9 Best Hikes in Peru

One of the best places in the world that can be explored on foot, Peru, is rich in natural habitat from coast to jungle and mountains!

The 6,380m peak of Ausangate is one of the most visually appealing treks of Peru! You will need a total of 5 -7 days to complete the trek which is moderately challenging. But if you are staying in Cusco, you can complete the trek in one day!

The trek takes you through the slopes of the mountain, taking you to the rainbow-colored rock ridges of the mountain range.

No trip to Peru is complete without a trek to the Machu Picchu! Due to the immense popularity of the trek, the authorities have restricted the number of people allowed to visit the place every day.

The original trail that Incans used for hiking is still intact and is the easiest way to reach the peak. The trek is mostly easy but there are steep parts and as the trek comprises of stairs made of stone, the joints can be tough and slippery!

Though the high-altitude can be a problem, this multi-day trek that takes about 4-5 days to complete is an alternative to the Inca Trail that takes you to the Machu Picchu!

The scenery during the trek will keep changing with each day, ranging from snowy mountains to hot jungles! But the amazing landscapes en route the trek are worth the efforts of trekking about 70kms in total.

The deepest canyon in the world, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, that cuts through two 6,000m+ massifs, is one of the best treks in Peru!

You will roughly take 4-5 days to complete this moderately difficult trek that takes you through hanging bridges suspended over the Cotahuasi river, catch a glimpse of the Andean condor, and witness the majestic 150m high Cascada de Sipia waterfall!

The 2 days up and down trek across the Apurimac valley takes you to the last ruins of Inca that is about 3,050m high. The trek is a bit strenuous and it is better to hire a guide who can take you through the safest route.

At an altitude of 4,600m, the Laguna 69 trail is a beautiful trek that takes you through the shores of this picturesque glacial lake in Huascaran National Park! Start early in the morning to finish this moderately difficult trek in 8-10 hours.

This moderately challenging multi-day trek to the snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca! The crystal-blue mountain lakes and glacial formations alongside the panoramic view of Huaraz landscape, are reasons enough to take this trek!

If you want to experience multi-day hikes, you must set on the Kuelap and Vira Vira trek that takes about 8-9 days to complete! Taking you to the ancient cities of Kuelap and Vira Vira, a 700m tall waterfall of Catarata de Gocta and exploring the Incan ruins - that's what you will experience en route the trek!

A short trek that takes about 2-3 hours to the ruins of Moray, a deep bowl with terraces curved in it, starts from Chinchero! Believed to be an ancient site for botanical experimentation, the terraces at the site are built at different elevations. This is an interesting site for Incan culture enthusiasts!