Peru Places Route: Machu Picchu to Iquitos, 18 Stops
Explore Peru's most iconic destinations across 8,530 km, from Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley near Cusco to the Nazca Lines, Lima, and Lake Titicaca. The route includes archaeological treasures like Chan Chan Ruins and Machu Picchu, natural wonders such as Colca Canyon and Cordillera Blanca, plus the Amazon gateway at Iquitos with its famous Belen Floating Market.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Inca Trail
- End
- Trujillo
- Stops
- 18
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Inca Trail — Historic trekking route to Machu Picchu through the Andes
- Lima and Cusco — Peru's capital and former Incan capital offer colonial architecture, world-class museums, and culinary excellence alongside ancient archaeological treasures.
- Nazca Lines — Astonishing ancient geoglyphs in the desert valleys
- Yanasraju National Park and Andes — Alpine reserve featuring rugged mountain peaks, glacial lakes, and diverse high-altitude ecosystems accessible to trekkers and nature enthusiasts.
- Cordillera Blanca — World's highest tropical mountain range with over 600 glaciers
- Huacachina Desert Oasis — Lagoon surrounded by towering sand dunes in the coastal desert, offering sandboarding and buggy adventures in an otherworldly landscape.
- Chan Chan Ruins — Abandoned ruins of one of the largest pre-Incan empires
- Iquitos (Amazon gateway) — Remote jungle city on the Amazon River serving as the primary access point for rainforest expeditions and wildlife encounters.
- Belen Floating Market — Floating market in the heart of the Amazon rainforest
- Lake Titicaca — South America's largest lake straddling the border of Bolivia and Peru
- Lima — Capital city with museums and cultural landmarks
- Colca Canyon — Third most visited tourist destination in Peru, more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon
- Sacred Valley — Former heartland of the Inca Empire with multiple archaeological sites
- Arequipa and El Misti — Colonial city nestled beside a symmetrical volcanic cone, blending white sillar stone architecture with dramatic Andean mountain scenery.
- Santa Catalina Convent — Significant example of Spanish Colonial architecture
- Machu Picchu — Mysterious Incan settlement and ancient archaeological site
- Cusco — High-altitude city with hot springs and Incan heritage
- Trujillo — City nestled in a lush valley north of Lima, founded in the 1500s
Useful for your trip
- Transport
- Take boat trips along the Amazon River from Iquitos, the largest city on earth without road access, or venture into the jungle by boat.
- Food
- Visit the Belen Floating Market in Iquitos where you can find everything from bananas to crocodile meat.
- Tip
- Fly over the Nazca Lines to see the enormous inscriptions of lines, animals and geometric patterns carved into the desert terrain.
- Tip
- Go sandboarding or take dune buggy tours around the sand dunes at Huacachina Desert Oasis.
- Tip
- Look for Andean condors and hummingbirds when visiting Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world.
- Tip
- Soak in the hot springs of high-altitude Cusco.
- Tip
- Buy local handcrafts from villages in Colca Canyon area.
- Tip
- Explore colorful markets and fascinating Incan sites such as the citadels of Pisac, Chinero and Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.
- Where to stay
- Use Cusco as the gateway to Machu Picchu and base for exploring the Sacred Valley.
- Tip
- Explore the historic heart of Lima Centro with its craft markets, or visit the tourist-friendly suburb of Miraflores with antique shops and bars.
- Tip
- Visit Lake Titicaca at an elevation of just over 12,500 feet, the highest navigable lake in the world with 41 inhabited islands.
- Tip
- Explore the Santa Catalina Convent in Arequipa for lovely streets and captivating Spanish Colonial architectural designs.
Video on this route
12 Best Places to Visit in Peru - Travel Video