The most amazing places to visit in Peru: costa, sierra y selva! From the Inca ruins to the enigmatic Nasca Lines passing through the immense Amazon: Welcome to Peru, a country of a thousand adventures!
How much time to enjoy to visit Peru?
During a first trip a couple of weeks are a must to visit the most famous places in Perù: Lima, Ballestas Islands, Oasis of Huacachina, the White City of Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, and Machu Picchu.
Lima the City of Kings
Lima is the first destination of your experience in the Andean country par excellence. It is precisely here that your visit to the Land of the Incas will begin. Cosmopolitan capital and cradle of the famous Peruvian gastronomy. With merit, Lima has earned the title of Gastronomic Capital of Latin America. Limeña cuisine has been fed by Andean, European, African and Eastern. This cultural mixture has given rise to a unique culinary style that Nourishes the availability of an infinite series of ingredients.
Lima dictates the trends, fashions and architectural styles that influence the rest of the nation.
Full of colonial riches, visible above all in the historic centre Unesco Heritage since 1988.
During a walk from Plaza San Martin to Plaza Mayor; you can admire the famous Balconies of Lima, the opulence of the Viceroys, the Archbishop's Palace, the Town Hall and the House of Pizarro or the Government Palace where the President of Peru resides today.
Lima is also modernity, a modern cultural centre and is the only capital of South America located by the sea. This allows our visitors to stroll along the Costa Verde or ride a bike along the pier. Lima, is a destination not to be missed!
Paracas National Reserve and the Ballestas Islands
Located just 3 hours from Lima in the Ica region; the Paracas National Reserve is home to one of the Peru’s most important marine-coastal ecosystems. During a tour in Paracas can not miss an excursion to the Ballestas Islands to observe the sea lions, the Humboldt penguins, dolphins, flamingos, pelicans. The visit of Paracas continue with the exploration of the Reserve Natural of Paracas where the beaches of Lagunillas, La Mina, Mendieta, Playa Roja stand out. Paracas is today one of the favorite destinations of the limeño public and European travelers. In addition, a few kilometers away, from Pisco airport, you can take small aircraft and fly over the Palpa and the Nazca Lines.
The Oasis of Huacachina: relaxation, sun and Pisco!
The Huacachina Oasis is pure adrenaline! Its dunes are the scenery of infinite combinations of routes for lovers of sand-buggy and sand-boarding. The least daring they can choose between a walk for a romantic sunset or the spectacular sunrise. The desert colours will remain in your hearts. The experience in Ica continues among the Bodegas of Pisco. Sip a Pisco Sour, a Chilcano or a pisco and a Puro Amazoniaco... it depends on the tastes... relaxation is guaranteed.
Mystery in the Desert: the Nazca Lines and the Cahuachi Pyramids
The ancient and enigmatic geoglyphs found in the Peruvian desert near the cities of Nasca and Palpa, constitute an authentic mystery for archaeologists and experts of civilizations pre-Hispanic. There are various theories about their function; but none can be considered official.
Impressive for their greatness; are visible only through the over flight that all the days you can take advantage of Nasca. Mystery, adventure and archaeology: Nazca is not to be missed during a first visit to Peru.
The visit of Nazca is completed with an excursion in a buggy or in a conventional vehicle to the
Ceremonial of the Pyramids of Cahuachi. Sacred place of the Nasca Culture, Cahuachi is the site the most impressive archaeological of the entire south coast of Peru. A correlation between the centre of Cahuachi and the Nazca Lines is highly possible.
Arequipa the enchanting volcanic land
The Sillar, the white solidified volcanic ash extracted from the quarries around the city, will give you the welcome to the most Spanish city in all of South America: Arequipa La Blanca!
Known as the White City for the charming Baroque-style buildings found in the historic centre Unesco heritage since 2000; Arequipa enjoys a sunny climate all year round and from a blue sky that invites you to stay several days to admire the beauty of its monuments, snow-capped peaks, volcanoes, deep canyons and renowned arequipeña cuisine.
With over 500 colonial-style buildings, Arequipa’s Old Town reaches its peak splendour inside the boundary wall of the Monastery of Santa Catalina. Opened on 2 October 1580, the Monastery hosted the daughters of the most illustrious families of the city with a vocation nun. It was during this era that European and Andean culture merged in the harmonious expression of the white arches built of sillar and gave life to the culture mestizo arequipeña.
During a visit to Arequipa you cannot miss a visit to the famous Picanterias: from the
Benita of Characato, to the Lucila of Sachaca, to the Caucau, to the Nueva Palomino in Yanahuara to the popular La Capitana.
Trekking and Living Culture: the Colca Canyon
Located in the province of Caylloma and with the 4,160 meters, the Colca Canyon is considered the fourth deepest in the world. Nevertheless, the Colca Canyon is easy to access and from Chivay a series of daily excursions branch off to the Cruz del Condor for the sighting of the Andean Condor. In the Colca Valley there are various adventure sports, horseback riding and experiences of ethnic tourism.
Inside the Canyon there are several trekking circuits among the most popular in Peru: trekking to the Oasis of Sangalle; the one in Llahuar and Fure; San Juan de Chuccho and Tapay. Accessible circuits and extraordinary in contact with the local populations a must for trekking lovers!
Lake Titicaca natural heritage of Peru
Since time immemorial, Lake Titicaca has been one of the most important centres of Andean culture in pre-Hispanic era. Lake Titicaca had a mystical impact on the society of today's Puno.
Andean mythology tells that the world was born here. Here were born the founders of the Inca Empire: Mama Ocllo and Manco Capac. Legend evokes that they emerged from the depths of Lake Titicaca and who walked to Cusco where they began the legend of the Incas.
Lake Titicaca is certainly one of the main tourist attractions of Peru but also of the Bolivia. It is not for nothing that it is the highest navigable lake in the world (3,812 m a.s.l.), with depth up to 281 m in its approximately 8,300 km² of extension to discover the secrets and idiosyncrasy of ancient Peru we recommend sailing the lake and reach the community of Amantani and spend a day with the family to find out how, in at the height of the twenty-first century, these communities live jealous guardians of the traditions of their past.
A visit to Lake Titicaca would not be complete without a visit to the Floating Islands of the Indigenous Uros. The Uros or the Kingdom of Totora, used to build the islands, for purposes medicines and as part of its gastronomy.
Finally, we recommend an excursion to Taquile, Unesco Intangible Heritage for textile art since 2005. Did you know that to get married in Taquile you have to be an expert weaver? Have you ever seen a man walking and weaving at the same time? Find out for yourself by visiting Taquile!
The Imperial City of Cusco
Political, administrative and religious capital of Tahuantinsuyo, Cusco was the most Important of pre-Hispanic Peru. The importance of Cusco reaches the height in the fifteenth century when The Inca Pachacuteq redesigned its urban layout until the arrival of the Spaniards. The Spaniards maintained the Inca plan on which the buildings were built and temples erected and stately homes. One of the most striking examples is the Temple of Santo Domingo in the Qoricancha or the Cusco Cathedral in the Quishuarcancha. Anciently, it was owned by the Inca Wiracocha and was one of the buildings of great importance during the Inca period.
During the visit of Cusco is not to be missed the visit of the Sachsahuaman Fortress, the neighbourhood Bohemian of San Blas and the beating heart of today's Cusco: the San Pedro market.
Cusco is also gastronomy and around the Plaza de Armas there are restaurants of the highest level like the Silt, Calle del Medio Inka Grill. On weekends we recommend instead of visit the area of Saylla to try the famous cuy al palo, chancho al horno and the typical dish of Cusco the chiriuchu.
From Cusco depart daily excursions to Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Inca Trail, Salkantay Trek, Inca Jungle, trek to Palcoyo or Rainbow Mountain, excursions to the Park of Manu in the Amazon. In summary, Cusco is the nerve centre of organized tourism in Peru!
The Sacred Valley land blessed by the Sun God
Unchallengeable natural beauty: the Sacred Valley was the garden of the Incas and the present blessed of today's Cusco. The Sacred Valley is an enchanting place where many foreigners remain to live forever fascinated by the beauty of the mountain range of Urubamba, from the Vilcanota River and above all from the feeling of peace and harmony that is breathe.
The tour of the Sacred Valley typically takes at least two days to visit the Saline di Maras, the Inca agronomic park of Moray and the Market of Chinchero. Other unmissable destinations are the Fortresses of Ollantaytambo and Pisac. The Sacred Valley is full of trekking experiences such as Huchuy Qosqo or bike experiences from Pisac to Ollantaytambo; rather than experiences culinary dishes such as Pachamanca or a refined lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari.
Machu Picchu Cultural Unesco World Heritage Site
Well we have come to the plus ultra of your trip to Peru: Machu Picchu. The Llaqta or Inca City of Machu Picchu needs no introduction and is today one of the most important touristic destination in the world.
We recommend visiting Machu Picchu through the classic Inca Trail of 4 days or from the more accessible Inca Trail & Machu Picchu of 2 days. Getting to Machu Picchu from the Gate of the Sun is a throbbing experience made even more mystical by the lush of the Amazon forest.
The classic visit to Machu Picchu instead is recommended in the first morning shifts. Unmissable is the climing of the Huayna Picchu and for the most daring to the Machu Picchu Mountain. Machu Picchu offers luxurious train experiences such as the Hiram Bingham service or The Private Inca Rail.
Machu Picchu awaits you!
Touching the sky: the Rainbow Mountain!
Do you want to touch the sky...? Well yes in Peru it is possible with a legendary trek to the Vinicunca Mountain or commonly known as the Rainbow Mountain or Mountain of the Seven Colors. An impregnable place until recently; the Rainbow Mountain is appeared in all its splendour only a few years ago, unfortunately the result of the dissolution of the glaciers.
Trekking to the Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley is legendary and its excursion is a must while visiting Peru.
The trek lasts about 4 hours round trip and you can take advantage of the services of the community that rents horses and mules for those who have difficulty covering the entire route due to the altitude that is reached at the summit: 5,100 meters above sea level..... this locura is an unforgettable experience you won’t miss during your trip to Peru.