Peru Tours

Peru is one of the most popular travel destinations on the continent and there are so many amazing places to visit including Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest. Plan a trip to Peru today.

Best Peru Adventure Tours

Dream of exploring Peru or visiting Machu Picchu? These are some of the most popular trips in Peru.

Travel to Peru

Peru is located in western South America, bordered by Ecuador and Colombia from the north, Brazil from the east, Chile from the south and the Pacific Ocean from the west.

Peru is divided into 25 regions. Peru is multiethnic and its population is an average of 29 million. The earliest sign of human presence in Peru dates back to approximately 10,560 BC. Peru is a presidential representative democratic republic. Under this constitution, the president is head of state and government.

Peru has more than its fair share of wildlife, history, landscapes and culture which means there is something for everyone in this ancient land. From ice blue lakes and glaciers in the sierras to tropical rainforest in the Amazon basin Peru has it all and every imaginable habitat in between.

In Cuzco there are plenty of museums, shops, cafes and bars including a growing number of Irish pubs. Not to be missed before leaving are Machu Pichu, Inca Trail, Nazca Lines, Chan Chan, The Cordillera Blanca and Lake Titicaca.

Highlights

If you’re planning to tour Peru, there is a lot for you to see. Most overland tours include the country’s most famous landmarks – as well as one or two a little off the beaten track. Some tours in South America which include Peru in the itinerary also cross into other countries in the region.

Here are just a few of the things you can do in Peru that will mean you have a memorable experience.

Inca Trail And Machu Picchu
This is one of the most talked about trips at the moment and for good reason! The 40km hike is physically demanding trek but don’t let that put you off. With incredible views along the way and ending at the the stunning Machu Picchu, it will be well worth the hike and the blisters.

Cuzco
Known as the backpacking Mecca of South America, Cuzco offers the visitor plenty to see and do. From the Machu Picchu ruins, Urpicha Park to taking a dip in the hot springs at Aguas Calientes. Plenty of museums, shops, cafes and bars including a growing number of Irish Pubs, but remember to take it easy with the altitude! A popular break is an Inca trail trek and the volunteer co-ordinator will help arrange a trip or trek for you after arrival.

Espiritu Pampa, the Last City of the Incas
Espiritu Pampa is less well-known than Machu Picchu, but it is one of the most important remaining Inca sites. In the 1950s, an expedition to explore the ruins revealed that this was the last enclave for the Inca civilisation – and where much of the resistance against the Spanish forces was run from.

The ruins span a large area in the heart of the lowland jungle in the Villacamba region, with many sections of them yet to be fully uncovered. This means that when you arrive in Espiritu Pampa, you can get a sense of how it must have been for the first explorers who battled through the jungle to find the overgrown city.

You can wander around the areas that have been cleared, as well as venture into the surrounding jungle in search of buildings that have yet to be reclaimed from the trees and undergrowth.

Nazca Lines
The Nazca civilisation developed hundreds of years before the Incas, with the society thought to be at its height in 300 BC. Their lasting legacy is the Nazca Lines – huge pictures drawn in the desert in the Nazca Plains that are only visible from 15,000 ft in the air.

There are images of a range of creatures, including a monkey, hummingbird, dog, pelican and whale, some of which are nearly 1,000 ft long. Seeing these from high above will be a fantastic experience, and certainly one you won’t forget in a hurry.

What makes these drawings all the more astounding is that the Nazcas are not believed to have been capable of manned flight, which means there is no way they could have seen their pictures from above. There are lots of theories as to why the images were created and what they were for, but, in truth, no one really knows their purpose.

Lake Titicaca
At an altitude of over 3,800 m, Lake Titicaca is considered to be the highest commercially-navigable body of water in the world. It is also the biggest lake in South America by volume, covering a staggering 8,300 sq km. In places, it is more than 280 m deep and measures 80 km across at its widest point.

The size of Lake Titicaca is not the only thing that makes it a fascinating place to visit, though. There are numerous species of animal that are only found in and around the lake, including the Titicaca toad and Titicaca grebe.

In addition, the local communities that live along the shores are well worth a visit, as you can see fishermen going about their business on traditional rafts made from reeds, or watch a demonstration of weaving techniques if you visit one of the small villages that are based on the lake’s islands.

Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon is unlike anywhere else in the world, think the largest tropical rainforest on the planet home to so many unique plant and animal species. If you would like to volunteer in Peru there are rewarding wildlife and conservation projects in the Amazon.

Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Tours

Treks can be organised with international and local travel agencies after arrival and a basic no frills-carry-your-own-rucksack-type with trek guides. If you can’t stretch to an organised trek or don’t have time, there are plenty of cobblestone Inca trails surrounding the city which can be explored easily.

In fact any cobblestone path built by the Incas in the Andes is an Inca trail. For those not into trekking and camping, did you know that Macchu Picchu (the ruins up on the green hill) can be visited without the need to trek for days, just take the tourist bus up from the little town of Aguas Calientes! 

Inca trails are everywhere in the Andes. They are cobbled paths which were built by the Incas. You can walk on inca trails just outside the city easily without a guide at a no cost. The ‘classic’ inca trail trek typically refers to the 4 day trail which ends at the deserted mountain-top city of Machu Picchu, although there are a few great treks on other mountains nearby.

If you want to visit the Machu Picchu ruins without the trek, this can be done easily on a day’s visit. Take the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes (translates Hot Waters) early or the day before and take the tourist bus up to the entrance.

If you would like to trek the classic trail and prefer to book this in advance with an agency outside of Peru you need to be aware of the following: The local Peruvian authorities provide the permits for the classic trek on a monthly first come first serve basis to keep visitor numbers manageable and help prevent erosion on the historical route.

Tour agencies are not given preferential consideration for their pre-booked tours. And neither is there preference given to Cuzco-based agencies. If you are booking from outside Peru, check what alternative trek is offered if the classic trek is not available at the time of your visit. The usual two alternatives, just as good are the Choquequirao trek and the Salcantay trek.

Travel in Puru FAQ

Visa
No visa is required before travel to Peru for UK passport holders and most nationalities.

Climate & When to Go
Peru’s climate is very diverse from subtropical on the coast to the Equatorial climate present in the eastern lowlands. The rainy season is from November- April and the average higest day time temperature in Cuzco is 21 Clesius between October and March.

Should I bring anything for me?
The streets of Cuzco are cobbled so sturdy shoes/walking boots are ideal. Casual clothes are ideal and bring lots of layers, hoodies/fleeces/anorak and for the evenings :warm pyjamas, slippers and a water bottle as you will be at high altitude so the minute the sun goes down behind the mountains the temperature can drop suddenly.

Language
Learning at least some basic Spanish words and phrases will really make the experience of travelling in Peru more fun. Its also polite! If you have time you could book Spanish classes in Peru.

What do I need to be aware of?
The altitude! You should take the first few days easy to acclimatise and avoid alcohol on an empty stomach as the effects of altitude can be triple that at sea level. However it is quite normal whatever precautions you take for anyone to experience some symptoms of altitude regardless of your level of fitness before travel. A couple of days bed rest usually helps. Machu Pichu is at lower altitude and some travellers find a short trip helps ease symptoms when they return to Cuzco slowly by train.

Health
Anti-malarials are not needed in Cuzco. It is too high for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. If you plan to take a trip to the rainforest anti-malarials are needed and must be taken before, during and after any trip to ensure protection.

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