I was just finishing nursing school when one of my friends and I decided to go to Peru for our grad trip. As soon as we finished our last clinical, we packed our backpacks and left for 3 weeks. Peru had never been on my list of places I wanted to visit, but I am so, so glad I did. Here are my favorite places to travel to in Peru.

Lima

Lima is the capital of Peru. It is situated on the Pacific side of the ocean. This is where I landed and stayed for the first two days of my trip. It is a big city with a population of around 9 million. They’re beautiful neighborhoods to visit, such as Miraflores and Barranco. We stayed at the Pariwana Hostel, which we booked through Hostelworld, and absolutely loved it. They offered free walking tours and salsa dance classes.

I recommend visiting the Miraflores Mall called Larcomar. It is situated close to a cliff with breathtaking views. I tasted my first Pisco sour here, and felt that my trip had officially begun.

Borranco is another great neighborhood to visit if you enjoy art and culture. The streets are filled with wall art, and the buildings are very colorful. Here you will find the Puente de los Suspiros (Barranco’s Bridge of Sighs). Legend states that those who set sight on the bridge for the first time are entitled to a single wish if they can cross its 30-meter span without taking a single breath… I tried and couldn’t hold my breath that long. Good luck!!

Paracas

The next place we visited was Paracas National Park. Paracas is a coastal town in Peru, located about 250 kilometers south of Lima. We took a bus from Lima to Paracas, which was fairly easy. The bus dropped us off in the city center, and we then walked to our hostel. This little town is very easily walkable. We stayed at the KoKopelli hostel, which had a great outdoor space and beach access. This hostel also provided free walking tours, which I really enjoyed and, we even got to taste some wine on this tour. During our time here, we also climb to the highest point of the town where you get to see it all (a fairly easy walk up). There are also a few luxury hotels here if you prefer having a more relaxing stay (I visited one, and it was gorgeous!!).

I highly recommend walking around and exploring what this town has to offer. They’re a lot of cute restaurants and stores to check out.

“The Paracas National Reserve is a protected area that covers over 3,000 square kilometers of desert, beaches, and marine ecosystems. It’s one of the most important natural reserves in Peru, known for its biodiversity”

We booked a tour to the Paracas National Reserve with a company we found in town. We had to meet in the town center to take a tour bus. We visited the Paracas museum to learn about the history of the park and the marine ecosystems. The building itself is impressive to see. We then made our way to the reserve, where you can enjoy beautiful views of cliffs and the ocean. They stop at a few viewpoints. Bathrooms are available, but you do need to pay. Our last stop of the day was at a restaurant where we could purchase food and also continue to enjoy the views from a different angle.

Another great thing to do in Paracas is to take a boat tour to Ballestas Islands, which is known as the "Poor Man's Galapagos.". From our hostel, we walked to the pier, where we got on a boat with around 10 other people. They handed us life jackets and gave us a few important pieces of information before leaving. We sailed to a few different islands and were able to see sea lions and penguins. The tour guide gave us plenty of information about the history of the island and made sure we would get as close to the sea lions as we could. I did get a little bit seasick (probably because of the weather), so just be aware if this is something you do struggle with.

Huacachina

Another place to visit and my personal favourite is Huacachina. It is a small desert oasis in southern Peru, located just outside the city of Ica. There is a natural lagoon surrounded by sand dunes. We took a bus from Paracas and arrived to the town center in around 01:30h. It is a very walkable place and we were able to find out hostel (Wild rover) in just a few minutes. This is a party hostel but they’re other options for a more quieter stay. I highly recommend walking around the natural lagoon as there is a path and you will discover shops and restaurants all around. Most places have a view of the lagoon so you can just sit, have a drink and enjoy the view.

Here you can also enjoy my favorite activity of the entire trip... dune buggies. You can rent a buggy at multiple little kiosks around the lagoon. I have to say that I was a little nervous about this because where we went, it didn’t look like a business at all, but it ended up working out very well. They take you up the dunes and drive around for a while to let you admire the views. They also provide “sand boards'“ for you to slide down the dune. Warning: it can go really fast, so be careful!! We loved this activity so much that we did it twice.

If you like hiking, I recommend climbing one of the highest dunes to see a proper view of the whole oasis. Just be sure to be wearing comfortable shoes because you are walking in hot sand! I also don’t recommend doing this late morning or early afternoon because it gets really, really warm. Bring a water bottle and a hat if you have one. Coming down is much more quick and fun than going up haha.

Cusco

It wouldn’t be a post about Peru without mentioning the beautiful city of Cusco. It is a historic city in southeastern Peru, known as the former capital of the Inca Empire. It's often regarded as the "Gateway to Machu Picchu" due to its proximity to the famous archaeological site. Here we stayed at the Pariwana hostel (because we loved the first one so much!). We booked this last minute with Hostelworld and had no problems at all. There are also plenty more hostels and hotels to choose from.

From Cusco, there are multiple day trips that you could do. Here are the three that we decided to do and why I recommend them.

Laguna Humantay :

A stunning turquoise glacial lake located in the Peruvian Andes. It's situated at the base of the Humantay Mountain, which stands at about 5,473 meters (17,957 feet) above sea level. The hike to Laguna Humantay takes around 1.5 to 2 hours from the Soraypampa base, but it can be quite challenging due to the high altitude, so visitors need to be prepared for the strenuous climb.

I recommend joining a guided tour from Cusco. Most of the tours bring you to a small village to grab breakfast before the hike. They also serve you Coca tea, which is known to help with altitude sickness, and believe me, you will need it. This hike will literally take your breath away.
If you’re planning on going, make sure to bring warm clothing; again, layers are your best friend, and of course, bring plenty of water.
Note: You can pay to hop on a horse to help go up the mountain, but I do not remember them making it all the way up, so I believe you will need to finish it on your own. I recommend just taking your time; there’s no rush, and the view is totally worth it. Plus, you might see some cows up there.

Rainbow Moutain

Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca, is another stunning natural wonder located in the Peruvian Andes. It's famous for its vibrant, multicolored slopes, which get their striking appearance from mineral deposits in the soil, creating stripes of red, pink, orange, yellow, green, and white. The mountain stands at around 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) above sea level, so like many high-altitude treks in Peru, the hike to the top can be challenging due to the altitude.
The Rainbow Mountain hike typically takes about 2-3 hours, depending on your fitness level, with the elevation making it more difficult for some. You can also pay for a horse to bring you most of the way. I did this because it was my last day, and I was exhausted, but it ended up being a very fun experience. It is important to note that the horse again doesn’t take you all the way up. You do need to finish the last uphill climb on your own. I saw a lot of people with hiking poles, and it seemed to help them a lot.
At some point during our tour, the guide offered us the option to make the extra hike to the red valley. I opted out, but my friend did, and the pictures were beautiful, so I can only imagine how nice it would have been in person. The hike is another 1.5 km to reach the red valley.
We booked this tour through our hostel, but as you walk the streets of Cusco, you will find multiple kiosks that sell tours like this one and other main day trips.

Macchu Picchu

Last but not least, we have to talk about the famous Machu Picchu. It is one of the most iconic and breathtaking historical sites in the world. This ancient Inca city is perched high in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of around 2,430 meters (7,970 feet) above sea level. Machu Picchu is famous for its stunning views, impressive stone structures, and well-preserved architecture, including temples, terraces, and plazas. The site was built in the 15th century during the reign of the Inca emperor Pachacuti but was abandoned around 100 years later, likely due to the Spanish Conquest. It remained largely unknown to the outside world until its rediscovery by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911. Now it is visited daily by tourists who are in awe of its beauty. Machu Picchu is also known as one of the 7 wonders of the world.

I recommend buying your tickets in advance if you are not booking through a tour agency. They only allow a certain amount of people per day to visit the site.
Note: When you are at the site, you might see workers offering to stamp your passport with the Machu Picchu stamp. I did not know at the time, but this can give you issues in some countries because it makes your passport “invalid”. I’ve had no problems so far, but others have. Just be careful and maybe bring something else to stamp.
There are many ways to visit Machu Picchu from Cusco. See my full article here to find the best way for you.
Ps. The best views, in my opinion, are what is around Machu Picchu. So don’t forget to look up and around you. The mountains mixed with the clouds/fog are absolutely breathtaking.

Honourable mentions:

Salt Mine of Maras

Hold a llama or alpaca
Visit Arequipa
Make a trip to Canyon de Colca and the Hot springs

4 Best places to visit in Peru.