Peru is our favorite country in South America (at least so far). Honestly, we weren’t overly stoked. We’d heard one too many stories about Machu Picchu and were afraid that it would be touristy and overpriced. And while the Inca Trail ends up on many people’s bucket lists, we never thought we’d be able to afford it. Unfortunately this confusion meant that we didn’t bring a tent - big mistake (we can help you out if you’re in the same predicament!). Peru holds some of the best hiking we’ve ever experienced, and almost all of it can be done for next to nothing. Read on for the sickest places to trek in Peru, and some lovely destinations in between to round out your trip.

Peru Itinerary

What We Did

Hint: links will take you to in-depth articles about specific destinations!

Máncora

1 day - fishing village with yummy food and decent surf, super convenient for the Ecuadorian border

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Trujillo

1 day - a necessary stop on the way South and home to some interesting ruins

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Huaraz

3 days - our absolute favorite place in Peru, this lil hamlet has gorgeous views and bottom dollar prices on fresh fruit and veg in its central market. Essential to acclimate here while enjoying the day hikes before using it as a base

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Santa Cruz

4 days - the classic trek around Huaraz for good reason, and a great warm up for things to come

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Huayhuash

9 days - absolutely epic, this trek explores sky high mountain passes and winds you around more crystal blue glacier lakes than you ever thought you’d see

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Lima

1 day - an essential step through; we’ll get back to it more later

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Cusco

2 day - an ancient city with a surprisingly hip vibe, this gem can be frustrating at times. An essential base for activities in the area

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Choquequirao

4 days - billed as Machu Picchu’s little sister, it’s much less crowded and slightly less impressive - only hike this one with calves of steel

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Ausangate

5 days - remote trek around a sacred mountain with the special benefit of campsites next to hot springs

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Salkantay

4 days - from snow capped mountains to subtropical forest, this varied trek has the extra perk of getting you to Aguas Calientes for (practically) free!

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Aguas Calientes

1 day - there are things to love about this town, but they take some looking. You might as well try, cause it’s near impossible to visit Machu Picchu without a stopthrough

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Machu Picchu

1 day - with careful planning, this iconic sight doesn’t have to break the bank… worth a full day exploring and an early morning wake up for the potential to have it all to yourself

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Santa Teresa

1 day - a lovely respite from last week’s excitement, this village has hot baths and mountain views

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Ollantaytambo

1 day - arguably the most popular town in the Sacred Valley, it has ruins all to itself

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Urubamba

1 day - more ruins, with the addition of access to Maras salt mines (relatively interesting, but not the destination advertisements in Cusco would have you believe)

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Pisac

1 day - cute market town with a conspicuously large expat population

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Cusco

1 day - ah the last and final stop through, and the perfect time to take advantage of its airport if you’re willing to plan

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Lima

3 days - this gastronomic capital is worth a few days of exploration (your stomach will thank you) even if it’s a bit dreary at times

Our Advice

1. Peru is big. Like really big. This really means that stopovers like Trujillo are all but necessary and you will have to get very used to night busses. You’ll hear a lot about these in Peru. Check out the map and travel times before you get your heart set on particular destinations

2. There are some other great destinations in Northern Peru. I’d start with Cajamarca and the slow boat to Iquitos (the only cheap way to get to the Amazon).

3. If there’s any time to travel slow, it is in Huaraz. Please, please make sure you acclimate long enough or any of your bigger treks will be nigh impossible. Also, we pride ourselves on helping you discover DIY hikes. We kinda think we’re badasses because we had absolutely no trouble successfully completing Santa Cruz and Huayhuash on our own. That being said, we have experience in the backcountry, we ran into no bad weather, and we’re in our early twenties. Know yourself and your limits.

4. By all accounts, the south is amazing and worth the exploration if you have time. When we were in Peru, we were stuck with only 6 weeks and an earthquake that meant making it there was impossible. We’ve heard great things about Arequipa and the nearby Colca Canyon as well as Lake Titicaca, especially if you’re heading on to Bolivia (though this one can be crazy touristy).

5. Due to lack of foresight, we had to take a brutal, near 24 hour bus, from Lima to Cusco. If you don’t book a flight in advance, this will be your only option between the cities, as the Lima <> Cusco route gets jacked up from Machu Picchu traffic (side note, do not pretend to be Peruvian to get a cheaper flight, you will get fucked over). It’s not the worst thing in the world, but we would definitely try to avoid it. Another option would be to loop through the south as suggested on your way to Cusco and keep the travel times shorter that way.

6. Machu Picchu is a bitch to get to. Do not pay the price of the tourist train! We think the Salkantay trek is a pretty clever work around, but Along Dusty Roads has a great post about how to get to Aguas Calientes on public trans, if you'd rather.

7. Visit Pisac on Sunday. That's when it holds its market (although check this out for sure!). It's really worth it for the buzz. Also, items will not be cheaper in Lima - we checked. Bargain hard and get your souvenirs here or in one of the surrounding Sacred Valley towns.

8. You can rent a motorbike to tour around the Sacred Valley. It sounds amazing - we wish we'd had the time.

9. Cusco (and the whole Sacred Valley, really) is touristy. There’s no way around it, but it’s definitely still worth your time to explore it’s nooks and crannies and escape into the mountains for some of the best treks in the country.

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