Machu Picchu deserves every bit of its fame. I stood at the Sun Gate at dawn on my first morning there, watching the mist lift to reveal the citadel below, and I understood immediately why people travel from every corner of the earth to see it. But Peru is a vast, staggeringly diverse country, and the area around Machu Picchu is a tiny fraction of what it offers. After three separate trips to Peru totaling five months, I can tell you that some of my most memorable experiences happened nowhere near the famous citadel — in colonial cities, high-altitude lakes, Amazonian lodges, and remote mountain villages where tourism has barely arrived.
Cusco: More Than a Gateway City
Most visitors spend one or two nights in Cusco before heading to Machu Picchu, treating it as a transit point rather than a destination in its own right. This is a mistake. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and the administrative center of the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of Peru, and the layers of history are visible everywhere — Inca stone walls with Spanish colonial churches built on top, pre-Columbian street layouts hidden beneath modern pavement, and a living indigenous culture that maintains traditions stretching back centuries. I recommend spending at least four nights in Cusco to properly acclimatize to the altitude (the city sits at 11,150 feet) and explore at a relaxed pace.
The Plaza de Armas is the heart of Cusco and one of the most beautiful colonial squares in South America. The Cusco Cathedral, begun in 1559 and completed nearly a century later, dominates the northeast side of the plaza and contains an enormous collection of colonial art, including a painting of the Last Supper featuring a guinea pig as the main dish — a detail that reflects the fusion of Spanish and Andean cultures. Entry costs 25 soles (about $7). On the opposite side of the plaza, the church of La Compania de Jesus, built by the Jesuits on the foundations of the Inca palace of Huayna Capac, has an ornate baroque facade that rivals anything in Europe. The interior is less impressive than the cathedral, but the view from the bell tower across the plaza is worth the 10 soles entry fee.
For food, Cusco has an excellent restaurant scene that goes well beyond the tourist-oriented menus on the plaza. Morena Peruvian Kitchen, a block from the plaza on Calle Mantas, serves creative Andean cuisine using local ingredients like quinoa, kiwicha, and alpaca — the alpaca tenderloin with rocoto pepper sauce and purple corn risotto costs about 55 soles ($15). For a splurge, Limo, on the second floor of a building overlooking the plaza, offers tasting menus that fuse Peruvian and international techniques at about 180 soles ($50) per person. The San Pedro Market, five blocks from the plaza, is the place for cheap, authentic food — a plate of ceviche or lomo saltado from one of the market stalls costs 10 to 15 soles ($3 to $4) and is fresher than what most restaurants serve.
The Sacred Valley: Inca Sites Without the Crowds
The Sacred Valley of the Incas stretches from Pisac to Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba River, about 15 miles north of Cusco, and it contains several Inca sites that are spectacular in their own right and receive a fraction of the visitors that Machu Picchu gets. I spent a week based in the town of Urubamba and explored the valley by collectivo (shared taxi), which costs 3 to 5 soles ($1 to $1.50) between towns and runs every 15 to 20 minutes during daylight hours.
Pisac, at the eastern end of the valley, has two attractions: the Inca ruins perched on a hilltop above town, and the famous artisan market in the plaza. The ruins are extensive — terraced agricultural hillsides, a ceremonial center with a sun temple, and residential areas that once housed thousands of people. The site is large enough that even on a busy day, you can find sections where you are alone. The hike from the parking lot to the main ruins takes about 45 minutes uphill, and the views across the valley are stunning. Entry is included in the Cusco tourist ticket (Boleto Turistico), which costs 130 soles ($35) and covers 16 sites in the Cusco and Sacred Valley area. The Pisac market operates every day but is largest on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, when vendors from surrounding communities bring textiles, ceramics, silver jewelry, and fresh produce.
Ollantaytambo, at the western end of the valley, is where most travelers catch the train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town), but the Inca fortress above the town is worth a visit in its own right. The site features massive stone terraces that climb the hillside, a temple area with six enormous monoliths that were being carved when the Spanish arrived, and storehouses (qullqas) built on the hills above the fortress where cool air preserved food. The town itself is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the Americas, and the street layout dates from Inca times — the stone-block walls and narrow channels that once carried water through the streets are still visible. I stayed at the El Albergue hotel, which sits directly on the train platform — rooms start at about $80 per night, and the hotel restaurant serves excellent Peruvian cuisine using ingredients from their own garden.
Rainbow Mountain: The Hike That Tests Your Lungs
Vinicunca, commonly called Rainbow Mountain, became an Instagram sensation a few years ago, and the images of its striped red, yellow, and turquoise mineral layers are not exaggerated — the mountain really does look like that. The hike to the summit at 17,060 feet is demanding, not because of the distance (about 3.5 miles each way) but because of the altitude. The trail starts at about 14,000 feet, which is already higher than most visitors have ever been, and the final push to the summit involves a steep climb of roughly 1,600 feet over the last mile. Most people take three to four hours to reach the top and two to three hours to descend.
I booked through a tour operator in Cusco called Peru Treks, which charged 80 soles ($22) per person including transportation, breakfast, and a guide. The tour departs Cusco at 4 a.m. and returns around 6 p.m. — it is a long day. The Shape to the trailhead takes about three hours, with a breakfast stop in the town of Cusipata. The trail itself is well-marked and not technically difficult — the challenge is purely aerobic. I saw people of all fitness levels on the trail, and while some struggled, everyone who persisted made it to the top. The key is to walk slowly, drink water constantly, and stop whenever you feel lightheaded or short of breath. Coca tea or coca leaves, which are legal and widely available in Peru, help with altitude symptoms — chew the leaves or drink the tea throughout the hike.
The view from the top is genuinely extraordinary. The striped mineral layers of the mountain stretch out below you, and on a clear day, you can see the snow-capped peak of Ausangate (20,945 feet) in the distance. The colors are most vivid in the morning light, which is why tours start so early. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May to September — from November to March, rain and snow can obscure the colors and make the trail muddy and slippery. If you want a less crowded alternative, the nearby Red Valley (Valle Rojo) offers similar mineral colors with a fraction of the visitors. Several tour operators in Cusco now offer combined Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley treks for about 120 soles ($33) per person.
Lake Titicaca: The World's Highest Navigable Lake
Lake Titicaca, straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia at 12,500 feet, is the largest lake in South America by volume and the highest navigable lake in the world. The Peruvian side is accessed from the city of Puno, which is a 10-hour bus ride from Cusco (or a one-hour flight). The lake's main attractions are the floating islands of the Uros people and the traditional communities on Amantani and Taquile islands. The Uros islands, built from layers of totora reeds that grow in the lake shallows, are one of the most unusual human settlements on earth — the islands literally float on the water, and the Uros people build their homes, boats, and even the islands themselves from the same reeds.
A day trip to the Uros islands from Puno costs about 30 soles ($8) per person and includes a boat ride of about 30 minutes each way and a guided visit to two islands. The experience has become somewhat commercialized — island residents will demonstrate how the islands are built, offer rides in traditional reed boats (5 soles extra), and sell handicrafts — but it is still genuinely fascinating. For a more authentic experience, an overnight homestay on Amantani island is far more rewarding. Tours cost about 80 soles ($22) per person including transportation, a night in a local family's home, all meals, and a hike to the island's two hilltop ceremonial sites for sunset and sunrise views of the lake. The families on Amantani live simply — no running water, electricity for only a few hours a day, and outdoor toilets — but the hospitality is warm and genuine.
Taquile island, about an hour by boat from Puno, is known for its textile traditions. The men of Taquile knit elaborate hats that indicate their marital status and social role — a red hat with a white pattern means the man is married, while a red-and-white striped hat means he is single. The women weave belts and bands using natural dyes made from plants and insects. The island has no cars, no dogs, and virtually no crime. A day trip to Taquile costs about 40 soles ($11) including boat transport, and the main activity is hiking from the dock on one side of the island to the dock on the other, a walk of about an hour that passes through the main village and offers panoramic views of the lake. The community-run restaurant at the top serves fresh-caught trout for about 15 soles ($4).
The Amazon: Puerto Maldonado and the Tambopata Reserve
Peru's Amazon basin covers roughly 60 percent of the country, and the most accessible gateway is Puerto Maldonado, a 35-minute flight from Cusco (or a grueling 10-hour bus ride). The town itself is not particularly attractive, but within an hour by boat you can be in the Tambopata National Reserve, one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. I spent three nights at the Refugio Amazonas lodge, operated by Rainforest Expeditions, and saw six species of monkey, a giant river otter, caimans, toucans, macaws, and a jaguar — all within walking distance of the lodge.
The Refugio Amazonas costs about $350 per person per night in a double room, including all meals, guided excursions, and boat transfers from Puerto Maldonado. The lodge is comfortable but not luxurious — rooms have beds with mosquito nets, private bathrooms with cold water showers, and electricity for a few hours each evening. The food is surprisingly good — fresh fish from the river, rice, beans, and tropical fruits. The guided excursions are the highlight: a morning boat ride on an oxbow lake to look for giant river otters, an afternoon hike through primary forest with a naturalist guide who identifies medicinal plants and animal tracks, and an evening walk to look for nocturnal animals like tarantulas, frogs, and night monkeys.
For a more upscale experience, the nearby Tambopata Research Center costs about $600 per person per night and offers a deeper Amazon experience. The lodge is four hours upriver from Puerto Maldonado, deeper in the reserve, and offers a better chance of seeing jaguars, tapirs, and other elusive wildlife. The clay lick at the research center, where hundreds of macaws and parrots gather each morning to eat mineral-rich clay, is one of the most spectacular wildlife spectacles in the Amazon. The best time to visit the Peruvian Amazon is the dry season from May to October, when trails are walkable and wildlife is easier to spot because animals concentrate around remaining water sources. The wet season from November to April brings higher water levels (which opens up more areas for boat exploration) but also more mosquitoes and mud.
Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca: Peru's Mountain Wilderness
The Cordillera Blanca, a range of snow-capped peaks in northern Peru, contains the highest tropical mountains in the world and some of the most spectacular trekking scenery in the Andes. The town of Huaraz, at 10,000 feet, is the base for exploring the range, and it is a 10-hour bus ride from Lima (or a one-hour flight). The most popular trek is the Santa Cruz trek, a four-day, three-night route that passes beneath Huascaran (22,205 feet, Peru's highest peak) and Alpamayo (19,511 feet, widely considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world). The trek is moderate in difficulty — the highest pass is 15,600 feet — and does not require technical mountaineering equipment.
I booked the Santa Cruz trek through a Huaraz operator called Galaxy Andes, which charged $350 per person for a four-day guided trek including meals, tents, cooking equipment, a cook, a guide, and donkeys to carry the gear. The group size was eight people, and the guide was knowledgeable about the local ecology and the Quechua communities along the route. The first day involves a long climb to the base camp at 13,000 feet, the second day crosses the Punta Union pass at 15,600 feet with views of Huascaran and Alpamayo, the third day descends through beautiful valleys with wildflowers and waterfalls, and the fourth day returns to the roadhead where a bus takes you back to Huaraz.
Laguna 69 is a popular day hike from Huaraz that offers a taste of the Cordillera Blanca scenery without the commitment of a multi-day trek. The hike takes about six hours round trip and climbs to a stunning turquoise lake at 15,000 feet, directly beneath the peak of Chacraraju. The trail is well-marked but steep in sections, and the altitude makes it more demanding than the distance alone would suggest. Collectivos to the trailhead leave Huaraz at 5 a.m. and cost about 15 soles ($4) each way. For accommodation in Huaraz, the Olaza's Guest House offers clean rooms with hot water and mountain views for about 60 soles ($17) per night, and the attached restaurant serves excellent Peruvian food at reasonable prices.
Practical Tips for Traveling Beyond Machu Picchu
Transportation between Peru's regions is time-consuming. The country is large, the roads are often slow, and the distances between major destinations are significant. Domestic flights between Lima, Cusco, and Puerto Maldonado are the most efficient option — LATAM and Sky Airlines operate these routes, and booking 30 to 60 days in advance typically yields fares of $80 to $150 per flight. For bus travel, Cruz del Sur and Peru Hop are the most reliable operators for long-distance routes. A bus from Lima to Huaraz on Cruz del Sur costs about 100 soles ($28) for a reclining seat and takes about 10 hours. The buses are comfortable with onboard bathrooms, movies, and a meal service, but the mountain roads are winding and the Trip can be rough for people prone to motion sickness.
Altitude affects most visitors to Peru's highland destinations. Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and Huaraz are all above 10,000 feet, and the reduced oxygen causes headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, and insomnia in many people. The standard advice is valid: spend your first day at altitude resting, drink plenty of water, eat light meals, and avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours. Coca tea, served in virtually every hotel and restaurant in the highlands, helps with mild symptoms. If symptoms are severe — persistent headache, vomiting, confusion — descend to a lower altitude immediately. Diamox (acetazolamide) is a prescription medication that can help prevent altitude sickness; consult your doctor before your trip.
Money and safety are straightforward in Peru's tourist areas. ATMs are widely available in Cusco, Lima, and Puno, and most accept international cards. In smaller towns and villages, carry cash in small denominations — vendors and taxi Guide often cannot break bills larger than 50 soles. Peru is generally safe for tourists, but petty theft is common in crowded areas like markets and bus stations. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket, use a daypack that closes securely, and do not display expensive cameras or jewelry in public places. At night, use registered taxis (called "taxi seguro" or booked through your hotel) rather than hailing random cars on the street. The emergency number in Peru is 105, and the tourist police in Cusco can be reached at 084-232-502.
