Peru’s capital is a fantastic city to tour, dotted with a multitude of cultural sites and beautifully preserved architecture. Founded by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima was first named ‘City of Kings’ – a biblical reference to the ‘Three Wise Men of the East’ – before its name was changed by the Spanish colonialists. The most significant historical buildings are located around the Plaza Mayor, the most notable being the Government Palace, where one can still observe the changing of the guard performed by the Húsares de Junín. The beautiful Cathedral and the various small palaces and colonial balconies also play also their part in the beauty of the city. Another highlight is the famed Larco Herrera Museum, documenting the millennial cultures that preceded the Inca civilization and containing a priceless collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, including some of South America's finest pre-Inca erotic pottery.
Also known as Urabamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is located in the Peruvian Andes, beneath the world famous site of Machu Picchu and not far from Cuzco, the unofficial Inca capital. This fertile valley is fed by a network of waterways and encompasses a wealth of archaeological sites, including Ollantaytambo, renowned for its extensive Inca ruins; Moray , which features ancient agricultural terracing and a working irrigation system; and Pisac, with its ancient vestiges and colourful weekly market.
These remote mountains reveal an authentic side of Peru, where visitors can look forward to exploring this off the beaten track area and venture into traditional Peru. Highlights include Chonta, located only three hours from Cusco with a panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountainrange on one side and the Apurimac Canyon on the other. Ayacucho with its captivating colonial churches and fascinating museums, local specialities, incredible views, adventurous local bus rides, the Wari ruins, the Río Mantaro valley, the fantastic high-quality handicrafts, and more.
Once called the ‘Navel of the World’ by the Incas, Cusco rises in the southern Andes of Peru, where colonial grandeur meets the enduring stonework of the Inca Empire. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it serves as the main gateway to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and surrounding ruins. At its centre, the Plaza de Armas—once Huacaypata—remains alive with cafés, arcades, and the 16th-century Cusco Cathedral, built from Sacsayhuamán’s stones. Nearby, the San Blas district unfolds with whitewashed adobe houses, blue balconies, and workshops where artisans craft metalwork, woodcarvings, and sacred art. Across the city, layers of history reveal themselves in landmarks such as the Korikancha, the Inca street of Hatun Rumiyoc with its twelve-angled stone, the Museum of Colonial Art, and the ancient shrines and water temples scattered through the surrounding hills.
This massive 1.5 million hectare park is internationally recognised as one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet. Situated in the south of Peru, in the eastern sector of the Andes mountain range and bordering the Amazon basin, it covers the full range of environments, from the cloud forest down to the meandering waters of the humid tropical rain forest. These successive tiers of vegetation provide many distinct habitats for an extraordinary array of exotic animals, including 221 species of mammal and 850 species of bird. It is not uncommon for visitors to spot spider monkeys, giant armadillos, giant otters, large flocks of macaws and even the odd jaguar. Several native tribes continue to live inside the park, some of which have had minimal contact with outsiders.
As previously described
As previously described
Puerto Maldonado, a port city in Southeastern Peru, is primarily a kick-off point to some of Peru’s most pristine Amazon jungle destinations. However, the town’s laid-back atmosphere, vibrant nightlife and unique cultural flavour is making it an increasingly popular tourist hub. It’s a bustling town that offers easy access to the virgin jungle along the Tambopata River, as well as through the Inketerra Ecological Reserve, Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, and Tambopata National Reserve. These protected areas encompass some of the most pristine primary rainforests on the planet, and are home to an astonishing array of exotic animals, birds, trees and flowers.
As previously described
