Peru suits many styles of travel, but the best plan changes with who is going. First-timers need a simple route with built-in slack, families need gentler altitude and shorter transfers, hikers need the right season, and budget or luxury travellers need to know where money makes a difference. Choose the one that matches you, and use it together with the destinations and the itineraries.
In this section
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GuidePeru for First-Timers
The classic first trip, explained plainly, with the decisions that matter and the ones that do not.
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GuidePeru With Kids
Peru can be a great family destination if you plan for altitude, travel time and short attention spans.
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GuidePeru for Couples
A guide to making Peru feel unhurried, with the places and choices that suit two people travelling together.
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GuideSolo Travel in Peru
Peru is one of South America's easiest countries to travel alone, with a few habits that make it smoother.
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GuidePeru for Older Travellers
Peru is very doable at any age with a slower route, a lower start and a doctor's input.
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GuidePeru for Photographers
Where the light, colour and access are best, month by month, and how to protect your gear.
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GuidePeru for Hikers
A planner's overview of Peru's hiking, from afternoon walks to ten-day circuits.
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GuidePeru for Food Lovers
How to build a trip around eating, region by region, from markets to tasting menus.
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GuidePeru on a Budget
Smart ways to spend less in Peru, and the few costs you should not try to avoid.
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GuideLuxury Peru
Where paying more buys comfort, access and time, and where it only buys a bigger bill.
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GuidePeru for Digital Nomads
A practical look at living and working in Peru for a few weeks or months, with the practical points that matter.
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GuideWhere to Stay in Peru by Type of Traveller
How to match lodging type and neighbourhood to who is travelling, from Lima and Cusco to the Amazon.
Why travel style matters in Peru
Peru is a country of long distances, big altitude changes and strong seasonal patterns. The same trip can be a delight for one person and a struggle for another. A couple on a honeymoon wants comfortable transfers and a room with a view, a hiker wants permits and acclimatisation days, and a family wants to keep children and grandparents comfortable at altitude. A single generic itinerary rarely works for all of them. That is why the guides here start from your situation, with its pace, comfort needs and budget, and only then from the map.
Each option takes the same country and reorders the priorities for one type of traveller: what to do first, what to skip, where to spend, where to save, and what to book early.
Choosing your guide
If this is your first visit, start with the first-timers, which covers the usual route and the mistakes to avoid. Families, couples, solo travellers and older travellers each get advice focused on pacing, comfort, safety and the best bases. Hikers and photographers have guides built around seasons, light and access. Food lovers get a route through Peru's regional cooking, and budget, luxury and digital nomad travel deal with money, comfort and working from the road.
You can read more than one. A couple who hike, or a retired traveller who loves food, will want to combine two or three of these.
Tours and activities
Bookable online, chosen for their traveller reviews.
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★ Top rated From €52 per person
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★ Top rated From €23 per person
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★ Top rated From €49 per person
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu Entry Ticket for Circuit 1, 2 or 3
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★ Top rated From €85 per person
What every traveller should do first
Whoever you are, three decisions come before the rest. Pick your travel month, because it affects weather and crowds in every region (see when to go). Decide how many days you have and be honest about travel time between places, as how many days in Peru explains. And plan altitude, since most of the highlights sit above 2,500 m and the gentlest approach is to begin lower, in the Sacred Valley, before going up to Cusco. See altitude sickness for the symptoms and the sensible precautions.
Frequently asked questions
Which guide should I read first?
If you are visiting Peru for the first time, start with the first-timers advice. Otherwise, pick the one that matches your main reason for travelling.
Can I combine travel styles?
Yes. Many trips mix hiking with food, or a family trip with a luxury stay. Read the relevant advice and take what fits.
Is Peru suitable for older travellers?
Yes, with a slower pace and a lower start. For how to order stops so that the highest places come after a few days of acclimatisation, see older travellers.
What is the best style of trip on a small budget?
A slow, bus-based route with a few well-chosen paid highlights. See budget to understand where saving is easy and where cutting costs spoils the trip.
Where do I find Peru for photographers?
Photographers are served by light, seasons and access, which matter more than the destination list.