Explore museums, and views of the Pacific Ocean or take day trips from Lima to Paracas & Huacachina. Our local guides will highlight the best of Lima and further enrich your experience.
Pearls of the Coast!
Dine at Central Restaurant and sample world-winning cuisine, visit museums, art galleries, pre-Inca ruins, or relax by the pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The historic Plaza de Armas was established in 1535 and is a UNESCO world heritage site that will delight you with its beauty and bustle. Moorish-style wooden balconies can be admired next to the imposing Basilica and Convent of San Francisco. Dive into Peruvian cuisine on a walking food tour of the historic center and watch the sunset lights bathe the “city of kings” in gold.
Lima is home to the best museums in Latin America with thousands of years of history contained within its walls. Visit the Larco Museum to get an incredible amount of context for what is to come in Cusco and Machu Picchu. Or visit the Pedro de Osma Museum, the Gold Museum, and more.
The best thing to do in Lima is to eat Peruvian food. The experimental Central restaurant is ranked number 6 of the best in the world, while Maido in Miraflores is ranked number 10. With so many highly rated restaurants, gourmet experiences can be had in almost every corner of Lima.
Walk the Malecón, a scenic boardwalk through gardens overlooking the Pacific Ocean, visit the Chinese-inspired Parque Chino, and shop at Larcomar, a mall carved into a cliff with views of surfers and boats in the distance. Then stop at Parque Kennedy to shop for Peruvian souvenirs or sample some of the district’s top-rated restaurants.
Aromatic cafes, artisan vendors, art galleries, and beautifully restored historic mansions will draw you in. Walk to the Puente de Los Suspiros, a panoramic bridge, and start your Peru vacation by walking and making a wish with a great view of the Pacific. Ocean.
The magic water circuit won the world record for the largest water fountain park in the world. It is a spectacular spectacle of light and water from more than 13 different sources. It is a perfect outing to do fun family things in Lima.
There are many Lima attractions within the city, but just a couple of hours’ drive away you can explore even more. Popular day trips from Lima include a visit to the Huacachina Oasis, Paracas, Nazca Lines, Pachacamac, or the Caral ruins.
A Huaca (pronounced waka) in Quechua means an object that represents something revered. The Huaca Pucllana was built by the Lima culture in 200-700AD. Now, it is situated around high-rise buildings, but when you enter this revered site, you will be transported hundreds of centuries back to the earliest human history of the region.
Yes, Lima is worth visiting because it has a little of what you are looking for. Art galleries, museums, and historical ruins are scattered throughout the city, you can enjoy lunch or dinner in one of the best restaurants in the world like Central, it will be the best gastronomic experience guaranteed.
Yes, but take normal precautions for any destination. Lima has a population of more than 9 million people, so travelers are advised to be aware of their surroundings and belongings. Pickpockets can be located in busy areas, so the hotel should keep valuables hidden certain neighborhoods in Lima are safer than others, so stick to the Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro districts.
Lima has good weather all year round, however, the summer months (December to March) offer completely sunny days, warm weather, and the most spectacular sunsets by the ocean. The winter months (June to September) have cloudy skies and high humidity in Lima, but they are the best months to visit Machu Picchu.
We recommend scheduling 2 days in Lima for your itinerary. You will have the time to try Peruvian cuisine, visit interesting museums and visit the best attractions of Lima. More adventurous travelers can take part in exciting activities like paragliding over the Lima skyline or surfing.
Thanks to Lima’s altitude at sea level, travelers will not experience symptoms of altitude sickness.
Lima airport is located in the province of Callao:
to/from the historic city center: 7.5 mi /12 km
to/from Miraflores: 12 mi / 19 km
to/from Barranco: 14 mi / 22 km
*Drive times vary depending on traffic conditions.
The traveler needs to make some stops before reaching Machu Picchu, which involves several means of transportation and a couple of nights of hotel accommodation. First, you will fly an hour and a half from Lima to Cusco. Acclimatizing in Cusco or the Sacred Valley is highly recommended for at least 24 hours before visiting Machu Picchu. From Cusco, a two-hour train ride will take you to the base of the mountain where a twenty-minute shuttle bus will transport you from the base of the mountain to the main entrance of Machu Picchu. After your tour, it is possible to spend the night in the base town (Aguas Calientes) or take a train from Machu Picchu to Cusco.
Lima has an incredibly wide variety of hotel options, from luxuriously converted palaces to colorful boutique hotels and budget options. All types of travel budgets are catered for. Our top hotel recommendations in Cusco include:
Hotel Belmont Miraflores Park 5-star superior
JW Marriott Lima 5-stars
Courtyard Lima Miraflores 4-stars
Best Western Larco 3-stars
Allpa Hotel 2-Stars
The average distance from the mountain peaks to the river below is 10,200 feet (3,109 meters). This distance makes Colca one of the deepest canyons in the world. The nearby Cotahuasi Canyon is a few hundred meters deeper.
My group (3 women in their 20’s) did the day tour from Lima to the Oasis of Huacachina, and it was amazing! We saw alot of other day trips that are similar, but we didn’t care to go to Paracas (and on the boats) so this was perfect.
I took it upon myself to extend my trip by visiting Cusco so I could do some sightseeing and hiking. I researched and found Peru Wayna Picchu…reached out to them, told them when I would be there and what I wanted to do. They in return sent me a whole itinerary detailing each day.
first of all machu picchu was amazing,but only can re-entry twice! wayna picchu was amazing too but there were only 2 slot of time 200 people can get inside each time, need to book the ticket before. My slot was 10-11 entry time, so we thought we could spend more time in machu picchu so we reached the entry gate at 11.
I recently visited Peru for a wedding in Lima…I took it upon myself to extend my trip by visiting Cusco so I could do some sightseeing and hiking. I researched and found Peru Wayna Picchu…reached out to them, told them when I would be there and what I wanted to do. They in return sent me a whole itinerary detailing each day. The trips were absolutely amazing, the tour guides were extremely knowledgeable, personable and fun.
I have known and worked with Karen Lizbeth Espinoza Ovalle for over ten years on numerous travel plans. I have currently made sixteen trips to Cusco and she has been involved in every trip I have made. She is very professional and extremely courteous to work with. I would recommend using Karen for any travel plans! Not only that; but she is such a wonderful person to know.
What else to say about this beautiful, historic and amazing place. We hiked up the Wayna piccu to get an overlook on the maccu piccu and where lucky. It was absolutely breathtaking!
It was an incredible experience, the quality of service was exceptional, I loved it, I recommend it!!
It was an incredible experience!! I really enjoyed this trip, getting to know the wonder of the world, thanks to the guides, the logistics, the whole team in general, really exceptional!!
You’ll need to plan this at least 6 months in advance. I suggest the early time slot if you can. If you’ve acclimated in Cusco or the Inca trail this will be easier for you. Plan on a very steep and hard trek to the top. This is not for children. If you expect a nice path with easy stairs like you’ll find in Machu Picchu don’t waste your money. When you make it to the top, wow….
Our trip in May was my second to Cusco and the first one for my friend. I already had in mind to visit WaynaPicchu since I couldn’t do it in my first trip (my kids were too small for such a hike) and it was more than I expected. Maybe it was the anticipation, or maybe it was the hour hike it took to get there…
It was an awesome climb! And it was Not near as physically challenging as the four day Inca Trail. Looks intimidating but it was fairly safe for a 60+ year old (that is in good physical shape). It took my wife & I about 30 to 40 minutes to climb. It had steel cable handrails along the mountain side for many parts of the climb. You should be acclimated to the elevation prior to climbing. And train on hikes and/or stair master. Spectacular views. Worth the climb and price.
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