Peru
Peru layers civilisations like sediment: Inca stonework under colonial arcades, sacred valleys beneath 6,000m peaks, and a food scene in Lima that has claimed the world’s-best-restaurant title more than once.
Peru layers civilisations like sediment: Inca stonework under colonial arcades, sacred valleys beneath 6,000m peaks, and a food scene in Lima that has claimed the world’s-best-restaurant title more than once.
Peru is the South American greatest-hits trip: Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley around Cusco, the white colonial city of Arequipa beneath its volcanoes, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, and Lima — quietly one of the best food cities on earth. The classic gringo trail is so well-trodden that travelling it solo is genuinely easy, with constant company in hostels along the way.
Fun fact
Peru grows over 4,000 native varieties of potato — more than anywhere else on the planet.
Getting around
Distances are huge, so fly Lima–Cusco–Arequipa to save days, or take the comfortable Cruz del Sur / Peru Hop tourist buses between coastal stops. No visa for most travellers (183 days). Acclimatise to altitude in Cusco or Arequipa before any trekking, and book the Inca Trail months ahead.
