Peru packs a lot into one trip. In the Andes you have Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. To the east the mountains drop into the Amazon basin, and on the coast, Lima is one of the best places to eat in South America.
Most first trips center on the Andes: a few nights in the Sacred Valley to adjust to the altitude, a train down the Urubamba valley to Machu Picchu, then Cusco itself, a colonial city built on Inca foundations. From there it's easy to add a few days in the rainforest around Tambopata, Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian border, or the canyon country around Arequipa.
The hotels are a big part of the appeal. Several of the best in Cusco occupy restored colonial mansions and convents, and the Sacred Valley has quiet estates set among the farmland below the peaks.
Peru is personal for us. We crossed the Andes by train to Machu Picchu and stayed at Palacio Nazarenas in Cusco, still one of our favorite hotels anywhere, so we plan Peru from first-hand experience rather than a brochure.
The details matter more here than people expect. Altitude shapes the order of the trip, Machu Picchu entry runs on timed tickets, and the best rooms and train seats go early. We handle the routing, tickets, guides and transfers so the trip moves at a sensible pace and you don't spend your first day in Cusco short of breath.
Tourism in Peru depends on a few fragile places, and how you visit them matters.
The Andes have a clear dry season and wet season.
Clear skies and the best hiking conditions. Days are warm and nights are cold at altitude. This is also the busiest time at Machu Picchu, especially June through August.
Green landscapes, some rain and fewer people. A good balance for most travelers.
The heaviest rain, especially in January and February, and the Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance. The coast and Lima, on the other hand, are at their sunniest.
Lake Titicaca sits at about 3,812 meters on the high plateau between Peru and Bolivia, and at 8,372 square kilometers it is the largest lake in South America.
The Peruvian side is reached from Puno, and the reason to go is the island communities, not the scenery alone.
Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba River, at about 2,430 meters, listed by UNESCO in 1983.
Getting the tickets, trains and where you sleep right makes the difference between a rushed visit and a good one.
The Sacred Valley follows the Urubamba River for about 60 kilometers between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It is lower than Cusco, greener, and full of Inca terraces, villages and farms.
It is also where we start most Peru trips, because the lower altitude makes the first few days much easier on the body.
Lima is where nearly every Peru trip begins and ends. The capital sits on cliffs above the Pacific, and the neighborhoods most travelers use, Miraflores and Barranco, run along the clifftop Malecón.
Most people treat it as a stopover. We think it deserves a full day or two, mainly for the food.
Every itinerary begins with a conversation. Tell us what you're dreaming of, and we'll design a journey tailored entirely to you.
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