Ancash · 10 destinations

Peru travel guides

Peru spans 10 destinations in our guides — from Huaraz, Peru, Huacachina, Peru, Iquitos & the Peruvian Amazon and more. Each guide is built around neighborhoods, pace, and budget: where to stay, how long to spend, and how to avoid the crowds.

All Peru guides

Huaraz, Peru

Peru

The rugged basecamp for South America's most staggering alpine lakes and glacial peaks.

High-altitude day hikers and multi-day trekkersMountaineers and alpine rock climbersIndependent budget and adventure travelers

6 to 8 days (or 12 to 14 days if undertaking the full Huayhuash Circuit)Read guide

Huacachina, Peru

Peru

A windswept desert oasis built for adrenaline and sunset ridgelines

Adventure travelers and snowboarders seeking steep dune runsBackpackers looking for social courtyard hostels and pool culturePhotographers wanting dramatic golden-hour desert ridges and oasis reflections

2 daysRead guide

Iquitos & the Peruvian Amazon

Peru

The roadless jungle capital where rubber-boom relics meet the raw Amazon basin.

Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers seeking deep primary rainforestAdventure travelers who thrive in gritty, off-grid environmentsCruisers seeking luxury expedition vessels along the Amazon River

5 to 6 days (1 night in the city center plus 3 to 4 nights deep in an Amazon eco-lodge or on a luxury river cruise)Read guide

Nazca, Peru

Peru

A windswept desert hub built around pre-Columbian engineering and iconic aerial geoglyphs

Archaeology and ancient history enthusiastsOverland road-trippers traveling Lima to Arequipa or CuscoAviation and landscape photography buffs

1 to 2 days (enough for an early morning flight, a half-day archaeological tour to Cantalloc and Chauchilla, and an overnight stay before moving south)Read guide

Lake Titicaca & Puno

Peru

A high-altitude inland sea where Quechua and Aymara maritime traditions outlast the bustling transit hub ashore.

Cultural immersion seekers wanting genuine homestays and community-run tourismSlow overland travelers linking southern Peru with the Bolivian AltiplanoPhotography and textile enthusiasts fascinated by living pre-Columbian craft techniques

3 daysRead guide

Arequipa, Peru

Peru

Volcanic sillar colonial beauty, picantería dining, and the natural high-altitude stepping stone.

Architectural and cultural history enthusiastsCulinary travelers seeking regional Andean traditions beyond LimaHikers and active travelers acclimatizing for Colca Canyon and Cusco

3 to 4 days (including a 1- to 2-day excursion into Colca Canyon)Read guide

Machu Picchu & The Sacred Valley, Peru

Peru

Living Incan engineering, high-Andean drama, and lower-elevation acclimatization.

Archaeology enthusiasts wanting context beyond a single ruinHikers seeking ancient high-altitude stone footpathsTravelers prioritizing a gradual, comfortable altitude acclimatization strategy

4 to 5 daysRead guide

Sacred Valley, Peru

Peru

Ditch the rushed day-bus tour: sleep lower, acclimatize better, and absorb living Incan towns along the Urubamba.

Smart acclimatization before hiking or exploring high-altitude CuscoIndependent cultural travelers wanting living Incan urban planning in OllantaytamboHikers and trail runners seeking mountain terrain with milder elevation gradients

3 to 4 daysRead guide

Popular

Cusco

Peru

Cusco is the Inca capital in the Andes — the gateway to Machu Picchu, and a city worth its own days.

HistoryFirst-timersAdventure

3–5 daysRead guide

Lima

Peru

Lima is the food capital of South America — ceviche, the Pacific, and the gateway to Machu Picchu.

Food loversFirst-timersCulture

2–3 daysRead guide

Explore other regions

Europe Asia Americas Middle East & Africa Oceania

Plan better trips, occasionally in your inbox

Occasional notes on planning smarter — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Plan a trip to Peru

Turn any of these guides into a day-by-day plan built around your pace, your group, and your budget.

Build my trip