Peru [CA - Sept 2025]

nature | adventure | culture | community tourism

Peru

Stretching from the Andes to the Pacific coast, Peru is one of the world’s most diverse destinations. With over 200 protected areas, its natural beauty invites awe and adventure. Conquer mountain peaks, discover deserts and cruise the Amazon. Encounter vibrant cultures and ancestral ceremonies, with over 5,000 archaeological sites including Machu Picchu, an enduring symbol of the mysterious Inca Empire. In Peru, the table is as varied as its landscapes. With menus featuring native spices, herbs and superfoods, four restaurants earned their place on the World’s Best Restaurants list in 2025. Peru has also been crowned "World’s Leading Culinary Destination" 11 times over the past 13 years. Community-based tourism flourishes in Peru, inviting you into homes, kitchens, and workshops for authentic exchanges.

Where wonder, adventure and flavour come alive

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Peru in bloom

Feel the rush, sand to sky

Cultural treasures and traditions

Empowering locals, enriching travellers

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Humantay Lake

Peruvian textiles on display at a festival | credit: PromPerú

Madre de Dios | credit: PromPerú

Cordillera Blanca | credit: PromPerú

Palcoyo Mountain | credit: Enrique Nordt, PromPerú

Nevado Vallunaraju in Cordillera Blanca | credit: Mountains Legacy

Huacachina Lagoon

Paragliding in Miraflores, Lima | credit: Sasha Kapsunov, PromPerú

Cathedral of Lima | credit: Adrian Portugal

Uros boat, Lake Titicaca | credit: PromPerú

Textile artisans | credit: Julio Angulo, PromPerú

Cultural experience in La Tierra de los Yachaqs | credit: PromPerú

Reffen Street Food Market Photo credits: Lukas Bukoven (left); Reffen - Copenhagen Street Food (right)

The BLOX Building (left); The Black Diamond (right) Photo credit: Daniel Rasmussen

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In southern Peru, the “Stone Village” of Sibayo delivers an unforgettable community tourism experience. Located in one of the world’s deepest canyons, the town invites you to step into daily life — herding livestock, harvesting berries or trying your hand at wood carving, textiles and artisanal fishing. Families welcome travellers to saddle up for horseback rides through pine forests, join in farm work or cycle through the Colca Valley. Keep an eye out overhead, where the majestic Andean Condor soars in its natural habitat.

Connecting with Cusco

Beyond adrenaline-thrilled adventures, the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco is home to indigenous communities offering immersive cultural experiences. La Tierra de los Yachaqs introduces travellers to textile artistry, traditional farming and sacred Andean rituals. In Maras, guides reveal ancestral techniques at historic salt mines, while families host craft workshops and cooking sessions. Nearby, the Misminay community invites participation in daily agriculture, teaching both Andean farming methods and the spiritual significance of the land.

Cooperative way of life

Community tourism in Peru shifts agency to local residents — across the Andes, Amazon and lakeshores — who serve as hosts, guides and entrepreneurs. It channels visitor spending directly into communities, sustaining traditional livelihoods (weaving, farming, fishing) and funding schools, conservation and small enterprises. Offering authentic hands‑on experiences — homestays, artisan workshops, guided nature walks — community tourism deepens cultural understanding while easing pressure on overcrowded sites. For curious, responsible travellers, it’s a meaningful way to experience Peru and support its cultural and natural heritage.

Where the sun was born

Straddling Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca isn't just the world’s highest navigable lake (3,812 metres); it’s a sacred cradle of Andean civilization. Inca myth names it the birthplace of the sun and the first ancestors. The Uros continue to craft floating islands from totora reeds, while Taquile Island is famed for its UNESCO‑recognized handwoven textiles, each motif steeped in meaning. Daily life — fishing, farming, harvesting reeds — feels like a living bridge between past and present.

In Peru, culture isn’t something you read about — you live it. Stay on Cusco’s cobbled streets in restored colonial mansions once owned by 16th‑ and 17th‑century elites, or sleep in Arequipa’s white‑sillar hotels with soaring ceilings and original frescoes. Marvel at the Nazca Lines — colossal geoglyphs etched into the desert — then wander Lima’s UNESCO‑listed historic centre. Over 100,000 artisans preserve centuries-old crafts. Shop elegant alpaca garments once reserved for high-ranking personages, trimmed with gold and feathers, and pair them with silver jewelry in Inca motifs. Culture tastes as good as it looks: razor-fresh coastal ceviche and hearty Andean stews draw on native ingredients and time-honoured techniques passed down through generations.

Coastline thrills

Miraflores, Lima's vibrant district, is home to renowned chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura's Maido, anointed in June to the top of The World’s 150 Best Restaurants List, and a buzzing food scene of fresh ceviche, fusion dishes and pisco sours. In addition to culinary heights, you can also reach a literal high. Its cliffs offer a breathtaking launchpad for paragliding, soaring above surf, parks and the sprawling city below.

Peru isn’t just about stunning landscapes and ancient mysteries. It’s where adrenaline and awe collide. Race across endless deserts in a 4x4 or paraglide over Lima's Miraflores skyline. In the Sacred Valley, tackle the roaring Urubamba on a thrilling rafting adventure. For the ultimate immersion, cruise the mighty Amazon, alive with vibrant macaws, river dolphins and unparalleled biodiversity at every turn. Adventures of a lifetime await.

Treks of a lifetime

A trek elevates a hike into a legendary journey, and Peru offers some of the world’s most breathtaking multi-day routes. The 110-kilometer Cordillera Hayhuash winds through shimmering glacial lakes and isolated valleys, its highest peaks rising nearly 500 metres, often shrouded in clouds, drawing climbers from across the globe. Or lose yourself in the Cordillera Blanca, with snow-capped giants, glittering glaciers and vibrant alpine lakes. Both routes test your limits while rewarding you with vistas that leave you feeling on cloud nine.

When Canada is in winter, Peru is at its most alive. From November to May, snow-capped peaks melt into lush landscapes, making it the ideal time to experience UNESCO wonders like Manu National Park. Wildflowers such as lupines and orchids (Peru is home to 3,500 varieties!) blanket the mountains in colour, filling the air with vibrant aromas. Chili peppers and herbs like cilantro and cumin add fragrant notes, their bounty used to spice regional dishes. The Peruvian Amazon pulses with life: scarlet macaws streak the sky, pink river dolphins frolic in the waters and capuchins swing through the emerald canopy.

Start with the heights of the Cathedral of Lima on the Plaza Mayor, a blend of Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical styles housing colonial art, ornate chapels and the tomb of Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who founded the city. A short walk away, the Monastery of San Francisco features vaulted ceilings and ornate cloisters, along with a colonial library and museum. Descend into its catacombs, a labyrinth where over 70,000 souls were laid to rest. Skeletal remains arranged in haunting patterns provide a chilling counterpoint to the cathedral’s grandeur above.

Lima’s historic highs and lows

Peru's deserts to the south — Huacachina and Paracas — ignite the adrenaline. While scorching in summer, winter months provide comfortable conditions to explore golden sands and discover hidden alcoves, ancient fossil beds and unique flora. Stay in cozy lodges or eco-hotels near Huacachina, famed for its roller coaster-shaped dunes, or relax at beachfront resorts in Paracas. Cap off your desert adventure with a high-dune one-of-a kind dinner picnic as the sky erupts in intense colours at sunset.

Dare the dunes

Walk Peru’s dramatic landscapes on hidden gem routes like Choquequirao. Known as Machu Picchu’s sister, this impressive Incan citadel is three times larger, offering a rewarding 3–5 day trek. Along the route, mist-shrouded cloud forests, native wildlife, charming villages and stunning sunrises await. Palcoyo Mountain is another lesser-known destination, where geological forces have painted the landscape in bands of red, green and ochre.

Yearning for wonder? Take a hike!

Sacred Valley | credit: PromPerú

Colca Canyon

Cusco

Uros Island | creidt: A. Bryce, PromPerú

Machu Picchu | credit: Errin Casano

Getting to Peru from Canada is easier than ever, with direct flights on Air Transat from Toronto and Montreal. This December, Air Canada joins the route with twice-weekly service, and WestJet launches Calgary–Panama, with connections to Lima. TripToGo makes it easy to see the country’s highlights with a range of guided packages. For every booking, they donate $10 to the Warm Water on the Go program, which brings solar heaters to rural families in Cusco.

Cusco | credit: PromPerú

From Huascarán National Park to Laguna 69

Venture into Peru's majestic Andes, from Huascarán National Park in Ancash. The UNESCO World Heritage site features trails winding through snow-capped peaks and diverse flora. Watch for soaring Andean condors, elusive spectacled bears — known for their light-coloured eye markings — and vicuñas, closely related to llamas and alpacas. The ultimate reward? Laguna 69, a turquoise lake nestled among granite walls and glaciers, its calm waters mirroring snow-dusted mountains.

Laguna 69 | credit: Annie Tarasova

A charming town south of Lima, Paracas is the gateway to the Paracas National Reserve and a treasure on Peru’s coast: Ballestas Islands. The reserve hosts sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingos and other protected species. On a boat tour, playful dolphins may even escort your ride. Cross to the Guano Islands, Islets, and Capes National Reserve System, where thousands of sea lions bask on rocky ledges and overlook the mysterious geoglyph known as The Candelabra — a colossal hillside carving shaped like a giant candlestick, whose origin remains a captivating mystery.

A mysterious coastal jewel

The Candelabra, Paracas Nature Reserve

A valley of possibilities

The Sacred Valley, between Cusco and Machu Picchu, was once the Inca heartland for farming and sacred ceremonies. Fed by the Urubamba River, the valley is as rich in adventure as it is in history. One to two hours from Cusco, gateways like Ollantaytambo and Pisac offer a playground of possibilities: tandem paragliding off ridgelines, mountain-biking ancient Inca trails, rafting white-water rapids or hiking to secluded archaeological sites. Accommodations range from welcoming guesthouses to five-star hotels, and the valley’s fresh, Andean-inspired cuisine is not to be missed.

Moray Archeological site

Ranked among the world’s best river cruising destinations, the Peruvian Amazon unwinds along tranquil tributaries explored from comfortable river vessels. Spot pink river dolphins, charapa turtles and the giant paiche (arapaima) while expert naturalists lead skiff excursions into hidden channels for piranha fishing, caiman‑spotting at dusk and close wildlife encounters that will get your heart racing.

Set sail on the Amazon

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Pisco tasting tours and vineyard visits

Peru’s signature grape spirit, Pisco, forms the basis of the country’s cocktails — from the frothy Pisco Sour and bright Chilcano to the creamy Algarrobina. To fully appreciate it, follow the Ruta del Pisco through sun‑baked vineyards and family-run bodegas in the Ica and Pisco valleys. Learn about varietals like Quebranta and Italia, watch time-honoured distillation on clay and copper stills, and discover why Pisco is traditionally bottled clear and unaged. Guided tastings, pairings and behind-the-scenes tours link every sip to generations of craft and regional pride. Salud!

Peru redefines luxury with access to cultural and natural wonders that turn travel into a personal odyssey. Take part in a private Andean ceremony in Huaraz, glacier vistas as a backdrop, where indigenous rituals reconnect you with millennia‑old traditions. Or sail from Iquitos on a plush Amazon river cruise, savouring a curated tasting menu of regional flavours and meaningful encounters with local communities. These intimate, guided experiences reveal spiritual practices and sustainable lifeways, deepening your appreciation for Peru’s cultural roots and resilience.

Luxury in cultural immersion

Twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, Colca is more than a geological marvel — it’s a living tapestry of culture and tradition. Pre‑Inca agricultural terraces, still farmed today, ribbon the canyon walls in vivid green. Ride horseback along trails for sweeping views as Andean condors, with wingspans nearing ten feet, ride the thermals above villages where Quechua and Aymara communities maintain age‑old rituals. Markets burst with colourful textiles and crafts, each pattern echoing mountain spirits and planting cycles.

Canyons, Ancient Terraces and Horseback Trails

Colca Canyon | credit: Wim Van den Brande

Manu National Park (left); Macaws in flight (right) | credit: PromPerú

Oasis in Ica (left); Amazon River (right)

Cusco (left); Hummingbird geoglyph, Nazca Lines, Ica (right) credit: Talía Barreda, PromPerú (right), Janine Costa, PromPerú (right)

Woman weaving (left); Peruvian guide with a parrot (right) credit: Sarai Carrasco (left); Franklin Santillan A. (right)

Amazon River cruise | credit: Richard Mark Dobson

nature | adventure | culture | community tourism