9 Highlights of Peru

Goosebumps spread over your skin as you get your first peek of the ancient temples of Machu Picchu. The three-day Inca Trail hike along fast-flowing rivers, through the misty cloud forest and over towering mountain valleys is worth it to finally see the magnificent emerald-green terraces of this sacred Lost City. 

Trekking the Inca Trail is a must-do experience for Peru travelers and is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the magical Andes Mountains. For more Peru travel advice, consider the best times of year to hike and what to pack.

The world's highest navigable stretch of water, Lake Titicaca is a must-see highlight of any Peru tour package. The calm azure blue waters of this vast lagoon are home to indigenous people who cultivate and live on the floating Uros Islands. Take a boat trip to explore these drifting villages set upon a reed-like papyrus that grows in the shallows and spend the night with the locals on Taquile Island. Learn about their unusual life marooned in the middle of this remote body of water and watch the crimson-red sun melt into the horizon. 

Plus, according to Inca mythology, Lake Titicaca holds the key to the origins of the Andean world - legend has it that the god Viracocha rose up from the lake and created the sun, moon, the stars and the first civilisation, a deep-rooted myth that still resonates with Peru's indigenous peoples.

A visit to see Peru's Rainbow Mountain is on the must-do lists of many travelers. If you want to live life at its most vibrant, a trek through the Andean highlands to Rainbow Mountain introduces a dopamine hit of vivid reds, oranges, yellows and greens. However, you can avoid the crowds of this popular highlight with a trip to Vinicunca's lesser-known sister range in Palccoyo. 

With vivid stripes of pistachio green, soft gold and crimson red earth layered over the undulating sierra, the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains are just as impressive, but you'll have more space to explore the colorful hillsides and enjoy magnificent views both on the way up and on the way down. Whichever Rainbow mountain you choose to visit, they're among the top travel destinations in Peru.

Surrounded by three volcanoes, Arequipa is a lively Peruvian town adorned with beautifully ornate baroque architecture and famous for having the perfect sunset, best enjoyed with a drink in one of the several rooftop bars. A trip to the Museo Santuarios de Altura reveals one of the world's best-preserved mummies, and the striking 17th-century churches of La Compania and San Agustin offer an impressive display of expressive mestizo architecture. 

Arequipa traditional picanterias showcase real, home-cooked farmers food, with hearty rocoto relleno (stuffed peppers) and chicha morada (a purple corn drink) as the region's stand-out dishes. Needless to say, Arequipa is a highlight in any Peru travel itinerary.