5x not to be missed in Peru

1. The culinary delights of Lima

With no less than 2 restaurants in the top 100 of the best restaurants in the world, Lima is rightly called the culinary capital of Latin America. Lima is best known for its good fish dishes, especially ceviche. Did you know that ceviche is mainly served as a lunch dish? The fish is then just caught and therefore at its best. Would you like to explore the city in an original way? Then opt for a culinary city tour followed by a cooking workshop where you will learn Peruvian cooking techniques. During this culinary city tour you will not only visit the historic buildings and the impressive Inca pyramid just outside the city centre, but you will also visit the local market where you and your guide will pick up the ingredients to cook with. Don't forget to taste the famous Pisco Sour. Although there is a certain disagreement whether this popular drink originates from Peru or Chile, believe me, in Lima the Pisco Sour is not to be missed!

More about Peruvian food

2. The empire of the Incas

The Sacred Valley is the heart of the Inca Empire, a great oasis of green terraced fields surrounded by the impressive peaks of the Andes. Soon upon arrival you will understand why the Inca people chose this place to settle here. The soil is extremely fertile and the combination with a mild climate made the valley very suitable for growing a large number of crops. Moreover, it is a wonderful place to stay. Would you like to learn more about the life of the Incas? Then you have come to the right place. Stroll through the cobbled streets of Ollantaytambo, discover the colourful folklore of the inhabitants of Pisaq and visit the local market. Or take part in a holy sacrificial ceremony led by a real Andean shaman. As soon as you hear the conch shell, the village shaman begins his ceremony to honour the earth goddess Pachamama (mother earth). At the edge of the important Urubamba river a fire burns in which the shaman sings his rituals to thank nature. It is a special experience in an environment where the hummingbirds fly through the trees and the fresh mountain air hangs around you.

3. By train through the Peruvian highlands

Imagine yourself: it's early in the morning as you watch the landscape passing by from your own compartment. The immense mountains of the Andes are shrouded in mist and slowly the magical world awakens before your eyes. You drive along blue lakes and through the mountain villages where Peruvian traditions have lived on for years. You are in the Belmond Andean Explorer train, the first and only luxury sleeping train in South America. In three days, you will travel from Lake Titicaca to the white city of Arequipa and end your journey in the Colca Canoyn. The Peruvian plateau is an experience in itself, but aboard the Andean Explorer train from Belmond you will make the experience even more special.

4. Condor spotting in the Colca Canyon

As far as I'm concerned, the Colca Canyon is one of the highlights of Peru. The mountains here are very impressive and the views are unprecedentedly wide. The Colca Canyon is known as an excellent place to spot condors. The condor is seen as the largest bird in the world and can have a wingspan of no less than three meters. From el Cruz del Condor these birds can be seen from very close by, very special! You will also find many traditional mountain villages in this region where you can stroll through the nice colourful markets and get acquainted with traditional Peruvian cuisine. Want to spend the night here? That is also possible. One of the best accommodations in this region is Las Casitas del Colca van Belmond hotels. The accommodation has only 20 casitas and they all offer a view on the garden or on the valley. You can enjoy this in your own lounge, spacious bedroom and you have access to a private terrace with its own plunge pool.

5. The hidden city of Machu Picchu

A trip through Peru is of course not complete without a visit to the Machu Picchu. The discovery of the hidden city is considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the twentieth century. But above all, the city is located in a spectacular environment which makes this place enormously special. It is possible to visit the Machu Picchu in different ways. You can walk the famous Incatrail. A multi-day trip through the land of the Incas with the Machu Picchu at sunrise. I myself walked the Salkantay trekking. A varied route that took us, along snowy peaks, clear blue lakes and the tropical jungle, in 5 days to the Machu Picchu. If you don't like hiking, you can also take a luxury train from Cuzco or the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes from where you can visit the Machu Picchu. In the train the impressive views glide past you and in the meantime, you can enjoy an extensive three-course lunch. An excellent start of the day it seems to me.