Peru

Peru’s not just Lima and Machu Picchu—epic hikes, mysterious ruins, charming towns and incredible lakes are just some of the places you need to visit in Peru. These are the spots we think you really need to see.

Let’s get right to the good stuff, followed by some general info about Lima like safety, hotels and how to get around, where I make Lima out to be truly terrible. Enjoy!

You’ll find yourself charmed with Arequipa especially at sunset, where the white façades of the historical buildings are lit up. Here are the best things to do in Arequipa according to yours truly.

When you think of Paracas, imagine a place where the desert meets the ocean, with incredible landscapes, marine life, adrenaline-pumping paddleboarding, great seafood, and, unfortunately, mediocre beer.

Can the Islas Ballestas really measure up to the Galapagos? What’s the Ballestas Islands boat tour like, and why are these islands packed with marine life? 

I thought Machu Picchu would be lame and overhyped. A bunch of old rocks, some llamas, and a million tourists? I wasn’t buying it. But it’s downright amazing! Machu Picchu is a bucket-list place.

Machu Picchu can be a year-round destination if you aren’t afraid of a little rain. Learn about the different seasons, weather patterns, crowds, and the best times of day to visit for the optimal experience.

In true Next Level fashion, I did the Vinicunca hike without a tour. I rented a car in Cusco and drove, hiked, and got mountain sickness all on my own. Here are 3 options for your own Rainbow Mountain hike.

A lot of travelers use the Sacred Valley as a warm-up for Machu Picchu. And yes, I totally get it. But don’t rush through the Sacred Valley like it’s a pit stop! It’s a fantastic destination in its own right.

No trip to Peru is complete without exploring the ancient ruins. Discover the best remnants of the Inca Empire In Sacred Valley, and elsewhere, learn how pre-Inca cultures once thrived (and how they fell).

Fancy an Inca terrace or two on an easy day trip from Cusco?  An experimental farm (Moray) and a mountain slope full of salt pools (Maras) await you in the Andean region of Peru. Inca terraces for everyone!

Most people arrive in Cusco just to see Machu Picchu. But soon they discover that Cusco is a fantastic destination itself with irresistible day trip possibilities. Let’s take a look at the best of them.

Cusco is one of the very few cities in the Americas that I think are worth spending more than 1 day exploring. Cusco is in the perfect location to make it a hub for seeing the surrounding highlights of the highlands.

Ollantaytambo is just a blip on the radar for some while it gets remembered by others as the best views in Peru. The first group is just boarding a train to Machu Picchu while the second visits Ollantaytambo ruins.

The Nazca lines are a collection of hundreds of unusual geoglyphs (designs produced on the ground) in the middle of Peruvian desert. For years, scientists have been wondering about the origin of these mysterious images.