INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES IN PERU you will never forget

Stories

Beyond Machu Picchu – Five Must See Destinations in Peru

Thinking about traveling to Peru? Well, you already know that Machu Picchu is our must-see, famed archaeological site, but what is beyond Machu Picchu? where else should you go in Peru? Even experienced travelers find it challenging to plan a trip to this country – there is so much to see! We have compiled a list of our 5 must-see destinations in Peru to ensure that your trip to Peru is one you will never forget.

5 Top Destinations Beyond Cusco & Machu Picchu in Peru

1. Lima

You will most likely fly in and out of Lima, and we encourage you to spend a few days exploring our vibrant capital city. Explore the famed colonial churches, take a walk along with Playa Redondo and watch the local surfers catch waves. Be sure to indulge in some Lomo Saltado and pisco sours at any of our many famed restaurants. Peru has been awarded ‘The Best Culinary Destination in the World’ at the World Travel Awards (the Oscars of tourism) for six years in a row. We promise that ten years from today, you will remember raw fish ceviche as much as you remember Cusco. 

Costa Verde Lima

Costa Verde – Lima, Peru

2. Lake Titicaca

The largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable body of water, Lake Titicaca, is located half in Peru and half in Bolivia. The main attraction is the man-made islands constructed by the Uros people, over 40 which float in the Lake. We recommend visiting the island of Amantani, which is off the main tourist track. The wonderful Isla Suasi hotel can be accessed by way of Amantani and it’s one of our favorite places! This is another of the 5 must-see destinations in Peru.

Titicaca Lake

Lake Titicaca 

3. Huaraz

The town located in the high Andes has been referred to as ‘Peru’s Adventure Capital.’ Hikers will be awed by beautiful snow-capped peaks and turquoise lakes. Huaraz sits at 3000 meters (9800 feet) of altitude, so visitors should be a factor in acclimatization time!

Huaraz can act as a jumping-off point for multi-day trekking tours or a hub for multiple-day hikes. Our favorite is the nine-day Huayhuash trek – if you can’t do the full nine days, hire Miguel Lopez to organize the trek and tell him to lead you up to Mitucocha. It will take a total of four days – this will allow you to see the highlights. And, be sure to have some choclo con queso (Andean corn with goat cheese) at Conococha.

Huaraz views from the Huayhuash trek in the Andes. 

4. Nazca

Nazca is famous for the eponymous lines – it is worth splurging to see the lines from above, and puzzling over how the ancient Nazca people were able to create these enduring geoglyphs. When in Nazca, visitors can also visit sand dunes called Cerro Blanco and take advantage of the super dark sky to stargaze. Our tip: consider using the quaint town of Paracas as your jumping-off point to view the lines.

Nazca lines

 Nazca lines, seen from above, Peru

5. The Amazon

Sure, we’re a little biased – but the Peruvian Amazon is truly one of the most spectacular corners of the planet. Peru is one of the last great remaining wildernesses on the planet, especially our vast Amazonian forests (did you know: over 60% of our land area is in Amazonia). Guests can explore our hectares upon hectares of pure virgin forest and enjoy unbeatable wildlife sightings including jaguar, peccaries, and colorful macaws. The Amazon is also home to indigenous groups – one of which, the Ese Eja, Rainforest Expeditions partners with.

This means that our guests at Posada Amazonas can experience daily life from the Ese Eja perspective, which includes fishing and cooking. Rainforest Expeditions is proud to support scientists learning about the Amazon – for our guests, this is a true highlight. When visiting Refugio Amazonas, guests can see the harpy eagle nest. At Tambopata Research Center, guests can chat with macaw scientists at the bar.

jaguar by lucas bustamante

Many visitors to our Tambopata Research Center lodge spot jaguars lurking along the river. Photo by Lucas Bustamante.

As you can see – there is a lot to see in Peru! Have we convinced you to add Amazon to your Peruvian itinerary? Even if you’re just beginning to dream of your trip to Peru,  the sooner you get in touch with one of our Rainforest Experts, the sooner we can help you find a great travel deal.

By Natasha Martin

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

Nancy Hodgson March 2026

Lesly Lagos March 2026

Batya K. February 2026

S. K. February 2026

Julian S January 2026

Flora Warfel January 2026

Julian Sack January 2026

Laura Franklin December 2025

Lee Wozencroft December 2025

Suraj Vijayan December 2025

Claudia A. January 2026

AMJNZ November 2025

This trip was the highlight of our travels through peru. The lodge was absolutely 5 stars for everything. The room, food, people. We had a private guide, Allen, who grew up locally and really had deep knowledge of the land, the history, and the variety of plant and animal species in the jungle. His knowledge and passion were invaluable to our experience. There are a variety of tour companies and lodges you can book to visit the Amazon, however, I would only recommend Rainforest Expeditions as they are truly connected to the community and offer high quality first class amazon experience! Read all

We had a truly wonderful stay with Rainforest Expeditions. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, and our guide was fantastic — very knowledgeable and passionate about the rainforest. We saw many animals, even from the boat, which made the experience unforgettable. Read all

I just spent 3 days here with my family. The research center surpassed all our expectations. I want to give a special shout out to Carlos who took such good care of us. He went above and beyond to make sure we werr comfortable. And he was always smiling. He made us feel so welcome. We had Erik as our guide who is so knowledgeable and experienced. We learned so much, saw so much wildlife. It really was a dream vacation. Thank you!! Read all

Chose this place to stay at the Amazon, as I heard it benefits the local indigenous community. Life changing experience. Oscar was an excellent guide! We saw so many wildlife! No 4th wall made it such an immersive jungle experience. Since they are eco friendly, there is no AC. It can get pretty hot depending on the season. So better to follow their guidance for clothing choices Read all

If you want to experience the Amazon in all its glory This is the place to come to Staff and guides were excellent Food was just incredible The forest walks were really interesting and informative Read all

If you are a birder, ask for Juan Carlos Yatto. He recognizes an astounding number of bird calls and can duplicate many of them. This place is magical, all I could have imagined. All the staff and scientists are incredible. The experience of a lifetime. Read all

This was the most amazing experience Very well organised The ground staff were so well organised The guides were excellent ( I’m looking at you Carlos!) Food was tasty and very varied Amazed that the chefs managed to get such variety in the middle of the Amazon Do not hesitate Book immediately you will not be disappointed. Highly recommended Read all

I can not say enough good things about my time at the Tambopata Research Center. Between the guides, the boat drivers, the chefs, the staff, the bartenders, the researchers, etc. Everyone was absolutely wonderful! If you are interested in viewing wildlife in the Amazon, this is the place for you! A special thank you to the maître d' Carlos who was so incredibly kind and hospitable and our guide Dino who was like a real life Indiana Jones. I can't wait to come back! Read all

An unforgettable, fully immersive jungle experience. Amazing how Tambopata Lodge delivers luxury touches in such a remote and rugged location. The food is fantastic, the staff incredible, and the wildlife sightings non-stop. The personalised itinerary and one-on-one guiding made the trip truly special—huge thanks to our guide Johan for sharing his passion and knowledge. The Macaw Project is inspiring, and it’s clear the lodge fully supports this important conservation work. Manager Brian was always kind, helpful. Well-done all involved. Read all

The most important fact we are grateful for is the true sense of understanding of the ecology of the Amazon the staff at Rainforest Expeditions (RFE) have shown us. RFE stands out for its stand against the pure, profit-motive initiatives many other tour operators do. We are very grateful to have had Carlos as our guide. Carlos is deeply dedicated, and is able to explain the nuances of the flora and fauna. The world today needs to act as one against the impact of climate change. RFE is one, bright shining light in this regard. Read all

We had a fabulous trip! The people were amazing, kind and very professional. The food was exceptionally good! The facilities are beautiful and well kept. We just loved our second time with Rainforest Expeditions and can't wait to go again!! Read all

Fantastic to be deep in the forest surrounded by incredible wildlife with our amazing guide Juan Carlos Yatto, who really knew his stuff! Also his photography skills meant that we could share our experience even better through his telescope using our phone cameras! We learned so much!! He went to extra lengths to find butterflies and moths for us along with so many different birds and monkeys. This was a travel highlight for us as experienced wildlife travellers. We loved our spacious room with no windows and open to more wildlife visitors but after 5 nights the bed could have been a little more comfortable. Luckily we had a second bed to use. Otherwise it was fantastic with hot water showers and fresh drinking water all the time. We were amazed at the variety of food on offer for breakfast, lunch and dinner and couldn’t believe they could have such a wonderful food offering in such a remote location. Even the wine and cocktails were great. I highly recommend spending the extra money and time getting to this location. We stayed at another lodge later which was closer to Puerto Maldonado and there was far less wildlife. Read all

Join To Our Newsletter

Write your e-mail

Join