Whether you are considering a trip to Peru, are in the midst of planning the details, or you simply love interesting travel lists, here, we present 100 Things to Do in Peru.
Historical
- Visit Machu Picchu, one of the New7Wonders of the world.
- See Caral, the oldest city in America.
- Tour the catacombs in the San Francisco Monastery of Lima.
- Witness the Qorikancha temple, the Inca’s most sacred site.
- Visit Arequipa, the White City, home of El Misti volcano.
- Walk through Sacsayhuaman, the Inca’s great fortress.
- Take a photo by a hand-carved, 12-angle, Inca stone.
- Explore the archaeological complex called Ollantaytambo.
- Visit Tambomachay, the Inca water resort.
- Visit the Presidential Palace in the main plaza of Lima.
- Hike the vertiginous Huayna Picchu that looms behind Machu Picchu.
- Relax for a picnic in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
- Solve the mysteries of the Nazca lines in Ica.
- See a 2,000 year old salt mine.
- Admire the beauty of Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.
- Tour the National Cathedral of Perú.
- Witness Chan Chan, the largest mud-brick city in the Americas.
- See the circular Incan ruins in Moray.
- Look at the Last Supper painting in the Cusco Cathedral (the one with cuy on the table)
- Get energy from the sun-stone in Machu Picchu.
- Take a photo with the Cristo Blanco statue that looks out over Cusco.
- Take a photo of yourself in front of Machu Picchu in the “Inca King” pose.
- Hike the Inca trail, one of the top 5 treks in the world.
- Hike 2 days to Choquequirao, the “other” Machu Picchu.
- Walk the cobblestone streets of Cusco.
Nature
- Witness the Andes mountain range for yourself.
- See Colca Canyon; it is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
- Explore the depths of the Amazon.
- Glide the waters of the highest navigable freshwater lake in the world.
- Surf the longest, left-breaking wave in the world: Chicama.
- Pet a llama.
- Parasail over the green cliffs of Lima’s Costa Verde.
- See a glacier-covered mountain peak over 20,000 feet high.
- Witness an Andean Conder (8-10 foot wingspan) in flight in it’s natural habitat.
- Ride a train through the Andes mountains en route to Machu Picchu.
- Swim in natural hot springs 1,000 feet below the Machu Picchu ruins.
- Surf down the highest sand dune on the continent.
- See many of the 1,810 native birds to Perú.
- See what it feels like to walk at 11,200 feet elevation in the city of Cusco.
- Enjoy the beautiful coastline views at Larcomar in Lima.
- See a three-toed sloth in its native jungle environment.
- Hold a boa constrictor snake in the Amazon.
- Experience all four seasons in one day at Cusco.
- Visit the Rainbow Mountain
- White-water raft through one of the world’s deepest canyons.
- See the Gocta waterfalls (over 2,500 foot drop).
- Hike from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu in under an hour.
- Search for caimans at night in the Amazon.
- Spend a night in the Sacred Valley just for a view of the stars at night.
- Take a bus to see the turquoise lake in Huaraz.
Food & Drink
- Eat Ceviche Peruano.
- Drink Chicha Morada.
- Try cuy (cooked guinea pig).
- See if you like Inca Kola.
- Try the Camu-camu fruit of the Amazon.
- Taste the Peruvian/Chinese dish, Lomo Saltado.
- Try the hot Rocoto pepper.
- Eat Lúcuma, a subtropical fruit native to Perú.
- Eat Paiche, the world’s largest fresh water fish, found in the Amazon river.
- Try the Peruvian favorite: Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken).
- Eat a choclo, with it’s enormous corn kernels.
- Try a stuffed churro in Lima at Manolo’s
- Drink the famous Pisco Sour.
- Try one of more than 3,000 varieties of the potato.
- Eat the famous Peruvian anticucho; a.k.a. cow heart.
- Buy fresh bread each morning from a bakery.
- Try pure, delicious chocolate just hours away from where the cacao was harvested.
- Taste a quinoa dish in it’s homeland.
- Try slow-cooked pork in Cusco.
- Try the Cusco flatbread.
- Taste an alpaca steak.
- Try picarones, the Peruvian doughnut, for dessert. Or for an appetizer. Or entree.
- Eat the staple meal in every Peruvian home: Aji de Gallina.
- Fish for piranhas.
- Shop at an artisan market.
Local
- Stay in Cusco, the navel of the world.
- Pet a Peruvian hairless dog.
- Visit Iquitos, the largest city in the world inaccessible by car.
- See the famous Peruvian Marinera dance.
- Read El Peruano, the oldest newspaper in Latin America.
- See the Peruvian paso horse, which has the smoothest gait of any breed of horse.
- Participate in the age-old celebration of Inti Raymi.
- Take a $1.25 taxi ride in Cusco.
- Dance on stage at a peña in Lima.
- Practice your Spanish skills.
- See Lima’s award-winning water fountain park.
- Watch a soccer match in the national stadium.
- Go to the movie theater for $3.50.
- Buy a pair of hand-made leather shoes for $70 or less.
- Listen to the famous Peruvian Criollo music.
- Visit La Punta.
- Buy alpaca socks.
- Play soccer with the locals.
- Shop at the world-famous Pisac artisan market.
- Walk by “malecón” of Miraflores and Barranco.
- Visit Trujillo, the city of Eternal Spring.
- Learn a few words in the Quechua dialect.
- Stay at a resort on the white beaches of Mancora.
- Light off fireworks at midnight on Christmas.
- Visit the Treehouse Lodge
Happy Travels…