empire's principal temple to the sun. The nearby Sacred Valley of the Incas holds agricultural terracing still farmed using centuries-old methods, the hilltop fortress of Ollantaytambo, and the market town of Pisac, known for its Sunday textile market, all typically visited before continuing on to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, the fifteenth-century Inca citadel set on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River, was never found by Spanish conquistadors and remained largely unknown outside the region until its rediscovery by outsiders in 1911. Visitors reach the site either by train to Aguas Calientes followed by a shuttle bus, or via multi-day treks such as the Inca Trail, for which permits are limited and sell out months ahead during peak season. A climb up neighboring Huayna Picchu, the steep peak visible in most classic photographs of the citadel, requires a separate permit and offers a view down over the ruins from above.

The Peruvian Amazon

Peru holds a significant share of the Amazon rainforest, accessible from gateway towns such as Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos. Jungle lodges along the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers offer wildlife viewing, canopy walkways and visits to macaw clay licks, where hundreds of parrots and macaws gather each morning to feed on mineral-rich riverbank clay, adding a lowland tropical dimension to itineraries otherwise centered on Andean sites.

Arequipa and the Colca Canyon

Arequipa, known as the White City for the pale volcanic stone used throughout its colonial center, sits beneath the cone of El Misti volcano and holds one of Peru's best-preserved historic districts, centered on a monastery complex, Santa Catalina, that functions almost as a small walled city within the city. Northwest of Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, among the deepest canyons in the world, is a common stop for viewing Andean condors, which ride thermal air currents above the canyon rim, most reliably in the early morning.

Lima and the Coast

Lima, Peru's capital on the Pacific coast, holds a UNESCO-listed historic center alongside a modern culinary scene that has helped establish the city as one of the region's leading food destinations, with restaurants built around Peru's fusion of indigenous, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese influences. South of Lima, the arid coastal plain around Nazca holds the Nazca Lines, enormous geoglyphs etched into the desert floor centuries ago and best viewed from the air on a small chartered flight.

Lake Titicaca and the Southern Highlands

Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world at over 3,800 meters, is the departure point for boat trips to the Uros Islands, artificial floating islands built from reeds by a community that predates the Inca, and to Taquile Island, known for hand-woven textiles recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Peruvian Cuisine

Peru's food scene draws on Andean, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese influences, with ceviche, raw fish cured in citrus juice, standing as the country's best-known dish, and lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef dish reflecting the country's Chinese immigrant history, appearing on menus from Lima to Cusco. Pisco, a grape brandy distilled along the coast, forms the base of the pisco sour, Peru's signature cocktail, and is often included as a tasting stop on longer Lima itineraries. Guinea pig, known locally as cuy, remains a traditional Andean dish served on special occasions in highland towns around Cusco.

Peru Jungle Packages

Itineraries such as the 4 Days in the Heart of the Jungle add an Amazon lodge stay to a Cusco and Machu Picchu itinerary, typically flying into Puerto Maldonado for river travel and guided walks through the rainforest.

Regional Multi-Country Routes

Because Cusco and the southern highlands sit relatively close to Bolivia's Lake Titicaca shoreline, many longer itineraries continue overland into Bolivia, Chile's Atacama Desert or northern Argentina, linking several Andean and desert landscapes across a single South America trip.

Altitude and Practical Considerations

Cusco and much of the Sacred Valley sit above 3,000 meters, and many travelers spend a day acclimatizing on arrival before continuing to Machu Picchu or higher-elevation sites such as Rainbow Mountain, which reaches over 5,000 meters at its viewpoint and has become a popular day trip from Cusco in recent years.

Best Time to Visit Peru

May through September, Peru's dry season, offers the clearest conditions for trekking and visiting Machu Picchu, with cooler nights at altitude and generally reliable weather for the Inca Trail. The wet season from December to March brings more rainfall to the highlands and can affect Inca Trail access, though the Amazon region remains warm and humid throughout the year regardless of season.