View of Machu Picchu and the Andes Mountains in Peru

Culture-rich Peru holidays

A holiday to Peru will take you to new heights, in every sense. This elongated South American country skirts the South Pacific for more than 1,500 miles, and rises to heights of more than 22,000 feet in the snow-tipped mountains of the Andes.

Peru tours can take you from Lima, the coastal capital, into the largest sand dunes on the continent – Huacachina – before heading into the arid plains of the Atacama Desert. From here, the landscape ascends as you approach the Andes Mountains and with it comes one of the world’s most intriguing cultural sites, Machu Picchu. Hidden for centuries by the surrounding cloud forest, this ancient Inca citadel has become the holy grail for adventurous explorers. These days, the Sacred Valley of the Incas can be traversed by train from Cusco which is a tad more comfortable than the 3 – 5-day hike.

Travel closer to the border with Bolivia and you’ll find the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca; alternatively, head closer to Colombia and it will be the Amazon rainforest that steals the show. That’s the thing about a Peru holiday – there’s a lot more to it than panpipes and Paddington.

Although Peru has many natural highlights – the Andes Mountains being a prime example – you can’t beat Machu Picchu for pure and simple excitement. The lost city of the Incas sits surrounded by the steep slopes of the Sacred Valley - aka: the Urubamba River Valley – and has become an increasingly urgent ‘must see’ due to traveller numbers. Whether you’re embarking on an arduous four-day trek or taking the train from Cusco, seeing Machu Picchu is bound to be a Peru holiday highlight.

Situated on the banks of Lake Titicaca within the all-consuming Andean plains, the rather ramshackle city of Puno provides an authentic glimpse at life at high altitude. It’s the perfect place to lose yourself for a few days with boat trips allowing access to the indigenous tribes on the islands of Taquile and Amantani as well as the Uros people occupying the floating totora reed islands.

Although the Peruvian capital, Lima, can create something of a culture shock when you touch down for the first time, therein lies the charm. This sprawling coastal city is an absolute treat for the senses with the Plaza de Armas taking centre stage within the cultural core. Once you’ve got the hang of things, you’ll find food markets serving ceviche (citrus seafood dish) and pisco sours as the strains of la marinera folk music emanates from the livelier neighbourhoods of Barranco or Miraflores.

The flight time from the UK to Peru take around 13 hours.

You don’t usually require a visa if you’re a UK citizen travelling to Peru for a holiday. Please check the GOV UK Peru entry requirements for more details or, alternatively, visit CIBT visas for more information.

Peru’s climate varies significantly depending on where you’re travelling. For example, during the winter months - June through to September - the coast can be quite cloudy but also fairly mild. Things tend to heat up from November to March. The tropical regions in the northwest experience far more rain than on the coast with October to April the wettest time to explore in the Andes.

Peru is five hours behind the UK.

The official language of Peru is Castilian Spanish. Some hotel staff and many people in larger towns will also speak English.

With the widest choice of holidays and travel experiences than ever before, you can now personalise your trip so you are in complete control. All this is backed up by the high-standards and service you’d expect from Saga.

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