Peru HOLIDAYS

A holiday in Peru or even a honeymoon in Peru is a unique experience. Few countries in South America inspire such evocative images as Peru. It contains 28 of the world’s 31 climates, fertile valleys to Andean peaks, ancient civilisations and the ‘Land of the Incas’ to cities preserving the legacy of the conquistadors.

The barren desert known as the Altiplano has indigenous Indians that still preserve their ancient tongue of Quechua (and Aymara), while shepherds with their traditionally colourful ponchos herd llamas, alpacas and vicunas across the open plains.

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OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IN Peru

LOCAL MARKETS

Peru has a number of local markets, in fact every major town in country has them so wherever you go you will see them. The best though is a place called Pisac market which also holds a mass. The Mass is attended by the ‘mayors’ of the neighbouring villages, complete in typical dress and carrying their traditional ‘varayoc’ or staff of office

WILDLIFE

The Peruvian Amazon has three areas to explore. In the far north is Iquitos, a place where sleeping on a boat and exploring on smaller craft is the way. In the south you have immediate lodges around Puerto Maldonado (1 hr flight from Cuzco) making it easily accessible and then Manu, a 7 hour motorised canoe ride deep into the jungle

ANCIENT RUINS

Machu Picchu is the obvious one, but it is the smaller, lesser known ancient ruins that bring Peru to life.  Ending the holiday at Machu Picchu is a must, as it allows you not only to see places like Ollantaytambo, the ruins of Pisac, Quenko, Tambomachay, Sacsaywaman but also learn about the Incas and the pre Inca civilisations first.

ADVENTURE

The Sacred Valley is a 90 minute drive from Cuzco and is lower in altitude, making it a great place to acclimatise, but it is also the adventure centre of Peru.  Here you will find; white water rafting, zip-lining, mountain biking, horse riding, trekking, cooking classes, local markets and ancient ruins.

COLONIAL TOWNS

The Colonial towns of both Arequipa and Cuzco deserve at least 3 nights.  As much to rest from the extensive amount of travelling this country demands, as to appreciate its turbulent past. They both have a number of plazas lined with churches and cathedrals as well as cobbled streets, ideal for exploring on foot

TREKKING

There are several day walks you can do in the Sacred Valley, but the best trekking can be found in the Andes around Machu Picchu. There are 3 or 4 ways to walk the Inca trail from the short 3 night trek to the longer 5 night, whilst the 7 night Salkantay trek goes round the sacred mountain of Salkantay to Machu Picchu.

MAP OF Peru

Arequipa

Colca Canyon

Cuzco

Lake Titicaca

Lima

Machu Picchu

Nazca

Peruvian Amazon

The Inca Trail

The Sacred Valley

The Salkantay Trek

Chiclayo

Trujillo

Just returned from a fantastic 3 weeks holiday to Peru, Galapagos and Ecuador organised by Latin Odyssey. Everything went like clockwork. Hotels were excellent.

J Molyneux

Trustpilot

OUR FAVOURITE HOTELS IN Peru

when to go to Peru

SELECT THE MONTH YOU WANT TO TRAVEL

J

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

From November to March is the rainy season for the country.  During these months you will find warmer temperatures (around 16 C) and low lying cloud.

F

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

From November to March is the rainy season for the country.  During these months you will find warmer temperatures (around 16 C) and low lying cloud.

M

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

From November to March is the rainy season for the country.  During these months you will find warmer temperatures (around 16 C) and low lying cloud.

A

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

For us, the end of March to the start of May are some of the best months as the Andes are also still covered in snow making it photographically stunning, all the wild flowers are out, especially the Orchids and there are fewer travellers around as well.. The same can be said of October, a time when there are fewer travellers and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country.

M

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

For us, the end of March to the start of May are some of the best months as the Andes are also still covered in snow making it photographically stunning, all the wild flowers are out, especially the Orchids and there are fewer travellers around as well.. The same can be said of October, a time when there are fewer travellers and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country.

J

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

June to October is the dry season but towards the back end of October you can still expect a few showers, though there are also fewer travellers in October and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country. It is also the coldest time of the year, especially at night where temperatures can drop to 1 or 2 C, though daytime temperatures remain around 12 C.

J

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

June to October is the dry season but towards the back end of October you can still expect a few showers, though there are also fewer travellers in October and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country. It is also the coldest time of the year, especially at night where temperatures can drop to 1 or 2 C, though daytime temperatures remain around 12 C.

A

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

June to October is the dry season but towards the back end of October you can still expect a few showers, though there are also fewer travellers in October and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country. It is also the coldest time of the year, especially at night where temperatures can drop to 1 or 2 C, though daytime temperatures remain around 12 C.

S

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

June to October is the dry season but towards the back end of October you can still expect a few showers, though there are also fewer travellers in October and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country. It is also the coldest time of the year, especially at night where temperatures can drop to 1 or 2 C, though daytime temperatures remain around 12 C.

O

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

June to October is the dry season but towards the back end of October you can still expect a few showers, though there are also fewer travellers in October and the first rains can bring a different colour to the country. It is also the coldest time of the year, especially at night where temperatures can drop to 1 or 2 C, though daytime temperatures remain around 12 C.

N

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

From November to March is the rainy season for the country.  During these months you will find warmer temperatures (around 16 C) and low lying cloud.

D

Peru has fairly definitive times for travelling with specific seasons, but travelling during the border months can be the most rewarding.

 

From November to March is the rainy season for the country.  During these months you will find warmer temperatures (around 16 C) and low lying cloud.

travel stories from Peru

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The best luxury hotels in South America - Our Top Five

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Top 10 Things To Do In Peru

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Easter in Latin America

Easter in Latin America

an overview of Peru

The most famous destination in Peru is Machu Picchu, the ‘lost city of the Incas’. As well as being one of the most dramatic archaeological sites in the world, it also offers a fascinating insight into the daily life of one of the most respected peoples of the Americas – the Incas.
A LITTLE HISTORY OF PERU
By the time the Spanish arrived in Peru in 1528, the Incas had amassed a huge empire, known as Tahuantinsuyo, which covered over half of South America, with their capital being Cuzco, thought to be the centre of their earth. Today it boasts one of the prettiest plazas’s in the world and is surrounded by the archaeological sites of sacsayhuaman, the temples of Kenko and the old Inca bathing site of Tambomachay.
THE DIVERSITY OF A COUNTRY
About a third of the country contains pristine Amazon rainforest; the flora and fauna has some of the highest biodiversity levels found anywhere on earth and the local tribes speak over 55 different languages. Peru has some of the best travel possibilities in Latin America, offering cultural and geographical diversity.

WHEN TO GO
The official dry season is from April to October, though the Amazon rainy season is March to May.  For us the best time to visit is at the beginning and the end of the seasons as this is when you will find fewer travellers.  In March and April the orchids along the Inca trail are in full bloom and the rivers are ideal for white water rafting. From the middle of September to October the altiplano is at its most majestic with dried out plains contrasting with the snow-capped Andean peaks that look over them.

Explore PERU

 

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