Top 5 Things to Do in Peru Besides Machu Picchu

Go hiking in the Huascará National Park

If you enjoy breathtaking snow-capped mountain views, stunningly blue alpine lakes, diverse flora and fauna and sore calves, then you must visit Peru’s most popular hiking destination, Huascarán National Park. Just a few hours north of Lima, near the town of Huaraz, you’ll find this tropical mountain range, which happens to be the highest in the world. It’s a unique mountain range which boasts one of the hardest hiking circuits in the world, the Huayhuash Circuit. Even if you aren’t a top-class hiker ready to embark on an intense week of trekking, I still recommend spending a few days in Huaraz to do some day hikes. Some of the most popular include Laguna 69, Laguna Chrurup, and Laguna Paron.

If you’re a true adventurist and want to do some multi-day hiking, you should hire a guide (and an alpaca if you want some help with your gear). Although it is possible to rent gear in Peru, I recommend planning and packing accordingly. The entire Huayhuash circuit takes about 12 days, so you would more likely need to plan your whole trip around it. But you can also do shorter multi-day hikes like the Mini Huayhuash Trek, which is just 4 - 7 days long.

If you already plan on doing the Inca or Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, this is the perfect addition to your itinerary since your bag will already be packed for hiking.

Explore the Reserva Nacional de Paracas by moped

Paracas is a sleepy little village on the Pacific coast a few hours south of Lima. Many tourists take a day trip here to visit Islas Ballesta, known as the “poor person’s Galapagos” because of the awesome and diverse wildlife on the islands. I definitely recommend adding this boat tour into your itinerary for Paracas, but the main activity I want you to take away from this guide is to explore the National Reserve! It’s a desert peninsula connected to the Atacama desert, the driest desert in the world. It’s a unique thing when you come across an extremely dry desert on a coast, but there are no dunes in sight. Just vast, dry rolling hills.

The first time we went, my boyfriend and I took the bus tour because you can easily get a combo ticket for both the Islas and the Reserve. It was so amazing and beautiful that when our friends showed up in Paracas a few days later, we rented two motor bikes and the four of us went out exploring on our own. There are only a few roads and they basically all combine to make a big circle, so you don’t need to worry about getting lost. To make it extra easy for you: I recommend first heading all the way out to Playa Supay for a picnic on the huge sandy beach, then snake back in stopping at Playa Yumaque for the views, Mirador Istmo II for more views, Playa Roja to see the red sand beach and then all the way to Playa Las Minas for a swim break (and to watch the pelicans dive into the water catching fish). Finish with dinner at Lagunillas, where you’ll find the only restaurants in the area. Make sure you leave before the sun starts to set because it can be really dangerous if you get stuck after dark (the park closes anyway). My suggestion is to start riding back just before the sun starts to set (depending on the time of year, don’t stay in the reserve after closing time if the sunset is late) so you get to enjoy the golden hour glow shining on the desert as you ride back. (An absolutely magical experience, I guarantee you will never forget).

Stay the night on Amantaní Island on Lake Titicaca

Amantaní is the second largest island on Lake Titicaca, the largest on the Peruvian side. There is a small community of Quechan people living on the island and two small mountainous peaks, both adorned with ancient religious ruins on the tops. To get to the island, you have to get on a boat through a local tour agency. They'll first stop at the Uros artificial floating islands to learn about their culture (if you only do a one-day tour, you will visit only the floating island Tequile island. While very fascinating, don’t miss the opportunity for the cultural experience you’ll have by staying one night) and then dropping you off on the island for the night (or two). You won’t find any machinery, hotels or roads on the island. Only walking trails, donkeys and guesthouses/homestays. Many of the local families have multiple guest rooms where they host guests. You receive lunch when you arrive, then you’re invited to hike the small mountains for the sunset. It’s a beautiful experience (and one of the best places in all of Peru to buy handmade souvenirs). After dinner, your host family will give you traditional clothing to wear and take you to the community hall where traditional bands play music and the hosts teach you how to dance like a local.

The whole experience is extremely fulfilling and one of the most culturally immersive experiences I’ve had the pleasure of participating in.

Fly over the Nazca Lines

The Nazca lines are giant, ancient geoglyphs that were etched into the dry ground near Nazca, Peru. Their true age and reason for creation are unknown because the ground in this area cannot be dated, though they believe the pictures were etched by the Nazca people around 1500 years ago. You can see many lines, geometric shapes, various animals and humanoid figurines all over the dried river bed and on the hills surrounding it.

What makes them truly special is that they’re so big that you can’t see a whole shape unless you board a small plane and fly above them. Yet they’re extremely precisely drawn. I’ll be honest, small planes are not for the faint of heart. They only hold eight passengers (including the two pilots) and the pilots do well to circle each geoglyph so that each side of the plane has a few seconds to look straight down at the ground. I highly suggest keeping your breakfast to a minimum and taking an anti-nausea tablet before climbing aboard.

See the Condors in Colca Canyon

While staying in the picturesque town of Arequipa, taking a trip to Colca Canyon is a must-do. It’s one of the deepest canyons in the world and you can get up close to Andean condors without doing any damage to their daily life or habitat. It’s fairly difficult to see condors in their natural habitats without disturbing them, so getting the chance to gaze at the magnificent birds as they swoop just over your head here is truly a privilege.

There are two options to enjoy the Colca Canyon: either take a bus tour to the area to get a nice view of the canyon and condors on a one-day tour, or as I always suggest, hike through the canyon! You’ll need to be on the fitter side for this one as it’s a little bit of a grueling climb out of the canyon, but the hardest tasks reap the biggest rewards, right? To put it into perspective, Colca Canyon is about twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. If you choose to hike, you’ll descend all the way into the oasis on the first day and all the way up and out on the second day. If you add a third day, you’ll have a chance to rest and do some relaxing hiking down at the bottom. It is possible to rent a mule to take you up the canyon if you really can’t make it.

To be honest, it’s more difficult to find bad food in Peru than it is to find good food. Even in smaller towns like Puno, where you don't expect there to be great food, it's brimming with restaurants serving delicious food. Either way, here’s a list of great places to eat in these small off-the-beaten-path locations.

Arequipa

Pasta Canteen - I can’t recommend this spot enough. You wouldn’t expect a pasta restaurant in Peru to be so outstanding, but this place is unbelievable. It’s a customizable pasta bar that comes with a salad and bread with every meal.

Chicha por Gaston Acurio - If you’re in the mood for upscale Peruvian food, this should be your go to. It’s got a higher price point than most restaurants in Peru, but the food is superb.

Paracas

Waiki Pizza Bar - This is a great one if you’re looking for some western comfort food and tasty cocktails. They serve a wide mix of foods like pizzas, burritos, lasagnas and burgers in a reggae themed interior.

Fresco Open Kitchen - One of the fancier places to grab dinner. Fantastic service and delicious seafood.

Puno

Mojsa - Fantastic food with superb staff and an awesome view of the Plaza Mayor de Puno. I ate here more than once and I’m still dreaming about their carpaccio.

Muelle’s Sur - For a huge and mouthwatering portion of Peru’s national dish, this cevicheria will not disappoint.

Huaraz

La Brasa Roja - This is one of Huaraz’s most popular restaurants and for good reason. They have a huge menu, but they’re known for their chicken.

Calima - The trucha (trout but not) here melts in your mouth… it’s an unassuming little restaurant but one of the best places for dinner after a heavy day of hiking. Think: gourmet Peruvian food for mid-range pricing.

Nazca

Mamashana Cafe - If you ask around, most locals will send you to this cafe. It’s very welcoming to tourists and the food is very high quality. They also have surprisingly delicious sangria.

Cevicheria El Chalán Piurano - I know I already put a cevicheria on this list, but we’re talking about Peru here so you’ll be eating ceviche everywhere! This restaurant is in a funny spot all the way on the edge of town, but they serve some of the best food in town.