100 Things to do in Peru

Whether you are considering a trip to Peru, are in the midst of planning the details, or you simply love interesting lists, here, we present 100 Things to Do in Peru.

Here are 100 things to do in your next trip to Peru

Historical

1. Visit Machu Picchu, one of the New7Wonders of the world.
2. See Caral, the oldest city in America.
3. Tour the catacombs in the San Francisco Monastery of Lima.
4. Witness the Qorikancha temple, the Inca’s most sacred site.
5. Visit Arequipa, the White City, home of El Misti volcano.
6. Walk through Sacsayhuaman, the Inca’s great fortress.
7. Take a photo by a hand-carved, 12-angle, Inca stone.
8. Explore the archaeological complex called Ollantaytambo.
9. Visit Tambomachay, the Inca water resort.
10. Visit the Presidential Palace in the main plaza of Lima.
11. Hike the vertiginous Huayna Picchu that looms behind Machu Picchu.
12. Relax for a picnic in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
13. Solve the mysteries of the Nazca lines.
14. See a 2,000 year old salt mine.
15. Admire the beauty of Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.
16. Tour the National Cathedral of Perú.
17. Witness Chan Chan, the largest mud-brick city in the Americas.
18. See the circular Incan ruins in Moray.
19. Look at the Last Supper painting in the Cusco Cathedral (the one with cuy on the table)
20. Get energy from the sun-stone in Machu Picchu.
21. Take a photo with the Cristo Blanco statue that looks out over Cusco.
22. Take a photo of yourself in front of Machu Picchu in the “Inca King” pose.
23. Hike the Inca trail, one of the top 5 treks in the world.
24. Hike 2 days to Choquequirao, the “other” Machu Picchu.
25. Walk the cobblestone streets of Cusco.

Nature

26. Witness the Andes mountain range for yourself.
27. See Colca Canyon; it is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
28. Explore the depths of the Amazon.
29. Glide the waters of the highest navigable freshwater lake in the world.
30. Surf the longest, left-breaking wave in the world.
31. Pet a llama.
32. Parasail over the green cliffs of Lima’s Costa Verde.
33. See a glacier-covered mountain peak over 20,000 feet high.
34. Witness an Andean Conder (8-10 foot wingspan) in flight in it’s natural habitat.
35. Ride a train through the Andes mountains en route to Machu Picchu.
36. Swim in natural hot springs 1,000 feet below the Machu Picchu ruins.
37. Surf down the highest sand dune on the continent.
38. See many of the 1,810 native birds to Perú.
39. See what it feels like to walk at 11,200 feet elevation in the city of Cusco.
40. Enjoy the beautiful coastline views at Larcomar in Lima.
41. See a three-toed sloth in its native jungle environment.
42. Hold a boa constrictor snake in the Amazon.
43. Experience all four seasons in one day at Cusco.
44. Take a photo with a llama.
45. White-water raft through one of the world’s deepest canyons.
46. See the Gocta waterfalls (over 2,500 foot drop).
47. Hike from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu in under an hour.
48. Search for caimans at night in the Amazon.
49. Spend a night in the Sacred Valley just for a view of the stars at night.
50. Take a bus to see the turquoise lake in Huaraz.

Peruvian Food & Drinks

51. Eat Ceviche Peruano.
52. Drink Chicha Morada.
53. Try cuy (cooked guinea pig).
54. See if you like Inca Kola.
55. Try the Camu-camu fruit of the Amazon.
56. Taste the Peruvian/Chinese dish, Lomo Saltado.
57. Try the hot Rocoto pepper.
58. Eat Lúcuma, a subtropical fruit native to Perú.
59. Eat Paiche, the world’s largest fresh water fish, found in the Amazon river.
60. Try the Peruvian favorite: Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken).
61. Eat a choclo, with it’s enormous corn kernels.
62. Try a stuffed churro in Lima at Manolo’s
63. Drink the famous Pisco Sour.
64. Try one of more than 3,000 varieties of the potato.
65. Eat the famous Peruvian anticucho; a.k.a. cow heart.
66. Buy fresh bread each morning from a bakery.
67. Try pure, delicious chocolate just hours away from where the cacao was harvested.
68. Taste a quinoa dish in it’s homeland.
69. Try slow-cooked pork in Cusco.
70. Try the Cusco flatbread.
71. Taste an alpaca steak.
72. Try picarones, the Peruvian doughnut, for dessert.  Or for an appetizer.  Or entree.
73. Eat the staple meal in every Peruvian home: Aji de Gallina.
74. Fish for piranhas.
75. Shop at an artisan market.

Local Activities

76. Stay in Cusco, the navel of the world.
77. Pet a Peruvian hairless dog.
78. Visit Iquitos, the largest city in the world inaccessible by car.
79. See the famous Peruvian Marinera dance.
80. Read El Peruano, the oldest newspaper in Latin America.
81. See the Peruvian paso horse, which has the smoothest gait of any breed of horse.
82. Participate in the age-old celebration of Inti Raymi.
83. Take a $1.25 taxi ride in Cusco.
84. Dance on stage at a peña in Lima.
85. Practice your Spanish skills.
86. See Lima’s award-winning water fountain park.
87. Watch a soccer match in the national stadium.
88. Go to the movie theater for $3.50.
89. Buy a pair of hand-made leather shoes for $70 or less.
90. Listen to the famous Peruvian Criollo music.
91. Chase pigeons in front of any cathedral.
92. Buy alpaca socks.
93. Play soccer with the locals.
94. Shop at the world-famous Pisac artisan market.
95. Get a 1-hour massage for $15USD.
96. Visit Trujillo, the city of Eternal Spring.
97. Learn a few words in the Quechua dialect.
98. Stay at a resort on the white beaches of Mancora.
99. Light off fireworks at midnight on Christmas.
100. Stay at Treehouse Lodge in one of the 12 treehouses in the middle of the Amazon.

Happy Travels…