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Beyond Machu Picchu – Five Must See Destinations in Peru
Thinking about traveling to Peru? Well, you already know that Machu Picchu is our must-see, famed archaeological site, but what is beyond Machu Picchu? where else should you go in Peru? Even experienced travelers find it challenging to plan a trip to this country – there is so much to see! We have compiled a list of our 5 must-see destinations in Peru to ensure that your trip to Peru is one you will never forget.
5 Top Destinations Beyond Cusco & Machu Picchu in Peru
1. Lima
You will most likely fly in and out of Lima, and we encourage you to spend a few days exploring our vibrant capital city. Explore the famed colonial churches, take a walk along with Playa Redondo and watch the local surfers catch waves. Be sure to indulge in some Lomo Saltado and pisco sours at any of our many famed restaurants. Peru has been awarded ‘The Best Culinary Destination in the World’ at the World Travel Awards (the Oscars of tourism) for six years in a row. We promise that ten years from today, you will remember raw fish ceviche as much as you remember Cusco.
Costa Verde – Lima, Peru
2. Lake Titicaca
The largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable body of water, Lake Titicaca, is located half in Peru and half in Bolivia. The main attraction is the man-made islands constructed by the Uros people, over 40 which float in the Lake. We recommend visiting the island of Amantani, which is off the main tourist track. The wonderful Isla Suasi hotel can be accessed by way of Amantani and it’s one of our favorite places! This is another of the 5 must-see destinations in Peru.
Lake Titicaca
3. Huaraz
The town located in the high Andes has been referred to as ‘Peru’s Adventure Capital.’ Hikers will be awed by beautiful snow-capped peaks and turquoise lakes. Huaraz sits at 3000 meters (9800 feet) of altitude, so visitors should be a factor in acclimatization time!
Huaraz can act as a jumping-off point for multi-day trekking tours or a hub for multiple-day hikes. Our favorite is the nine-day Huayhuash trek – if you can’t do the full nine days, hire Miguel Lopez to organize the trek and tell him to lead you up to Mitucocha. It will take a total of four days – this will allow you to see the highlights. And, be sure to have some choclo con queso (Andean corn with goat cheese) at Conococha.
views from the Huayhuash trek in the Andes.
4. Nazca
Nazca is famous for the eponymous lines – it is worth splurging to see the lines from above, and puzzling over how the ancient Nazca people were able to create these enduring geoglyphs. When in Nazca, visitors can also visit sand dunes called Cerro Blanco and take advantage of the super dark sky to stargaze. Our tip: consider using the quaint town of Paracas as your jumping-off point to view the lines.
Nazca lines, seen from above, Peru
5. The Amazon
Sure, we’re a little biased – but the Peruvian Amazon is truly one of the most spectacular corners of the planet. Peru is one of the last great remaining wildernesses on the planet, especially our vast Amazonian forests (did you know: over 60% of our land area is in Amazonia). Guests can explore our hectares upon hectares of pure virgin forest and enjoy unbeatable wildlife sightings including jaguar, peccaries, and colorful macaws. The Amazon is also home to indigenous groups – one of which, the Ese Eja, Rainforest Expeditions partners with.
This means that our guests at Posada Amazonas can experience daily life from the Ese Eja perspective, which includes fishing and cooking. Rainforest Expeditions is proud to support scientists learning about the Amazon – for our guests, this is a true highlight. When visiting Refugio Amazonas, guests can see the harpy eagle nest. At Tambopata Research Center, guests can chat with macaw scientists at the bar.

Many visitors to our Tambopata Research Center lodge spot jaguars lurking along the river. Photo by Lucas Bustamante.
As you can see – there is a lot to see in Peru! Have we convinced you to add Amazon to your Peruvian itinerary? Even if you’re just beginning to dream of your trip to Peru, the sooner you get in touch with one of our Rainforest Experts, the sooner we can help you find a great travel deal.
By Natasha Martin
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What our guest say
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- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Michelle Smith February 2025
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Such a wonderful experience deep in a part of the Amazon, Tambopata NP. They really involve you with what is happening at the research centre with evening lectures. The meals are outstanding and the rooms are comfortable and I had the best sleep. Dino our guide was outstanding. The river trip to see the Macaw claylicks was a beautiful outing. We saw Capybaras along the river and it was very scenic. The staff are friendly and very engaging. As a tour operator who sends clients to AFRICA for safari, I was hugely satisfied. Thank you, gracious. Food & drinks: Good was simply delicious Read all


An amazing experience in the Peruvian jungle. the information about the centre was very accurate so I knew what to expect but was blown away by the experience and competence of my guide for the four nights, Juan Carlos Yatto. JC was looking for birds for me from the moment he collected me at the airport, so we saw birds on the drive and on the boat ride as well as on the excursions themselves. I was in Peru three weeks and JC was my best guide by far. Don't miss the clay licks for sure, and the tower is also well worth the climb. Food and people are wonderful and the research very interesting. Read all


Das Tambopata Research Center ist eine wunderbare Lodge im Nationalpark Tambopata. Die charmanten, miteinander verbundenen Aufenthaltsräume und Zimmer befinden sich auf hölzernen Stelzen. Bei den offenen Gemeinschaftsräumen gibt es gemütliche Sitzecken, eine wunderbare Hängemattenrelaxzone und einen herrlichen Restaurantbereich, wo zu jeder Zeit Tee, Kaffee und Wasser zur Verfügung stehen. Die stilvollen Zimmer verfügen über bequeme Betten mit Moskitonetz und moderne, saubere Duschbereiche. Die Research Center Lodge mit den Forschungseinrichtungen liegt inmitten des Regenwaldes umgeben von der reinen Natur mit der fantastischen Flora und Fauna, welche dort auch weiterhin erforscht und geschützt wird. Jeden Abend gibt es dazu sehr interessante Vorträge. Die Mitarbeiter sind sehr freundlich, offen und zuvorkommend. Die Buffets waren sehr köstlich und reichhaltig mit Gerichten aus der Region. Es wird großer Wert auf ökologische und nachhaltig umweltschonende Bewirtschaftung gelegt. Von der Lodge aus ist es möglich, mit ausgebildeten Guides in Gruppen von maximal 6 Personen verschiedene Exkursionen zu machen. Speziell Timo war ausgesprochen freundlich, auf unsere Sicherheit bedacht, ging auf die individuellen Interessen der einzelnen Personen ein und vermittelte uns in seiner kompetenten Art umfangreiches Wissen über die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt. Er hatte dabei die wunderbare Fähigkeit, versteckte Wildtiere zu entdecken, und verschaffte uns wunderschöne Momente, auch durch das mitgetragene Teleskop, wodurch wir der Tierwelt näher sein konnten. So sahen wir u.a. Brüllaffen, Kapuzineraffen und Spideraffen mit ihren Kindern, viele Vögel insbesondere Papageien wie z.B. Scharlach- und Gelbbauch-Aras sowie Wasserschweine und verschiedene Insekten. Wir können diese wunderbare Lodge absolut weiterempfehlen. Die herrliche Tier- und Pflanzenwelt in dem wunderbar erhaltenen und geschützten Regenwald des Amazonas war auf unserer Peru-Reise ein wirklich fantastisches Erlebnis! Read all


Rainforest Expeditions is a wonderful company and the Posadas Amazonas lodge is a beautiful location to spend your time in the Amazon. The staff are all incredibly kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. The tours were very fun and we saw lots of animals including River otters, monkeys, birds, and capybaras. We loved our guide Luis and all the people we met. The food was delicious and locally grown and there was never a dull moment. Would highly recommend! Read all


I went to Posada as part of a wider group trip, so did not pay for it directly. The lodge feels very far from anywhere and yet it feels incredibly safe. The rooms are open to nature, but nothing was ever damaged (use the safe boxes as advised, especially for food - not that you'll need any - the catering is excellent, with plenty of vegetarian options, and snacks are also provided between meals). There are flushing toilets, incredible shower facilities and the beds are very comfortable with mosquito nets placed at night by the staff. Drinking water vats are strategicvally placed throughout the lodge but you may have a long-ish walk to the common areas through corridors. Some parts of the corridors are open to the elements, but umbrellas are provided everywhere in case of rain. There is obviously no air conditioning, but this helps you acclimatise. The lodge is run by a family and others from the Infierno community, which gives the place a homely feel, with resident tour guides and a local geologist for citizen science projects. Massage services are available and there is a local shop for souvenirs and essentials like bug spray, clothing and torches. Tons of activities can be arranged, but it's also nice to relax in the hammocks and common areas and listen to the sounds of nature. While this hotel is not going to be for everyone, I had the most incredible time! Read all


The place to go if you want to see Macaws in the Peruvian rainforest. We stayed at the Tambopata Reaearch Centre (TRC) for three days and had Juan Carlos Yatto as our guide for the duration of our stay. We loved the mission of the TRC ie Macaw conservation and the link between Macaw nest site availability and the overall health of the rainforest. Juan Carlos Yatto (there is another JC at the research centre) was a fantastic guide and really made a difference to our experience at the TRC. His knowledge of the different species of wildlife and plants was amazing, his ability to spot things in the day or at night was phenomenal and he really made things accessible for our group. His English is excellent (including great humour when appropriate) and is a super guy. I really do recommend the TRC abd Juan Carlos Yatto as a guide. We saw an abundance of wildlife of all descriptions thanks to him and learned a huge amount without being overloaded. Read all


Two planes, a bus and a boat…that’s how we made it to TRC, and every minute was worth it. Tambopata is a jewel, from the moment you are greeted by the guide assigned to you (Juan Carlos Gonzales for us) to the last boat ride back to civilization. Juan Carlos was amazing…on just one hike he found five of the seven species of monkeys in the area! He is truly an expert..can hear, see and even SMELL animals, birds and insects to point out to us. We upgraded to a deluxe suite and it was decadent! An elegant outdoor tub and shower on a private balcony was soo nice’ Although we went in the rainy season, it never rained while on a hike or excursion. It rained for a few minutes on our late afternoon cruise , but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm, or prevent us from seeing a capybara in the mid! (And despite the warning of a lot of mosquitoes, I have been bitten more in my own back yard!) The bar is great, there’s PLENTY of food…we are going home feeling so lucky to have had such a great connection to the beauty of the Amazon. Read all


We had a fantastic time for our 3N/4D stay at Tambopata Research Center. The whole experience was marvellous. Rooms and facilities were great and meals superb. The Staff, ably led by Tanya the manager, were all friendly and helpful. This is the only lodge actually inside the Tambopata National Park, and we enjoyed being so "remote". I like that you have one guide who coordinates and takes you on all your activities; Jair our guide was amazing. One morning our planned activity was rained out, and I liked that they have alternative "wet weather" activities planned. There are lectures each night by researchers, which were very interesting. Also citizen science projects that you can participate in. All up, it was a fantastic way to experience the Peruvian Amazon. Read all


Posada Amazonas by Rainforest Expeditions is an extraordinary place. From your arrival at the airport in Puerto Maldonado all the staff is always attentive to your needs. You travel by boat to the hotel Posada Amazonas and it is a unique experience. It really is a total disconnection and a recollection with Mother Nature 🌎 The buffet lunch is delicious (already included in the price). You have a guide who speaks Spanish and English at all times and accompanies you to explore the jungle, the river and other activities. The price is worth it. Outside my room I caught a glimpse of monkeys :) The night sky is starry and very spectacular ✨️ 5 star service. I will definitely come back. Read all


I stayed with my parents at Refugio Amazonas for 3 days. We really enjoyed our stay and had a wonderful time here. The staff were extremely kind and well informed. The lodge manager- Arturo in particular was very helpful. To highlight their culture: They prepared special vegetarian meals for my parents, always ensured we felt comfortable and all our needs were met. A stay here is a must do to get a real feel of the Amazon rainforest on your trip to Peru! Noteworthy details: There are a lot of activities for kids and families to do, but my personal favourites are: Macaw Claylick, OxBow river ride, sunset cruise and the canopy tower. Read all


I can't express how amazing our guides were. Incredibly knowledgeable and able to spot birds, frogs, spiders, animals, etc. with an almost unbelievable ability. The research and contributions to the jungle they are making at the Center are to be commended. The facilities were nice and kept clean and the staff was great, but between the walls in the rooms being open to the jungle, the heat, the bugs, underpowered fans, having to completely cover up for hikes due to bugs and then getting overheated, etc. it made for a tough stay. The food was good but after a couple days became repetitive. I would recommend this for serious birders who are willing to endure a bit for an incredible adventure. Read all
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February 28, 2017 Beautiful River Birds of Tambopata Peru...
Literally, hundreds of bird species live in the rich rainforest habitats of south-eastern Peru. However, the irony of that avian abundance is that many of those bird species are na...
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January 24, 2019 The Shining Amazon Rainforest - Why Visit the Ama...
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our guests considering visiting the Tambopata National Reserve is: “Can I travel to the Amazon during the rainy season?...
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September 14, 2012 Smarter Every Day in the Amazon...
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Destin from the educational (and incredibly entertaining) YouTube channel Smarter Every Day here at Rainforest Expeditions. He spent a week...
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