You could spend six months in Peru and still have more of this amazing country to see but here are some best-bits to add to your itinerary
If you are planning a South American excursion, Peru is likely on your list. I have been here since July 27 and bumped into too many Irish people to count. Like Canada and Australia, Peru seems to be fast becoming the young Irish man and woman’s right of passage, and honestly, it’s for good reason, the place is fantastic!
I spent my first 11-days here on the new travel style from G Adventures and Hostelworld called the ‘Roamies’ Total Peru Package. ‘Roamies’ trips are curated for 18-35 year-olds interested in seeing the world without the huge price tag. As a solo-traveller I got to make six new travel buddies and our local guide, Nilo Revilla knew all the best spots for fun and great food.
We had a jam-packed itinerary of sand boarding in deserts, hiking to waterfalls, visiting ancient Inca sites while also covering the bucket-list ticks like Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain. Here are the best bits you should include in your Peruvian adventure:
Barranco in Lima
If you plan on staying in the Peruvian capital of Lima, make sure you stay in the Barranco district, about 50 minutes from the airport. This was my first stop on the trip and I adored it here. With its bohemian, edgy atmosphere, it has long attracted artists and creatives in Peru. It’s full of colourful 19th and 20th century buildings with fantastic coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
We spent the first night in Kokopelli Barranco and it was hard not to be blown away by this place. You’re greeted by a beautifully ornate entrance and a welcoming reception/coffee shop with fresh pastries and empanadas on offer. The dorms are very cheap and it’s such a fun, social place to stay and meet new people to tour the country with, particularly if you’re travelling solo.
Huacachina in Ica
For the most fun you’ve had in your life, head to Huacachina, just outside the city of Ica in southwestern Peru. It’s a tiny desert oasis just over an hour outside Paracas, along the west coast. It’s the only natural oasis in South America. It’s a tiny green area with palm trees, bars and restaurants and a lagoon at the centre surrounded by huge sand dunes. The best thing to do here is race around the sand dunes in dune buggies and sand board, and that’s exactly what we did. Luckily for us, our CEO, Nilo, knew the best driver in the desert who went by the nickname ‘Chupon’. In a former life, he raced airplanes - just to give you an indication of this man’s skill!
There is great accommodation here. We spent the night in Carola lodge, super comfortable and a great bar. It even had a swimming pool. You can't really beat swimming in the desert, can you?
Perolniyoc waterfall, Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is a truly beautiful part of Cusco, Peru and lives up to its name with its countless ancient Inca sites. There are around 120 recognised UNESCO heritage sites in Cusco alone.
My favourite part of visiting here was a hike to Perolniyoc waterfall. It’s about an hour and half drive to the start of the hike from Cusco city. It took us a couple of hours up and back. The falls sit close to 3700 metres in the Andean highlands but the altitude is certainly manageable after spending a couple of days adjusting in Cusco city. It’s a really rewarding hike, the falls are realy a sight for sore eyes.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is truly one of those places that definitely lives up to the hype. Not only do you get that ‘wow’ feeling when you climb up to the viewing point to see it in all it’s glory but having the opportunity to explore the stone citadel with a guide is really special.
With ‘Roamies’ you’ll get up to the Inca site early to avoid the crowds. We spent the night in Vista Machu Picchu in the town of Aguas Calientes before getting a bus from the town to the site for 8am. We got terrific pictures as a result and got to learn about the Incas and their dedication to build Machu Picchu without hoards of tourists in the way.
Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley
My mantra for this one is ‘’come for Rainbow Mountain, stay for the Red Valley’. Rainbow Mountain is certainly an extraordinary peak and an incredibly rewarding hike due to its difficulty and altitude of over 5000 metres, and you really have to experience the colours of the mountain in person.
I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of people trekking with us which is why Red Valley was the big winner for me. It’s about a half an hour walk from Rainbow mountain and you just pay PEN 20 to enter and you will be blown away by the other-wordliness of this place. It was the big winner of the hike for me, mainly because there wasn’t a soul in sight.
To follow along on the adventures in Peru and elsewhere, you can follow me on Instagram. To learn more about the ‘Roamies’ Total Peru Package click here.
Ausangate mountain
If you’re planning a trip to Peru, you’ll have endless hiking options available to you particularly if you’re heading to the city of Cusco in south-eastern Peru.
Here you can take the popular Salkantay trek that ends in Machu Picchu, Inca trails, different hikes to rainbow mountain - there are so many.
However, I highly recommend taking the road less traveled here. During my stay, I was introduced to local Peruvian guide, Marco Silva who runs a travel agency with his family, Bloody Bueno Peru. He suggested a challenging one-day hike of a peak near the Ausangate mountain about a three- hour drive from Peru. The peak was called Condorkunka and it's 5300 metres at its summit. If you’re up for a real challenge, this is the hike for you.
We set out from Cusco at around 5am for the drive to the tiny village of Pajchenta which is a base for those taking on the various hikes and climbs near the Ausangate mountain.
We set out from the village at around 10am after a hearty breakfast and it took us five hours to ascend the peak. It was one of the most challenging hikes I have personally undertaken and I wouldn’t advise tackling it without a local guide like Marco. There was loose gravel on steep descents so you need someone who knows what they’re doing. The views at the top were honestly the most incredible I have ever seen, the touch climb was so worth it.
The ultimate one-day hike you have to do in Peru
If you’re planning a trip to Peru, you’ll have endless hiking options available to you particularly if you’re heading to the city of Cusco in south-eastern Peru.
Here you can take the popular Salkantay trek that ends in Machu Picchu, Inca trails, different hikes to rainbow mountain - there are so many.
However, I highly recommend taking the road less traveled here. During my stay, I was introduced to local Peruvian guide, Marco Gonzales Silva who runs a travel agency with his family, Bloody Bueno Peru. He suggested a challenging one-day hike of a peak near the Ausangate mountain about a three- hour drive from Peru. The peak was called Condorkunka and its 5300metres at its summit. If you’re up for a real challenge, this is the hike for you.
We set out from Cusco at around 5am for the drive to the tiny village of Pajchenta which is a base for those taking on the various hikes and climbs near the Ausangate mountain.
We set out from the village at around 10am after a hearty breakfast and it took us five hours to ascend the peak. It was one of the most challenging hikes I have personally undertaken and I wouldn’t advise tackling it without a local guide like Marco. There was loose gravel on steep descents so you need someone who knows what they’re doing. The views at the top were honestly the most incredible I have ever seen, the touch climb was so worth it.
For details on trekking in Peru and hiking Condorkunka visit bloodybuenoperu.com
