Peru is a country rich in history and culture. It is also home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From the snow capped mountains of the Andes to the tropical rainforests of the Amazon.
This beautiful country is on many people’s bucket list and I couldn’t agreee more. Besides Machu Picchu and The Rainbow Mountain, Peru has much more to offer than these two beautiful landscapes. The mysterious Nazca lines, the most impressive Huacachina desert or colonial streets where you can imagine yourself back in time.
Weeks are not enough to absorb all the beauty of Peru, so you will have to make choices. I followed the map and did the following route in 4 weeks.
Lima
If you take a flight to Peru, your trip will likely start in Lima. I didn’t think Lima was that special. I was pretty done after one day. Miraflores and Barranco on the other hand, are two lively neighbourhoods where you can enjoy yourself for a day or two with art and tasty restaurants.
Tours
The Free Walking tour is a good start to learn a little more about Lima’s history. Spend hours through the streets of Lima and get carried away by both colonial and modern buildings. Can’t get enough of this? Then you can also do the food and art tour!
Restaurants/cafes
KO Asian Kitchen is located in the Larcomar shopping center. This cozy restaurant has something for everyone. Sushi, poké bowls, dim sum, noodles, meat, vegetarian options: the menu list is endless and delicious. Making plans for a second visit is guaranteed.
A busy restaurant where you can order nice coffee and watch people while enjoying your breakfast or lunch. The menu varies from filled sandwiches to salad bowls with plenty of vegetarian options.
Maido is one of the best restaurants in Peru and has even won several awards. The combination of Japanese and Peruvian food is something you have never tasted and seen before. To add to that, your food and the accompanying cocktail are served in the most creative way. Yes, it’s expensive. But why take a nice trip if you can’t treat yourself every once in a while?
Hostel
I stayed in the Lima White House hostel. They immediately make you feel like you’re home instead of a random hostel. The hostel can be found in a quiet area that is still centrally located. The owner is a helpful man who is always asking how you are and if you needed help with anything. Not too fancy, but a great place for a few nights.
- Price
Dorm: € 6-10 per night.
Private room: € 25-36 per night.
Huaraz
Huaraz is a small town and a 8-hour drive from Lima. Huaraz is located at an altitude of 3000 meters and is surrounded by breathtaking mountains. When you arrive in Huaraz it’s very important to acclimate the first few days, so that you can get used to the altitude. Some people don’t have the time (or patient) to wait and start hiking immediately. Pay attention to any altitude sickness when you start hiking. In any case, drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.
Tours/hikes
I only did the Laguna 69 hike from Huaraz and I’m going to be really honest with you: the altitude on the way up to Laguna 69 is killing. Everyone in my group had a hard time (especially me). Fit or un fit: be prepared!! Even so, this is probably one of the best hikes in Huaraz that you should really do. The hike up is about 3 hours, but you go from 3000 to 4600 meters in those three hours, making the hike much harder.
For me this was both the worst and one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done. I accepted the fact that the hike was so hard, but we had a tour guide who made it almost impossible for me to keep myself motivated.
He had to stay behind because I was the last person (a few local people behind me gave up after 30 minutes). Due to the altitude I had problems with my breathing, which made me go even slower than normal (and that is already quite slow). And he kept saying that I had to walk back, because he could see that it was too hard for me, blabla. It was by far the most demotivating guide I ever had.
But I always finish what I start. No matter how hard it is. I kindly asked the tour guide to fuck off and leave me alone. Obviously I’ve reached the finish line. Never let yourself be demotivated by bitter and negative people!! Yes: the hike is fucking tough and yes: you will think that you will never get to the finish line, but only you yourself can think that way about yourself! Let the negativity of others be your motivation.
In hindsight I would have liked to do more hikes, like Laguna Paron and Laguna Churup, but I was so physically broken by Laguna 69 that I was done with Huaraz and hikes for a while. Especially since I knew I had Machu Piccu and The Rainbow Mountain ahead a week later.
- Price
I booked Laguna 69 through the Akilpo hostel in Huaraz for 10 USD.
Restaurants/cafes
California Café is the only cafe in Huaraz where I spent a lot of time. The menu is very extensive. You can count on fresh sandwiches, pancakes, salads, bagels, vegetarian options and the tastiest smoothies and coffee. Don’t forget to try the Belgian Waffles! They are delicious.
In Huaraz it is a matter of walking the long shopping street and see what attracts you in terms of food. I didn’t think the food was very special, because it was very unhealthy. Fried everything etc. So my choice often was a late lunch at California Café and a snack in the evening.
Hostel
I stayed at the Akilpo hostel. To be fair, there were only a few options in terms of hostels that looked “okay”. Akilpo hostel is cheap and great to stay for a few days. You can book all tours and hikes here for reasonable prices.
- Price
Dorm: € 5-9 per night.
Private room: € 13-17 per night.
Paracas/Ica
Paracas is a 3-hour drive from Lima. This small coastal town is known for its beaches and the uninhabited Ballestas Islands where you can see sea lions, pelicans, penguins and plenty of other wildlife. Paracas is often done as a day trip from Huacachina, but is also a good choice to relax for a few days.
Tours/hikes
I haven’t done any tours myself, because I was not feeling well when I was in Paracas. The best tour you can do from Paracas is to visit the Ballestas Islands and the National Reserve. These islands are seen as the cheaper version of Galapagos. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to walk around this island and you have to see all the wild life from a boat.
Restaurants/cafes
I think I have never seen so many smoothie options as Fruzion offers. The dozens of flavors make it impossible to make a choice or even come up with a combination. And when you do finally make that choice, you still have to choose your meal. Trust me when I say you’ll be here for a few hours. This was by far my favorite spot in Paracas.
Although I’m not vegan, vegan spots always grab my attention. Overlooking the sea, this is a wonderful place to relax. In addition to the fixed vegan menu, they also have a number of things on the menu that are not vegan!
Hostel
I stayed at the Kokopelli hostel. This hostel has several branches in Peru that are very popular. This hostel is a 50-meter walk from the bus stop and is very central. Restaurants and the sea are within walking distance. Unfortunately, this sea reminded me of the sea in the Netherlands. Gray and dirty. The hostel has a great swimming pool, very good food and nightly activities which can be very loud.
- Price
Dorm: € 7-12 per night.
Private room: € 24-33 per night.
Ica/Huacachina
If you don’t like hiking at all, then a visit to Huacachina is definitely worth a visit. Huacachina is 1.5 hours from Paracas. Just outside the dull city of Ica you will find a green oasis, which is surrounded by the village of Huacachina and some stray palm trees. The beautiful desert (which is unfortunately overcrowded and full of trash) gives you a breathtaking view that makes you forget the number of people around you.
Tours
I stayed one night in Huacachina, so I only did one tour and that was of course sandboarding and touring around the desert with a buggy. The great thing about this tour is that you leave just before sunset. A beautiful closing day is guaranteed!
The other activities that were offered for free were a wine tasting and a barbecue.
- Price
The sandboarding + buggy tour and wine tasting are included for free with every night you book in Banana’s Adventure. This is also the reason why the hostel is slightly more expensive than usual. There are several hostels / hotels in Huacachina that offer this (1 night = 1 activity). Usually this will be displayed during booking.
Restaurants/cafes
There are only a few restaurants in Huacachina, so you don’t have much choice. A lot of them are takeout and the menus usually consist rice, fried banana and a small salad. Fortunately, most hotels and hostels have in-house restaurants that are great.
Hostel
I stayed in Banana’s Adventure. This is cozy hostel with a swimming pool and the best food ever. For hostel standards, Bananas certainly had a good chef. I could never decide what I wanted to eat, because there were so many great options on their menu. When you book Banana’s Adventure you get a free tour with every night you book (highly recommended).
- Price
Dorm: € 13-15 per night.
Private room: € 19-43 per night.
Cusco
At an altitude of 3500 meters you will find Cusco: a beautiful city that used to be the capital of the Inca Empire. The inventive architecture, which the Incas were known for, can be seen everywhere in the old buildings. Many people see Cusco as a base for Machu Picchu, while in addition to the day trips you can stay here for a week without getting bored. Plaza de Armas, San Pedro Market and the many colonial streets are places where you can wander for hours in the sun.
I was in Peru for a month before hell broke out and I got stuck in Cusco. I can tell you that being stuck for 3,5 weeks in a country where the Corona measures are very strict is quite depressing. No independent groceries, no outside air (except the garden in the hostel) and police who were trying to prevent group formation.
Kokopelli Hostel was already my home for 5 weeks, so I was very happy that I could finally leave the hostel after so long. It did mean the end of the trip and going back to the Netherlands, but that was probably better than the lockdown situation in Peru.
Fortunately, I ended my trip with a few nice hikes that I was able to do from Cusco.
Tours/hikes
I did two hikes from Cusco. The Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. Both very popular.
The Rainbow Mountain
The Rainbow Mountain, also called Montaña de Siete Colores or Mountain of Seven Colors) is a 3-hour drive from Cusco. At an altitude of 5200 meters, you will find the world famous, 7-colored Rainbow Mountain. The reason why this mountain is called the 7-colored mountain is because there is an abundance of copper, iron and malachite in the ground. This was not visible until a few years ago, because the mountains were covered by a layer of ice. However, due to global warming, this has started to melt and this beautiful spot has become a tourist attraction.
The Rainbow Mountain was higher in height than Laguna 69 in Huaraz. However, the hike was much easier. The path was gradual, so your heavy breathing was actually the only serious problem you had. The last piece on the other hand: KILLING. I really thought: here we fucking go again, after I swore I wouldn’t do this to myself again after Laguna 69.
Luckily the guide had some florida water for me. You put some water in your hands and you breathe it in deeply through your nose. After that everything opens up and you can breathe better. This really saved me to finish the last steep part.
Many people stop after they have reached The Rainbow Mountain, but if you walk back down the steep bit and up on the other side, you walk towards the Red Valley. I can tell you I found the Red Valley ten times more impressive than The Rainbow Mountain, so I definitely recommend this. It might take an extra half hour to walk.
- Price
Entire day: 27 USD.
Machu Picchu
Everyone knows Machu Picchu. If it is not from pictures, you will definitely know it by name. Machu Picchu is historical Inca city that has been on the Unesco World Heritage List since 1983. This breathtaking place was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
There are several scientific theories about the function of the city in the past. For example, that it was a country residence for kings or that it would be a fortress to defend the Inca Empire. We can keep guessing, but what I think we can all agree on is that Machu Picchu is breathtakingly beautiful.
Various tour companies offer a hike or multiply day trek to Machu Picchu. Such as the Inca Jungle trail, the Salcantay trek and a 1-, 2-, 3 or 4-day tour. In the end I opted for the 2-day tour. I was going to do the the 4-day Inca Jungle trail, because the trail offers a lot of activities and the hike is not as difficult as the Salcantay trek.
Unfortunately, this tour has been canceled last minute due to landslides. A lot of rain had fallen and a number of people had gone missing, forcing them to temporarily cancel the multi-day trek. It was also the rainy season, of course, so the locals knew what they were dealing with.
The 2-day tour basically means that you have to sit on your ass in a van for 8 hours on the first day, and then walk for 4 hours to Hidro Elctrica. Obviously, you could also take the train instead of walk, but of course we have to show a bit of effort. You arrive at the hotel completely exhausted and then you can go to sleep for 5 hours. The next morning you need to do a little hike up to Machu Picchu. This is around 1600 steps on steep stairs.
As a group we decided last minute not to make that huge climb and take the bus. Yes, super lazy. But then we could sleep a little longer. It was the best choice ever, because the way back down was already so hard and really bad for my knees and legs. Anyway, I can’t complain. I did it. End of story.
If you like to plan, I would say, book in advance. But if you like to do everything on a budget, I would say, wait until you are in Cusco and compare / negotiate with the travel companies. I never negotiate myself. Give those people the money that they deserve. They already earn ten times less than we do.
I booked all of the above with Machu Picchu Reservations. This is a good company with great people. The tour guides were very sweet and helpful. (The necessary motivation was of course desperately needed). When I arrived in Cusco I walked to their office and booked everything 1 or 2 days in advance.
- Price
2 days, 1 night
Train: 289 USD
Bus: 90 USD
Restaurants/cafes
This was one of those days where I was disappointed that I couldn’t order 10 things, because the menu was so good. Paella, soup, lasagna, pasta: you name it and you will be served the perfect vegan meal.
You would think that the restaurants primary focus is coffee, but this is not true. This cozy Italian restaurant serves the best pasta in town. All the meals I have seen passing by – when I was waiting for my own food – looked top notch. Definitely recommended if you are inclined to a different kitchen.
Many people do not eat sushi abroad when there is no sea nearby. Aka no fresh fish. I took the risk to order sushi in addition to my plate of noodles and it was delicious. Accidentally came back 3 times in the same week, I liked it that much. (This was also my last time out for dinner before hell broke loose aka this hell of a pandemic).
Hostel
I ended up staying at the Kokopelli hostel for 5 weeks because Peru went completely red during the lockdown. Besides the spacious dorms, the comfortable beds, the warm (clean!!) showers and the delicious food, the staff was so sweet and so accommodating. They eventually were stuck with us in the hostel, but they did everything they could to make us feel at home. I never had the feeling that I was missing something.
The 3 weeks that we were in lockdown, I mainly isolated myself, while everyone was socializing with each other. Besides the socializing with my dorm mates and a number of Dutch people, I had a great time with my tv shows and facetime calls with my 6 friends in the Netherlands.
And even then, there were employees who came into my room to ask if I was okay and if I needed anything. I will never forget that. When we were finally able to go home after 2 weeks, we even got a nice discount on the extra nights. This says enough about Peruvian people and their hospitality.
- Price
Dorm: € 5-13 per night.
Private room: € 14-22 per night.
Extra curriculum
Ayahuasca
Are you looking for some inner piece or are you just curious about whatever the fuck there is besides the three-dimensional existence, then I definitely recommend an ayahuasca adventure at Wilkamayu Spirit.
Don’t expect too much, because some people have a more intense experience than others. What you probably should know is that you’ll be served a drink that tastes like blood and death. That disgusting drink will make you puke out your guts and with a bit of luck you’ll shit all over the place. But hey: at least the toxins will leave your body. Let’s just say -it’s for the sake of an odd experience. Do your own research before you start this beautiful adventure, so you know what to expect.
My own experience was mediocre, but at the same time it wasn’t. I ‘didn’t ‘feel’ and experience that much and I didn’t have any hallucinations, while two people next to me had gone to the moon and back. I did puke my guts out on both days though.
I believe that what I did felt had answered the questions I had at the time. The inner peace I experienced in the weeks that followed I can not describ in words. Which made the experience beautiful anyway, despite the fact that I only had a 30-minute expierence in a 2×6 hours ‘trip’.
- Price
3-day Ayahuasca Ceremony
1100 / s = 285 USD
3 days and 2 ceremonies. This includes a 2-night stay and food.
5-day Ayahuasca Ceremony
1600 / s = 415 USD
5 days and 3 ceremonies. This includes 4-night accommodation and food.
6-day Ayahuasca Ceremony
2000 / s = 519 USD
6 days and 4 ceremonies. This includes a 5-night stay and food.
7-day Ayahuasca Ceremony
2400 / s = 623 USD
7 days and 4 ceremonies. This includes 5-night accommodation and food, Inner-Child workshop, yoga and meditation.
On the website of Wilkamayu Spirit you can find more information about the preparation and what to expect from the ceremonies.
Practical information
- Visa
Upon arrival at the airport you will receive a tourist visa stamp for 90 days on presentation of your passport. In addition, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Peru. Sometimes an exit ticket is also requested. This can also be a bus ticket or something similar. Make sure you have them with you or they may deny you access! This doesn’t happen often, but you don’t want to be the small percentage that will bump into a problem because of this! Do you want to stay in Peru for longer than 6 months? Then the application for a visa is mandatory. In this case, double check whether your passport is still valid.
- Money
In Peru they pay with the Nuevo Sol. Bills come in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 sol. Coins come in 1, 2 and 5 and 10, 20, 50 centimos. In most cities there are ATM’s where you can withdraw cash. Keep in mind that you pay a small commission with every money withdrawal. The prices differ per bank. Credit card companies such as Revolut do not charge a commission up to a certain amount.
You can also pay by card in the larger restaurants. Keep in mind that local restaurants and shops only accept cash and often don’t have change bills. So always make sure you have coins with you.
- Safety
Peru is a safe country. There is crime, but the biggest problem is theft. Always use your common sense and make sure that you will not end up in crazy, deserted places at night. Do not advertise with expensive items such as phones and cameras. You really have to trust your gut to know when you can take your phone and camera out.
Peru’s central emergency number is: 117. You can call this number free of charge.
Make sure you look up the number of your countries embassy and save both numbers before you leave for Peru! You can read more about safety here.
- Electricity
They use the American system in Peru: 220 volts and a plug with two flat pins. So, make sure you have a world plug to charge all your equipment!
- Transportation
Regarding the practical part to get around in Peru, there are plenty of bus companies in Peru who can take you all around the country. Many people think Cruz Del Sur is really chill, but I actually choose Oltursa every time because it’s cheaper. Both companies offer basic and comfort seats. And in both buses you have a chance that it will smells like piss in the back of the bus, because someone couldn’t behave again. But that’s the backpack life I guess.
After 7 months of travelling I have gotten used to the bus life, even though I am extremely car sick. So as long as I can safely go from point A to point B with a little leg room and a comfortable seat, I am happy with the situation. When I notice that the buses have very bad reviews and when I have to travel more than 10 hours, I usually choose to fly.
- Vaccination
Here you will find an overview of the vaccinations you need for Peru.
Make an appointment for your vaccinations in time before you leave. Many people do not take vaccinations because they find it very expensive and / or unnecessary. In some countries, however, certain vaccinations are mandatory, such as yellow fever. You need to be able to show this by means of a vaccination booklet. Keep this in mind. No vaccination is compulsory in Peru
You can get infectious diseases in Peru. The vaccinations are therefore certainly necessary to protect yourself.
Tip: check if your health insurance covers the vaccinations. Do they not compensate for this? Then change your insurance if that’s possible in your country. This can save you a lot of money!
My itinerary: Lima – Huaraz – Paracas – Ica/Huacachina – Cusco.
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