Machu Picchu has long been the symbol of Peru, but this South American nation is far more than its most famous Inca landmark. As one of the cradles of civilisation, Peru is packed with the vestiges of the societies that pre-dated the Spanish Conquest. But this country isn’t just for history buffs.
Active adventurers are well catered for by the jaw-dropping scenery of the Andes Mountains, and with a Lima restaurant taking the title of the world’s best this year, culinary travellers will also be eager to explore the modern Peruvian food scene.
Decades of tourism have shifted this country away from being the preserve of just backpackers; now, those seeking comfort – and even high-end luxury – won’t be disappointed.
However, at five times the size of the UK, travellers cannot expect to see all the sides to Peru in just two weeks. Luckily, investment in infrastructure, including a recently expanded airport in the capital, means it has never been easier to reach remote regions and venture beyond the well-trodden south-east.
This two week plan dabbles in some of the classic destinations, but goes beyond. Expect high-altitude adventures, centuries of history and ample time to dive into Peru’s unique – and delicious – pantry.
Day 1
Lima
Museums, murals and the world’s best meals
Lima might be infamous for its congested highways and incessant horn-honking, but this is a fascinating city straddling past and present. Take a taxi to the artsy neighbourhood of Barranco, where Republican-era mansions have been zhuzhed up to house hotels and galleries.
Chic Hotel B (doubles from £360 B&B) ranks among the best, while, across the street, Museo Jade Rivera showcases the acclaimed Peruvian muralist’s magical realist style.
Next, head north and into the past with the thousands of pre-Columbian artefacts (and a legendary collection of erotic pottery) at the world-class Museo Larco.
From here, return south, stopping at Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Columbian temple plonked in the middle of the well-to-do Miraflores neighbourhood.
Stretch your legs by heading for a stroll along the clifftop malecón, an esplanade connecting a string of pretty parks; look out for Peruvian artist Victor Delfín’s iconic El Beso (The Kiss) sculpture.
Peru’s reputation for outstanding food is no exaggeration and Lima is its gastronomical heart. Ceviche is a must and La Mar serves some of the best, while the Nikkei food (think Japanese sushi crossed with Peruvian ingredients) at Maido (tasting menu £250) earned the title of 2025’s world’s best restaurant. Finish your evening with swanky cocktails at Lady Bee.
Day 2 & 3
The Sacred Valley
A taste of the Andes
Catch a morning flight to Cusco, the capital of the 16th-century Inca Empire, whose domain once stretched from modern-day Colombia to the Chilean capital. Swap Cusco’s nausea-inducing 11,152ft (3,399m) elevation for the lower altitude of The Sacred Valley, a lush, fertile string of Indigenous, Quechua-speaking adobe villages.
You’ll want to organise a tour of the curious archaeological site of Moray with Quecha Treks (from £118). These concentric circles carved into the hillside were used by Inca agronomists to test how crops would fare in different conditions across the Empire.
Stop for a long lunch at Mil (tasting menu £270), where acclaimed Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez sources ingredients exclusively from local farms located above 3,000ft (900m).
Picking up the pace
The next morning, pick up the pace with an e-biking tour of the Sacred Valley with local experts, Amazonas Explorer. Alternatively, head to Pisac, an archaeological park containing an Inca fortress with hundreds of agricultural terraces and temples.
Spend two nights at the luxurious Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (doubles from £450 B&B), set within 100 acres of organic farmland.
Day 4 & 5
Machu Picchu
In the Inca’s footsteps
Machu Picchu beckons. Start early to hike the one-day Inca Trail with Evolution Treks, a local company notable for its porter welfare policies. This bite-sized, 7.5-mile (12km) chunk of the classic route climbs up along the famed stone pathway through cloud forest and past other archaeological sites to reach Intipunku (the Sun Gate), the main entrance into Machu Picchu, at sunset.
You’ll pass the night in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes before returning to the citadel for a sunrise tour of the terraces and temples of grey-white granite that have beguiled visitors for decades.
The route back to Cusco is a more relaxed affair. The scenery as the railway wriggles along the Urubamba River between the vaulted walls of the Sacred Valley is superb, so pick a window seat or upgrade your ticket to the Vistadome Observatory train with its observatory car.
You’ll arrive ready for a leg massage at the elegant Antigua Casona San Blas (doubles from £250 B&B); plan ahead with a spa booking for this evening.
Day 6
Cusco
The ‘navel of the world’
After breakfast, it’s time to explore what the Inca dubbed the “navel of the world”. Expert stonework once filled Cusco, but was toppled by the Spanish Conquistadors. The foundations of the Inca temple of Qoricancha (now the Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo) have survived; its walls were once plated with solid gold.
Next door in the Centro de Textiles Traditionales de Cusco, Indigenous artisans preserve ancient weaving techniques; watch them transform alpaca wool into colourful Andean textiles and buy a few pieces as souvenirs.
For lunch, there’s no better place to sample Cusco’s Andean flavours than at a traditional picantería. Try the chicharrón (fried pork) at La Chomba or the roast guinea pig – both emblematic regional dishes.
Afterwards, taxi up above the city to Sacsayhuamán (around S/20/£4), an Inca fortress that was the site for a bloody battle between the Spanish and Inca. Its astonishing walls stretch for a quarter of a mile (600m), and were constructed with multi-ton boulders slotted perfectly together.
End the day in upmarket Mauka, whose award-winning chef foregrounds native grains, tubers and Andean preparations. Just a short walk away, the Museo del Pisco mixes Peru’s trademark grape brandy with local ingredients like corn beer and prickly pear.
Days 7, 8 & 9
The Amazon
A rainforest exploration
Today, you’ll swap the Andean highlands for the Amazonian lowlands. A morning flight takes you to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to the Amazon Rainforest and ten per cent of the world’s biodiversity. Here, join an all-inclusive rainforest lodge tour to head out in search of monkeys, macaws and other rainforest beasts.
Plump for style (including jungle-luxe bungalows with private plunge pools) and just a 45-minute boat journey to get there at Inkaterra’s Reserva Amazonica (two nights double all-inclusive from £1,050).
Alternatively, head deeper into the rainforest to the Tambopata Research Center (three nights double all-inclusive from £1,990). Better wildlife watching comes at a price: the lodge is rustic and a four-hour boat from Puerto Maldonado. Add an extra day to your itinerary to make the journey worthwhile.
On your final day, fly back to Lima and stay at the brand-new Wyndham Grand Costa Del Sol Lima Airport (doubles from £261).
Days 10 & 11
Cocachimba
R&R in the cloud forest
Today you’ll transit from coast to cloud forest. It’s just two hours in the air to reach Chachapoyas, a city surrounded by cloud-topped forest, pre-Columbian remains and spectacular scenery.
Hop on public transport to Cocachimba to base yourself at the homely-chic bungalows of Gocta Natura (doubles from £322 B&B). The afternoon is ripe for cooling down in their pool, which has perfect views of the village’s claim to fame: the spectacular two-tiered Gocta Falls.
At sunset, wander across to the Refugio del Colibrí Espátula, a privately-run conservation area where you can spot the rare marvellous spatuletail hummingbird and its four-inch (10cm) dusky purple tail. To end the day, swing by the village’s only bar, Cochachima Vintage, for potent cocktails; the sugar cane aguardiente macerated with chilli and mint packs a punch.
To the falls
The only way to get close to Gocta Falls is under your own steam. Most take the four-mile (6 km) slog through the forest, but it’s worth hiring a guide for the quieter, 12-mile (20 km) upper path, which visits the falls’ top tier. Keep your eyes peeled for the tangerine-hued Andean cock-of-the-rock, often spied in these forests.
Day 12 & 13
Chachapoyas
The Machu Picchu of the north
Beyond Gocta Falls, the northern highlands’ biggest drawcard is their alternative to Machu Picchu, the far lesser-visited Kuélap. Constructed on a mountaintop above the Utcubamba Valley, this fortified city’s 66-foot-high (20m) walls were built between the 5th and 15th centuries by the war-loving Chachapoya.
A handy cable car carries you up to walk amongst 500 circular buildings, which would have been inhabited by families alongside the mummified remains of their dead.
Back in Chachapoyas, check into the historic and handsome La Xalca (doubles from £70 B&B). For dinner, feast on typical Amazonian dishes such as tacacho (ground plantain and pork) at Amazonika, who also offer cooking classes focusing on ancestral recipes.
Raising the dead
Finish your itinerary with a day tour to Leymebamba, a 2.5-hour drive south. You’ll explore the Museo de Leymebamba, whose 219-strong troupe of well-preserved, 800-year-old mummies were discovered in a nearby mausoleum.
Day 14
Lima
Back to reality
Return by air to Lima and consider a final plate of ceviche or a pisco sour in the city if you’ve time before your flight.
How to do it
When to go
Measuring 1,290 miles (2,080 km) from top to toe and containing everything from tropical forest to highland terrain, Peru’s seasons vary wildly according to where you go. Avoid December through February, which is the rainy season in the Andes and can derail Machu Picchu photo opportunities. For the best wildlife watching and driest weather in the Amazon, May through September are the ideal months (expect fewer mosquitoes, too).
What to book
Latin Routes’ 10-day “Classic Peru” tour (from £3,199pp) can be combined with their seven-day “Northern Peru” extension (from £2,299pp) to cover everywhere except the Amazon Jungle. The price includes internal flights, transfers, excursions, accommodation and some meals.
Abercrombie & Kent can organise a tailor-made 14-day trip to Peru from £13,195pp, swapping out Puerto Maldonado for a three-night, all-inclusive cruise on the luxurious Pure Amazon riverboat in the northern Peruvian Amazon.
Price includes all flights, private transfers, sightseeing, accommodation on a B&B basis and the three-night cruise.
Expert tips
- Download Uber for the safest means of transport around Lima, where yellow taxi cab drivers can scam – and even rob – travellers.
- Credit cards are accepted by up-market hotels and restaurants, but cash is king elsewhere.
- There is a low risk of malaria around Puerto Maldonado, but cover up with long-sleeved, loose clothing and bring a 50 per cent DEET-based insect repellent. The yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travellers heading to Cusco and the Amazon.
- Altitude sickness can be serious, so it’s important to spend a day or two acclimatising before you attempt any physical activity or go to higher elevations. Steer clear of alcohol and drink plenty of water.
- An eSIM is a sensible investment to ensure you have internet connectivity beyond your hotel’s WiFi.