Travel in Peru

I was in a dune buggy perched atop a sandy ridge near the small oasis town of Huacachina, Peru, looking down a nearly 60-foot drop. As the driver gunned the engine, I began to question my decision to sign up for this tour.

On August 26, an unusual rail journey set out from Vancouver, British Columbia, with an itinerary stringing together seven pre-existing luxury train lines across four continents, starting in North America, zigzagging through Europe and Africa, before concluding in Asia (with a few international flights in between). The trip, packaged by specialist travel agency Railbookers, started from $113,599 per person. And its popularity resulted in a waitlist of more than 500 people before the expanded 2025 offerings went on sale this month.

Even seasoned travelers can find planning trips to certain destinations overwhelming, even if they're accustomed to experiencing new cultures in countries they have never visited. This is especially the case when traveling somewhere incredibly remote or if a trip itinerary requires a ton of moving parts.

If you haven’t been to Machu Picchu lately—or are a first-timer to Peru’s famed Incan archaeological wonder—get ready for a somewhat complicated ticketing process. In a bid to help ease congestion and manage conservation at the overtourism-plagued UNESCO World Heritage Site, the destination has once again switched up its entrance ticket system.

Taking the train to Machu Picchu is one of the most efficient ways to reach the ancient Incan site if you prefer not to hike—and if you can snag a ticket onboard Belmond's Hiram Bingham train, it's also the most glamorous.

American Airlines AAdvantage miles just got more valuable for travelers who want to explore popular South American destinations in countries like Chile, Argentina, and Peru.

Predating the Inca Empire by four millennia, a far-flung desert settlement in northern Peru preserves the oldest known civilization in the Americas. Although now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a natural warm-up for the Sacred Valley, Caral and its astonishingly intact pyramids and sunken plazas have evaded the limelight since their rediscovery 30 years ago.

There are multiple hiking trails that lead to the ancient city of Machu Picchu: the Ancascocha Trail, the Salkantay Trail, the Lares Trek, etc. But the most popular of them all is the Inca Trail, and to hike it, you need a permit.

Hiking Machu Picchu. Summiting Rainbow Mountain. Sandboarding dunes in the Ica Desert, paragliding over the Costa Verde. Peru is unmatched for its variety of experiences and there’s no more luxurious place to start (or conclude) the odyssey than The Westin Lima, with rooms starting at $275 per night.

River cruises are soaring in popularity. They are becoming a new luxury tipple for those looking for a more intimate cruising experience on a smaller vessel. UNIWORLD is one of the leading boutique river cruise companies specializing in all-inclusive vacations. From classic routes such as The Danube and The Rhine to jungle adventures on the Peruvian Amazon, the cruise line offers exciting itineraries across the globe, with new offerings added throughout the year. One of their most extravagant trips is the Death on the Nile (without the murder) Splendors of Egypt and the Nile Cruise.

Lindblad Expeditions is expanding its presence on the Amazon River by chartering the 42-guest ship Delfin III.

The Dominican Republic is already an incredible vacation destination, full of pristine beaches, picture-perfect palm trees and a long list of incredible resorts, including some of our favorite all-inclusive resorts in the world.

Members of American Airlines AAdvantage have a new option in South America via budget airline JetSmart.

Latin America is a wildlife enthusiast's dream, home to many diverse ecosystems teeming with unique flora and fauna. Here are some of the best places to go wildlife spotting in the region.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eliot Davenport, a 32-year-old SEO manager and business owner from Melbourne, Australia. It's been edited for length and clarity.

LATAM is giving some of its cabins a complete overhaul, adding a brand-new business class suite, ergonomically-designed economy seats, and more. 

South American juggernaut LATAM is launching an all-new business-class experience on board its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.

"Do you have an open marriage?" Perplexed by my coworker's question, I responded with a blank stare. "You're always solo traveling, but you're married. Do you have an open marriage? " he asked again.

At age 21, my frigid home state of New Jersey was pretty much all I knew. That is, until I downloaded Tinder.

Contiki, the renowned travel brand catering to 18-35-year-olds, has announced the launch of its most extensive collection of European trips in over 60 years, along with two new budget-friendly adventures in Peru.

It’s safe to say that travel is incredibly important for Megan Spurrell and Henry Urrunaga Diaz, both of whom travel the world for a living: Megan is a Californian who works as the associate director of articles at Condé Nast Traveler in New York, and Henry is a Peruvian who films his adventures for his YouTube channel. The pair met through friends in 2014 while spending a few months in Rio de Janeiro around the time of the World Cup. They’ve lived together in Henry’s native Lima, traveled around Southeast Asia in tandem, and logged some long-distance years before settling in New York City in 2019.