Hostel in Miraflores, Lima
Placeholder — my actual recommendation goes here, with why I liked it.
South America
Peru
Altitude, markets and the slow climb to the citadel.
Introduction
Peru was the first country I properly backpacked, and it's still the one I recommend most. This page is a worked example of how every country page will look — the structure is real, the details below are placeholders until I finish writing up my notes.
My itinerary
16 daysBest time: May to September (dry season in the Andes)
- Lima
- Huaraz
- Cusco
- Salkantay
- Machu Picchu
- Puno
Placeholder — my real daily spend is being added.
Places in Peru
Where I stayed
Guesthouse in Huaraz
Placeholder — warm showers and an early breakfast matter a lot before a trek.
Things to do
Sacred Valley day
Placeholder — Pisac market and Ollantaytambo.
Lima food walk
Placeholder — ceviche, menú del día, and where I'd go back.
Hikes
Laguna Parón
Placeholder — easy day from Huaraz, unreal colour.
Laguna 513
Placeholder — long day, big altitude, worth it.
Salkantay Trek
Placeholder — 4–5 days to Machu Picchu.
Transport
- Overnight buses between major cities — placeholder for the companies I used.
- Internal flights Lima–Cusco if you're short on time.
- Collectivos for short hops around Huaraz and the Sacred Valley.
Book in advance
- Machu Picchu entry tickets (and the Huayna Picchu add-on).
- Inca Trail permits, if that's the route you want.
- Long-distance buses in peak season.
My favourite experiences
- Sunrise above the clouds on the Salkantay route.
- The walk into Laguna Parón with nobody else around.
What I'd skip or change
- I'd give Huaraz more days to acclimatise properly.
- I'd skip one of the rushed city stops.
Practical tips
- Give yourself two or three days at altitude before any big hike.
- Carry small notes — change is hard to come by outside cities.
- Download offline maps before leaving the cities.
Mistakes I made
- Booked Machu Picchu too late and got an awkward entry slot.
- Underestimated how cold the Andean nights get.
Approximate costs
- Daily budget
- Placeholder
- Machu Picchu entry
- Placeholder
- Salkantay trek
- Placeholder
Useful links
Related travel guides
Itineraries9 min read
Peru in two weeks: my full itinerary
Lima to Puno with a trek in the middle — the route I actually walked, with timings and what I'd change.
Read the guideHiking11 min read
Salkantay Trek: everything I wish I'd known
The Inca Trail alternative — no permit lottery, bigger mountains, and a cloud forest descent to Machu Picchu.
Read the guideFree South America travel planner
Planning a South America adventure?
Get my routes, favourite experiences, practical tips and the things I wish I'd known before I went.