Bucket-list worthy sights, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and epic adventures are all that awaits you in Peru. These come in the form of ancient Inca ruins, the Amazon rainforest, the Andes mountains, well-preserved colonial cities and a beautiful Pacific coastline.
Often referred to as ‘the Egypt of the Americas’, Peru 5,000-year history has left is scattered with quaint colonial quarters, puzzling geoglyphs etched into the desert floor and some of the largest pre-Columbian ruins in the world. Not only is its history worthy of a visit alone, but Peru is also renowned as the gastronomic capital of Latin America. It will leave your mouth watering in anticipation of its slow-simmered stews and delicious Amazonian chocolate.
Varying from dry desert to lush tropical jungle to ice-covered mountains and everything in between, Peru offers experiences that leave every visitor fulfilled. But in a country that offers so much, how do you choose where to go and what to see?
With the help of Peru’s Local Designers, Designer Journeys’s Grace Homer has rounded up Peru’s most magical sights and exactly how you can see and experience them.
Post Contents
- Take a flight over the Nazca Lines
- One of the World’s Most Scenic Train Journeys from Puno to Cusco
- Delve Deep into the Peruvian Amazon
- Lay Eyes on the Remarkably Well-Preserved Inca Salt Mines
- Venture into One of the Deepest Canyons in the World
- Trek to the ancient Inca City of Machu Picchu
- Go Adventuring on the Peruvian Coast
- Experience the World’s Highest Navigable Body of Water
Take a flight over the Nazca Lines
Discovered by a Peruvian archaeologist in 1926, the Nazca Lines are an astonishing group of large geoglyphs formed by incisions made in the soil of the Nazca Desert. Estimated to be between 2500 and 1500 years old, the Nazca Lines are an enormous series of lines that run parallel for miles while also being wavy and crisscrossing.
Whilst they were discovered at ground level, the lines were best seen, observed and documented from above and were noticed by commercial pilots flying above them around a similar time. On this 12-Day Best of Peru trip, you’ll have the chance to discover them in the same way – from the air. Covering an area of 50 square kilometres, the Nazca lines have been perfectly preserved by the dry, arid air of the desert.
From the air, you’ll be able to spot the various geometric shapes, flowers and animals such as a hummingbird, spider, fish, llama, jaguar, monkey, lizard, dog and a human.
One of the World’s Most Scenic Train Journeys from Puno to Cusco
Peru is home to some of South America’s most beautiful scenery and what better way to experience this than on a luxury overnight train from Puno to Cusco, one of the world’s highest train routes.
Leading you through the Andes, you’ll be enchanted by the sleepy villages, spectacular snow-capped peaks and rampaging rivers.
On this 9-Day Journey Through the Andes trip, you can experience all this and more as you travel from Lima to Lake Titicaca to Cusco and finally to Machu Picchu, the most majestic ruins of Peru.
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Delve Deep into the Peruvian Amazon
The fourth-largest rainforest in the world, of all the countries the Amazon rainforest covers, the Peruvian Amazon is the largest. As well as staggering numbers of rich flora, this rainforest is home to an abundance of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish, birds, and butterflies.
On this 10-Day Amazon and Machu Picchu trip, not only will you experience the beauty of Peru’s most celebrated Inca ruins, but you’ll also head into the Amazon rainforest for an experience you’ll never forget. Staying in a lodge only accessible by river, you’ll begin each day by venturing into the tropical trees with a ranger and end each day with a heart full of the amazing experiences you had that day.
Lay Eyes on the Remarkably Well-Preserved Inca Salt Mines
Hidden deep just metres from Maras and accessed only by climbing into the branching crevasses of the Urubamba Valley, the Maras Salt Mines are a mysterious yet remarkable site left behind by the Incas.
A site of truly mesmerising, tranquil beauty: the Maras Salt Mines are an extraordinary example of Inca agricultural development in the region. These glittering, salt-crusted pools act as evaporation ponds slowly fed by a steady, whispering steam of mineral-rich water.
Experience the serene sound carried by the wind of the water trickling from terrace to terrace and lay eyes on this jaw-dropping site that clings to the cliffs of the Urubamba Valley on this 7-Day Machu Picchu and Titicaca Lake trip.
Venture into One of the Deepest Canyons in the World
Estimated to be around 11,000 feet deep, the Colca Canyon is a remarkable canyon that is more than double the depth of the Grand Canyon in the United States of America. Surrounded by Andean peaks, the scenery within the canyon is simply breathtaking.
Dotted with colourful Spanish colonial towns, in the canyon, locals continue to harbour ancestral traditions and maintain the ancient terraced farmlands.
Explore the depths of the Colca Canyon on this 12-Day Best of Peru trip that sees you descending into the canyon on one of the many trail paths and stopping by the famous viewpoint to catch the Andean condors which can be seen gliding effortlessly on the thermal air currents which rise from the canyon.
Trek to the ancient Inca City of Machu Picchu
What list of Peru must-do experiences would be complete without a trip to the Great Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu?
Spread out over 37,302 hectares, Machu Picchu is a sight that will leave your mouth agape. The ancient city, often shrouded in mist, has become an iconic symbol of Peru and rightly so. One of the most important monuments of the Inca Empire, Machu Picchu is estimated to have been built around 1450 BC demanding the manpower of a number of architectural, engineering and astronomy specialists at the time.
Whilst it was abandoned in the 16th century, its careful preservation by the local farmers meant the site didn’t fall into complete disarray and stands today as an awe-inspiring, UNESCO-listed city that you can explore on this 10-Day Jungle and Incan Heritage trip.
Go Adventuring on the Peruvian Coast
One of the only places in the world where the desert meets the ocean, Paracas National Reserve is found in the region of Ica spanning an area of 335,000 hectares along the coast. The area is known for its diverse range of fauna such as whales, sea lions, dolphins, flamingoes, hummingbirds and pelicans – to name but a few.
Not only is it incredible to look at, but Paracas National Reserve is also home to ancient ruins, an awesome geoglyph that is cut two feet into the soil across 181 metres of the cliff face and an abundance of adrenaline-filled activities.
Take the family on this 10-Day Adventure in Peru and spend your days in Paracas racing down the sand dunes in a buggy and sandboarding!
Straddling the border of Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America and also the highest navigable body of water in the world.
The lake has a long history of ancient civilisations who have all left their individual mark on this area. These unique indigenous communities including Pre-Inca Pukara, Tiwanaku and Collas, have all contributed to making this landscape one of the most unique in the world.
On this 13-Day Classic Peru trip, exploring Lake Titicaca is so much more than a boat ride. You’ll visit ancient ruins framed by the imposing Andean peaks, visit the oldest cultures in South America on the Uros Floating Islands and meet the local communities that inhabit the villages around the lake, known for sporting petticoats and bowler hats and keeping tame llamas as pets.
If those eight experiences don’t have you itching to design your trip to Peru, we don’t know what will! Peru is an enchanting country offering experiences to suit every type of traveller.
Travelling with children? Go to Peru. On your honeymoon? Go to Peru. Want an awesome experience for your 2020 holiday? Go to Peru.
It’s that simple. Browse our fully-customisable Peru trips or design your own trip with the help of one of our in-destination Local Designers who can tailor every detail of the trip to suit you.
