The mystery, history, and adventure that Peru has entranced outsiders with started here in Southern Peru. Hiram Bingham stumbled upon Machu Picchu in 1911. Then, Toribio Mejia Xesspe rediscovered the mysterious Nazca Lines in 1927. The “Inca Trail” was made known to adventurers decades after, and a resurgence in indigenous identity more recently occurred in the Sacred Valley.
That’s just scratching the surface, though- there’s a TON to see in this region! Because of that I’ve developed these travel tips for Southern Peru. This will make planning your adventure easy.
You can spend days in traditional villages hiking and learning ancient customs. Or go up and over sacred mountains on the way to precolonial cities. And end your trip sandboarding in a desert oasis.
No matter what, take your time here. Southern Peru is an amazing place to escape, get lost in another world, and experience fulfilling adventures. This is cliche, but here there always seems to be more to discover!
The Best Travel Tips for Southern Peru
Ica and Nazca
From Lima you can visit “Peru’s Galapagos”, Las Islas Ballestas, only a few hours south of the city. It’s worth it for the penguins alone!
Less than two hours from there is Ica and the oasis of Huacachina. Backpackers go for its sandboarding adventures.
Nazca is four hours further inland. You can fly over the famous Nazca Lines and visit the gigantic site of Cahuachi (they have yet to uncover 85% of it!). You can also sandboard the largest dune on Earth at Cerro Blanco.
Cusco
And of course you have Cusco! The Incan infrastructure of the streets and main plaza are an attraction alone. In addition you have museums, churches and the ancient Qorikancha temple. Just outside the city are Incan sites such as Sacsayhuaman.
Further outside Cusco are the villages dotting the Sacred Valley. Each is known for something different. For example, Pisac and Chinchero have traditional markets and archaeological sites. And Ollantaytambo arguably has the most impressive examples of Incan architecture anywhere.
An hour from Ollantaytambo (by train only) is Aguas Calientes, which is a 25-minute bus ride to Machu Picchu. You can reach Machu Picchu either this way, the roundabout way via Santa Teresa, or the Inca Trail. The Inca Trail comes in 2 and 4-day variants.
Photo by Adrian Dascal on Unsplash
Manu and Puno (Lake Titicaca)
The department of Madre de Dios is home to large swaths of protected Amazonian forest. It can be visited from neighboring Cusco.
Puno borders Bolivia and Lake Titicaca, where homestays with indigenous communities are a big attraction. Puno is also known for its colorful festivals.
Arequipa
Just east of Puno is Arequipa, whose city is the second largest in Peru. Arequipa is famous for its cleanliness, academia, and food (hello!!!). It’s the jumping-off point for Colca Canyon. Also it lies in the shadows of three snow-capped volcanoes.
For Adventurers-at-Heart
To get off the beaten path consider Ayacucho in the Andes, or Moquegua and Tacna at the very southern part of the country.
Top Travel Tips for Southern Peru: Activities
Can’t-Miss Adventures
Here are the most popular experiences in Southern Peru:
- Visiting Machu Picchu, the “lost city of the Incas”
- Hiking the traditional Inca Trail or one of its alternatives to Machu Picchu. Click here for my guide to the Inca Trail and its alternatives.
- Day tripping to Vinicunca, aka “Rainbow Mountain”, from Cusco
- Taking a day to visit Sacsayhuaman and other ancient sites just outside of Cusco
- Exploring the museums and streets of Cusco
- Learning about traditional ways of life in the Sacred Valley
- Taking in the sights and hiking around the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Titicaca
- Wildlife spotting in the most biodiverse area in the world: Manu and Tambopata National Reserve
- Enjoying the food and trekking towering, snow-capped volcanoes in Arequipa
- Waking up at the crack of dawn to spot condors swirling in the winds of Colca Canyon
- Flying over the mysterious and mesmerizing Nazca Lines
- Sandboarding in the desert oasis of Huacachina– click here for my online guide to Huacachina
Bragging Rights
Here are top off-the-beaten path adventures in the region:
- Day tripping to the “other” rainbow mountain, Palccoyo, from Cusco
- Hiking one of these multi day treks that do not involve Machu Picchu:
- Ausangate: A nearly 21,000 foot snow capped mountain that holds a mythical status in Quechua culture
- Choquequirao: Which leads to the Incan citadel of the same name
- Vilcabamba: Which brings you to the last bastion of the Incan emperors
- Sandboarding Cerro Blanco. It’s the highest dune in the world, located near Nazca
- Visiting remote beaches filled with wildlife outside of Nazca and Arequipa
- Witnessing a precolonial custom few tourists even know about at Sandor Raymi in Apurimac
- Being the only person at the Incan citadel of Saywite in Apurimac
- Soaking in the otherwordly landscape of Pampa de Pabellones near Abancay
- Taking the Pisco Tour (Tour de Pisco) in Tacna, and maybe even the tourist train to Chile next door
- Visiting Ayacucho and seeing first-hand its famous artisans at work
When to Visit Southern Peru
Best Time to Go
Avoid the rainy season. That’s generally November through March except on the coast (it’s a desert).
Main festivals
Inti Raymi in Cusco is celebrated on the Southern hemisphere’s winter solstice. This is the peak of the tourist season in Cusco.
Candlemas is observed from February 2-18 and is a large festival in Puno.
The lesser-known but culturally important Sonor Raymi of Apurimac is celebrated in June.
The most important Peruvian national holidays are Holy Week, Independence Day (July 28th), Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
Next Steps
So did a specific place or experience stand out to you? In that case, please comment below! I’ll respond as quickly as possible.
Finding fun, affordable vacations in exotic places is hard. This is especially true when there’s so much to see and do!
But that’s why I’ve started Gringo Inca. Check out this sample itinerary for Southern Peru to start your awesome trip!
Also check out my articles on these Southern Peru destinations:
- Huacachina
- Inca Trail (including alternatives)
- Tambopata National Reserve
- Choquequirao
- Aguas Calientes
Gracias and we’ll be in touch!
