Our Peru vacations & tours
Our Peru vacations are as diverse as the country’s landscapes, people and cuisine. Cruise into the mysterious Amazon, trek the Inca Trail to the citadel of Machu Picchu, sail Lake Titicaca and soar like condors above the Nazca Lines. Tailor made adventure vacations are a particularly appealing way to experience Peru, especially for families. Local guides are integral to your enjoyment, offering introductions to communities and helping you understand customs and beliefs. As for walking in Peru, our partners ensure the local porters they employ are paid and treated well, in an industry where exploitation is common.
Our top Peru vacations
Peru 2 week tour
From
£2065
14 days
ex flights
Lima, Colca, Titicaca & Machu Picchu in a customisable tour
Tailor made
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
From
US $4200
15 days
ex flights
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
Small group2024: 12 Apr, 21 Jun, 9 Aug, 11 Oct
Galapagos and Machu Picchu vacation
From
£3595
14 days
ex flights
Cusco, Short Inca Trail & Galapagos Island Hopping
Tailor made
Peru vacation, encompassed
From
US $3355 to US $3635
15 days
ex flights
Coastal desert, snowy Andean peaks and lush forest
Small group2024: 5 Apr, 26 Apr, 21 Jun, 9 Aug, 13 Sep, 27 Sep, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 15 Nov, 2025: 4 Apr, 25 Apr, 2 May, 16 May, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 19 Sep, 3 Oct, 17 Oct, 31 Oct
Peru adventure vacation, private departure
From
£3400 to £4100
15 days
ex flights
Private Peru tour with day treks, rafting, cycling & culture
Tailor made
Inca Trail adventure vacation
From
US $1485 to US $1770
7 days
ex flights
Discover Cuzco and the Sacred Valley on this Incan adventure
Small groupSeveral departures each week
Hiking the Inca trail vacation
From
US $2590
8 days
ex flights
An unrivalled combination of history and spectacular scenery
Small group2024: 5 Apr, 12 Apr, 26 Apr, 17 May, 31 May, 7 Jun, 19 Jul, 16 Aug, 23 Aug, 13 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 8 Nov, 29 Nov, 19 Dec
Bolivia and Peru tour
From
US $5615 to US $6210
25 days
ex flights
Explore the Amazon Andes and Inca trail
Small group2023: 27 Nov, 2024: 20 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 1 May, 9 May, 30 May, 13 Jun, 27 Jun, 11 Jul, 1 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 11 Sep, 9 Oct, 30 Oct, 5 Dec
Cordillera Ausangate Lodge trek, Peru
From
US $1600
5 days
ex flights
Eco-lodge trek through stunning Ausangate range, Peru
Small groupDeparts every Friday throughout the year. Best trekking season April to October.
About our Peru vacations
History & ancient culture in Peru
With a remote mountain location, a challenging trek to reach it and spectacular sunrises, Machu Picchu is one of the most famous sets of ruins in the world. But there is far more to Peruvian history and ancient culture than this, admittedly fascinating, citadel. Alternative Incan sites, including Choquequirao and Vilcabamba, are just as impressive and also much less busy. The Nazca Lines, carved into desert rock, are an intriguing glimpse into the beliefs of another ancient civilisation, while beautiful cities such as Cuzco and Arequipa are well-known for their superbly preserved colonial architecture.
Inca Trail
This demanding four- or five-day trek from Cuzco to Machu Picchu is best tackled as part of a small group tour. With hard-working porters scurrying ahead of you with tents, food and other essentials, you can get by with just a daypack. Organised tours also ensure you don’t miss out on the necessary and strictly limited permits. The Inca Trail is only 43km long, but you need to be fit and ready for walking at high altitude if you’re going to make it. The busiest months are May to September, so remember there are several alternative routes, including the Salkantay and Lares treks.
Machu Picchu
Never actually ‘the lost city of the Incas’ as the legends have it, Machu Picchu still has an aura of mystery to it thanks to its remote location on an Andean mountaintop. The Incans constructed some 200 stone buildings across wide terraces, which while crumbling still attest to the amount of skill and labour involved. The most famous archaeological site in the Americas, abandoned in the 16th century, was probably used as religious citadel-cum-royal estate and is reached either by trekking the Inca Trail or taking the bus from nearby Aguas Calientes. Visitor permits are limited to 2,500 a day.
Peru vacations, families
It might not spring to mind for family vacations, but Peru is safe, fun and full of great activities for families with kids aged from about seven up. Budding Indiana Joneses will love wandering Machu Picchu to learn about its mysterious origins, or trying to identify the calls of strange birds and monkeys in the Amazon. There are cycling routes along valley floors and past ancient ruins, alpaca farms where you can watch woollen garments being made, friendly homestays, kayaking and easygoing trekking. Traveling in Peru with kids does require some flexibility but it’s an attractive destination for adventurous families.
Where to go on vacation in Peru
Not that you’re limited to them by any means, but there are two key destinations in Peru. The first, of course, is the iconic Machu Picchu, 2,430m up in the Andes. Many aim to be among the ancient Incan ruins for sunrise or sunset. Experienced and fit walkers can tackle the four-day Inca Trail, but most choose to take the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes. The Peruvian Amazon covers more than half of the country. Trips into the dense rainforest begin from Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos and reveal wildlife, including sloths, howler monkeys, anacondas, pumas and over 1,000 bird species.
Types of tours & vacations in Peru
If you plan to take on the ambitious Inca Trail a small group trip is the wisest way to approach it. Your permits, and most importantly your porters, will be organised on your behalf. Not all walking vacations in Peru focus on the Inca Trail however there are several equally enjoyable but lesser-known routes to Machu Picchu, and plenty of awesome trekking trips that feature other locations entirely such as the Ausangate Circuit or Rainbow Mountain Trek. Tailor made vacations abound too, which are a great idea for couples especially and anyone wanting to get a deeper insight into Peruvian culture.
[History & ancient culture : Christian Haugen]
[Inca Trail : Martin Lang]
[Machu Picchu : Amanda Kerr]
[Peru family vacations : Kenneth Banks]
[Where to go in Peru : Jacob Torrey]
[Types of vacation : Ivan ERS]
