What to see in Peru: itinerary and advice

“From Lima to Machu Picchu, passing through Puno, Arequipa and the Nazca lines: what to see in Peru, the land of the Incas.

After giving you all the basic information to startbetter organize your trip to Peru, in this post I want to leave you with some itinerary ideas, including the classic and less classic "things to see", which you can follow depending on the days you have available.

There are some absolutely unmissable destinations that you cannot leave out of your projects and others that you can decide to include or not depending on your time needs. Know one thing: Peru is such a vast country and so rich in landscapes that it would take at least a month to visit it well, and perhaps not even enough!

READ ALSO:4 unmissable destinations in Peru

Personally, I spent almost 20 days in Peru and I can safely say that, in less than 10, you would miss out on too much. A good compromise could betwo weeks, but even in this case you will have to make a careful selection of "things to see in Peru" and, above all, plan the stages well. The distances between the various locations are really large and almost always the only way to bridge them is by bus.

HOW TO GET AROUND PERU

Peru is a country with little infrastructure and connections which, in most cases, are limited to single-lane roads. For this reason, internal journeys between one location and another can really be very long. If you are thinking of organizing an itinerary on the road you will certainly have to take this into account.

• Coach.Among the different ways to travel within the country, I recommend the bus for two main reasons: the landscapes and views that you will see passing by your windows will be unforgettable, you will gradually rise in altitude and, in this way, you will alleviate the hassles due to altitude sickness in the transition from sea level to the level of the Andes. Just be careful about relying on good companies likeCruz del Sur and Super Civa(comfort and reliability guaranteed even for night trips).
• Airplane.I advise you to opt for air connections only if you need to reduce travel days and therefore if, when drawing up your itinerary, you have to eliminate the entire coastal part from Lima to Puno (even if it would be a sacrilege because you would get lost, among other things, the mythical Nazca lines, the splendid oasis of Huacachina and the wonderful Ciudad Bianca of Arequipa!). The plane, however, is absolutely necessary, and highly recommended, if you decide, like myself, to spend a few days in the Iquitos area, within the Peruvian Amazon Nature Reserve.

READ ALSO:What to eat in Peru

WHAT TO SEE IN PERU: ITINERARY

I leave you the itinerary that I followed during my on the road in collaboration withPromPeru and Chaski Ventura. You will find the things "absolutely to see in Peru" clearly highlighted so that, when drawing up your personal programme, you can remove or add other stops and destinations.

FILE

The capital of Peru is home to Jorge Chavez International Airport and, for obvious reasons, will be both the first and last stop on your trip. To visit the main neighborhoods of Lima well, you need at least a day. Betweenthings to do and see in Limaabsolutely not to be missed in the areaMirafloreswith the pyramid of Huaca Pucllana and the pedestrian area of ​​Kennedy Park, theseafrontwhich extends from Larcomar (be aware that alA lotyou eat very well!) at the Parque del Amor and the colorful neighborhood ofBarrancowith the Puente de Los Sospiros and the eclectic murals.

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PARACAS AND BALLESTAS ISLANDS

The bus to Paracas and Ballestas Islands usually leaves at 3:30/4:00 in the morning and takes approximately 4 hours to arrive in Paracas. Don't worry: getting up early is fully repaid by the beauty of the ocean coast and that very particular nature reserve which is home to a bewitching and varied fauna. TheBallestas Islandsthey are a small group of lands off the coast of the city of Pisco, in the Pacific Ocean. The whole area forms the Paracas Nature Reserve where Humboldt penguins, fur seals and sea lions live... as well as mysterious lines such as theCandelabra.(The excursion to the Ballestas Islands lasts about 2 hours and the price is around 12/15 euros).

HUACACHINA

Perhaps it is not one of the "absolutely unmissable destinations" but it is certainly one of those that leaves you breathless. Huacachina is a small oasis in the desert located a short distance from the city of Ica (about 1 hour and 30 minutes by bus from Paracas). The village is completely surrounded by sand dunes and is a much-loved destination for young people. Definitely try the sandboarding and jeep excursion!

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NAZCA LINES

From Ica (Huacachina) to Nazca it takes about 3 hours by bus but, alas, there is no other way to reach the famous desert area of ​​Nazca, a destination that I consider truly unmissable.

The Nazca lines are very particulargeoglyphs traced on the ground whose origin dates back almost 2 thousand years. They form more than 800 figures, including stylized animals such as the hummingbird or the monkey, and it is assumed that they were drawn by the Nazca people between 300 BC and 500 AD. A mystery still hovers over their meaning: what do they represent? Constellations? Alien tracks? The only way to see the Nazca Lines in their entirety is to fly over them with aaerial excursion. The flight takes about 30 minutes and begins at the small Nazca airport. I recommend doing this as long as you don't eat anything in the previous two hours and are prepared for a bit of turbulence. There are several companies that carry out excursions, I personally relied on themMovil Air(the price is around 70 euros plus 33 soles airport tax).

AREQUIPA

UnfortunatelyArequipait is one of those stops that many travelers decide not to include in the list of "things to see in Peru" due to lack of time although, believe me, it is a real shame! The Ciudad Bianca of Peru is a quiet and loving town perched at 2300 meters above sea level, at the foot of the El Misti volcano. The walk in the historic center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the visits to the Plaza des Armas and the Monasterio de Santa Catalina are absolutely recommended. If you are looking for a place to stay, take note of theCostana 720 Hotel Boutique: wonderful rooms, very sweet welcome, super abundant breakfasts and a terrace overlooking the whole city.

Attention!From Nazca to Arequipa it takes about 10 hours by bus. I recommend the night route.

PUNO

From Arequipa toPunothere are about 6 and a half hours of travel, all uphill. The road that connects the two locations passes through the steppe, the natural habitat of llamas and alpacas, and is nothing short of surreal.

Puno stands at 3800 meters above sea level and is one of the most famous towns in the country, a destination absolutely not to be missed. The entire area is dominated by the presence of the sacredLake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of fresh water in the world, which is home to a series of picturesque islands and naturally links Peru to Bolivia. Absolutely not to be missed are the excursions toUros Islands(I personally got there by kayaking, an experience that I recommend if you don't have adaptation problems or altitude sickness), atTaquile Islandand a tour of the historic center, around the Plaza des Armas.

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Attention! One of the major problems that afflicts tourists arriving in Puno is that of altitude sickness. Our body does not tolerate the enormous difference in altitude and the consequent decrease in the presence of oxygen in the air. As I have already explained inthis post, don't worry: all hotels are equipped with oxygen cylinders and the symptoms usually tend to decrease over the following days.

PUNO – CUSCO

The journey from Puno toCuscolasts approximately 6 hours and winds through the beautiful landscapes of the Sacred Valley. If you opt for the bus, know that there are buses that make intermediate stops that include visits to archaeological sites and Andean towns. TheWonder Peru Expedition, for example, makes stops at the Lithic Museum ofPucara, the archaeological complex ofKalassaya, the top ofLa Raya, the archaeological site ofRaqchiand the Church ofAndahuayilillaswith the Sistine Chapel of America.

CUSCO

The imperial capital is, without a doubt, the most sought-after destination in the whole country, in the top 10 of things to see in Peru. It is in this area that the main historical and cultural attractions are concentrated, as well as the most vivid testimonies of the Inca people and the subsequent Spanish colonization. Absolutely not to be missed, in Cusco and its surroundings, is a walk in the historic center,Plaza des Armas with Cuzco Cathedral, the colorful oneMercado San Pedro, the Mercado Artisianal, theQuirikancha, The Sacsayhuamán, the excursion intoInca Trail to discover the archaeological siteInkilltambo, the visit to the Quechua community ofParu Paru, the archaeological sites ofPisac and Tipon.

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VINICUNCA, THE RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

Rainbow Mountain, also known as “Seven Colored Mountain”, stands at 5200 meters above sea level in the heart of the Andes. It is an unparalleled natural wonder that attracts thousands and thousands of tourists every year.How do you get there?There are daily excursions that leave directly from Cusco. The pick-up is usually at dawn, no later than 6. The bus takes about two hours to reach the point (4600 meters high) from which the trekking route then begins. To get to the top you need at least two hours of walking (one hour on horseback) due to the effort due to the altitude and the lack of oxygen. The final stretch is the steepest (horses cannot reach here) but also the most desired. Just believe me on this: once at the top, the wind and beauty will make you forget all the effort!

Attention!While it is true that Vinicunca is a beautiful and sought-after destination, it is also true that it is not a "walk". Before embarking on this excursion, make sure that you have fully acclimated to Cusco and that you do not have any type of suffering related to altitude sickness. Rainbow Mountain is wonderful as long as you comefaced with the right spirit and with the right training. Never make the mistake of underestimating heights.

MACHU PICCHU

If you go to Peru and don't see Machu Picchu, you can't really say you've been to Peru! The sacred mountain of the Incas, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, stands at 2430 meters above sea level in the Urubamba valley... and is one of the things to see (by necessity) in Peru.

There are several ways to reach Macchu Picchu from Cusco:

• trekalong the Inca Trail;
• Traindirected from Cusco. ThePeruRailit is the tourist train that connects Cusco,Ollantaytamboand Machu Picchu). Once you arrive at the Machu Picchu station you need to take ashuttle(many leave continuously) to arrive, in less than 20 minutes, at the entrance to the archaeological site.
• Bus/train combination. Many travelers prefer to take a coach toOllanaytambothe day before the visit, sleep on site or nearby (for example, I spent the night in this exciting placeglamping in Urubamba) and then, the next morning, take the train to Machu Picchu (with relative shuttle).

Attention!Since January 1, 2019, the government authorities have implemented new provisions and new rules to preserve the site of Machu Picchu. Access is only permitted with a guide and entrances are every hour, from 6am to 2pm. As there are limited numbers, it is absolutely necessary to book your entry well in advance (this is theofficial site).

IQUITOS – PERUVIAN AMAZON FOREST

Not everyone knows that theAmazon River, the longest watercourse in the world, originates right in the Andes of Peru, exactly from the summit ofNemado Mismi. Therefore, the entire area that extends to the north of the country, and in particular that which is concentrated around the Iquitos area, is an uncontaminated succession of forests, nature reserves and green landscapes of incredible beauty.

I spent four days inside the Peruvian Amazon forest, guest of the wonderfulGrand Amazon Tour lodge, and it was one of the most unique experiences of my life. To reach the city of Iquitos you can take one of severaldirect flights from Lima (about 2 hours for a cost of 50 euros) and then choose whether to stay in the city or in a lodge inside the forest.

My advice, without any shadow of a doubt, is to prefer the second option (sleeping in a lodge). Only in this way will you have the opportunity to live the 360-degree experience, to explore the great Amazon River far and wide and hunt for its most unique views. Among the things to see in the Amazon Forest of Peru I recommend visiting thelocal villages, The piranha fishing, The swimming with pink dolphins(inia), tasting all the typical dishes, trekking in the forest, thesunsetevening and direct knowledge of caimans,anacondas, tarantulas and… all the varied fauna that populates the true green lung of the world.