A little more
Peru.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Peru: what to know before you go

Peru packs the Andes, the Amazon and a desert coast into one country, along with the legacy of the Inca and the cultures that came before them. Machu Picchu is the draw for most visitors, but Lima's food scene, Lake Titicaca and the canyons of the south are just as memorable. It suits active travellers, history lovers and anyone who plans a trip around eating well.

Where to go

• Machu Picchu. The Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba river, reached by train and bus via Aguas Calientes or on foot along the Inca Trail.
• Cusco. The former Inca capital, where colonial churches stand on Inca stone walls.
• The Sacred Valley. The Urubamba valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu, with the terraced ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, the circular terraces of Moray and the hillside salt pans of Maras, still worked by local families.
• Lima. The capital sits on cliffs above the Pacific and is one of South America's great food cities, known for ceviche and Nikkei and Chifa cooking.

Best time to visit

In the Andes, the dry season from May to September brings clear skies, cold nights and the best trekking conditions; it is also the busiest time at Machu Picchu. The rainy season runs from about November to March, and the Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.

Staying online in Peru

Coverage is good in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa and other cities, with 4G widespread and 5G in parts of Lima. In the Andes signal is patchy between towns and often absent on treks, including much of the Inca Trail. The Amazon lodges and Lake Titicaca islands may have little or no coverage. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, hostels and cafés in cities, but often slow in remote areas. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, so ride-hailing works from Lima's airport.