This post may contain affiliate links. This just means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you for helping them promote their product or service. I don’t endorse any services I don’t personally use or recommend.
Alongside Nepal, Peru is the hiking capital of the world. And although you do need to be in relatively good shape to hit all of Peru’s most impressive treks–you don’t need to be a mountaineer or professional alpinist. After spending 6 weeks in the country we made a list of all the best treks in Peru you should prioritize. If you have the time (& if you don’t- make the time) you should add all of these hikes to your Peru bucketlist.
A Word on Altitude Sickness
It would be extremely irresponsible of me to not warn you about Peru’s hiking trails. Almost all of them are at altitudes of 10,000 or more feet. This is not to be taken lightly. Be sure to give yourself ample time to acclimatize in each high-altitude region (we recommend 2 full days).
The symptoms of mild altitude sickness are fatigue, migraine, stomach upset, and dizziness.
Serious altitude sickness however can also include passing out, irregular heartbeat, or blood clots in the lungs and brain. It can be deadly. But this is preventable by just a little bit of preparation.
Here’s what you should do to combat altitude-related illness for trekking in Peru…
- Drink at least twice as much water as you normally do.
- Take Ibuprohen for headaches. It’s proven to work better than other medications for altitude.
- GIVE YOURSELF TIME. We met a couple who had to be emergency evacuated from the Skylodge in the sacred valley (the coolest splurge-worthy accomodation in Peru) because they tried the ascent only 16 hours after arriving from Los Angeles, California.
If you take these precautions altitude is nothing to worry about. A hindrance while hiking maybe, but not deadly.
The Best Hikes & Best Treks in Peru for Travelers
We did 75% of these hikes during our 6-week trip to Peru. But we WISH we had managed to fit all of these hikes into our itinerary. For us, a major problem was the weather. We visited during November & December which is the start of the rainy season or the low season for trekking.
The best season to visit Peru for hiking is May-October.
Even so, we still enjoyed enough sunny days to have a blast hiking. If your visit is during the rainy season don’t be discouraged. There’s still good hiking to be done.
& YES you should try and fit all of these hikes into your Peru itinerary. You won’t regret it.
Consider Joining a Trekking Tour!
Hiking in Peru can be intense. It’s high elevation, dramatic landscapes with temperamental weather, and multi-day treks it can be easy to stray from the trail. Bookmundi partners with sustainable travel operators like Alpaca Expeditions and GAdventures to give you the best tours that are still good for the planet.
Hikes in the Cusco Region
This is the most popular region among travelers to Peru. Even if you had no plans to hike in the country, you’ll end up strolling the cobblestone streets of Cusco petting llamas, exploring the ancient ruins inside the Sacred Valley, and of course, paying a visit to Machu Picchu.
Here are our favorite hikes in and around Cusco for the average traveler.
What is the average traveler?? We love to hike. We’re of average fitness but had spent the last few months before Peru doing little to no hiking or exercise. So, when I say average traveler I mean in relatively good shape with a love of the outdoors. We had absolutely no experience with altitude before this trip either.
The Inca Trail
Trail Length: 3N/4D — 28 Miles.
Trail High Point: 14,500 feet.
This was our favorite trek in Peru. We wrote an entire blog post about it. You’ll see incredible Incan sites (including the famous Machu Picchu), traverse high peaks and rainforests, and learn tons about the Quechua culture.
It’s really worth every dollar.
Ausangate
Trail Length: 4-5 Days or 43 miles.
Trail High Point: 17,000 feet.
The tallest mountain in the Southern Peruvian Andes. This glaciated peak is visible from Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain) and completely dominates the landscape. In fact, the typical 4-5 day route includes a visit to Rainbow Mountain on the final day so feel free to skip the day trip mentioned below if you fit this trek into your busy travel schedule. This hike is all about those mountain views!!
Unless you are a seasoned trekker, I wouldn’t recommend tackling Ausangate independently. It’s definitely possible but you’ll need to carry all your own camping gear, weather freezing temps, and the trail is completely isolated and off-the-beaten-track. Instead, I recommend booking with a reputable tour operator.
Stingy Nomads has a great blog post with all the details you will need to make your Ausangate dreams a reality.
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
Trail Length: 6.2 Miles (Day Trip)
Trail High Point: 17,100 feet.
Yes, the elevation is a doozy. But the trail is easy– just one foot in front of the other. & if it’s a sunny day it’s 100% worth it. The mountain isn’t necessarily a “rainbow” but more like- colorfully striped. I would recommend adding a tour of the Red Valley (which adds about a mile) to your day trip for more impressive views and a chance to leave the crowds behind.
This should be one of the LAST treks you do in Cusco. Give your body time to acclimate.
Hot Tip: A tour is pretty much the only way (& cheapest way) to visit Vinicunca. We went with Inka Time because it was one of the only companies also visiting the Red Valley & very affordable ($35 per person).
Salkantay
Trail Length: 4-5 days and 37 Miles.
Trail High Point: 15,100 feet.
Touted as a great alternative to the Inca Trail– I think that both have their own merit. Salkantay can be done independently, while the Inca can not. It also has more mountain views while the Inca Trail is a historical goldmine and filled with archeological sites. Salkantay also passes through small villages the entire trek while the Inca Trail is completely isolated requiring you to tent camp along the way.
I say…do the Inca Trail for Machu Picchu and then do the Salkantay trek without Machu Picchu (3 days) for the mountain views. This route also included Humantay Lake, a stunning bright blue alpine lake in the Cusco region.
If you’re not feeling up to doing this trek yourself I recommend checking out my favorite hiking tour operator in Peru- Alpaca Expeditions.
Huchuy Qosqo
Trail Length: 11-miles. (Day Trip)
Trail High Point: 15,100 feet.
Do this lovely independent hike on a sunny day. We did not. We visited “little Cusco” on a rainy day and missed out on most of the spectacular views. Even so, it was worth the effort. You’ll start your hike in a small Peruvian village about 30-minutes outside Cusco and get a chance to see rural life up close. Then you’ll ascend some beautiful green mountains and descend to one of Peru’s least visited Incan Sites. You’ll end your trek in the small town of Lamay where you can nab a collectivo back to Cusco for 6 soles. All-in-all it took us about 6 hours to complete the entire trek.
For a great guide on how to get to the trailhead cheaply and a breakdown of the trail step-by-step check out Along Dusty Roads Guide to Huchuy Qosqo.
& be sure to take the collectivos. Don’t get suckered into an expensive taxi from Cusco to the trailhead.
Pisac Archeological Ruins
Trail Length: About 3 miles.
Trail High Point: About 10,000 feet.
You likely won’t be doing a ton of “hikes” in the Sacred Valley but these ruins are worth hiking for. I recommend taking a taxi to the main Pisac Archeological Site and then hiking back down to the town of Pisac. This way you get to see ALL the Incan ruins and get great views of the town. Most people only visit the site at the top which means no crowds as you walk down. We actually didn’t even see a single person on the way down!
Be sure to check out our entire guide of the Sacred Valley in between hitting all the best treks in Peru.
Hikes in the Arequipa Region
Arequipa is a fan favorite for bloggers. Personally, I liked Cusco more. Arequipa is also known as “The White City” and has a plethora of high-end coffee shops and European-influenced streets. Sitting in the shadow of TWO volcanos and within spitting distance of the world’s 3rd deepest canyon, it also has some worthwhile treks.
Stop in for a screaming deal on pizza & wine at Caffetteria Gourmet Italiano. 50 Soles for 2 glasses of wine, a family-size GOOD pizza, and Bruschetta.
Colca Canyon
Trail Length: 1, 2, or 3-day treks. The choice is yours.
Trail High Point: 10,800 feet.
Condors, desert canyons, riverside natural hot springs, and palm-covered oasis. This hike is a real bitch though. I wrote a whole blog post about it. Read it & then do one of my recommended routes. Just come prepared. This is no walk in the park.
Volcano Misti
Trail Length: 16 miles (2 days)
Trail High Point: 19,100 feet.
This is *probably* the most difficult trek on this entire list so if you’re not in great shape at this point, maybe give this one a pass. This volcano is overlooking the city of Arequipa, but if you’ve arrived, then you already know that because it’s impossible to miss.
We decided to pass on this one. Mostly because of travel burnout and having just finished the Colca Canyon. When we make it back to Peru this one might go back on the list.
Slight North has lots of advice on whether you should climb it, what to expect, and tips on how not to die while you do it.
Hikes in the Huaraz Region
The unofficial trekking capital of Peru. Huaraz is a mountain town through and through. Surrounded by Peru’s tallest peaks this crisp town sits at a reasonable 10,500 feet. As far as cities in Peru go, this one is my favorite. Also, all the prettiest & best treks in Peru are here.
Laguna 69
Trail Length: 8.5 Miles. (Day Trip)
Trail High Point: 15,100 feet.
10/10 recommend not missing this hike. It’s a rough day involving a 5 AM wake-up call, a 3-hour drive to Huascaran National Park, and then a grueling 4-mile uphill ascent through serene cow pastures into the rugged Cordillera Blanca mountain range. But when you get to the lake I promise it won’t even matter. It’s quite possibly one of the most beautiful and raw landscapes I’ve ever personally seen.
The water is just so blue. If you’re crazy like us you might just want to take a dip. Again the cheapest way to see the lake is with a group tour. About $20 per person including the national park fees.
Be sure to purchase the multi-day ticket if you plan on doing all these hikes (which you should) because many fall within Huasacanran National Park.
Huayhuash Trek
Trail Length: 4-14 days but most commonly 6-10 days.
Trail High Point: 16,600 feet.
This trail is touted as the single most beautiful trek in all of Peru and in the top 10 most beautiful treks in the world. If you have the time it’s really an unforgivable travel sin to not do it. It’s not technically that difficult but as it ascends 6 mountain passes and is completely surrounded by 20,000 ft peaks (including the inspiration for the Paramount mountain).
Uncornered Market has an in-depth guide detailing day-to-day what to expect on the Huayhuash trail. This is high on our Peru bucketlist for next time.
Santa Cruz Trek
Trail Length: 3-4 days or 31 miles.
Trail High Point: 15,620 feet.
Fancy a multi-day trek through the Cordillera Blanca mountain range? This moderate trek has wildflowers, turquoise lakes, and spectacular peaks. It’s also possible to hike independently if you’re feeling real adventurous. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best treks in Peru.
Clever Hiker has a great guide to help you decide whether an independent trek or a group tour is the right route for you.
Laguna Paron
Trail Length: 1.1 Mile. (Day Trip)
Trail High Point: 13,600 feet.
Although I hesitate to call this a hike….it is a day trip from Huaraz that should absolutely be done. You’ll spend 90% of the day in the car, as it is a good 4 hours to reach the walkway to the lake.
But you just won’t find that blue water anywhere else.
You could hike the 20KM from the trailhead yourself or for the same price you can take a tour that will very nearly deliver you to the edge of the lake and you can spend that time peacefully walking around its perimeter taking photos instead.
Laguna Churup
Trail Length: 5 miles (Day Trip)
Trail High Point: 15,100 feet.
Now here’s a day trip you can handle all on your own from Huaraz. This is a reasonably short hike to an incredibly picturesque lake and the best part is…you can reach the trailhead via collectivo.
This trail also involves a little rock scaling in addition to hiking but not in a dangerous way- i promise.
Along Dusty Roads laid out exactly how to do the hike independently in this detailed blog post.
Best Treks in Northern Peru
The northern reaches of Peru aren’t exactly known for their trekking. Beaches- yes. Amazon Rainforest- yes. But there is one hike that I would highly recommend to intrepid travelers who can spend the time and energy to get there.
Gokta Falls
Trail Length: 7-10 miles depending on the route.
Trail High Point: 2,500 feet.
This is one of the least traveled regions in Peru. & this waterfall was only “discovered” in 2002. There are a few different options when it comes to reaching the waterfalls and since we didn’t actually make it here (sadly) I’ll leave a link to Laidback Trip’s guide instead.
Check Out Our Full Peruvian Itinerary
Ready to plan your Peruvian adventure? Head on over to our full Peru itinerary for more than just the best treks in Peru.
Peru is a hiking paradise and you should be prepared to spend a significant amount of time on the trail. These aren’t even all the hikes in Peru. Not by a long shot. These are just the best treks in Peru that I would recommend to travelers looking to see all the country has to offer. Let me know in the comments if you complete any of the hikes I recommended!
No Comments