Peru Route & Recommendations
Peru. I’m smiling just writing this. I LOVE PERU!!!
The mountains, deserts, forests, people, markets, llamas, lakes… it has everything. Except good food for me (not a big ceviche fan). The climates range so vastly that you can go from standing on top of a sand dune to climbing a snowy mountain in a matter of days.
This was my favourite country we visited in South America. I felt more like myself in Peru than the countries north of here, with the hiking and a break from the sticky hot beach activities. I also felt safer, which enabled me to be more relaxed as I roamed around with my camera in the open.
Whether you’re doing a two-week trip or a full-time backpacker, there is something for everyone in Peru.
TWO WEEKS IN peru: the ROUTE
Time of Year: October
Lima: 2 Days
Paracas & Islas Ballestas: 2 Days
Also known as “The Poor Man’s Galapagos”
Huacachina: 2 Days
A tiny oasis town in the middle of the desert
Cusco: 5 Days
The base for exploring The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu & Salkantay: 5 Days
A five-day trek to Machu Picchu
Cusco: 2 Days
Stopover before heading south to Bolivia
Lima
We flew to Lima for a quick stopover before heading out to Paracas. Lots of people fly directly to Cusco if they’re short on time, but I was desperate to check out Huacachina, the tiny oasis town in the middle of the desert, so we started in Lima instead.
The capital of Peru, Lima is one of South America’s largest cities. It’s not the most exciting place compared to what’s ahead, so I’d recommend only spending a day or two here then heading south!
Things To Do
Walk along the Malecon (walking path) from Miraflores to Barranco. This will take you all day, as you’ll be stopping multiple times along the way. You can go even farther south than Barranco, but stop here because it’s a cool area with trendy restaurants, museums and architecture.
Go paragliding in Miraflores. If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush and have the cash, go for it! Prices were $110USD for ten minutes. If you know us, you can probably guess this was way out of our tiny budget.
Skip the markets. They felt much too touristy, and are expensive compared to the ones in Cusco. Don’t waste your time doing this here.
See the famous cat park, Parque Kennedy. Nothing amazing here, but it felt kind of wrong skipping it because where else do a bunch of wild cats live in a city park garden?
The Cathedral and Plaza de Armas are a 2 hour walk from the coast, so we didn't have time to go but if you have more than a day this could be a fun activity.
Chill out. Chances are you’ll have a busy few days ahead of you, so take advantage of this time to rest up.
Islas Ballestas (“Poor Man’s Galapagos”)
Islas Ballestas are a bunch of islands off the coast of Peru that are inhabited by thousands of birds and seals. We stayed in Paracas, a crappy town used as the launchpad for the Islas Ballestas tours. After a night wandering around looking for a decently priced restaurant with good vibes (not possible) we went off in small boats to witness the animals in their natural habitat. Being there, it was pretty incredible to see the birds forming patterns in the sky, and seals soaking up the morning sun. But honestly, looking back it wasn’t really worth the trouble of getting there.
HUACACHINA
Yes, you have to go. It’s worth it.
Staring down from the top of a sand dune at this little oasis in the middle of the Peruvian desert feels like you’re in a movie set. According to Peruvian legend, the lagoon was formed by the tears of a beautiful green-eyed woman who wept after the death of her husband. Although it’s mostly for tourism and there's not much to actually do in-town, exploring the surrounding sand dunes is an experience within itself. Two days would be enough time.
Where We Stayed
Wild Olive Guesthouse: Recommend
Things To Do
Sandboarding. I was so preoccupied with desert photography that we didn’t end up having time for sandboarding, which is typically on the top of a backpacker’s list. We did hear that Desert Adventures was the best company to go with, and 2 hours is better than just 1. Apparently you should do the 4pm tour since the temperatures have cooled down and you have the sunset in the background.
Watch the sunset from the very top of the sand dune. Walk up to the top of the one on the right of town (same as Wild Olive) for the best view. I was absolutely freaking out by the scenery, and a guy was playing his guitar which made it even better. Give yourself enough time to get up there because it’s harder than it looks….
Explore the sand dunes during the day on your own at no cost with no one around. Bring a zip lock bag to put your camera or phone in since there is sand everywhere. Wear running shoes instead of flip flops.
Go to the rooftop pool behind the Desert Nights Hostel. Fun vibes and we were the only foreigners there surprisingly. We didn’t have to pay because it’s the same owner as the Wild Olive Guesthouse.
How To Get There
From Paracas (Islas Ballestas):
Get the bus from Paracas to Ica (1 hour) then take a 10-min taxi from Ica to Huacachina for 10 soles
From Lima:
Get the bus early (6 or 7am) and do sand boarding on first day at 4pm, then leave next day
Can either take the Peru Hop bus directly there from Lima or a public bus with Cruz del Sur from Lima to Ica, then a 10-min taxi from Ica to Huacachina for 10 soles. The first Cruz del Sur bus leaves at 6am and 7am, then 1pm. Here’s a helpful link.
cusco & The Sacred Valley
Cusco is the starting point to the most popular activity in Peru - visiting Machu Picchu. Once the capital of the Incan Empire, it’s likely that any visitor to Peru will end up in Cusco. The Sacred Valley, just outside of Cusco, is also filled with fascinating scenery and cultural significance.
While I’ve heard mixed reviews on Cusco itself, I really enjoyed it. It may have been the buzzing anticipation of our upcoming multi-day trek, but I was intrigued by its colonial architecture and surrounding archaeological ruins.
Things To Do
In Cusco
Visit San Pedro Market, which has a combination of local stalls and those meant for tourists. Browse the array of chocolate, fruit, meats, clothes, textiles and souvenirs then have lunch beside the locals. Beware of the meat section with fully-intact cow heads though.
Walk up to the viewpoint behind the Plaza des Armas (main square) for a good view of the city. We walked up a street on the left side of the Scotiabank in the main square to get there.
Meet a llama and alpaca. We found them in a little garden in the alleyway to the right of Starbucks near Plaza des Armas. The woman who owns them just takes them there for tourists to take pictures of, and you have to pay her a tip, but it felt like a must-do while in Peru.
Eat lunch at Green Point. Well, only if you’re looking for something healthy and familiar. I was constantly on the hunt for fresh vegetarian meals, so when a friend recommended this place and their multi-course deal, I had to go.
Research and book your visit to Machu Picchu. See here for a detailed post on Trekking Vs Training.
In Sacred Valley
Visit the Salt Pools (Salineras de Maras). These ancient salt mines are worth visiting. Only an hour outside of Cusco, you’ll get to see thousands of salt pools covering a hillside. These have been there since Incan times, but it’s still a working salt mine. We saw people riding bikes on the way to the pools which would be a fun alternative to the bus.
Stroll through Pisac Market. Honestly, it’s super touristy and definitely not as authentic as other markets (like San Pedro in Cusco). But it’s huge and has some great textiles to bring home.
Spend the afternoon in Chinchero. We drove by this town on the way to both Pisac and the Salt Flats, and it seemed really interesting. Apparently you can watch local women dye alpaca wool and learn how they process it.
Where We Stayed
Air Bnb: Recommend
This is when we started going for AirBnbs instead of hostels as we found it more interesting to meet locals instead of sleeping near a bunch of other backpackers. The place we chose in Cusco had the nicest couple, Eduardo and Kettlin, who cooked a wonderful breakfast each morning.
How To Get There
Here comes the fun part - hopping on a 15 hour bus ride from Huacahina to Cusco. Alternatively, you can bus north to Pisco then fly, but the cheapest option was the bus so we went for it. Honesty, I didn’t hate it. An opportunity to sit down and journal, listen to podcasts, read, and sleep.
machu Picchu
From the amount of photos I’d seen of Machu Picchu on Instagram, I felt like I had already been. I was worried it would feel too overrated. But this place blew me away!
We decided to take the trail slightly less-travelled and do four days on the Salkantay route instead of the classic Inca Trail. It was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip. We slept in glass sky domes and straw huts, hiking in altitudes higher than I’d ever been. We stood by a lake considered so sacred you can’t swim in it, and participated in Quechuan rituals to give thanks to the mountain gods. On the last day we climbed hundreds of stairs and got to explore the extraordinary Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.
We spent an afternoon bouncing between all the trekking companies to find one that felt like the best fit. Eventually we landed on Salkantay Trekking, and I am so happy that we did. Note that you can typically negotiate a cheaper price for the trip in-person instead of booking online. We paid $400 each.
The Salkantay Trek (3-7 Days)
See my Trekking Vs Training to Machu Picchu post for more details on why we chose this route over the Inca Trail and what it entailed.
Arrival At Machu Picchu
Once you get to this phenomenal place, you’ll likely be with a guide from your trek who can tell you about the history and show you the grounds. After that, if you’re up for a challenge and the weather is in your favour, I would recommend hiking up the “Machu Picchu Montaña”. This will give you an extraordinary view of the ruins below, and make you feel like you’re in the clouds. But be warned - this was honestly one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done (the steepness, elevation level, and heat were not the greatest combination). But it was magical!!