I made my second trip to Peru in 2005, this time with my boyfriend (who later became my husband). Compared to 1999, the country was much safer for foreign travelers, though it’s still somewhere that you need to be cautious. Traveling was also more convenient thanks to the improved public transport. The people were still friendly, the foods was great, and the ancient archaeological sites were still well maintained. Traveling to Peru was still amazing!
Here are the top 12 things worth seeing and doing in Peru based on my two trips there. Machu Picchu and Cusco remains to be my favorite destinations, so I have kept those sections from before. The photos in this post are from my trips in both 1999 and 2005.
- Go to Machu Picchu and climb to the top of Huayna Picchu
- One-day drive in Cusco valley
- Stroll in the beautiful town of Cusco
- Visit Sacsayhuaman
- Visit Inca ruins beyond Machu Picchu
- Go to Nazca and fly over the Nazca Lines
- Travel to the highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca
- Drink Inca Kola like Coca Cola
- Taste fresh ceviche
- Go to Museo de la Nacion and learn more about the culture and history
- Go to local markets
- Shop for pretty souvenirs
1. Go to Machu Picchu and climb to the top of Huayna Picchu
After traveling to Cusco, everyone ends up going to Machu Picchu. It’s the best-known ruin of the Inca Empire, perched within the steep-sided mountains of the Andes. Despite having read many articles about it and seeing many amazing photos, walking on the site for real was still an incredible experience. It’s well known that you can go there on a one-day trip from Cusco. If you think you have the stamina, why not try climbing to the top of Huayna Picchu for a great view of the entire city?
After returning from Huayna Picchu, you’ll still have enough time to tour the site. The ruins cover a vast area and include not only buildings that were used for rituals, but also for living and farming to grow crops. It’s amazing how every facility and building was thoughtfully designed to ensure that the entire city functioned well.
By the way, the views from the train on the way up to Machu Picchu are amazing. Make sure you ask for a window seat!
2. One-day drive in Cusco valley
As I loved it so much last time, I convinced my boyfriend to go for a one-day drive in Cusco valley. We hired a taxi and asked the driver to take us to key ancient archaeological sites and villages, while also driving along as many of the most beautiful routes as possible. Those destinations were amazing, but the views from the car window were still consistently breathtaking. Beautiful mountain ridges, lakes reflecting the greenery, fields replete with abundant harvests – none of these ever get old!
Andahuaylillas Church was particularly fascinating, though the guidebook doesn’t seem to mention it as a major attraction. While the exterior design is pretty and decent like other churches in the valley, the interior decoration of mural paintings is extremely beautiful, influenced by the local Andean religious art.
If you ask a taxi driver in advance, he may even take you on a detour to see some unnamed Inca ruins.
3. Stroll in the beautiful town of Cusco
The town of Cusco is beautiful and full of ambience from the ancient Incas. Make sure you leave enough time to stroll around the town – explore the pretty streets, drop by museums or galleries, sip a coffee, and so on. The town’s finest Inca stone architecture will transport you back to the time of the Incas. Don’t miss Calle Loreto, where you can walk between the stone-built Inca walls, and look out for the Twelve Angled Stone (La Piedra de Los Doce Anguios). Also, visit Iglesia de San Blas (church) and the narrow street lined on both sides with white buildings. Be amazed by the perfect stone architecture and engineering of the Inca Empire at Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun). Finally, wander through the local San Pedro Market where you will find local products as well as souvenirs.
4. Visit Sacsayhuaman
Sacsayhuaman is another highlight in Cusco – it’s an imposing fortress-temple complex from the ancient Inca Empire. Along with Machu Picchu, it’s the most impressive ruin due to its fine stone walls. The main fort walls especially, which form beautiful zigzag curves in order, are beautiful and dynamic. The huge stones are up to 5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide and were cut to fit together perfectly with no mortar. How they achieved this remains a mystery to this day. The ancient site is vast, but it’s worth walking around to see the key sacred buildings such as the towers, shrines, residential buildings, roads, and so on.
There is also a spectacular view of Cusco to enjoy from the hill.
5. Visit Inca ruins beyond Machu Picchu
The sacred valley contains many other Inca ruins; these include Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Pikilacta, Qenqo, and Puka Pukara. Of those, Ollantaytambo should definitely be the priority. It’s both a living Inca town and an Inca archaeological site, and, like Machu Picchu or Sacsayhuaman, holds many mysteries in relation to Inca engineering. It is reported that some of the enormous stones were transported from the other side of the river and then carried up to the highest spot in Ollantaytambo. You can explore the site with a local guide, or use your guidebook, to learn more about those amazing feats of the Empire. It’s possible to visit as part of a one-day tour through the valley, but be sure to leave several hours to explore the huge site.
6. Go to Nazca and fly over the Nazca Lines
Along with Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines are another iconic travel destination in Peru. They are a collection of large geoglyphs etched into the ground, featuring animals, plants, and geometric shapes. It is thought they were formed by the ancient Nazca culture, but the reason why they created so many large geoglyphs remains shrouded in mystery to this day! The best way to see the lines is from the air, on a flight. This lasts 30–40 minutes, during which the pilot will tour around several geoglyphs. They will fly around and over each geoglyph two or three times so that all passengers can see and photograph it. If you stay over in Nazca, there is also a tour that covers Chauchillas Cemetery – an ancient necropolis where you can see mummies – and Los Paredones Ruins, which is a small archaeological site of an Inca administrative center.
7. Travel to the highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca, located on the border of Peru and Bolivia, is the biggest lake in South America as well as the highest navigable lake in the world (at 3,812m above sea level). A tour will take you to the floating island of Uros and several other islands including Taquile Island and Amantani Island, which contain pre-Inca ruins; these are the top two tourist attractions in the region. At Uros Island, people live on floating islands that they have formed themselves and where they have constructed floating homes out of reeds. Along with their homes and an area to live on, they also use the reeds to make furniture and boats.
Taquile Island is a non-floating island in Lake Titicaca. Here, the people maintain a traditional lifestyle, and the island is known for its fine textiles and clothing, which UNESCO has classified as In tangible Cultural Heritage. As you walk around the island, there are beautiful views of the ancient terraces from the steep-hill along the shore.
8. Drink Inca Kola like Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a rare sight when traveling in Peru, but you will find Inca Kola. (Coca-Cola owns the Inca Kola trademark everywhere except in Peru!) It’s a yellow-gold-colored soft drink with a sweet and fruity taste, not too dissimilar from cream soda. You might initially try it as a part of your travel experience, but you’ll soon be hooked and end up ordering it as your regular drink.
9. Taste fresh ceviche
Ceviche is a national dish of Peru, and it’s a must-try if you’re traveling in the country! It’s a classic Peruvian dish that is typically made from marinated fresh raw fish with lime or lemon juice. It is often accompanied by giant Peruvian corn, cooked sweet potato, and chips or corn nuts. Naturally, while the quality of the fresh fish is a major factor in how the dish tastes, every restaurant has its own secret recipe for the citrus juice, which makes each ceviche different and special. It’s best to try ceviche at several places and find your favorite.
10. Go to Museo de la Nacion and learn more about the culture and history
You could well be saying, “eh? A museum?” But I definitely include this in the top 12 for the quality of its collection. If you’re interested in culture and the people behind the travel highlights of the archaeological sites (and I’m sure you are, as you’re currently searching about Peru for your next trip!), then Museo de la Nacion (National Museum) in Lima is the place to obtain the most comprehensive understanding of the culture and history of Peru. Although each key archaeological site has a museum, nowhere has such an extensive or high-quality collection as Museo de la Nacion. The chronological display guides you through the life and culture of different areas and times of Peru, leaving you even more fascinated with the sites that you visit!
11. Go to local markets
There’s always a local market around a town’s landmark, such as a church, and Cusco and the villages in the valley are no exception. If you’re on a one-day drive in the valley, ask the taxi driver to drop by some of them. You’ll get to experience a bit of local life up close.
12. Shop for pretty souvenirs
Traditional Andean textiles are quite high-quality and pretty. Cusco is the best place to purchase alpaca products such as bags, sweaters, and ponchos. Enjoy your shopping time!
I hope you find this article helpful in planning your next trip to Peru!