I recently spent 18 days in Peru. I really fell in love with the friendly people, the incredible landscapes, and the delicious food. I hadn’t originally planned to spend so much time in the country, but because it happened to be one of the ‘unplanned’ portions of my trip, I found myself planning more to do inside the country. It just kept amazing me. Except for one thing. Machu Pichhu.
I’m not sure whether it was because I took in this ancient city less than 96 hours after coming down from my trip to Antarctica (I mean…what hope does Machu Picchu have when compared to Antarctica…?!), or because there is an enormous amount of hype around the city in the clouds…but whatever it was, it sort of fell flat for me. If you’re looking for something different to do in Peru (either after you’ve visited Machu Picchu, or seeking to do something else instead), check out this list below!
Visit the Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is located between Cusco and Ollantaytambo. It is ideally located on a day trip from Cusco. It features stunning scenery in the valley of the Andes, and ancient Inca villages. Some might refer to it as a ‘smaller Machu Picchu’, but due to being consistently downplayed by its more popular cousin, it is remarkably quiet, with an estimated half the number of visitors that Machu Picchu sees daily. Due to the spread-out nature of the area, and being somewhat difficult to access in a day, a tour is your best bet to do as a day trip. There are dozens of companies in Cusco that offer tours for between 25-50USD.
Engorgio yourself on street food in Lima
(Small Harry Potter référence there… 😉 10 points to Gryffindor…) Lima has some of the most delicious and most varied cuisine in Peru. Whether you crave fresh ceviche, a fried pork sandwich, or something fancier (say, at a certain 3-starred Michelin restaurant…?), you can find it in Lima. And you can find it at very reasonable prices.
Try the chacaronnes fried pork sandwich at La Lucha in Lima
Rainbow Mountain
Do you dream about visiting rainbow mountain? Do yourself a favour and check out the ‘Alternative Rainbow Mountain’ tour that takes you to Palcoyo mountain. While you don’t get the full, head-on rainbow mountain experience of Vinicunca mountain, you also don’t have to deal with poorly-maintained paths, thousands of other tourists, and blatant lies of the advertisements. Everyone should know by now that every advertisement you see regarding rainbow mountain is extremely highly edited. The colours are saturated to laughable extremes, and with the mass tourism that has hit the area, it is not going to get easier to visit.
By checking out Palcoyo instead, you’ll have a beautiful side-view of rainbow mountain, with the muted, but still beautiful, colours. You’ll have a short hike (about 50 stone stairs and as much or little of the 1km hike you feel you want to do – you can see the mountain from the parking lot, which makes it ideal for those with limited ability, or those who struggle with the altitude, which is a real issue at 5400 meters. You’ll also contribute positively to the community. At nearly double the price of regular mountain tours, it can be a tough sell to the budget-conscious traveller. But by weeding out the super budget travellers, you’ll also have a much more quiet experience. My group of four travellers arrived at the mountain at 7am; and we had the place to ourselves until we left just after 9.
Ok, I admit, I made the sky a bit bluer in this photo…only because it was a pretty dreary day…but those colours are accurate 🙂
Visit Paracas – see the penguins!
Ever since Antarctica, I’ve decided to make it my next life-goal to see all 17 species of penguin. With that goal in mind, I set off to visit Paracas; sometimes known as the ‘poor mans galapagos’. On a short boat tour out to Balestras Island, which cost about 10$, you can hope to see Humboldt Penguins, sea lions, dolphins and of course, plenty of birds.
Explore the only desert oasis in Peru
Huacachina is relatively new on the tourist track, mostly because it’s only been really affordable to the everyday adventurer for the last five years or so. Previously, it took an expensive taxi ride, followed by an even more expensive luxury hotel stay, to see this incredible lagoon. Tourism has shot through the area in a big way through. Buses are coming through the town at a steady rate; and there is no shortage of activities to do, including sand boarding, and dune-riding. There are even a few nice hostels in town to help you save even more on your stay. Just in time for another round of pisco sours, right?
Ride The Rails
Of course. Trains are going to get a shoutout here. While train travel in Peru isn’t particularly fast, or cheap, it does take you to some of the farthest reaches in the county, and along some truly beautiful scenery. The Machu Picchu train goes from Cusco to Aguascalientes (or from Ollantaytambo in the rainy season) and it goes right through a stunning series of valleys and the Andes. It is a minimum of 90 minutes of total train bliss. Another great route to explore runs from Cusco to Puno, on lake Titicaca. The route is more valley than mountain, but prepare to see some stunning Peruvian countryside.
Explore the Amazon
Peru truly has it all. Deserts, lakes, coastline, mountains, and of course, in the north, it is connected to the Amazon River. Iquitos is the most obvious jumping off point, due to having a well-located airport in town. While the town itself is certainly worth a few days to check out, the main draw is to spend some time on the river. Many tours operators are located by plaza de armas and will help set you up with anything from a simple day tour, to a luxury cruise all the way into Brazil…for a cost ;).
Explore the highest altitude lake in the world
At an altitude of just under 4000 metres (12,500 feet), lake Titicaca has the honour of being the highest lake in the world.
From Puno, you can take a boat trip out to any number of reed-islands. While some are definitely catering to tourists, there are still some unique experiences to be had, especially if you have the time to spend a night or two on one of the farther reed islands.
Explore the second largest canyon in the world
Colca Canyon is nearly twice as long, and twice as deep, as the Grand Canyon. Most people come to explore from Arequipa. It can be done as a day trip, but it is a four hour drive, each direction, and involves a very early morning.
It is much better to spend the night in one of the small towns closer to the canyon. There are a number of hostel and guest houses available, and if you book with a tour company, this is usually included with the cost of the tour.
If you’re into trekking, the canyon provides endless trails, the shorter being a day or two, up to more than a week.
Even if you aren’t a trekker, the area is famous for bird watching, excellent (and accessible!) viewpoints of the canyon, and wonderful interactions with the locals who call the surrounding area home.
There you have it! Peru is much more than Machu Picchu, and, if you’re like me and found it somewhat….less than what you expected, consider checking out the rest of what amazing Peru has to offer!
It is always wonderful to hear where you have been and see your highlights! Safe travels and stay healthy! Praying for you. Aunt Betty Ann