Top 12 Best Places To Visit In Peru

Peru offers extraordinary diversity, from ancient civilizations to natural wonders that defy imagination. The best places to visit in Peru include iconic Machu Picchu, mysterious Nazca Lines, colonial Cusco, and the breathtaking Amazon Rainforest.

Each destination tells a unique story of this remarkable South American country.

1. Machu Picchu: The Lost City That Found the World

Standing at 7,970 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu reveals itself like a secret whispered across centuries. The 4 a.m. wake-up call for sunrise viewing becomes irrelevant when you witness the first golden rays illuminate the ancient stone terraces.

I remember my first glimpse through the Sun Gate—the collective gasp from our hiking group echoed across the Andes. The Inca Trail demands four days of commitment, but the helicopter option from Cusco takes just 25 minutes if your knees prefer modern convenience.

Book months ahead. Only 500 people can access the Huayna Picchu climb daily, and those tickets disappear faster than morning mist over the Sacred Valley.

2. Nazca Lines: Art Gallery in the Sky

The Nazca Lines stretch across 170 square miles of desert plateau, creating the world's largest art museum with no walls. These geoglyphs, some measuring 1,200 feet long, can only be fully appreciated from aircraft flying 1,500 feet above the Nazca Desert.

The 30-minute flight reveals hummingbirds, monkeys, and geometric patterns that have puzzled archaeologists for decades. Motion sickness affects about half of all passengers, so take dramamine an hour before departure.

Local pilots know exactly when to bank left for the perfect spider photograph—trust their timing over your camera's auto-focus.

3. Cusco: Where Inca Stones Meet Spanish Arches

Cusco sits at 11,200 feet, demanding respect from your cardiovascular system. The city's streets follow Inca foundations topped with colonial Spanish architecture—a visual timeline of conquest and adaptation.

Spend your first day drinking coca tea and walking slowly. The San Pedro Market sells the best anticucho (grilled beef heart) for 3 soles—about $0.80. Local vendors appreciate when tourists attempt basic Quechua greetings like “Allianchu” (how are you?).

The Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas houses paintings where Inca artists depicted Jesus and disciples dining on guinea pig instead of bread.

4. Sacred Valley: Agriculture as Art

The Sacred Valley extends 37 miles between Cusco and Machu Picchu, showcasing Inca agricultural engineering that still functions today. Terraced mountainsides create patterns visible from space, each level designed for specific crops based on altitude and microclimate.

Ollantaytambo's fortress walls demonstrate Inca stone-cutting precision—blocks fit so tightly that earthquake tremors slide the entire structure rather than toppling individual stones. The morning train to Machu Picchu departs from here at 6:10 a.m.; arriving 15 minutes early guarantees window seats on the left side for river valley views.

Local women in traditional dress sell fresh bread from doorway ovens—the smell guides you better than GPS.

5. Kuelap: The Northern Machu Picchu

Kuelap predates Machu Picchu by 500 years yet receives 1% of the visitors. This Chachapoya fortress sits atop a 10,000-foot ridge in northern Peru's cloud forest, surrounded by walls reaching 60 feet high.

The new cable car system opened access from 8-hour mountain drives to comfortable 20-minute rides. Round-trip tickets cost 20 soles for locals, 30 soles for international visitors—roughly $8.

I spent an afternoon here without encountering another tourist, sharing the ancient citadel only with llamas and curious local children who knew secret pathways through the ruins.

6. Amazon Rainforest: Earth's Original Pharmacy

Peru contains 13% of the Amazon basin, where a single tree can host more ant species than the entire United Kingdom. The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve spans an area larger than Switzerland, accessible only by riverboat from Iquitos.

Night sounds replace television—jaguar calls, dolphin splashes, and insect orchestras performing compositions Darwin couldn't have imagined. Pink river dolphins surface near your boat at sunset, their dorsal fins breaking the chocolate-colored water.

Bring headlamps with red filters; white light scares nocturnal wildlife and defeats the purpose of expensive night excursions.

7. Colca Canyon: Twice as Deep as the Grand Canyon

Colca Canyon plunges 11,500 feet deep, making the Grand Canyon appear modest. Andean condors ride thermal currents here, their 10-foot wingspans casting shadows on canyon walls that change color hourly.

The Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint fills with photographers at 9 a.m. when condors begin their morning flights. I watched a juvenile condor practice landing techniques for 40 minutes while seasoned birds demonstrated thermal riding with wing adjustments so subtle they seemed telepathic.

Chivay's hot springs provide relief for legs tired from canyon hiking—3 soles entrance fee, towels available for rent.

8. Rainbow Mountain: Instagram's Favorite Geological Wonder

Vinicunca, known as Rainbow Mountain, sits at 16,500 feet above sea level where oxygen density drops to 50% of sea level concentrations. The mineral deposits create natural striping in red, turquoise, lavender, and gold—colors that intensify with morning light.

The hike from the parking area takes 90 minutes through landscapes that resemble Mars more than Earth. Local families rent horses for 70 soles (about $19) to tired hikers who underestimated altitude's effect on stamina.

Arrive early to capture the colors before afternoon clouds obscure the peaks. The 4 a.m. departure from Cusco becomes worthwhile when you have Rainbow Mountain to yourself.

9. Lake Titicaca: The World's Highest Navigable Lake

Lake Titicaca stretches across 3,232 square miles at 12,507 feet elevation, containing waters so pure that Inca mythology claims the sun god emerged from its depths. The Uros people construct floating islands entirely from totora reeds, creating communities that rise and fall with water levels.

Staying overnight with local families on Amantani Island reveals lake life beyond tourist presentations. Families provide traditional clothing for evening celebrations where tourists join local dances around bonfire circles.

The totora reed boats require replacement every six months—locals harvest reeds year-round to maintain their floating neighborhoods.

10. Huacachina: Desert Oasis in Reality

Huacachina lagoon appears like a mirage surrounded by sand dunes reaching 500 feet high, yet contains actual water year-round. This desert oasis sits just 5 kilometers from Ica city, creating a landscape transition from urban Peru to Sahara-like conditions.

Dune buggy rides at sunset reveal the physics of sand—drivers accelerate uphill and coast down 60-degree slopes while passengers scream with delight. Sandboarding follows immediately after, using wax-bottom boards to surf down dunes at speeds approaching 40 mph.

The lagoon's sulfur content allegedly provides healing properties for arthritis and skin conditions, though swimming feels more like floating in warm mineral soup.

11. Lima: Culinary Capital with Ocean Views

Lima combines 500-year-old colonial architecture with restaurants that redefine South American cuisine. The Barranco district showcases street art on every corner while Miraflores provides Pacific Ocean cliff walks that stretch for miles.

Ceviche preparation becomes performance art at local cebicherías—watch chefs cure raw fish in citrus acid while explaining the chemistry behind Peru's national dish. The best ceviche costs 15 soles (about $4) at neighborhood spots rather than tourist restaurants.

Paragliders launch from Miraflores cliffs daily, their colorful canopies visible from the malecón walking path that connects six districts along the coast.

12. Arequipa: The White City Built from Volcanic Stone

Arequipa's colonial buildings shine white under high-altitude sunlight, constructed entirely from sillar—volcanic stone quarried from nearby El Misti volcano. The city sits at 7,550 feet elevation, providing perfect weather year-round and views of three snow-capped volcanoes.

The Santa Catalina Monastery operates as a city within the city, covering 5 acres with colorful courtyards and narrow streets where nuns lived in isolation for 400 years. Evening tours provide different lighting that transforms the monastery into a photographic wonderland.

Local alpaca wool sweaters cost half the price of similar quality in Cusco—bargaining starts at 80 soles and settles around 50 soles for excellent craftsmanship.

The best places to visit in Peru create memories that outshine photographs and stories that improve with retelling. Each destination challenges your assumptions about what travel can accomplish—from sunrise over Machu Picchu to condor flights above Colca Canyon.

Your passport awaits its Peru stamps. Your camera memory card craves these landscapes. Most importantly, your sense of wonder deserves the awakening that only Peru provides.

Pack layers, bring extra batteries, and prepare for the country that transforms travelers into storytellers.