Is Peru worth visiting?
Is Peru worth visiting over other neighboring nations?
Let’s be honest, Peru is without a doubt a memorable country to visit in South America. Whilst mostly known for its ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, here you can also find incredible landscapes and some really tasty food.
This country is also home to one of the oldest civilisations to have ever roamed planet earth – the Caral Culture – and here we can explore the remnants of this once flourishing tribe.
In this guide we’ll list the seven best reasons to visit Peru, as well as cover any other important information you’ll need to know before and while planning a trip here.
Is Peru worth Visiting?
Quick answer: 100% Yes – Peru has to be one of the most complete countries you can visit in this region. Here you’ll find all kinds of biomes (thick jungle, towering Andes, beaches, the desert etc) as well as an affordable cost of travel.
Peru is also my (George’s) favourite country in all of Latin America, which even ended up becoming my home. So you can take my word that it’s worth visiting 😎
See this list of unique places to visit in Peru I went to for even more inspiration.
Where is Peru?
Peru is located within the west of South America, next to the Pacific Ocean.
Because of its particularly unique location, Peru is home to many different environments, which are mostly split into 3 groups; Arid Coast, the Andes and the Amazon Jungle.
Due to this positioning, Peru has as many as 90 different microclimates within the country, such as that of Lima where it virtually never rains throughout the entire year!
How far is Peru from Ecuador?
Ecuador borders Peru to the north, and is very easy to get to when traveling on a longer route through South America.
The crossing into Tumbes takes less than an hour, and you can be in Máncora within 3 hours from Ecuador.
Just remember that Lima is a long way away (1015 km – about a 24 hour ride) so it’s best to either fly from Tumbes, or stop at destinations like Chiclayo and Huaraz along the way.
Got travel insurance for Peru?
Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
7 Reasons to Visit Peru
Are you still wondering if Peru is right for you? Here’s 7 awesome reasons why you should head to this diverse South American country.
1. Visit the Mysterious Depths of the Amazon Jungle
The most biodiverse region on earth, the Amazon Jungle is incomparable, and you’ll feel its magnetic pull as soon as you arrive.
In Peru, the best (and most popular) place to explore the jungle is Iquitos, although you can also find memorable experiences in areas like Pucallpa, Tarapoto and Puerto Maldonado.
The Peruvian Amazon is home to lots of incredible wildlife, which range from Jaguars and Anacondas to Pink River Dolphins and Giant Otters. The best chance of seeing them is with this multi-day wildlife tour, where you’ll have all boat excursions and meals included.
Deep within you’ll also find many native tribes, which include the Shipibo who continue the practice of using Ayahuasca for personal and spiritual development. George is a big fan and often goes there for this, so if you have any questions just fire away in the comments.
2. Hike along the Legendary Inca Trail
By far one of the most memorable things you can do in Peru is to hike the Inca Trail.
Here you’ll spend various days hiking through high- altitude mountains and past glacial lakes, as you make your way towards Machu Picchu.
Given it’s quite a challenging hike which will need to be prepared for properly, you’ll need to make sure you’re in decent shape before attempting it.
We also recommend spending several days in Cusco beforehand (at least 4 would be the most ideal) where your body can get acclimated to the higher altitudes before going any further.
You can book your Inca Trail Hike here, where you’ll have all meals, equipment and entrance tickets all included. You’ll also have a personal porter too to help carry personal bags and belongings along the way.
3. Peru is a Really Cheap Country to Travel
Regardless of what type of traveler you are, being able to save is always appreciated, given you can either travel for longer or upgrade your comfort level.
Peru is one of the cheapest countries you can travel to in South America, and you can easily get by on a daily budget of $25.
Despite the low prices, the quality of hostels is usually great (we recommend Selina and Kokopelli where possible) as well as local food being quite filling too.
The biggest surprise of all has to be how cheap it is to get around the country too. Whilst buses are the usual go-to, here you can catch domestic flights for as cheap as $30 – which is almost the same price as a bus!
And we don’t know about you, but given Peruvian bus rides can often take 12+ hours a ride, it’s not bad to treat yourself to a quicker flight every now and then. We highly recommend it when visiting Cusco from Lima.
4. Explore many Ancient Ruins and their Past Civilisations
If you didn’t already know, Peru has by far one of the deepest and most interesting histories of all in the Western Hemisphere.
The Incas are the highlight, who built many incredible structures around Cusco such as Sacsayhuamán and Moray.
However Machu Picchu of course is the true highlight, and you can easily visit on this organised day trip from Cusco which includes all transport as well as the infamous train ride.
Having said that, we do feel that most travelers miss out since they only focus on the Sacred Valley when there’s awesome ruins to visit all over.
The ruins of Caral (which are an easy day-trip from Lima) are really impressive given they are over 5000 years old, and were once home to the second oldest civilisation on earth!
Others include Kuelap which was once home to the sky warriors of Chachapoyas, as well as Chan Chan in Trujillo which is the largest Adobe pyramid on the planet.
5. Try Peruvian Cuisine
Wherever you travel to, we always recommend trying at least a couple of the local dishes of that country.
It offers a whole new way of getting immersed in real culture, where you’ll be involving just more than one of your usual senses.
The food scene in Peru is a really hot one too, and is considered one of the fastest-growing in popularity on the globe.
The national dish of Ceviche is a must for seafood-lovers, whilst meat eaters will want to sink their teeth into a classic Lomo Saltado.
Others that are worth trying include Papa a la Huancaina, Papa Rellena as well as a Caldo (a hot soup which is perfect in the cooler climates).
If you’re in Lima, then we highly recommend joining this awesome food tour where you’ll also get to visit a market, learn to cook your own dishes as well as try many other local foods you otherwise would have never found by yourself.
6. Hike through the Remote Andes
Dividing the coast and jungle, we have the long strip of Andes which cuts right through Peru.
This area is a really popular region to get out and explore, where we can find various glacial lakes, snow-capped peaks and ancient ruins.
Huaraz is a top choice for those who love mountain hikes, with Nevado Mateo amongst the best Peruvian hiking experiences that you can do. There’s also various incredible lakes worth seeing too, such as the challenging hike of Laguna 69 as well as the more relaxing one of Laguna Parón.
Cusco is the other main highlight, from which you can explore the Sacred Valley and other incredible highlights such as the Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate National Park.
Other great areas to explore in the Peruvian Andes include Ayacucho, Huancayo and Lake Titicaca.
7. Go Sandboarding in Huacachina
Finally on our list we have by far one of the coolest things you can do when in Peru.
Sandboarding is literally as it sounds – and here you’ll lie (or stand if you’re brave) on a wooden plank and hurtle down massive sand dunes.
There’s actually many different places you can do this in Peru, however Huacachina is the most notorious given the dunes here are some of the largest in the continent.
You’ll need to go with an organised tour to take part, as we recommend this day tour from Lima where you’ll have all equipment provided, a sand buggy ride over the dunes as well as a visit to nearby Paracas.
It’s also ideal as you’ll be taken to and from Lima in a day, which is perfect for those who don’t have time to stay in Huacachina.
Is Peru worth visiting?
And that’s all for our guide on why you should visit Peru.
This incredible nation really does have it all, and could easily be your most memorable country too when traveling through South America.
Not only are there many breathtaking landscapes and memorable activities on offer, it’s also super cheap which is perfect for travelers on all budgets.
While you are still here, be sure to read our comprehensive Backpacking Peru Itinerary, where we have even more travel tips and suggestions for your trip here.
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
“Dear traveler! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot and helps us to carry on traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”
