Peru is a wonderfully diverse country with everything from the Amazon jungle to the high Andean peaks. With its wide variety of landscapes, cultures, and demographics, one could easily spend months traveling through this South American country. However, many visitors only have a week or two to travel to Peru. If this is your situation, here’s how to make the most of your Peru vacation by allowing you to experience Peru’s two most coveted landscapes: the Amazon and the Andes. This travel plan can still be booked with travel companies that specialize in Peru, but can also be completed independently with some advance planning.
If you are arriving in Peru from an international destination, you may want to take advantage of the day of your arrival in Peru to explore Lima. This capital city has both a charming colonial center and a beautiful coastal promenade that is worth visiting. This is also a good opportunity to try the seafood dish ceviche, a specialty of the Peruvian coast.
On day two, fly to the southern jungle town of Puerto Maldonado. Your plane will make a short stop in Cuzco before continuing for another 40 minutes into the jungle. If you wish, you can visit Cuzco before the jungle, but that would require purchasing additional plane tickets. Therefore, the cheapest and fastest option is to bypass the city and head straight to the river for a motorized canoe ride to your selected jungle lodge. There are numerous Amazon jungle lodges to choose from with various levels of comfort and prices. On your first day in the jungle, you should consider venturing out on a night hike or night boat tour to look for nocturnal wildlife.
On the third day of your Peru vacation, you’ll want to explore the mysterious and dense Amazon jungle. Take a canoe ride to one of the small oxbow lakes, a good place to spot wildlife such as alligators and parrots. In the afternoon, consider learning about the various plant species found in the Amazon by visiting a local farm or nature garden.
On the fourth day, spend another full day in the Amazon. Ascend to the jungle canopy and explore the treetops via canopy tour. This is an exciting way to see monkeys, sloths, and birds up close rather than from the jungle floor far below.
On day five, you’ve probably seen enough of the Amazon and are ready to move on to the second main part of your Machu Picchu and Amazon tour by catching a plane to Cuzco, the capital city of the once-mighty Inca Empire. Because you will have to travel all the way from the jungle, today will be a day of transportation and acclimatization, as many visitors to Cusco get altitude sickness if they don’t take half a day to relax and adjust to the new. tall heights
On your sixth day, you will have the opportunity to explore the city of Cuzco in depth, visiting colonial buildings and churches, as well as various Inca ruins in and around the city.
On the seventh day, visit Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. This mountaintop Inca city is not only in a very beautiful location, but also escaped destruction by the Spanish, meaning many of the ruins here are very well intact and impressive. Spend the morning taking a guided tour and have the afternoon to explore and relax around the site at your leisure.
On your last day, enjoy a morning in Cuzco before flying back to Lima for your international departure from Peru, after seeing much of the country in just eight days. This travel plan is a great way to see two areas of Peru in a limited amount of time. However, if you have extra time, it is recommended to spend a few more days visiting the Sacred Valley and Cuzco, as both places are very beautiful and many places are worth visiting. Those with even more time might be interested in visiting Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, or Lake Titicaca, other popular places in Peru.
