A trip to Peru guarantees travelers a diverse experience. Thanks to this South American country’s extreme biodiversity, you can sip pisco sours in the capital city of Lima and within hours be trekking high in the Andres mountains or speeding down the Amazon River in search of howler monkeys.
We took a 3-week trip in June to get a taste of just some of the diverse geographic areas of Peru. We hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, had daylong adventures from Cusco, and spent time in the Amazon rainforest at a river lodge.
Here, we’ve broken out each leg of our trip, making it easy to piece together your own Peruvian expedition tailored to your interests and available time. ¡Salud!
Peru Map
Below is a map of the main areas we visited during our trip, including campsites along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Toggle the sidebar for details.
Trip Overview & Tips
This trip begins and ends in Lima, Peru, which has the best options for international flights from the United States. Below, we outline the number of days we spent in each location but this does not include the days spent traveling to/from Peru or days spent largely in transfer within Peru.
- Lima | 2 Days
- Cusco | 4 Days
- Inca Trail & Machu Picchu | 5 Days
- Amazon Rainforest | 5 Days
Arrival
In June 2025, Lima opened a brand new international airport. We flew in just days after opening, expecting a bit of a circus as the kinks were worked out, but we were pleasantly surprised. We had an incredibly smooth and efficient experience with passport control and baggage claim. The airport seriously smelled new, like a new car. A first for us!
We pre-booked transfers to/from the airport using GetYourGuide. Upon exiting the arrivals hall we had a bit of confusion finding our driver who was scheduled to be standing there with a sign with our name on it. But after a quick WhatsApp chat, we found him outside. We had a very good experience with both of our transfers and paid USD 28 each way for the 45-minute drive to/from our hotel.
Safety
When we visited, the U.S. Department of State had classified Peru with a Level 2 travel advisory to “exercise increased caution”. If you read the advisory, however, it advises visitors to avoid certain regions (none of which are included in this itinerary). Following the same precautions we would in any place helped us to feel very safe in Peru the entire time. This includes not walking alone at night and avoiding any type of crowds or demonstrations. For this trip, we also pre-arranged nearly all of our transportation and took part in mostly guided tours and activities, adding an extra level of comfort.
Travel to Lima
After a full day of travel from the United States to Lima, we arrived late in the evening.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Sonesta Hotel El Olivar. This hotel is located in the upscale neighborhood of San Isidro and we loved our experience here. The room was clean and comfortable and the breakfast included each morning was delicious and plentiful. We felt very safe walking around the mostly residential neighborhood which had perfectly manicured landscaping and lots of cafes and restaurants.
Where We Ate
We were only in Lima for a short time and a food tour was a major component of what we ate, but we had two lunches on our own that we really enjoyed.
Just a short walk from our hotel was Tanta San Isidro, a Peruvian restaurant that was bustling at lunch time. We had simple, but delicious ham, cheese, and egg sandwiches.
Before heading to the airport on our final day in Lima, we had finger-licking good Peruvian chicken and fries at Primos Chicken Bar San Isidro. It was my first experience with the tender, flavorful chicken Peru is so famous for. It is marinated in a blend of herbs and spices, then slow-roasted to perfection.
Day 1 | Lima: City Walking Tour + Food Tour
City Walking Tour
For our first morning in Lima, we booked a city walking tour. We were picked up from our hotel and joined a family of three from Colorado, then made our way to the historic district. Here we walked through different plazas and past churches and other important buildings. On the morning we visited we saw hardly any other tour groups out and about.
Along the way, we stopped at a stand for fresh, piping hot churros. We were in heaven biting into our crispy creme and dulce de leche flavored treats. Our tour culminated with a visit to the catacombs at San Francisco Monastery. These catacombs were used as a burial site until 1808 and contain the remains of tens of thousands of people. After our visit here, we were dropped back off at our hotel.
This tour was a great introduction to important sites in Lima and to Peruvian culture.
Need to Know
- Tour: We booked our 4-hour City Walking Tour with catacombs entry on the GetYourGuide website. The exact tour we took is no longer available to book on GetYourGuide, but there are plenty of similar tours available.
- Meeting Point: With hotel pickup and dropoff included in the tour, it was the perfect hassle-free way to get acclimated to the city.
Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour
We maintain that taking part in a food tour is one of the best ways to experience and learn about a new culture. We booked a 4-hour Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour. When we met up with our tour guide for the evening, we learned it would essentially be a private tour because no one else had booked! Yet more evidence of low tourism rates in Lima when we visited.
Our tour began in the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco. We first learned about Peru’s diverse climates and got to taste small bites from the various regions. Some favorites included:
- Chirimoya, a creamy tropical fruit that would become our favorite ice cream flavor in Peru, and
- Tea steeped in cocoa bean shells.
We then went to a cafe for chicken empanadas, whose dough was unique compared to others we’ve had (soft and sweet, not fried). We also got to try local coffee which is becoming a more popular drink among locals.
A short walk away we visited a restaurant that was almost like an empty nightclub (and a bit strange), but after donning hair nets we stepped into the kitchen to watch the chef cook lomo saltado (a Peruvian stir fry). We enjoyed our meal with glasses of fizzing, Inca Kola. This soft drink has a bit of an acquired taste (its flavor is reminiscent of bubble gum), but we liked it in small doses.
To allow some time for digestion, we walked around Barranco. We crossed the area’s famous Bridge of Sighs and admired the beautiful murals and sculptures in the area.
We settled into seats at República del Pisco, where we had a ceviche demonstration, then got to eat the ceviche along with causa (mashed potatoes topped with trout and chicken) and some non-alcoholic Peruvian Punch. Yum!
To complete our Peruvian food journey, we headed to a tavern that was filled with locals watching a football match. We had a lively pisco sour demonstration, then got to make and enjoy our own. They were delicious, strong, and went down way too easy! Our final stop was at a local gelato shop where we got to pick our flavors. Wanting to try local ingredients, we had chirimoya, lucuma (a fruit that tasted like butterscotch to us!), and salted caramel.
We really enjoyed this tour because not only was the food delicious, but we got to watch and at times participate in the making of it. We also learned a great deal about the history of Lima and Peru as we walked between the stops.
Need to Know
- Tour: We booked our 4-hour Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour on the GetYourGuide website.
- Meeting Point: We were responsible for getting to the meeting point at Plaza San Francisco in the Barranco neighborhood, and for returning to our hotel at the end of the tour. We easily got Uber transfers both ways and had a very good experience using Uber in Lima.
Day 2 | Lima: Bean to Bar Chocolate Workshop + Travel to Cusco
Bean to Bar Chocolate Workshop
With a morning to spare in Lima before catching our flight to Cusco, we booked a 2-hour Chocolate Workshop. Our experience took place in the center of the Inka Plaza Handicraft Market in Miraflores. We donned our aprons and chef hats and began by creating chocolate bars. We picked our molds, decided whether we wanted dark or milk chocolate, and carefully chose our toppings. We went a little exotic and tried flavor combinations such as coconut & orange peel and sea salt & chili.
While our bars were setting, we had a lesson on how cocoa beans are grown, harvested, and roasted. Our guide was extremely informative and we ended up leaving with a clear picture of the entire bean to bar process.
Our final act was to roast, shell, and ground our own cocoa paste which we made into delicious hot chocolate drinks. So tasty!!
Our bars were presented to us at the end of the class to take home. We tore into them while in Cusco and were very pleased with the results. The entire class was so fun and we learned a lot!
Need to Know
- Tour: We booked our 2-hour Chocolate Workshop on the GetYourGuide website.
- Meeting Point: We were responsible for getting to and from the meeting point in the Inka Plaza Handicraft Market. This location is easily walkable from many places in Miraflores, and we even easily did the 30-minute walk from San Isidro. Alternatively Ubers are widely available in Lima.
Travel to Cusco
In the afternoon we made our way back to the Lima airport for a 4:30pm flight to Cusco. Flying time was just under an hour and we had a good travel experience with LATAM Airlines. Cusco is nestled in a valley so it was really cool to fly in through the mountains, seeming to skim the treetops as we landed.
We booked our Inca Trail experience with Ian Taylor Trekking, a fantastic company we have trekked with before (to Everest Base Camp). As part of our trip, roundtrip airport transfers were included.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Novotel Cusco before and after our trek and had a very good experience. Our rooms were clean and comfortable and the hotel has a very charming interior courtyard. The location was fantastic, just steps away from all the attractions and restaurants in Cusco’s Historic Center.
Dinner at Jill's
We had our first dinner at Jill’s which serves up innovative dishes, the heart of which come from their cured and smoked meats. Think cold-smoked burgers, homemade pastrami, and bread from their in-house bakery. We shared Peruvian pork belly and Reuben bao buns, coupled with coca leaf tea. This tea helps with altitude adjustment since we’re now at over 11,000 feet in elevation!
Day 3 | Cusco: Peruvian Cooking & Cocktail Class + Qorikancha Museum
Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour
We spent our morning learning to craft traditional Peruvian cocktails and create food that not only tasted delicious, but was beautifully presented. We met up with the 5 other class participants and our chef guide for a tour of the local markets in Cusco. More than just a tour, we learned about the most important ingredients for Peruvian cuisine. Fresh chilis, potatoes, fruits, and more. It was a Saturday, so markets were chaotic and filled with locals doing their shopping, just like us.
Laden with bags of fresh produce, we headed to the cooking class headquarters where we put on our aprons and got to work making three different dishes and two cocktails. Handcrafting the food was so fun, and learning the perfect way to garnish a dish or cocktail brought out our creative sides. As our chef said, this will take your $10 cocktail and make it a $15 one! To drink, we made:
- Maracuyá sour: A twist on a traditional pisco sour made with passion fruit. We garnished with edible flowers and drops of Angostura bitters.
- Chicha punch: Made from a base of chicha morada (using a purple corn base) and garnished with a pineapple leaf.
And just look at our beautiful dishes!
- Causa: Mashed yellow potatoes filled with chicken, molded into perfect rectangles, then delicately garnished with egg slices, fanned avocado, bean sprouts, and latticework. Plated with olive oil and chili mayonnaise art.
- Tilapia ceviche: Made Japanese-style with soy and oyster sauces. Unusual and delicious!
- Quinoa tamales: Corn husks brimming with quinoa and Andean cheese.
For something sweet at the end, we were served picarones. Similar to a doughnut, this is a typical Peruvian dessert made from squash and sweet potato, then covered with chancaca (solidified molasses). Following the class, our chef emailed all participants the recipes for every dish and drink so we could recreate them at home. If you love learning about food, cooking, and eating, this is the class for you!
Need to Know
- Tour: We booked our 4-hour Peruvian Cooking Class, Cocktails & Local Market Tour on the GetYourGuide website.
- Meeting Point: Our group met outside the doors of the San Pedro Market. This location is easily walkable from nearly anywhere in Cusco.
Qorikancha Museum
Qorikancha, known as the Temple of the Sun, is one of Cusco’s most-visited and historic landmarks. In its heyday, it was the most sacred sanctuary of the Inca Empire. We really enjoyed walking through this monument due to the unique blend of Inca and Spanish influences.
We entered and toured on our own, visiting the highlights in about an hour.
During our visitation of the interior, we saw many examples of intricate and astrologically-significant Inca stonework. These were in contrast to the courtyard where Spanish Baroque influence was clear. Don’t miss visiting one of the outdoor balconies which had some of the most incredible views of Cusco and the mountains beyond!
Need to Know
- Tickets: Tickets when we visited were 15 sol/pp. We walked right up to the ticket booth and bought tickets on the spot.
- Hours: The museum is generally open 8am-5pm Monday-Saturday, and 2-5pm on Sunday.
Dinner at Kusykay Peruvian Craft Food
We made advance dinner reservations at Kusykay Peruvian Craft Food and ate there our second night. Our meals were nice and we dined on beef and pork belly with potatoes. At the end of the meal, we were given a complimentary digestif tea and even an herbal spray to take with us.
This restaurant came highly recommended and while the service was friendly and the freebies welcomed, our honest opinion is it was our least favorite meal in Cusco. If you do decide to go, reservations are highly recommended in order to avoid a wait. We were easily able to make ours over WhatsApp.
Inti Raymi Celebrations
June in Cusco is chock full of celebrations called Inti Raymi, a winter solstice festival. Every single night we were in Cusco it was a party in the main square all night long (and sometimes during the day too). There was dancing, parades, and music. Most nights, we were woken up in the wee hours of the morning to celebratory cannon fire!
Day 4 | Cusco: Sacred Valley Tour
As part of our Inca Trail Trek, our entire hiking team spent the day touring the Sacred Valley. We began in Cusco and spent the day winding our way towards Ollantaytambo village, where we would spend the night before our trek. We absolutely recommend a day tour of the Sacred Valley!
Alpaca Farm Visit
Our first stop of the day was at an alpaca farm, where llama, alpaca, and vicuña are raised and whose fur is used for textiles. There was a shop onsite with genuine and beautiful products.
We loved wandering around, watching the animals interact with each other and we had several opportunities to feed these creatures ourselves. This baby vicuña was the star of the show!
Sacred Valley Overlook
There was a lot of driving between points on our tour, but our guide had us stop at several overlooks with stunning views of the Sacred Valley below.
Pisac Archeological Park
Built in the mid-15th century, Pisac is an important Inca archeological site that served as a citadel and significant religious center. Here, our guide joked (but not really) that we would have a small hiking “test” to get to the top of the site. We felt every step as we were hiking nearly 11,000 feet above sea level, and in the intense mountain sun. We made sure to drink plenty of water.
We were blown away by the views, particularly the set of 40 agricultural terraces that formed an inverted triangle. We also had the chance to explore the mini-neighborhoods and ruins that comprised each section of the citadel.
We got to see walls made of carved stones, up close, even walking through some “doors” in these perfectly-carved sets of stone blocks. After all successfully passing our hiking test, we headed down to the modern town of Pisac. Here we had a demonstration on how artisans make silver jewelry using traditional methods, then had a buffet lunch.
Ollantaytambo Archeological Park
As the closest Inca city to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo played an important role in the Sacred Valley. In the afternoon, our group toured the archeological remains.
We climbed numerous steps up and over groups of parallel terraces built sloping towards the hill. At the top we reached the Temple of the Sun, a ceremonial area with six huge, pink granite monoliths. We were also treated to more incredible views of the valley below.
Thankfully exploring these ruins was a bit easier, given the elevation was now just over 9,100 feet. And one of the best parts? After we had our fill, it was just a 5-minute walk to the main town square!
Ollantaytambo Town
Our trekking group stayed the night at the Hotel Pakaritampu. This boutique hotel with its vibrant grounds and salmon-pink abodes was the perfect place to rest before starting our trek. We loved our clean and comfortable room. We also ate dinner as a group in Ollantaytambo, fueling with grilled chicken and veggies…served on a condor-shaped plate!
After dinner, we panic-bought a bunch more sweet and salty snacks for our trek, then made our way back to the hotel among the Inti Raym revelers.
Days 5-9 | Inca Trail Hike & Machu Picchu
The Classic Inca Trail in Peru is a multi-day hike through ancient Inca ruins and over high mountain passes in the Andes, culminating at the famous 15th century citadel of Machu Picchu. We spent four days on the Classic Inca Trail in June, hiking a total of 25.85 miles and gaining 9,383 feet of elevation. The fifth day of our trek was spent further exploring the Machu Picchu complex and summiting nearby Huayna Picchu. Here you can learn more about our experience on this expedition!
Day 10 | Cusco: Via Ferrata + Zipline & Lunch at Skylodge
Skylodge Adventure Day
Just a day after returning from the Inca Trail, we had the most epic day adventure with Natura Vive. Our destination? A transparent capsule dangling off the side of a cliff 1,300 feet above the Sacred Valley.
Our day began with a 9am pickup in Cusco, where we proceeded to drive about an hour to the Natura Vive base. After getting outfitted in our climbing gear we almost immediately began up the via ferrata route. This was SO much fun, as ladders, metal rungs, and wire bridges made the traverse easy.
Thankfully our route was in the shade most of the morning, so we were able to enjoy the climb quite comfortably. It was so cool to look down at the valley below, knowing we had begun our hike along the Inca Trail not too far away. At one point, a van full of tourists pulled over below where we were climbing. Everyone got out with their binoculars and was pointing up at us. We felt like celebrities!
As compared to the other via ferratas we’ve done, this one was just difficult enough to keep it interesting, but the majority was simply pure fun. Honestly, I’d worried the route would be kind of lame. It wasn’t!
After 1,000+ vertical feet of climbing, the absolute highlight of the day was the gourmet lunch in one of the skylodge capsules. Once inside the dining area we unclipped, and were shocked and delighted to find a gorgeously-set table in front of a full mini-kitchen, where our chefs were hard at work.
Water and fresh passion fruit juice were readily available, as were the champagne Mike and I ordered to enjoy with our gourmet 4-course lunch. I mean seriously, look at our menu choices below!! We pre-ordered our meals several weeks prior to arrival and everything was prepared spot on, on the day of our excursion. While in the capsule, the staff would not let us lift a finger.
The food, the company (we were with an extended family of five), and the setting was such an amazing, luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime experience we were all profusely grateful for.
Ever wonder what a 5-star bathroom looks like at these heights? ⇓
After lunch, it was unfortunately time to get back to the valley. But more fun was ahead, as the way down was via 6 zip lines of varying lengths. One was almost 2,000 feet long and on another we got to go tandem-style where I wrapped my legs around Mike (a first for us)!
With our feet firmly planted on the ground, we made our way back to Cusco, exhausted but elated at one of the best day adventures in recent memory.
Need to Know
- Tours: We booked our lunch experience with Natura Vive directly on their website. Including transfers from/to Cusco, this was a long day, running from approximately 9:30-5:30pm. We paid 1,790 sol total for the via ferrata + lunch + zipline and transfers.
- Extras: On the morning of, the company offers the paid services of a photographer who will accompany the trip, taking photos and videos. We (and everyone else in our group) declined, and we were really happy with the way our photos turned out just using iPhones.
- Our Experience: Our experience was top-notch. Our guides on the via ferrata and zipline were friendly and personable, but very safe. Not only was the lunch was incredible, it was some of the best food we had in all of Peru. We were blown away by what the chefs were able to create in such a small and unqiue environment.
Dinner at Organika
Back in Cusco, we had dinner reservations at Organika. Known for its farm-to-table cuisine, we shared trout ceviche and enjoyed mains of beef tenderloin and sweet potato gnocchi. The handcrafted cocktails were delicous too!
Reservations are highly recommended. It was completely full on the night we dined. We were easily able to make our reservations via the Organika website.
Day 11 | Cusco: Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley Excursion
Vinicunca, or Rainbow Mountain, is so named for the diverse shades of color spilling down the mountain’s sides. For millions of years mineral deposits of red clay, sand, iron oxide, and copper oxide were made to form these colors, then gradually exposed through time from wind and water erosion. The result is a stunning rainbow of natural color.
An excursion to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco is a FULL day. We were picked up outside our hotel at 3am (<– not a typo). The 3-hour drive was split in half, with a buffet breakfast stop in the middle.
Once at Rainbow Mountain, we were free to explore on our own. It should be noted that the hike takes place at an elevation of 16,500 feet! We felt strong, but had to take it slow and make sure to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.
We gradually climbed through the valley and up towards our first view of Rainbow Mountain. This colorful landscape was in direct contrast to the snowy peak of Ausangate off in the distance. We also passed by tons of grazing llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas.
After lots of switchbacks, we made it to the first viewpoint and celebrated with a photo in front of the color-clad slopes of Rainbow Mountain.
The summit of the hike was at 16,732 feet in elevation so we snapped a picture at the sign and from here we had panoramic views of the whole valley below and nearby glaciers.
On our way down, we we took what would become one of our favorite pictures of all time. A photo with our new sunglass-wearing alpaca friends.
Feeling good with the altitude and with time to spare, we hiked over to the Red Valley. This had a small, separate cash-only entrance fee of 30 sol/pp. Hardly anyone else comes over to this side and it is equally as beautiful as Rainbow Mountain itself. The area is covered in a soil made red due to its high iron content. We felt like we were on another planet and once at the top viewpoint, the views into the valley on the other side of the mountain chain were spactacular.
We soaked in the views and enjoyed a snack before heading down and back to our waiting bus. We followed essentially the same route in reverse, with our break in the middle being a buffet lunch. We arrived back to Cusco at 4:30pm.
Need to Know
- Tours: We booked our tour with Rainbow Mountain Travels, directly on their website.
- Hours & Fees: Tours are available daily and cost USD 49/pp. This was truly a full-day, 12-hour+ tour.
- Caution!: The Rainbow Mountain hike takes place at a very high altitude (16,500 feet+). It is very important to walk slowly and drink a LOT of water. It’s better to do this excursion after acclimatizing in Cusco for several days, or better yet, after the Inca Trail. Altitude sickness is real and can be dangerous.
- Our Experience: If you want to visit Rainbow Mountain from Cusco, there is no way to avoid a long day of travel with a relatively short amount of time at Rainbow Mountain (we spent ~3.5 hours). We knew all that going in and ultimately are glad to have done the excursion. However, we might suggest booking with another company. We didn’t think the food was great at breakfast or lunch and our guide was not the most helpful or professional. At the end of the day, we felt we used the company merely for transportation.
Drinks, Dinner & Laundry
Feeling very tired after our long day, we headed to 7 Vidas Taproom to unwind with a few craft beers. They were delicious! Then, we had an early dinner at Jill’s again, enjoying smoked burgers.
We also had our laundry done for us just around the corner for our hotel. We highly recommend the services of Laundry Crisfer located on Av Tullumayo. We dropped off a pile of smelly trekking clothes in the morning and picked them up in the afternoon washed, folded, and smelling fresh for a very reasonable price.
Days 12-17 | Amazon Rainforest
We spent five days exploring the Amazon Rainforest from our base at the Grand Amazon Lodge in the village of San Juan de Yanayacu. Here you can read about our experience and learn all you need to know about visiting this special place.
Day 18 | Travel Home
Our travel plan home took us from the Iquitos Airport to Lima, where we had to pick up our luggage and re-check in for our flight back to the United States. Once again, we had a smooth and pleasant experience in Lima, and although the day was long, it was hassle-free.
The culinary scene, friendly people, vibrant culture, and affordability of traveling to Peru combined to make this one of our favorite trips ever.
