16 best attractions in Peru for your next trip

Home to a mesmerizing combination of larger-than-life nature and deep cultural history, Peru truly has it all. Hike the peaks and valleys of the Andes, walk the streets of ancient Machu Picchu, venture into the country’s deserts to see the Nazca Lines and the surreal Huacachina oasis, or paddle to the floating islands of Lake Titicaca. No matter where you go, Peru has a stunning travel experience at the ready — here are the best places to visit in Peru.

Marvel at Machu Picchu

Widely considered the place to visit in Peru, Machu Picchu lives up to the hype – this impressive UNESCO World Heritage site sits like a crown atop the Andean peaks surrounding Aguas Calientes, the town that serves as the gateway to the ‘Lost City’ of the Incas. A marvel of engineering and a lovely place to take in the view, Machu Picchu is a perfect stop for hikers, photo enthusiasts, and history lovers.

If you want to see this wonder yourself, you’ll need to go with a guide (according to Machu Picchu rules) and sign up for a timed entry ticket. Book ahead to make sure you get a spot, as the site also has daily visitor limits. Of course, you can also hike here via the famous Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek, or the Lares Trek — all once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Go deep into the Colca Canyon

Peru not only has you looking up at some of the world’s highest peaks — you’ll also be gazing down at some of the planet’s deepest ravines. Colca Canyon, located about four and a half hours from Arequipa, is the second deepest canyon in the world (the leader being the nearby Cotahuasi Canyon). Watch mighty condors swoop over the rugged terrain, bathe in thermal hot springs warmed by nearby volcanoes, and wander the canyon’s villages.

You can visit Colca Canyon as a day trip from Arequipa, but overnighters will be rewarded with more opportunities to dive deep into the natural and cultural beauty of this unique place. The area is also well-known for trekking, so distance hikers and backpackers will be spoiled for choice.

Learn about the Nazca Lines

Travel back in time (somewhere between 200 BC to 600 AD, to be exact) to the heart of the Nazca civilization, which predated the Incan empire by a thousand years. The region is famous for the iconic Nazca Lines, enormous geoglyphs carved into a desert basin that have been deemed the largest of their kind in the world by UNESCO. Visit the Nazca Desert Cemetery to see the tombs and mummified remains of those who used to live here, as well as a number of artefacts. For a taste of today’s culture, stop into an artisan workshop to see how Nazca pottery is made.

Nazca is located deep in the desert between Arequipa and Paracas — be sure to stay hydrated and wear that sunscreen!

Celebrate the sun at Saqsaywaman

Perched above the city of Cusco like a rocky sentinel, Saqsaywaman is definitely one of the coolest attractions in town. Huge boulders stacked like Tetris blocks — no mortar required — make up the walls of this large fortress that once encompassed plazas, temples, and terraces. Even the massive earthquakes that razed much of the city below couldn’t bring Saqsaywaman down — the fortress only met its demise at the hands of the Spanish in the 1500s. Today, this historic site hosts Inti Raymi, the Inca Festival of the Sun, coming alive with colourful celebration on the June solstice.

Saqsaywaman is easily accessible from downtown Cusco, sitting only 2 km (1.24 mi) north of the city centre.

Explore the storied Sacred Valley

The patchwork of rugged hills and green fields stretching north from Cusco towards Machu Picchu, the famous Sacred Valley, harbours some of the most spectacular Incan sites in the country – here you can wander the hilltop citadel near Pisac and climb the impressive terraces of Ollantaytambo. The valley is also a great place to learn more about the region’s strong cultural heritage. Learn about traditional weaving at Ccaccaccollo Weaving Co-op, delve into the area’s agricultural history at Parque de la Papa (Potato Park), or dig into local fare at the Parwa Community Restaurant.

Many choose to tour the valley as a lead up to their Machu Picchu visit; take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes or strap on those hiking boots and walk the popular trekking route that follows the tracks.

Immerse in ancient science at Moray

Have a little more time in the Sacred Valley? Head over to Moray, a photogenic set of circular terraces set against the breathtaking backdrop of southern Peru. Archaeologists think that the Incas used the terraces — called muyus — for agricultural experiments; each level may have functioned as its own microclimate with a specific altitude, temperature, sunlight level, and more.

Don’t miss the nearby Maras salt mine, a photogenic jumble of over 4000 salt pans with pre-Inca origins that make for a surreal photo opp. These pans were used by several empires throughout history and today they’re owned and operated by local families.

Admire the abode of Chan Chan

Ready to switch things up? Trade stone Inca ruins in the south for the sprawling adobe city of Chan Chan located near Trujillo on Peru’s northern coast. Chan Chan, the former capital of the Chimú civilization, was the largest adobe brick city in the Americas; the ruins feature citadels, city streets, plazas, pyramids, and a number of beautiful carved friezes.

Despite the fact the city was built on the edge of a desert, Chan Chan featured a network of gardens and fields back in its heyday thanks to sophisticated irrigation systems, some of the earliest of their kind.

Admire cultural riches at Larco Museum

Visiting Lima’s Larco Museum is one of the top things to do for anyone who wants to see pieces of Peru's pre-Columbian history in high definition. The immaculately curated museum features gleaming gold headdresses, silver bowls, and over 30,000 pieces of elaborate pottery, all spanning the 5,000 years prior to the arrival of Europeans. The museum is also well known for its erotic art exhibition, which highlights, ahem — cheeky — pieces used in festivals, rituals, funerals, and more.

If you’re hungry, don’t skip the on-site cafe — it’s a lovely place to relax and plan your next move for exploring Peru’s capital city.

See Cusco’s history at Qorikancha

Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, was once the most sacred temple in the Inca empire — until the Spanish arrived to conquer Cusco in the 1530s. They stripped the temple down to its foundations and built the Convent of Santo Domingo in its stead, and this hybrid structure still stands in the heart of the city. Stop in to see Peru’s history quite literally written in stone.

Climb the terraces of Ollantaytambo

You can’t help but fall in love with atmospheric Ollantaytambo. A tangle of historic streets, terraces, fortress walls, and plazas, the town used to be a strategic hub for the Inca and a refuge for its royalty; it’s also the site of an important Inca victory against the Spanish in 1537. Today you can climb the terraces, investigate ancient storehouses, and walk across temple plazas — go slowly to admire the impeccable Incan stonework.

You can wander Ollantaytambo’s ruins independently (for a small fee), but we recommend going with a guide to really dig into the town’s lengthy history. Ollantaytambo is also a convenient jumping-off point for visiting Machu Picchu.

Get cultured at Museo de Arte de Lima

If you want to dig deep into Peruvian art of the past and present, make a beeline for Museo de Arte de Lima (also known as MALI), a fascinating museum housing the largest collection of Peruvian art in the country. MALI’s exhibitions feature everything from pre-Columbian art to photography from the Spanish Republic to contemporary film.

The Museum also hosts creative workshops, curator talks, festivals, and kids events, so check the calendar to see what’s on during your visit.

Discover Lima’s early residents at Huaca Pucllana

Inca history may get most of the attention in Peru, but people were living here long before the empire came to power — head to the Huaca Pucllana site to see the adobe pyramid built by the Lima culture between 400 and 500 AD. And the best part? You don’t even have to leave Lima to visit; the site and accompanying museum are located in the Miraflores neighbourhood in the heart of the city.

Relax at Huacachina’s oasis

It may look like a mirage, but the Huacachina oasis is very real — this dreamy desertscape nestled at the base of the largest sand dunes in South America makes for a magical getaway. Fed by an underwater spring, the water of Huacachina is perfect for swimming and kayaking, and those looking for adventure can hop in a dune buggy or try sandboarding down the dunes. Wrap up a high-octane day by watching the sun sink below the sandy horizon, turning everything orange and pink.

Huacachina is located right outside of Ica and is a convenient stop if you’re in the area to see the Nazca lines.

Explore Lake Titicaca’s floating islands

Located at a lofty altitude of 3812m (12,507 ft), Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and this astonishing place is home to the indigenous Uros community who have lived here since Pre-Inca times. The community actually built floating islands from a locally grown reed to fend off Inca attacks, and the islands continue to be a part of Uros culture today. Visit these islands — plus a few terrestrial ones — to meet the Uros and learn about life on Titicaca. Take a boat tour, visit a weaving cooperative on Taquile Island, and spend the night at a local homestay.

Lake Titicaca is located on the border between Peru and Bolivia, making it an excellent stopover for those who are looking to connect sights in southern Peru with Bolivian gems like the Uyuni salt flats.

Get lost in Manú National Park

Remember when we said Peru has it all? We weren’t kidding. In addition to its mountain peaks, high-altitude lakes, and dune-filled deserts, the country also encompasses a significant chunk of the Amazon rainforest. Recognized as a ‘renowned haven of terrestrial biodiversity’ by UNESCO, Manú National Park is home to over 800 species of birds, 200 species of mammals, and anywhere between 2,000 and 5,000 plant species — some impressive specs, even for somewhere as biodiverse as the Amazon. Visit here and you might be lucky enough to spot a giant armadillo or a jaguar, but even if you don’t, it’s hard to beat cruising the waterways of this spectacular reserve.

Take in the colours of Rainbow Mountain

We’ve all seen the photos on Instagram — Peru’s Rainbow Mountain is a real jaw-dropper even if a little paler in real life. You’ll have to put in a bit of work to see the colourful palette of this fascinating place in person (the trail reaches 5,029m — or 16,500 ft — of elevation and requires a full-day hike), but the payoff is an up-close view of its striated colours.

Interesting fact: Rainbow Mountain was permanently covered in snow up until a few years ago, and its vibrant colours were created by the water mixing with the minerals in the dirt. Today the snowmelt has revealed varied hues of red, turquoise, ochre, and more, making it a bucket list attraction for adventurers.