INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES IN PERU you will never forget

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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

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.

Titicaca Lake

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.

Huaraz 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

 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.

jaguar by lucas bustamante

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

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

Jacob Shama May 2024

Yaacov May 2024

secaBoulder May 2024

Cecilia D May 2024

Andrea Breanna Apr 2024

A user Apr 2024

Niko Dietsch Apr 2024

Yuting C Apr 2024

Yuting Chen Apr 2024

Víctor Moscoso Apr 2024

Ari S March 2024

Dreamer627120 March 2024

The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all

This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all

Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all

Unbelievable.... Magical Everything I have dreamed of since I was 8 years old but MORE Read all

We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all

We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all

We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all

Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all

El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all

Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all

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