Peru is two entirely different trips collapsed into one country: the ancient mountain world of the Andes and the absolute wildness of the Amazon, where rivers wider than lakes carry more biodiversity per square mile than anywhere on Earth. Most visitors only get one — the rare ones who get both understand something new about what the planet is capable of.
What to do there
- 01
Machu Picchu at the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) — hike the final stretch from the Sun Gate instead of arriving by bus. The morning train to km 104, a 2-hour hike to Inti Punku, and the moment the citadel appears below you through cloud mist is the experience people describe as changing their understanding of what humans can build.
- 02
Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley — spend two nights instead of one. The fortress rises above a town continuously inhabited since the Inca period, using the same original water channels. The evening after tour groups leave, the main square fills with local families.
- 03
Iquitos and the Amazon basin — the world's largest city unreachable by road. Take a 3-day riverboat from Yurimaguas or fly in, then hire a local guide through CETUR for a flooded forest hike at high water, walking through tree canopy that's 20 feet underwater in dry season.
- 04
Chinchero market in the Sacred Valley on Sundays — a working traditional market attended by Quechua women in full traditional dress. Completely unperformative, mostly in Quechua. The church is built on Inca foundations with Inca stones still visible in the walls.
- 05
Ballestas Islands off Paracas — three hours south of Lima, dense seabird colonies: Humboldt penguins, sea lions, Peruvian boobies. Inexpensive boat tours from the Paracas pier, 2 hours in the middle of the wildlife chaos.
Best time to go
May–September for the highlands (dry season). Machu Picchu is best April–October.
Insider tip
Acclimatization to altitude in Cusco (11,200 feet) is non-negotiable. Plan two rest days before any hiking. Drink mate de coca tea, avoid alcohol for 24 hours, don't rush.
Where in the world
Sound of Peru
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