Popular Peru trips
Peru trips belong to some of the most popular tours in South America. This is not surprising, because Peru has something to offer for almost every type of traveler. You can undertake impressive mountain hikes in the area of Huaraz and Cusco; You can explore various nature reserves in the Amazon Rainforest feeling like a real explorer; In Punta Sal you can lie in the sun on the beach, while Huanchaco and Chicama are ideal destinations for travelers who love surfing. You can also hike to the 771 meter high Gocta Waterfall in Chachapoyas, the north of Peru. This is the third highest waterfall in the world!
Lack of time while traveling
Yes, Peru trips are popular and there is a lot to see and do in Peru. But most visitors to Peru only see a very small part of Peru. For example, many travelers skip the above destinations. This is largely due to lack of time, because Peru is a huge country (37x the size of the Netherlands!) but also due to a lack of knowledge about Peru. In addition, the so-called ‘Social Media Tourism’ does not help either.
Traditional Peru itinerary
Ten years ago, people mainly travelled through the south of Peru. Beforehand, the three most important highlights to visit in Peru were the Nasca Lines, Lake Titicaca, and Machu Picchu. The most popular tour through Peru went something like this: Arrival in Lima – Visit to Paracas and Islas Ballestas – the sand dunes of Huacachina – the Nasca Lines – Arequipa – Colca Canyon – Puno – Lake Titicaca – Cuzco – Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
New Peru travel itineraries
After the Covid pandemic, even this travel route through Peru has become less popular. In the past ten years, tours to the Rainbow Mountain near Cusco have become very popular. People even queue up for that one ‘perfect photo’ in line with the mountain. In addition, tours to Laguna Humantay (Lake Humantay) have also increased sharply in popularity in recent years. The many sights in and around Cuzco have now ensured that tourists travel to Peru for a week. They visit Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, the Rainbow Mountain and Laguna Humantay. Bam, no less than five highlights with great pictures for your Social Media accounts in only a short trip to Peru! Not bad in itself of course. But not good if you then tick off the whole of Peru as a travel destination.
Lesser-known highlights in Peru
The Rainbow Mountain in Peru has, of course, existed for centuries, but only become a popular tourist destination in the last ten years. There are many more special destinations in Peru that are currently less known, or even completely unknown. Some lesser-known, but certainly very special destinations include:
– The impressive archaeological site of Kuelap in Chachapoyas
– The remains of the last remote Inca residence, Choquequequirao
– Caral, the remains of this city are estimated to be more than 5000 years old, making Caral the oldest city on the American continent!
– Those who prefer nature to culture can admire the emerald green natural pools of Millpu, near Ayacucho.
– The Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, is a clay wall rich in minerals located in the Tambopata Amazon Reserve. This clay wall is visited daily by many macaws, parrots, parakeets and other bird species, which makes for a colorful and musical spectacle!
– Or how about the almost boiling Mayantuyacu River with a temperature of 86ºC (186ºF) at about 3 hours drive from Pucallpa, deep in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru!
Peru trips as a culinary top destination
What many people also do not know about Peru is that you can admire dancing horses (caballos de paso) in the area around Trujillo and that Peru is known for its great variety of dishes. Because Lima, the capital of Peru, has been an international port for centuries, cultures from all over the world have set foot in Peru. All of these cultures have influenced the Peruvian cuisine. Lima has also been voted the most culinary city in South America on several occasions and according to Time Out, Lima is this year at the third place this year of the best cities in the world to eat! In addition, restaurant Maido in Lima, is at the 5th place of the best restaurants in the world this year! During your travels to Peru, don’t forget to drink a Pisco Sour. This mix of Pisco, ice, lime juice, sugar and egg white is the national cocktail of Peru.
