Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Peru

A photograph of Peru
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Peru is 1,285,216 square kilometres arranged in three long bands: an arid Pacific coast, the Andes behind it, and Amazon rainforest east of the mountains. Which band a city sits in decides nearly everything about visiting it — Lima, the capital, is a coastal city under grey winter cloud, Cusco sits high enough in the Andes to cost a first day doing nothing, and Iquitos in the rainforest has no road connecting it to the rest of the country. It is the third largest country in South America. The distances between those three worlds are why itineraries here are counted in flights rather than in bus rides.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Spanish; Quechua, Aymara and other Indigenous languages have official status where predominant
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+51
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Peruvian sol (PEN)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
105 police · 116 fire
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and C · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Parque Reducto No. 2 Parque Reducto No. 2
    02 1 hour

    Parque Reducto No. 2

    Parque Reducto

    Parque Reducto No. 2 is a public park in Lima, Peru, locally known as Parque Reducto. The site preserves historical military significance as one of the defensive positions used during the War of the Pacific.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  2. Huayllay National Sanctuary Huayllay National Sanctuary
    03 1 hour

    Huayllay National Sanctuary

    Huayllay National Sanctuary is a protected natural area in Peru, located in the Pasco Region. The sanctuary is recognized for its distinctive geological formations, particularly its extensive rock forest created by volcanic and erosive processes over geological time.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  3. Lauricocha Lake Lauricocha Lake
    04 1 hour

    Lauricocha Lake

    Laguna Lauricocha

    Laguna Lauricocha, known in English as Lauricocha Lake, is a high-altitude body of water in the Peruvian Andes. It lies within the Lauricocha Province of Huánuco Region, not Lima itself, though often referenced in broader Peruvian travel contexts.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  4. El Campo de Marte El Campo de Marte
    05 1 hour

    El Campo de Marte

    Campo de Marte

    Campo de Marte is a large central civic park in Lima, Peru. It functions as a significant public green space within the urban environment, serving both ceremonial and recreational purposes for the city.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  5. Park of the Exhibition Park of the Exhibition
    06 1 hour

    Park of the Exhibition

    Parque de la Exposición

    Parque de la Exposición, known in English as Exhibition Park, is a central public park in Lima, Peru. Established on land used for the 1872 International Exposition, it serves as a cultural and recreational hub connecting several important institutions.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  6. Tres Hermanas Falls Tres Hermanas Falls
    07 1 hour

    Tres Hermanas Falls

    Cataratas las Tres Hermanas

    Tres Hermanas Falls, known locally as Cataratas las Tres Hermanas, is a waterfall attraction near Cusco, Peru. The name translates to Three Sisters Falls, referencing its three distinct cascades.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  7. Lake Sibinacocha Lake Sibinacocha
    08 1 hour

    Lake Sibinacocha

    Laguna Sibinacocha

    Lake Sibinacocha is a large high-Andean lake in the Urubamba basin of southern Peru. Peru's National Water Authority inventory records a surface area of about 28.11 square kilometres, making it one of the major glacial lakes identified in that basin.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  8. Marcahuasi Marcahuasi
    09 1 hour

    Marcahuasi

    Meseta de Marcahuasi

    Marcahuasi is a high-altitude Andean plateau known in Spanish as Meseta de Marcahuasi. Situated east of Lima in the Peruvian mountains, this geological formation rises above the Rímac River valley.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  9. Alameda de los Descalzos Alameda de los Descalzos
    11 1 hour

    Alameda de los Descalzos

    Alameda de los Descalzos is a historic promenade in Lima's Rímac district. This tree-lined walkway dates to the colonial era and served as a ceremonial route connecting important religious and civic sites.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  10. Huascacocha
    15 1 hour

    Huascacocha

    Laguna Huascacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  11. Lake Pacucha
    17 1 hour

    Lake Pacucha

    Laguna Pacucha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  12. Asnacocha
    19 1 hour

    Asnacocha

    Laguna Asnacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  13. Love Park Love Park
    22 1 hour

    Love Park

    Parque Alberto Andrade Carmona

    Love Park, known locally as Parque del Amor, is a public park situated on the clifftops of Miraflores, a coastal district of Lima, Peru. It forms part of the Miraflores boardwalk, a pedestrian route tracing the Pacific coastline.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  14. Pumacocha
    23 1 hour

    Pumacocha

    Laguna Pomacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  15. Waskhaqucha
    24 1 hour

    Waskhaqucha

    Huascacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  16. University Park
    25 1 hour

    University Park

    Parque Universitario

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  17. Alcacocha
    26 1 hour

    Alcacocha

    Laguna Alcacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  18. Antaqucha
    28 1 hour

    Antaqucha

    Laguna Antacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  19. Lake Punrun
    31 1 hour

    Lake Punrun

    Punrún

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  20. Llacsacocha
    32 1 hour

    Llacsacocha

    Laguna Llacsacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  21. Machucocha
    33 1 hour

    Machucocha

    Laguna Machucocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  22. Tiktiqucha
    38 1 hour

    Tiktiqucha

    Titicocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  23. Waskhaqucha
    39 1 hour

    Waskhaqucha

    Laguna Huascacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  24. Yuraqqucha
    41 1 hour

    Yuraqqucha

    Laguna Yuraccocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  25. Apiñaccocha
    42 1 hour

    Apiñaccocha

    Laguna Apiñaccocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  26. Armaqucha
    43 1 hour

    Armaqucha

    Laguna Armaccocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  27. Challwaqucha
    45 1 hour

    Challwaqucha

    Chalhuacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  28. Chaupijocha
    46 1 hour

    Chaupijocha

    Laguna Chaupijocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  29. Chinaqucha
    47 1 hour

    Chinaqucha

    Laguna Chinacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  30. Huarurumicocha
    53 1 hour

    Huarurumicocha

    Laguna Huarurumicocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  31. Huascacocha
    54 1 hour

    Huascacocha

    Laguna Huascacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  32. Islaqucha
    55 1 hour

    Islaqucha

    Laguna Islacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  33. Lake Piuray
    58 1 hour

    Lake Piuray

    Laguna Piuray

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  34. Lake Shegue
    59 1 hour

    Lake Shegue

    Laguna Shegue

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  35. Mulluqucha
    61 1 hour

    Mulluqucha

    Laguna Mullucocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  36. P'itiqucha
    64 1 hour

    P'itiqucha

    Laguna Piti

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  37. Plaza Grau
    66 1 hour

    Plaza Grau

    Plaza Miguel Grau

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  38. Pucrococha
    68 1 hour

    Pucrococha

    Laguna Pucrococha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  39. Pukaqucha
    69 1 hour

    Pukaqucha

    Laguna Pucacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  40. Punta Rocas
    71 1 hour

    Punta Rocas

    Playa Punta Rocas

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  41. Qiwllaqucha
    72 1 hour

    Qiwllaqucha

    Laguna Quiula

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  42. Querquecocha
    74 1 hour

    Querquecocha

    Laguna Querquecocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  43. Tinquicocha
    80 1 hour

    Tinquicocha

    Laguna Tinquicocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  44. Urqunqucha
    81 1 hour

    Urqunqucha

    Laguna Orconcocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  45. Wat'aqucha
    84 1 hour

    Wat'aqucha

    Guataycocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  46. Willkaqucha
    85 1 hour

    Willkaqucha

    Laguna Vilcacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  47. Chaupicocha
    86 1 hour

    Chaupicocha

    Laguna Chaupicocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  48. Huagapo
    87 1 hour

    Huagapo

    Gruta de Huagapo

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  49. Laguna Jurau
    90 1 hour

    Laguna Jurau

    Juraucocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  50. Lake Samaccota
    92 1 hour

    Lake Samaccota

    Laguna Samaccota

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Cusco
  51. Pomacocha
    95 1 hour

    Pomacocha

    Laguna Pomacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima
  52. Q'asaqucha
    97 1 hour

    Q'asaqucha

    Laguna Casacocha

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Lima

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Peru be?

Ten to fourteen days can combine Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley with one additional region. Altitude adjustment and rail or road transfers need their own time, so compressing the Andes and Amazon into the same short visit is unwise.

What entry documents are needed for Peru?

Peru’s Migraciones authority publishes admission information. Passport, nationality and permitted-stay rules must be checked for the actual traveller, and any border or immigration form should come from the government service.

What is the best way to travel around Peru?

Lima is the principal air hub, with domestic services to Cusco, Arequipa and other gateways. Intercity buses cover many routes, and selected tourist trains serve the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu area.

When is a practical time to visit Peru?

May to September is the broad dry-season window for many Andean routes. Lima’s coastal conditions and Amazon rainfall follow different patterns, so an itinerary spanning regions needs separate forecasts and access checks.

What money and payment basics apply in Peru?

Peru uses the sol (PEN). Current acceptance and withdrawal charges are Not recorded here; confirm whether an operator expects soles, cards or advance payment before leaving a major city.

What practical safety details should I save for Peru?

Peru records 105 for police and 116 for fire services. Type A and C sockets use 220 V; national tap-water guidance is Not recorded, so obtain local advice.