Maras salt pans, Photo: .mw-parser-output .commons-creator-table{background-color:#f0f0ff;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:95%;text-align:start;c, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Peru
Peru, made simple: Inca stonework in Cusco, cloud forest around Machu Picchu and the best food in South America, without the worry
Peru packs desert coast, the high Andes and the Amazon into one country. Lima is a food capital on Pacific cliffs, Cusco and the Sacred Valley lead to Machu Picchu, white Arequipa sits beneath volcanoes and Lake Titicaca holds floating islands. This guide explains altitude, tickets, entry, money, safety and getting around, so you can travel with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, Machu Picchu tickets, altitude and seasons, answered
- LandingLima's Jorge Chávez airport and your first night by the Pacific
- Your days in PeruCoast, Andes and lake, paced so your body keeps up
- Home againDomestic connections, strikes and last-day tips covered
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain how soles, cards, tickets and tipping work, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Peru should feel like wonder, not worry. We answer the questions about tickets, altitude, transport and safety before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
First trip to South America, or coming back to see family in Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo or a village in the Andes? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your PeruLima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, Arequipa or Lake Titicaca: start with the destinations.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules, Machu Picchu ticket timing, altitude advice and the right season, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for cevicherías, markets, ruins, hikes and stays in each area.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to climb gradually, book tickets in the right order and leave a spare day for strikes or weather.
Everything your Peru trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, Arequipa and Lake Titicaca, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred cevicherías, cafés, markets, ruins, trails and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Lima and Cusco and stays in each area.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Peru trip
Pacific food, Inca valleys, then the lake
Most first trips land in Lima for a day or two of eating well, then fly to Cusco. Many people sleep lower in the Sacred Valley first to ease into the altitude, take the train to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu, then spend time in Cusco itself. From there, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa make a natural loop south before flying home from Lima.
- Ceviche and sunset over the cliffs of Miraflores
- Markets and ruins in the Sacred Valley
- Early morning at Machu Picchu
- Floating islands on Lake Titicaca and condors in the Colca Canyon
Start with the destinations
See how the capital, the Inca heartland, the lake and the south fit together.
Peru destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Peru rewards planning: Machu Picchu tickets and the Inca Trail sell out, the altitude needs a gentle start and distances are long. Our free planner helps you shape a route that books things in the right order and keeps a buffer day.
- Ticket timing for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
- Sensible altitude pacing from day one
- Realistic flight, train and bus timings
Where to go in Peru
Five bases that cover the coast, the Inca heartland, the southern volcanoes and the highest navigable lake.
Lima, central coast of Peru
Lima
Peru's coastal capital, a food city on Pacific cliffs with a UNESCO listed colonial centre and lively seaside districts.
Read the guidePhoto: YusmarBlanco, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Cusco region, southern Andes
Cusco
The former Inca capital, a UNESCO listed city of Inca walls, colonial churches and markets at about 3,400 metres.
Read the guidePhoto: .mw-parser-output .commons-creator-table{background-color:#f0f0ff;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:95%;text-align:start;c, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Cusco region, Urubamba valley
Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
The green Urubamba valley of Inca terraces and market towns, leading to the citadel of Machu Picchu in the cloud forest.
Read the guidePhoto: .mw-parser-output .commons-creator-table{background-color:#f0f0ff;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:95%;text-align:start;c, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Arequipa region, southern Peru
Arequipa and the Colca Canyon
Peru's white stone second city beneath three volcanoes, and the deep Colca Canyon where condors soar.
Read the guidePhoto: .mw-parser-output .commons-creator-table{background-color:#f0f0ff;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:95%;text-align:start;c, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Puno region, southern Altiplano
Lake Titicaca
The highest navigable lake in the world, with floating reed islands, weaving communities and the folk capital of Puno.
Read the guidePhoto: Miro Denck, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Do I need a visa to visit Peru?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities, including citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the EU, can visit visa-free as tourists, while others need a visa in advance. Check Peru's official government portal, gob.pe, and the nearest Peruvian consulate before you book.
How far ahead should I book Machu Picchu?
Book as soon as your dates are fixed. Daily tickets are capped and sell out weeks ahead in the dry season, and Inca Trail permits often go months ahead. Buy only from the official Ministry of Culture site or a licensed operator.
How bad is the altitude in Cusco?
Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres and Puno at about 3,800, so many visitors feel breathless or get headaches at first. Rest on arrival, drink water, go easy on alcohol and speak to a doctor before you travel about prevention.
Is Peru safe for tourists?
Most visits are trouble free, but pickpocketing, bag snatching, taxi crime and protests that block roads do happen. Read your government's current travel advice, use app or hotel booked taxis and keep an eye on local news.
What is the best time to visit Peru?
May to September is the dry season in the Andes and the best time for Machu Picchu and treks, though it is also the busiest. December to March is the Lima beach season and the rainy season in the mountains, and the Inca Trail closes every February.
How many days do I need in Peru?
Ten days covers Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu at a comfortable pace. Two weeks lets you add Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, and three weeks leaves room for the Amazon or the north coast.
Ready to plan your Peru trip?
Use the free trip planner to build a calm, realistic route, or contact us with any question.