Peru

Key facts

• Region: South America — Sovereign states
• Capital: Lima
• Currency: Peruvian sol (PEN)
• Languages: Spanish (official); Quechua and Aymara are also official
• Main airport: LIM — Jorge Chávez International Airport, serving Lima
• Best time to visit: May to September, the dry season and the best window for Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail; the Amazon is best June to November

Overview

Peru is the region's most popular destination for history and archaeology, home to the Inca capital of Cusco and Machu Picchu. It combines Pacific desert coast, high Andes, Lake Titicaca and Amazon rainforest in a single country. Its cuisine and colonial cities have made it a common first trip to South America.

Airports

Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Lima is the main international gateway and the hub for domestic connections. Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) serves Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP) serves Arequipa, and Coronel FAP Carlos Ciriani Santa Rosa International Airport (TCQ) serves Tacna on the Chilean border. Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport (IQT) serves Iquitos in the Amazon, and Capitán FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport (PIU) serves Piura in the north.

Main cities

Lima is the capital and the country's food capital, with colonial architecture and coastal districts such as Miraflores and Barranco. Cusco is the former Inca capital and the base for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Arequipa is a colonial city of white volcanic stone and the gateway to Colca Canyon. Puno sits on Lake Titicaca, and Iquitos is the largest city in the world unreachable by road and the main Amazon gateway. Trujillo in the north is known for Chan Chan and nearby surf beaches.

Places to go

Machu Picchu is the country's signature site, usually reached by train from Cusco or by the Inca Trail. The Sacred Valley includes the Inca sites of Ollantaytambo and Pisac and the Maras salt pans. Lake Titicaca's floating islands of the Uros and the island of Taquile are reached from Puno. The Colca Canyon near Arequipa is one of the deepest canyons in the world and a condor-viewing site. Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) and the Cordillera Blanca around Huaraz are popular for trekking, and the Nazca Lines and the Amazon around Puerto Maldonado round out the main stops.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Peru, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked