Honeymoon in Peru

One of the planet’s top bucket-list destinations, a honeymoon in Peru, is perfect for adventure, food, history and culture lovers. Explore ancient ruins, trek through unique landscapes, feast on delectable cuisine.

While sometimes overlooked by couples in a rush to get exploring, Lima, the capital, is one of the most underrated capitals on the continent. Discover the dining scene in Lima, one of the best places to explore Peruvian cuisine. Peruvian food is one of the biggest cultural exports, after all! Marvel at the architecture treasures of the city or chill out watching the wild Pacific Ocean waves on the beach of Miraflores.

Down the coast, you’ll find the lively town of Paracas, a great jump off point for the Ballestas Islands where penguins and sea lions live. Nearby, you can go sand boarding down the dunes in the oasis village of Huacachina. Visit a local winery. Travel further south for one of Peru’s biggest draws and one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries, the Nazca Lines. While there is plenty of Nazca history to be found on the ground, these ancient geoglyphs are best seen by airplane.

A few days in Arequipa is a must. Known as the White City, the architecture and the volcano backdrop are a highlight of a honeymoon in Peru. Visit the Santa Catalina Monastery and have lunch in one of the famous Picanterías. Colca Canyon is another highlight. One of the world’s deepest canyons, you can admire the views or go whitewater rafting, hiking and horse riding.

Lake Titicaca is also an essential part of any honeymoon in Peru itinerary. Visit the floating Uros Island and Taquile Island where residents still keep their old traditions alive. 

Dotted with archaeological ruins, Peru’s most famous site of all is the iconic Machu Picchu, which needs no introduction. This ancient Incan citadel is located high in the Andes Mountains. Many couples will opt to trek the Inca Trail, which takes a few days. Passing through the Sun Gate at sunrise is one of the world’s most famous travel experiences and is not to be missed (warning: Inca Trail permits are required and book out many months in advance).

Not up for up for a challenging hike, but really want to take a Machu Picchu tour? You can also use the former centre of the Inca empire turned Spanish colonial city, Cusco, as a jumping-off point to take the train to Aguas Calientes to visit these magical ancient ruins. Visit the Sacred Valley. Cuzco is lively with colourful markets and is a thriving tourist town. You can also use it as a base point to see Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, too. Consider a beautiful train journey – what a way to see Peru.

The Peruvian Amazon covers almost 60% of the landscape of the country. Fly to Puerto Maldonado or Iquitos and hit an eco lodge in the Amazon Rainforest. Take epic jungle excursions to discover the unique flora and fauna. Learn from the important communities that live in the Amazon. 

Whether you want to hit the beach at Mancora, sail down the Amazon River, fly over the Nazca Lines or experience indigenous life at Lake Titicaca, Peru truly is a heavy hitter for a deep cultural and outdoor South American experience.

You can easily combine a honeymoon in Peru with another Central & South America destination for an epic multi-destination honeymoon. If you have time, you can head north overland to Ecuador, where you can take a tour of The Galapagos Islands. From Lake Titicaca, you can head south to La Paz in Bolivia, across the Uyuni Salt Flats to northern Argentina. Don’t worry if you have less time, you can fly too! There are direct flights to and from Lima to other gems, too. Consider Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil or Chile. Flying via North America? You can stopover in Miami, New York or Toronto.