Oh, Peru, how I fell for you. Immediately before arriving in Lima, I spent two weeks in Ecuador, which was great, but not mind-blowing. Then Peru came along. I absolutely loved this country. There is so much to see and do, so many different aspects to the environment and culture: the big city to desert shores, amazingly-high mountains to deep jungle. You could spend years here and not experience everything Peru has to offer. But because of a great bus system, it’s possible to see a lot in not much time, if you don’t mind spending a lot of time of those buses, of course! Whether you’ve got two, three or four weeks, there’s a Peru itinerary that will show you the best of this amazing country.
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Peru Itinerary #1: 2 weeks
Lima: 2 nights
Unless you’re overlanding (which isn’t currently possible as of January 2022), your Peru adventure will start and end in Lima, the capital city. With a population of 10 million people, this is one of the biggest cities in South America, so it might be a little overwhelming when planning where to go and stay. There are three main areas that draw tourists: the Historical Centre, Miraflores and Barranco. You’ll find most hostels in Miraflores, and it’s a good place to base yourself. Do a walking tour to see the historical centre and its beautiful architecture, and though its a bit far from the coastal areas of Miraflores and Barranco, the public bus system is pretty easy to navigate. Doing an organised walking tour should mean your guide will escort you there from your hostel, but if you want to explore alone, it’s very doable.
Technically, you need to have a special card to use Lima’s public transport system, but there’s an easy way around this. When you get to the station, just approach someone who is topping up their card at a machine and ask if you can give them the equivalent of the fare (2.50 soles) and they scan you through the barrier. This is commonly done and if you’re worried about approaching a stranger, the station staff will even help you out/translate for you. Just tell them you don’t have a card, and they’ll understand. Once you’re scanned through, no one checks any cards so you’re good to go. The fare is the same price no matter where you’re going.
On your second day, walk around the Miraflores neighbourhood and down to the ocean, where the gorgeous cliff-top Malecon walk will give you lovely (though probably a bit foggy) views. Follow the Malecon east and you’ll arrive at the Barranco neighbourhood and its bohemian vibes. Here you’ll find street art, cafes and historical spots. Artists and writers have flocked to this neighbourhood for generations. The small Oroya street was my particular favourite.
Moving on: buses south depart from the Javier Prado station.
Where I stayed: Alpes Lima Kennedy Park & Waikiki Hostel (sister properties). Though they are very similar in decor, I preferred Waikiki because it’s smaller and quieter than Alpes Lima. Alpes Lima does have a better location, surrounded by bars and shops, though there’s less than a 10-minute walk between the two.
Paracas: 1-2 nights
When I arrived in Peru, I honestly had no idea that so much of its long coastline was desert. Imagine my surprise when my view out of the bus south was all sand dunes and orange-tinted cliffs.
Paracas is a small tourist town on the coast, with a lovely, if busy, beach, boardwalk and bay full of boats. There are two reasons for visiting this town, and you can easily fit both into one day.
In the morning, take a boat trip out to Islas Ballestas, called the Poor Man’s Galapagos by some. If you haven’t been able to visit those incredible islands (which you absolutely should if you can, even if you’re a solo backpacker), then this isn’t a bad alternative. You may only get an hour or less at the islands, and you don’t leave the boat, but it’s a great chance to see small, waddling Humboldt penguins, sea lions basking on rocks, blue-footed boobies diving into the water to catch fish and hills black with cormorants.
In the afternoon, head out to Paracas National Reserve to see its Mars-like landscapes. If you’re feeling energetic you can hire a bicycle, but to see all the sights in the reserve you would need all day, and there are some hills. For a little more adrenaline-pumping, opt for a mini-buggy tour. It’s so much fun to bounce along the dirt roads (though not the most environmentally-friendly option). See the dunes, cliffs and beaches in the soft afternoon light.
If you take an earlier tour, you’ll probably have enough time to get your things and head to the bus station, meaning you can save a night for somewhere else. If you’re not in a rush, do the 3pm tour and spend the night relaxing and eating at one of the many restaurants by the ocean, then hop on a bus the next day.
Where I stayed: Kokopelli Hostel. Large, colourful and has a restaurant and pool, though no communal kitchen. Tip: there are three Kokopelli hostels in Peru – Paracas, Lima and Cusco. If you stay at one, keep your wristband and get 20% off your stay at either of the other two by booking directly through the hostel.
Huacachina: 1 night
There’s no direct bus to Huacachina, so you’ll land in Ica, a large town about a ten-minute drive from the Huacachina lagoon. You’ll need to take a taxi or tuktuk (love those), which can cost anywhere between 5 and 15 soles. Huacachina is barely a town, just a couple of streets around South America’s only natural oasis (although it’s not entirely natural anymore; due to the overuse of water resources in the area it needs to be artificially maintained). This is one of the best sunset locations you’ll ever see. The oasis is surrounded by the largest sand dunes in South America, and once you climb to the top you’ll see dunes for miles.
Sand boarding and desert buggies are the two biggest attractions here, but if you want to save money or take a more relaxed approach, then climbing the dunes for sunset is a really lovely way to end your day. I didn’t do any organised activities here, but loved it nonetheless. This is one place you won’t want to leave out of your Peru itinerary.
If you want to stay an extra night, there are also winery tours in the surrounding area.
Where I stayed: Upcycled Hostel. This hostel isn’t actually at the lagoon, but is about a ten minute walk away. The most popular hostel in Huacachina is Banana’s Adventure, but it was fully booked when I went. Upcycled Hostel was an amazing alternative, with a really nice relaxed vibe, a swimming pool, on-site bar and restaurant and very comfortable dorms. The road between the hostel and Huacachina is safe to walk after sunset because it’s busy with people driving to and from Ica, but I was told not to walk there after about ten or eleven at night when it becomes pretty deserted.
Low on time? You can combine Paracas and Huacachina in one (very long) guided day trip.
Nazca: 1 night
If you want to fly over the famous Nazca Lines (and why wouldn’t you?), then unfortunately you will have to spend the night in Nazca town as there aren’t any buses that will get you there from Ica with enough time to get on a plane. They say flights are better in the morning anyway, with greater visibility and less turbulence.
If you do decide to fly over the lines, it will be one of the more expensive things on your Peru itinerary. Flights cost about $70-80 for 30 minutes, which does sound like a lot, but considering how little of the lines you can see from the ground, it’s the best thing to do if you really want to see them. The Nazca Lines are one of the greatest archaeological mysteries in the world, with multiple theories arising over the decades since they were discovered. Because these lines and figures are so big, many hundreds of metres in length, it wasn’t until planes started flying over the Nazca desert in the 1940s that anyone realised the lines actually made shapes. No one knows for sure what purpose the 1500-2000 year-old designs are for, or how the Nazca people created such perfectly symmetrical and straight designs.
Be warned, though, these flights are rough on your stomach. Don’t eat breakfast beforehand, go as early as possible and take motion-sickness medication (I did all three and still threw up, but I’m particularly susceptible). Flights usually accommodate just six guests, so the plane itself is part of the adventure too.
Where I stayed: Nasca Lodge. Run by the nicest and most helpful lady, this basic accommodation is comfortable and just a two-minute walk from the main street of the town (15 minutes from the bus station). It doesn’t have a communal kitchen, but does provide breakfast for cheap. It also has a rooftop terrace for those desert sunsets, and the owner will very kindly let you use the common areas while you’re waiting for your onward bus late at night.
Overnight bus: Nazca – Arequipa
Your next destination is over 10 hours away, and the only buses between Nazca and Arequipa are overnight, which will save you the cost of a night in a hostel at least. All the buses I took were with Cruz del Sur, and wow, are they good. They have big, comfortable seats that recline and have privacy curtains, so overnighting on them really isn’t bad at all, especially compared to some of the long-distance buses I took in Asia. I almost had to spend an extra night in Nazca because I didn’t realise that Nazca to Arequipa is an extremely popular route with locals, but I managed to snag the last spot about six hours before departure, so definitely book in advance.
A lot of travellers skip Arequipa entirely on their Peru itinerary, choosing instead to take the bus all the way to Puno or even Cusco. This might be an option if you’re short on time, but bare in mind this will mean a gruelling 21 hours on the bus, no matter how comfortable it might be.
Arequipa: 2 nights
I don’t think Arequipa should be skipped at all, as this UNESCO World Heritage Site city is absolutely beautiful. Every major town and city in Peru has a Plaza de Armas as its main square, and Arequipa’s is particularly pretty. The huge cathedral dominates one side of it (though the interior isn’t quite as impressive). Wander the pretty streets, especially in the San Lorenzo neighbourhood to the north of the centre, eat all the food and browse the local souvenir shops. But my favourite place in Arequipa – by far – was the Santa Catarina Convent. The admission price is a little steep at s/40, but it was worth it in my opinion. This convent is hundreds of years old and really is a city within a city, with streets and courtyards from multiple architectural and artistic periods. Completely Instagram-worthy, this is one place you definitely want to add to your Peru itinerary.
Where I stayed: Way Kap Hostel. Perfect location just minutes from both the convent and Plaza de Armas, nice atmosphere, with a bar/small restaurant on-site.
Overnight bus: Arequipa – Cusco
It takes another 10 hours to reach Cusco from Arequipa, and again I recommend booking a spot with Cruz del Sur.
Cusco & Machu Picchu: 4 nights
Cusco really is where the magic of Peru is most obvious. The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, there is so much to see here. Unless you skip a lot of the rest of the country, you simply won’t have enough time to trek the Inca Trail with just two weeks in Peru, but don’t worry, it’s still possible to see the most famous Incan ruins in the world either as an overnight or a very long day trip. I’ll be writing a full post about how to visit Machu Picchu in such a short space of time, so I won’t go into too much detail here. If you want to visit at sunrise, you will need to spend a night in Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu, but you can also stay in Cusco and visit later in the day. Definitely try to squeeze the Ollantaytambo ruins into your schedule here if you can.
Aside from Machu Picchu, you’ll need one day to explore Cusco itself. By far the prettiest city in Peru, these cute cobbled streets are just perfect for wandering. The San Blas neighbourhood is known for its hipster cafes, the Saksayhuaman ruins above the city are very much worth visiting and have amazing views, the cathedral is very impressive and Plaza de Armas popular with locals and visitors alike.
Most of the activities around Cusco involve taking day trips, and one of my favourites was Pisac, a town and set of Incan ruins about 45 minutes away by colectivo. It’s so easy to do this trip independently. After arriving in the town, you can either hike up to the ruins – 2-3 hours of steep steps – or take a taxi for 25 soles. I took the taxi, and I think it was worth it. Most people only visit the main part of the ruins at the very top, but hiking back down to the town is where all the fun is. I had an absolute blast hiking through all the different ruins, you see so much more than you would if you just drove up and down. So much fun, and definitely not something you can leave out of your Peru itinerary.
Other trips you can do from Cusco are Rainbow Mountain, the Maras salt mines, Moray ruins and more in the Sacred Valley, but you might not be able to fit much in if you’re in Peru for only two weeks.
Where I stayed: Kokopelli Cusco. Perfect location, just 5 minutes from Plaza de Armas in a historic building, really nice rooms and decor and a bar/restaurant onsite. The only downside to the Kokopelli hostels is that they don’t have communal kitchens, so eating on a budget is a bit difficult.
Lima: 1 night
You can take a long 20-hour bus from Cusco back to Lima, but I recommend flying. Not only will this give you more time for fun stuff, but there isn’t a huge price difference between the bus and a flight, depending on how far in advance you book ($25-35 for the bus versus $40-70 for a flight). Unless you’re lucky enough that your flights work out all on the same day, you’ll probably need to spend one final night in Lima.
Peru Itinerary #2: 3 weeks
An extra week in your Peru itinerary will make all the difference, allowing you to add two more destinations to your trip.
Lima – Paracas – Huacachina – Nazca – Arequipa
Keep the same itinerary as above for these destinations.
Puno: 2 nights
Instead of heading straight to Cusco, stop in Puno for a couple of nights. Lake Titicaca is known for being not only the largest lake in South America, but also the highest commercially-navigable lake in the world. It lies on the border with Bolivia and the largest town on its shores is Puno, from which many visitors start their island-hopping adventure. There are two distinct seasons at the lake, wet and dry. June to August are the busiest months, right in the middle of the dry season.
I didn’t personally visit Puno because I am hoping to visit Bolivia at some point and plan to go to Lake Titicaca from the other side of the border.
Cusco: 5 nights
Adding an extra night to your time in Cusco means you can either add another day trip, or decide to skip all of them in favour of hiking the Inca Trail or the Salcantay trek. However, it is highly recommended that you spend at least two days in Cusco before attempting any trekking to acclimatise to the altitude. Altitude sickness is no joke, I was floored for a whole day despite not having had any trouble from altitude during my two weeks in Ecuador.
Amazon – Manu, Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos: 3 nights
With the extra time in Peru, you can now add a visit to the Amazon Rainforest into your itinerary. There are three popular places to go: Manú National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos. The first two are reachable by a long bus or a short flight from Cusco. Iquitos is the largest city in the world that can’t be reached by road (a very cool fact, in my opinion), and though I read in many places that direct flights from Cusco had now begun, I couldn’t find any in December 2021, so they may have been discontinued. To get to Iquitos you need to fly from Lima, but connecting flights are well-timed, so you can get from Cusco to Iquitos in a single day.
Manú and Puerto Maldonado are more about hiking, though to get to primary rainforest you need more than a few days to get to and from the lodges deep in the jungle. Iquitos is all about the river – boat tours are the way to go here.
Again, I didn’t visit the Peruvian Amazon, so I can’t give personal recommendations, but everyone I met highly recommended adding a few days there to your Peru itinerary.
Huaraz: 2 nights
Back in Lima, it’s now time to take a bus north to Huaraz. This place is a hiker’s dream, with snow-capped mountains and blue lagoons waiting to be explored. It’s also overlooked by many travellers to Peru, meaning you can see the beautiful scenery without the heavy crowds of the Sacred Valley.
I intended to visit Huaraz, but after six hard months of working in a remote rainforest research station and two months on the road, I was exhausted and not 100% mentally, so I gave myself permission to lay low in Lima for the extra days instead. Travelling long-term is a privilege, but I learned a while ago that if I don’t take care of myself while doing it, I won’t enjoy it.
Lima: 1 night
Finally, finish out your Peru itinerary with one final night in the capital before flying home or to your next destination.
Peru Itinerary #3: 4 weeks
A month in Peru is the most ideal amount of time (if not longer), though understandably not everyone has a month to spare. I recommend spending most of your extra week in Cusco, giving you ample time to visit all the cool places in the surrounding area as well as hiking either the Inca Trail or the Salcantay trek. Use the 3-week itinerary above as your base, then add at least 4-5 extra nights in the Cusco/Sacred Valley area. This also gives you a couple of days to play with, which could be just what you need to relax and recharge in a place you like. You could also use these extra days to hike Colca Canyon near Arequipa, which is supposed to be amazing.
Entry Price of Attractions:
Islas Ballestas boat trip: s/35
Paracas National Reserve mini-buggy tour: s/70
Nazca Lines flight: US$70-80
Santa Catarina Convent: s/40
Cusco Boleto Turistico (Ollantaytambo, Pisaq, Sacsayhuaman, etc.): s/70-130
Cusco Cathedral: s/25
Machu Picchu: s/152
Rainbow Mountain day tour: approx $30, depending on your haggling skills
Practical Information:
- Language: The main language in Peru is Spanish, with some indigenous languages still exisiting in rural communities. In larger areas like Lima and Cusco that get a lot of foreign visitors, you can get away with just English, but having a least a small amount of basic Spanish will definitely help smooth your travels.
- Currency: Peruvian soles, written as s/. It’s always a good idea to have cash with you, especially in smaller towns and local shops. Credit card machines are common, but not universal. I recommend using BCP ATMs as the bank doesn’t charge any fees to withdraw money (though your own bank still will), which is as rare as a unicorn in this world! BCP also lets you withdraw more than the other banks in one go. As of April 2022, €1 = s/4, $1 = s/3.7, £1 = s/4.8.
- Transport: Peru has a surprisingly great network of public buses, with multiple companies on the popular routes. The buses are extremely comfortable, great for longer journeys, but are a little more expensive than you might expect for Latin America. I recommend booking your tickets a couple of days beforehand as some of the routes sell out (especially the Nazca to Arequipa one). I travelled with Cruz del Sur and found them to be great. You can buy tickets on their website and have the boarding pass on your phone to show the driver.
- Safety: Though of course there is no country that is completely safe, Peru is up there. I never felt unsafe at any point of my month in Peru, even in Lima. Just follow normal travel safety sense and you should be fine.
- Altitude: altitude sickness is no joke. Before coming to Peru, I was briefly at high altitudes in Ecuador and had nothing more than a light headache. But then I got to Cusco. It floored me, forcing me to spend an entire day lying in bed, making runs to the bathroom to throw up. If you’re lucky, you won’t lose a day (or two), but you need to be careful. The recommended pace at which to increase your altitude would take up far too much of your time in Peru. Taking the long route by bus instead of flying straight from Lima should help. For your first couple of days in Cusco, take it easy, avoid caffeine and alcohol, get plenty of rest and drink lots of water.
- Budget: Compared to neighbouring Ecuador, Peru is a little more expensive, but it’s certainly still a budget destination. I spent an average of €30/$35 per day. Food is cheap in Peru, but attractions cost much more. Here’s a breakdown of what I spent (bearing in mind I took a number of easy days):
- Accommodation: €157/$180
- Food: €158/$180
- Transport: €238/$272
- Attractions: €222/$254
- Total: €822/$941 over 27 days
So which Peru itinerary are you gonna go for?
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[…] Centre of the City of Arequipa. Another city that’s often overlooked by backpackers making their way through Peru, I really thought it was a lovely stop. The Santa Catalina Monastery is particularly […]
Oh I love Peru! Just some of the anicient architecture and places. It’s just a great place to disconnect from the business of the world we live in and just let the mind relax. You’re right though, 2 weeks is definitely not long enough, 3-4 weeks would be great next time.
I loved it too! I’m so glad I had the time to explore at my own pace, instead of rushing through! Thanks for reading and commenting, means a lot 🙂
[…] So, where to next? Peru, maybe? If you don’t want your South American adventure to end just yet, check out my Peru itineraries! […]