Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.
Peru is a country in western South America, surrounded by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. For thousands of years, people have lived in Peru. The vestiges of its old civilizations can still be observed across the nation today, with its rich cultural legacy, natural beauty, and great food painting the country’s pride.
In this article, we will talk about the six best tours to discover the best of Peru, bringing you well-filtered and highly-rated tours offered by the best tour operators. Your adventurous spirit will be ignited after reading this article as all eyes will be set on Peru for that one best tour of this wonderful land of the Incas.
Machu Picchu, an Incan fortress positioned high in the Andes Mountains Sides with panoramic views of the surrounding area, is one of the most famous landmarks. This breathtaking location is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws visitors from all over the world.
The Nazca Lines, a sequence of massive geoglyphs etched into the desert floor, and the Chan Chan remains, the biggest pre-Columbian metropolis in the Americas, are two more ancient monuments in Peru. That was a lot of lectures!
Let’s get to the fun part. Peru’s diversified landscape offers a broad selection of outdoor activities, such as hiking and trekking paths that lead to historic ruins and breathtaking panoramas in the Andes Mountains.
The Amazon Rainforest encompasses more than 60% of the country and is a paradise for birding, animal viewing, and ecotourism. There’s even more! The Pacific Coastline provides excellent surfing chances as well as seaside leisure such as sunbathing or simply letting the breeze of the waves blow through your hair as you stare out at sea.
If we talk about Peru without mentioning Peruvian cuisine, we have failed our foodie colleagues, but what is a holiday destination without wonderful traditional meals? Peruvian food is often regarded as one of the greatest in South America and with good reason. Peruvian cuisine is likely to tantalize your taste buds without even trying, thanks to a range of fresh ingredients and distinctive flavor combinations.
Traveling to Peru may be a wonderful experience, and joining a group trip can enhance that experience. Group trips allow you to experience the nation with people of the same interest while also making new friends.
Just imagine going on a family trip or a getaway with your friends in a remote area where there are uncountable experiences to encounter. You explore the area in a group having the same experiences but different perspectives that you will share at a dinner table by the beach. This is the magic that group tours bring to the table.
And truly, you wouldn’t deny that finding the greatest hotel for yourself may be expensive and uneasy to get because locating that one-of-a-kind place in the heart of the tourist trap might be more difficult than you think. They take time and require some understanding of your travel destination. You don’t have to worry about where you’ll stay on group excursions since they’ve covered you.
With that stated, let’s look at the top 6 tours to discover Peru easily. Leading tour companies provide these itineraries and are highly recommended by tourists.
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Machu Picchu Adventure
G Adventures
G Adventures is the world’s greatest small-group travel company, providing interactions through the eyes of natives and enabling you to fully immerse yourself in cultures that make your adventures distinctive and interesting. G Adventures has established its reputation as the greatest itinerary planner with over 30 years of expertise, giving you the trust you need to reserve and travel easily.
This fantastic travel firm prioritizes its destinations, contributing as much as possible to the people who welcome its visitors with open arms and sincere smiles. Your journey will take you to areas few people see, as well as give significant experiences that benefit the local economy and cultural preservation.
Prepare for an extraordinary experience in Peru as you set out to see the treasures of the Incas. Your thrilling introduction to Peru begins with a visit to the hills around Cusco, where you will embrace cultures past and present while seeing the beautiful vistas of the Sacred Valley on your way to Machu Picchu. With the greatest local guides, you will have all the time you need to visit Machu Picchu’s ruins, museums, and marketplaces for the ultimate experience.
Your journey begins with an early morning flight to Cusco, where you will have free time to shop and explore the city on your terms. You may pre-book the Cusco Cooking Class or go on a city tour to see museums or ancient sites. It is entirely up to you! If you wish to walk about the city, wear comfortable shoes and bring a printed map or understand Google Maps to assist you in getting around.
The next day, you will be taken on a full-day guided tour of the area, including a stop at a G Adventures-supported women’s weavers union and a visit to a local pottery-making group. After a delicious lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo, you may climb to the Ollantaytambo storehouses and gaze out over the ruins.
This tour involves a group of 16 individuals aged 12 to 90 years old and costs $1,519 per person for 8 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
Southern Treasures – 8 Days
Inkayni Peru Tours
Inkayni Peru Tours is an indigenous business that aims to provide quality travel services that meet international tourist standards. Their work is to encourage the sustainable use of cultural and natural assets and to focus on activities that enhance the quality of life for local inhabitants by increasing their social, environmental, cultural, and economic growth.
As a Peruvian tour company, Inkayni Peru Tours collaborates with genuine spiritual tour leaders and employs the best tour guides in the region. They provide suitable equipment, pay, and health insurance for all members of their porter staff.
Inkayni Peru Tours is committed to preserving and safeguarding Peru’s natural and cultural heritage. They provide individual care for their clients by developing unique services and products customized to each consumer utilizing cutting-edge technology. They are a well-trained crew that is highly driven and entirely committed to the firm.
On this tour, you will visit Chinchero, an important Inca historic site where you will see the origin of the rainbow. Following that, you’ll visit a local textile center to learn about the miracle of converting threads into entire fabrics from experienced craftspeople.
You’ll continue over the undulating hills, stopping at the mysterious circular terraces of Moray to learn how these structures acted as an experimental agricultural center, cultivating the greatest breeds of Andean staple crops at various temperatures.
Later in the day, you’ll visit the historic salt mines of Maras, which have been utilized for thousands of years by local families to give salt not only to the Incas but also to us, as an example of the organic technique of salt harvesting straight from the earth.
As you climb the mountain, you’ll see the incredible engineering of the Incas, as evidenced by mountainsides full of terraces and structures on steep hillsides and high peaks. Later, you’ll go to the local artisan market of craftspeople, which has a wide range of things ranging from weavings to musical instruments and souvenirs.
As your journey continues, you will stop at Uros’s floating islands, now recognized as the National Reserve of Lake Titicaca, widely known as the world’s highest navigable lake. During the journey, you will be able to see a wonderful panoramic view of the terrain and learn about the Uros’ floating islands.
You will also visit the natural island of Taquile, where you will be able to see the stunning royal mountain ranges. This excursion will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the islanders’ everyday lives and customs.
This tour involves 8 individuals aged 8 to 70 and costs $900 per person for 8 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
Ultimate Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
TreXperience
TreXperience is a fully local tour company whose goal is to enhance tourism’s benefits for local people and the environment. It accomplishes this by recruiting local workers and incorporating them into a long-term business strategy that benefits everyone.
It also conducts programs that help local communities grow and promote environmental protection. Cultural exchanges, volunteerism, direct donations, and cleanup efforts are examples of these. Their philosophy is to “leave no trace” in every location they visit, and they encourage all of our employees, guides, and visitors to do the same to preserve these amazing locations.
TreXperience reinvests a portion of its earnings in the community or environmental projects, employs local guides, and directs travelers to locally owned companies. They use local transportation and stay in locally managed hotels and motels while on tour.
This journey includes a trek to the Salkantay, the second most popular route to Machu Picchu, which provides stunning vistas of snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes, and the cloud forest. This walk is ideal for daring people searching for a real camping experience, complete with tents and hot showers.
Your experience will begin with a pick-up from your accommodation in the early morning, followed by a trip lasting three hours to the trailhead. When you arrive, you’ll be treated to a superb and yummy breakfast made by your chef.
You will meet the porters and riders who will accompany you on the daring trip. The walk begins with a three-hour climb to Soraypampa, where you’ll eat a delectable lunch before continuing to the magnificent Humantay Lake. The surrounding scenery and the animals, including the Andean geese, deer, and vizcachas, will take your breath away as you catch in the wonder of this magical place.
You’ll arrive at the base of Salkantay Mountain after a 2-hour climb, where you’ll spend the night under a million stars, free from the beaming lights of the city.
This tour involves a group of 16 individuals ranging in age from 5 to 65 years old and costs $640 per person for 8 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
3 days – Tambopata Amazon Jungle
PVTravel
PVTravels has a specialized team of specialists providing you with a flawless travel experience. They handle every detail, ensuring that every part of your vacation is thoroughly planned to offer a comfortable, worry-free journey.
Their travel experts can construct a personalized trip catered to your every requirement, thanks to their flexible plans and flexibility to mix excursions and packages. PVTravels, an experienced Peru vacation provider, provides a variety of beautiful excursions ideal for any particular event or personal choice. Trust them to make your Peruvian holiday a reality.
You will visit Monkey’s Island on this trip, where you will be met by various lively monkeys such as capuchins, tamarins, and squirrel monkeys and see their acrobatics as they swing from tree to tree, dashing down trunks to receive food from your hand.
The fun doesn’t end there; after a delicious meal, you’ll be taken on a night expedition to look for the rare Jungle caimans. With a torch in hand, you will traverse the Madre de Dios River in the hopes of spotting the capybara, the world’s biggest rodent, which may weigh up to 60 kilos.
Following a delicious breakfast, your trip will continue to the Tambopata National Reserve Zone. The magnificent Sandoval Lake may be reached after a 1.5-hour trek through the dense woods. Old trees and tangled vines surround you, and you’ll be able to see gigantic otters, beautiful birds, butterflies, and a variety of fish. A few hours of kayaking on this stunning lake will leave you speechless at the natural splendor surrounding you.
On your last day of adventure, you will be taken on an exciting last-minute early morning excursion to the parakeet salt licks to see the birds eat on clay, which gives them the minerals they need to metabolize and neutralize poisons and acids present in the flowers they feed on.
This one-of-a-kind experience is ideal for capping off your exhilarating tour in this rainforest country. Nature’s work will astound you as you wonder how these birds knew about the powerful detoxifying benefits of pecking on clay.
This tour involves a group of 20 individuals ranging in age from 8 to 70 years old and costs $270 per person for 3 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
Peru: Salkantay Trail and Machu Picchu
OneSeed Expeditions
OneSeed Expeditions was founded on a love of adventure and a desire to inspire individuals to find the finest in travel and fascinating destinations. Today, it is a well-known ethical travel trailblazer, offering unrivaled trips and multisport adventures worldwide.
As an adventurous travel agency, OneSeed is delighted to employ qualified guides from adjacent towns, therefore supporting the growth of local companies and economies. One Seed invests ten percent of its total earnings in small-scale enterprises, supporting the local economy, and the greatest part is that it collaborates with local businesses to optimize tourism advantages.
This fantastic tour will take you on an excursion to the amazing Salkantay climb, where you’ll travel to turquoise mountain lakes, stay at a local coffee farm, and discover the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. The beauty of the snow-capped peaks of the Andes stands tall in the background as you make your way up and over Salkantay Pass, while the valley below stretches out before you in all its splendor, indicating the majesty of its creator.
After a day of climbing, you’ll have the option of staying overnight with a local family in Lucmabamba to learn about their coffee plantation and how they harvest some of the world’s greatest coffee. The generosity of the inhabitants will leave you feeling warm and grateful for their way of life.
As your adventure continues, you will see Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and the magnificent ancient site of Machu Picchu. The ancient remains will take your breath away as you envisage life for the Incan people who previously lived here. The beautiful masonry and architectural architecture will wow you with the Incas’ ingenuity and inventiveness.
This tour involves 10 individuals aged 16 to 79 years old and costs $1750 per person for 8 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
09 Days Wonders of Peru – Machu Picchu- Rainbow Mountain & Titicaca Lake
Waman Adventures
Waman Adventures is a well-established Cusco-based local firm devoted to making travelers’ fantasies come true by guiding them to Peru’s greatest sites. The organization is dedicated to ethical tourism and high-quality standards, ensuring that clients enjoy the finest experience possible in the nation.
Waman Adventures’ services are built upon customized attention. They take the time to learn each client’s unique needs and tastes, customizing their excursions to ensure that every element is perfect. Clients can feel certain that their vacation is in good hands from start to finish, thanks to quick booking and secure payments.
Waman Adventures is also happy to offer the most competitive pricing in the industry without sacrificing quality. They think everyone should be able to enjoy the beauty of Peru, and they work tirelessly to make this a reality for as many people as possible.
This is why hundreds of pleased customers recommend Waman Adventures, with outstanding testimonials attesting to their great customer service. With Waman Adventures, you can be certain that your vacation to Peru will be a memorable experience that will exceed your expectations.
This 8-day excursion will take you to a world of historic treasures and natural beauty, as well as a cultural mix tour that will take you from Cusco to Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake, and Lake Titicaca. This package will allow you to become acquainted with the oddities left behind by the Incas as you travel through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Andes highlands.
As soon as you arrive in Cusco, you will sense the enchantment and awe that pervades the region. The history and culture of the Incas come to life as you tour the ancient ruins and immerse yourself in the native Peruvian way of life. The bustling metropolis is surrounded by breathtaking scenery, with the beautiful Andes mountains providing a continuous reminder of the natural splendor surrounding you while you explore this magical corner of the globe.
Your adventure will lead you to Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most famous and fascinating archaeological monuments. The beautiful masonry and architectural architecture will wow you with the Incas’ ingenuity and inventiveness. As you explore the remains, you’ll feel a connection to the past and the people who once lived here. As you explore the ruins, you’ll feel a sense of connection to the past and the people who once called this place home.
This tour involves a group of 14 individuals aged 8 to 65 years old and costs $1080 per person for 9 days of lodging, meals, and transportation. It is suitable for families and completely guided.
Conclusion
Here are the six best tours to discover Peru with ease. These trips were chosen from highly-rated tour companies by clients who have participated in the same trip as you. Choose your favorite tour from the listings above for the best Peru experience.
If none of these tours work for you in Peru, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.
Take a look at all the group tours in Peru now, which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.
