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Top 10 tours… only in Peru!

No matter what you want from your travels, you can create an incredible itinerary in Peru. Use this list to inspire a luxurious trip that includes adventure, interesting culture, and unforgettable food and drink. 1. Flying over Nazca Lines – Nazca Desert Depart in a small plane from the town of Pisco and take a flight to see the Nazca Lines — glyphs that the Nazca people carved into desert’s rocky terrain over 2,000 years ago. The 70 designs include a monkey, a hummingbird, and a spider.  Some have sections as long as 660 feet (220 m), so they’re easy to see from your flight. Adding mystery to their beauty, no one knows how the Nazca managed to make designs this large without the use of modern technology, Monkey Nazca Line 2. Vineyards – Ica and Pisco In Peru’s southern desert you can try the products of Peru’s vineyards: wine and pisco. Pisco is a yellowish brandy made from distilled wine.  At some Peruvian vineyards you can take tours that also include lunch and a wine tasting. Ica Vineyards 3. Luxury train to Machu Picchu For those who don’t feel like making a high-altitude hike through the Andes to reach Machu Picchu, there’s an infinitely more comfortable option aboard the luxury Hiram Bingham Train. From a train station in Cusco you can take a 4-hour train ride complete with lunch, snacks, drinks, and live entertainment. This is a luxury train that has comfortable seats and a car where you can step outside for sightseeing as you make your way through the mountains. Hiram Bingham Deluxe Train 4. Surfing on the beaches of Máncora, Vichayito, Los Órganos The beach of Máncora has good surfing all year round, and the water here is warm. Máncora has attracted enough visitors in recent years to develop a good selection of restaurants and places to stay. Driving south from Máncora you can reach Vichayito and Los Órganos — these beaches are secluded and offer a more serene beach experience. Vichayito is a lovely spot for swimming and snorkeling, with a smooth, sandy beach. Los Órganos has excellent surfing, and is typically less crowded than Máncora. Surfer on Mancora, Peru 5. Gastronomic tour in Lima Lima’s gastronomic scene has received worldwide attention in recent years. You can take cooking classes that include a visit to a traditional outdoor marketplace. There are ingredients in Peru that you don’t find much outside of the country — you’ll get to try a variety of peppers, Andean potatoes, and maybe even a few spices that grow in the Amazon rainforest. Peruvian Gastronomy 6. Peruvian Paso horses Peruvian Paso horses are named after their side gait, which is called paso llano. It is an elegant gait that provides a smooth ride. You can visit ranches that offer educational demonstrations of the highly trained paso horses, and take one of the animals for a guided trot around the ranch. At some of these ranches the workers wear traditional costumes to reflect the history of the paso horse. Peru Paso Horse 7. Ancient ruins in Chiclayo Northern Peru’s Lambayeque Valley has some of the country’s oldest ruins. Visit the site of Sipán to see the temple of Huaca Rajada and the Tumbas Reales Museum. Tumbas reales means “royal tombs” in English, and this museum has impressive relics that archaeologists found in the tomb of an ancient lord. Chiclayo Tombs Not far from Sipán you can visit a site called Túcume and its 26 adobe pyramids. Here you’ll see an enormous temple known as Huaca Larga. 8. Eco resort in Tambopata Visit the eco resort called Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción Tambopata. While you’re there you can visit the Amazon jungle near the town of Puerto Maldonado. The resort itself used to serve as a cocoa and rubber plantation. IHC 9. Iquitos and the Amazon Basin Don’t be shy of visiting the jungle, even if you prefer creature comforts. You can find upscale lodges in the Amazon basin that can make you feel quite cozy. Check out the rooms at Hatuchay Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge, which has nicely appointed cabins that overlooks the Maroñon River. This part of the Amazon is known for its bird watching, and while you’re here you’ll want to go on hikes that take you through the forest canopy. While you’re in Iquitos you can also meet with locals that offer traditional medicine demonstrations. Iquitos Indigenous 10. Nighttime city tour Don’t miss the chance to see Lima at night. You can find tours that include dinner and folk dance performances, complete with costumes and music that emerged in the Andes. Near Peru’s historic center you can visit the Fountains of Lima. At night you’ll see the fountains lit up in bright, neon colors. The fountains change shape, and you’re welcome to run through the spray – make sure to wear clothes that can get wet! Fountains of Lima Zach Smith is CEO of Anywhere. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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4 Comments

  1. Great to find a list of things to do in Peru with a little variety and unusal things!

    Chiclayo is amazing. It’s weird how people always just think of the Inca, when in fact (starting with Lima itself) there are just so many other cultural things to explore there!

  2. What a great list !! I loved that you alos put activities in Northern Peru. The coast from Trujillo towards the Ecuatorian border is full of archaeological sites and nature reservers.
    Another region to mention is the Amazonas region (which is not the Amazonia region), most of it is high up in the Andes and the pre-Colombian civilisation that lived there is the Chachapoya culture. Just one amazing landmark is the fortress of Kuelap. Check it out !

  3. We enjoyed several of the things you mention here although some were less luxurious! I agree with Martina, Trujillo is
    beautiful and our visit to the Dama de Cao in the Huaca el Brujo was a highlight of our visit, the train ride to Machu Picchu was another. Peru is a truly amazing country and the Peruvians are wonderful hosts. Many thanks for the memories.

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