Peru
A colorful, diverse and proud nation, Peru is home to one of the world’s greatest empires—the Inca. Its historical and archeological legacy combined with the opportunity for cultural and eco-based adventure, make it a destination that should be near the top of any traveler’s list.
When to go: you’ll find the best months to visit are March-December, with May-October being peak season
Great for…
Family
Wellness
Adventure
Food & Wine
Culture
Nature
Archeology
Family
Wellness
Adventure
Food & Wine
Culture
Archeology
Nature
Highlights
Lima
Peru’s biggest city has evolved in the last decade into a world-class culinary scene with innovative restaurants that represent the incredibly fresh flavors of the Amazon and the Andes. From a cultural perspective, the country’s finest museums are located here and the capital is filled with treasures from the pre-Columbian, colonial and post-colonial eras.
Northern Coast
The rugged, surf-heavy Northern Coast of Peru contains some of the most immense and accessible archeological sites in the world. Do not miss Chan Chan, the world’s largest adobe city, built in 850 A.D. Stay at the nearby city of Chiclayo and make time for a stroll through its central market, where everything from handmade chocolates to medicinal shamanistic herbs to haircuts are on offer.
Cusco
Once the historical capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is a fascinating blend of Inca architecture and baroque grandeur as witnessed in the Plaza de Armas. Walking around the historic center offers a timeline of Incan temples ransacked by Spanish conquistadors, followed by the construction of colonial churches and monasteries. Just outside of the city, ponder the perfectly fitted stone walls of Sacsayhuamán fortress.
Machu Picchu
Nothing can truly prepare you for the sense of awe that this magical place elicits. La Ciudadela monument embodies the legacy of the Inca Empire, a proud and highly skilled society who lived in harmony with the dramatic surrounding landscape. At 8,000 feet above sea level and directly between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin, Machu Picchu is truly breathtaking. Reach it by train and bus or by hiking the Inca Trail.
Amazon
Unlike in neighboring Brazil—Peru’s Amazon rainforest is largely wild and unbridled. Discover this complex ecosystem at the Tambopata Research Center, one of the best sites to observe native Amazonian birds. Get above the trees on a canopy walk 43 meters off the forest floor, and watch the flurry of activity at the center’s renown macaw and parrot clay licks.
Puno
This picturesque hillside city in Southeastern Peru is located on the shore of the largest lake in South America—Titicaca. Unique to Puno are the floating islands of the Uros—man-made islands of woven reeds that have been maintained and lived on for thousands of years by the Uros tribe. Whether you take a motorized boat or a kayak tour of the islands, you’ll be welcomed by the Uros to step onto their delicately woven islands.
Get Inspired
Sacred Valley & Lares Adventure
Machu Picchu off the Beaten Path: Salkantay Trek
We believe that to travel responsibly, a portion of our tour cost should benefit communities in need. For this trip, our donation will go to a non-profit organization we support that is having a very positive impact around the world. Global Partnerships invests in micro-finance institutions, social businesses and cooperatives in Latin America, the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa. Among the people their partners serve, more than 70 percent live in rural areas and more than 80 percent are women. Through these partners, they continue their commitment to reach the rural poor and empower women to improve their lives and the lives of their families. You can learn more about our commitment to responsible travel in our Responsibility Pledge.