The Peru Travel Guide

Arequipa, Peru (Colonial, Peru’s second largest city. Dazzling baroque-mestizo architecture)

• Juanita Mummy
• Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa

 

Cusco, Peru (2007 American Capital of Culture; UNESCO)

• Santo Domingo church, Cusco
• Qoriacancha Palace, Cucso

 

Sacsayhuaman Ruins Inca ruins, Peru (Fortress complex with incredible rock work with huge blocks, former Inca capital)

 

Sacred Valley, Peru (Collection of small towns/Inca ruins)

• Moray Inca ruins, Sacred Valley
• Ollantaytambo Inca ruins, Sacred Valley

 

Pisac Ruins, Pisac, Peru (extremely nice ruins above town on hillside, not busy.

• The Citiadel, Piscac Ruins
• The Temple of the Sun, Piscac Ruins

 

Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru

• Temple of the Sun, Machu Picchu
• Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu, Peru (cone shaped pinnacle overlooking Machu Picchu, only 300 allowed  per day. Incredible trail, steep, but ancient)
• Inca Trail Trek, Machu Picchu (4 days, limited numbers/day. April-Oct main hiking season. Book early. About $800/pp incl. food, cooks, porters, guides, accommodations, everything. Campsites are crowded and dirty however and the trail is very busy).
• Salkantay to Machu Picchu, Peru (the alternate Inca Trail. No wait times, much cheaper. 5 days. Passes right next to 20,000’ peak of Salkantay, a sacred mountain to the Incas, before arriving in Machu Picchu.
• Railway Machu Picchu Trek (beginning at kilometer 104 on the railway, pass Wifay Wifay ruins and the Sun Gate along the way. Backdoor into Machu Picchu. Takes a full day to get to Machu Picchu.

 

Choquequirao Ruins, Peru (less known Machu Picchu, extremely similar)

• Choquequirao Trek, Choquequirao Ruins, Peru (A quitter version of the Machuu Pichu Treks to its sister city. 28 miles RT, 4 days. From Cachora, Peru)

 

Puerto Maldonado, Peru (Amazon town)

 

Huacachina, Peru (small oasis surrounded by enormous sand dunes)

 

Lima, Peru

 

Mancora, Peru (popular beach resort w/ backpackers and surfers)

 

Truijillo, Peru

• Huanchaco Beach, Truijillo

 

Moche Pyramids

• Temple of the Sun (Highly eroded step pyramid)
• Moon pyramid

 

Chan Chan pre-Incan ruins, Chimour, Peru

 

Chiclayo, Peru

• Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum
• Huaca Rejada ruins

 

Huaraz, Peru (Sits at over 12,000’)

 

Nazca, Peru

• Nazca Lines, Nazca, Peru ($80pp flight to view the Nazca Lines, UNESCO)

 

Del Colca Canyon Trek, Peru (3-day trek to bottom and out, hotels/tent camps at bottom, Andean Condors; world’s second deepest canyon)

 

Lake Titicaca, Peru

• Puno, Lake Titicaca, Peru
• Floating Reed Islands, Lake Titicaca, Peru (homestay)

 

Iquitos, Peru

 

Cordillera Blanca, Peru (Highest range in the world outside of the Himalayas, with 16 peaks over 19,685’ (6000m)

• Huayhuash Trek, Cordillera Blanca, Peru (120 miles, 12 days. Some of the most beautiful and untouched regions on the continent; along a mountain range with 60 peaks over 16,400 feet)
• Santa Cruz Trek, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

 

Manu National Park, Peru (Andean Mountains, Cloud forest, jungle slopes – this NP traverse three entire climate zones. Tribespeople and nearly every known South American jungle creature live in this vast wilderness forest)

 

Chavin de Huantar ruins, Peru (UNESCO; 1200-800 BC; striking temple like structures and a labyrinthine complex of underground corridors, air ducts, chambers that invite exploration.

 

Pan-American Highway, Peru: Lima to Tacna; 767 miles

 

Gocta Falls, Peru (drop 2,530 feet; 5 hour trek to falls – only recently “discovered”)