Discover the Top 10 places to visit in Peru” and you cannot miss during your trip to Peru. From the mysterious Valley of the Geysers in Tacna, to the Wonder of the World in Cusco, passing through the majesty of the Peruvian jungle.
The Valley of the Geysers in Tacna
Located at 4,400 meters above sea level in the Vilacota Maure Regional Conservation Area, in the province of Candarave, 4 hours from the city of Tacna, in southern Peru.
Famous destination for hosting 85 geysers or hot springs of volcanic origin with temperatures that exceed 86°C, and which form a natural setting from another planet.
How to get there from Lima
The trip from Lima to Tacna takes 22 hours by car and one hour and 45 minutes by plane. The only airline that offers this route is Latam Airlines. To get to the Valley of the Geysers you must do a trip to Vilacota – Maure for 4 hours by car.
What You Can’t Stop Seeing
Miculla Petroglyphs
Located at 26 km from the city of Tacna, there are the Miculla petroglyphs. Here you can see petroglyphs representing animals and people. Near the place, there is also a 65-meter-long suspension bridge.
Ite Swamp
Located at 95 km. From the city of Tacna, at the mouth of the Locumba River, is the second largest swamp in all of South America.
There you can see a large population of water birds such as the white heron and the red duck.
Machu Picchu
Located at 2445 meters above sea level in the homonymous district, in the province of Urubamba, in the department of Cusco.
Recognized as one of the wonders of the modern world and a World Heritage Site in 1983, Machu Picchu is the pride of Peru. The historic sanctuary was one of the most important religious, political and cultural centers of the Inca empire.
How to get there from Lima
To get to Cusco, you must take a flight of approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once in the city of Cusco, you must travel for approximately two hours by bus or car to Ollantaytambo, where you take a two-hour train to the Inca citadel.
What you can’t stop seeing
Maras and Moray
The Maras salt mines are a group of three thousand natural salt wells. In the archaeological center of Moray there are circular terraces that were places of agricultural research in the time of the Incas. ATV rides can be done in the area.
Chinchero
Known for its textile centers, in the town of Chinchero you can see alpaca clothing using ancestral spinning and dyeing techniques. You can also visit its archaeological site.
Ollantaytambo
Administrative center and residence of the Inca nobility during the Inca Empire. Its main attraction is its fortress located on a hill, where you can see a series of stone constructions such as the Temple of the Sun, the Baños de la Ñusta and more.
Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
Pacaya Samiria is located in Iquitos, Loreto Department, in the jungle of Peru.
It is the largest terrestrial National Reserve in Peru and one of the largest floodplain forests in South America. This is a protected natural area that stands out for its biodiversity and geographical extension of 2,080,000 hectares.
How to get there from Lima
Take a plane from Lima to Iquitos for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Then, travel by bus for two hours to Nauta and from there, a boat to the entrance of the reserve.
Monkey Island
Rescue center that aims to protect these animals. Rescue, rehabilitation and release of monkeys that have been victims of species trafficking.
Iquitos City
In the city of Iquitos you can walk through the Plaza and its streets, visit the Belén neighborhood or the Amazon Rescue Center (CREA).
Gocta Waterfall
It is located between the caserios de Cocachimba, San Pablo and Coca, in the district of Valera, province of Bongará in the department of Amazonas, northwest of Peru.
Famous destination for its majestic waterfall of more than 700 meters high (divided in two) surrounded by a dreamlike landscape. A natural Amazonian jewel that stands as one of the highest waterfalls in Peru.
How to get there from Lima
The trip from Lima to the city of Chachapoyas takes between 20 to 24 hours by land; and by air, 1 hour and a half. ATSA Airlines is the only airline that offers flights to this city. To get to the waterfall, you drive for 1 hour to Cocachimba or San Pablo and take a 2 to 3 hour tour (on foot or horseback).
What you can’t stop seeing
Kuelap Fortress
The ancient citadel of the Chachapoyas culture with imposing walls of up to 20 meters and more than 500 stone houses. You can appreciate it through the famous cable cars (minimum cost) and enter the archaeological complex with an entrance fee (20 soles for the general public).
Tambopata National Reserve
Its extension includes the districts of Tambopata and Inambari, located in the province of Tambopata in the department of Madre de Dios, in southern Peru.
Famous destination for its 274,690.00 hectares of vast biological diversity in its habitats. Approximately 648 species of birds, 108 species of mammals, 103 species of reptiles, 323 species of fish, 1,200 species of butterflies and 93 species of amphibians make up the fauna. While 1713 species of plants make up the wild flora.
How to get there from Lima
The trip from Lima to Tambopata takes approximately 30 hours. by land; and by air, 1 hour and 40 minutes to Puerto Maldonado. To get to the reserve, you travel by boat for 2 hours.
What you can’t stop seeing
Macaw clay licks
You can see the colorful parade of chucho and red macaws that arrive at the famous clay licks, large areas of salt and clay where these birds come to feed as part of their daily diet.
Lake Sandoval
With more than 3km in length, the lake is the ideal place to observe the local flora and fauna, highlighting the presence of otters and turtles.
Colca Canyon
The canyon is located within the Colca Valley in the province of Caylloma in the department of Arequipa, in southern Peru.
Famous destination for the imposing canyon measuring 4,160 meters in length that crowns it as one of the deepest and most mysterious in the world.
How to get there from Lima
The trip from Lima to Arequipa takes 16 hours by land; and by air, 1 hour and 25 minutes. Latam, Sky and JetSmart airlines offer flights to the city. From there, it is a 3-hour drive to Chivay and then a short one (10 minutes) to the canyon.
What you can’t stop seeing
Cruz del Condor Viewpoint
Strategic point from where you can observe the Colca Canyon and the imposing flight of the condors.
adventure sports
The vast landscape is also ideal for practicing extreme sports such as trekking, zip line, mountain biking and even canoeing on the Colca River.
Visit Nearby Towns
Sibayo, Yanque, Callalli, Coporaque and, of course, Chivay are some of the magical towns that can be visited along the way. You can do rural and gastronomic tourism and enjoy local activities and customs.
Visit Churches
Religious tourism visiting the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Yanque) and the Church of Santa Ana (Maca). An unmissable route during the excursion to the Colca Canyon.
Uros floating islands
Located at approximately 3,815 meters above sea level, the floating islands of the Uros lie west of Lake Titicaca, 7 km northeast of the city of Puno in the department of the same name, southeast of Peru.
Famous destination for the impressive complex of islands built from reeds that float on Lake Titicaca, one of the largest and highest in South America.
How to get there from Lima
The trip from Lima to Puno takes 21 hours by land; and by air, 1 hour and 35 minutes. From there, you will travel by car or taxi to the city of Puno for 45 minutes.
What you can’t stop seeing
Taquile Island
Taquile offers colorful textiles made by the local community itself. In addition, you can walk the trails that will take you to the Inca terraces and ruins, where you can appreciate the old architecture and at the same time enjoy the great view of the town and the lake.
Amantani Island
It is considered an attractive place for both ecotourism and archaeological and experiential tourism, It is very famous among tourists looking for an experience beyond the city.
Puno City
Located on the banks of the Titicaca River, the capital has various tourist attractions such as the Cathedral Basilica of Puno, the Balcón del Conde de Lemos, the Deustua Arch and more.
Cutimbo archaeological complex
A pre-Hispanic mausoleum southwest of Lake Titicaca. It has cave paintings, funerary towers and buildings made of stones that are more than 8 thousand years old.