PERU · CITY TOURS
Good city tours fill weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each one includes, and how they differ once you look past the photos.
Small-group half-day Lima walk hitting Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor, and San Francisco catacombs, with guide-led history and hotel transport.
“A great introduction to the historic center of Lima. Covered all the important points in a short period of time. Silvana was an excellent and patient guide.”
Cusco half-day tour by minivan to Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, plus optional Coricancha, with guide and transport.
“Luis was very knowledgeable about Inca history and culture. He was born and raised in Cuzco. The pacing and communication was excellent.”
4-hour panoramic bus tour from Larcomar to Lima’s historic center, with an official guide and a included visit to Museo Santo Domingo.
“It was fun to ride the double decker bus from the Miraflores district to the historical center and back while having hearing a narration of the buildings and areas we passed by. Once at the historical center, we went with our guide Elizabeth who provided detailed explanations on the sites and was very patient with ny elderly parents who needed a little more time walking around. This was not a hop-on/hop-off tour but it worked well for my family with limited mobility to see the town without rushing into and out of the bus.”
Cusco half-day city tour with Qorikancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, plus guide, shared transport, and audio.
“Our guide Ernesto was very knowledgeable, we had a lot of fun!”
Half-day Lima tour with hotel pickup, an English guide, and ticketed Cathedral and Santo Domingo Convent visits, plus Miraflores coastal views.
“Liliana was a wonderful, knowledgeable tour guide. This was our first tour in Lima, and it gave us a great overview of the city and of Peru. A perfect way to start our Peruvian adventure.”
Half-day tour of Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay plus an alpaca sanctuary, with hotel pickup in Cusco.
“Great tour very difficult to do on your own. Very informative and friendly guide tito. Really nice driver Richard.”
Open-top Cusco bus tour with Sacsayhuamán, Cristo Blanco views, Coricancha, Pachamama ritual, alpaca wool tips. $12.
“loved it, one stopped had a short Shaman ceremony it was great!”
A guided 3.5-hour walk through Lima’s main colonial plazas plus an included catacombs visit, with hotel pick-up and drop-off for $45.
“The tour guide Pamela was excellent. Very friendly, organized, great customer service, and an excellent picture taker. I enjoyed all the sites visited and the history behind them. I would definitely recommend this tour and tour guide to anyone visiting Lima. It’s a perfect way to learn the history of the city and sightsee.”
Cusco open-bus tour with panoramic double-decker views, bilingual guide, major landmarks, and quick stops including Cristo Blanco and Inca sites.
“Overall a good experience. I was not feeling well due to altitude sickness but still wanted to do a low energy activity that would allow me to see more parts of Cusco. The tour started about 40 minutes late and there was a bit of a walk slightly up hill to get to the actual bus. However, the sights we saw were definitely worth it. The most interesting thing we participated in was a traditional shaman ritual. I would definitely wear warm clothes as it got quite cold up top on the bus. Overall, would recommend.”
Half-day Cusco city tour with hotel pickup and bilingual guides, visiting Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay.
“Jessica was good for all trip, deep knowledge of all places we visited. Thanks!”
A 2-hour small-group Lima walk with a bilingual guide, Plaza Mayor landmarks, San Francisco church and catacombs, plus churros.
“My mom and I had the best time with our tour guide! The process was super easy as we were picked up and brought back to our destination of choice. Our guide was so informative on the history of Lima and Peru as a whole. The city, church and catacombs were definitely a sight to see!”
Private Cusco day tour with Inca ruins plus a camelid museum farm. Hotel transport, alpaca and llama feeding, 6 hours.
“We had a fantastic city tour in Cusco with Percy, an incredible guide full of knowledge. He knew so much about the history and culture, and he was extremely friendly, making the experience even better. We visited numerous sites, and this tour became one of our favorite experiences in Peru! We also enjoyed a visit to a small zoo, where we got to feed llamas and alpacas—a unique and fun touch. Highly recommended!”
A small-group 3.5-hour Cusco tour that pairs Inca and colonial icons with San Pedro Market, plus an easy, guided route from Plaza de Armas.
“Very nice tour. Unfortunately, we were experiencing altitude sickness. So when you arrive to Cuzco, give yourself a day to acclimatize. Drink tea, soup, no red meats just chicken. Stop by one of the local pharmacies and get some altitude sickness pills. We were sick for the entire tour, but the tour itself was really really good. Our guide Henry was extremely knowledgeable and showed us some very cool things! We just wish we weren’t sick during the tour. Also, take some Sol(Peruvian Money) with you in case you need to use the bathrooms. Most places charge 1-2 Sol to use the bathroom. There are very few places that have…”
See Cusco’s top Inca landmarks in one 5-hour city tour, with a small group, expert guide, and paid entrances in PEN.
“The tour company was very professional and well organized. They reached out to me as soon as soon as I purchased the ticket and updated me every step of the way. I was picked up from my hotel in Cusco on the day of the tour and the tour guide Silvia was very knowledgeable and patient with all of us. I had really amazing photos from Cusco and I even had the opportunity to feed an Ilama and an apaca on the tour! I highly recommend this tour company and this tour activity!”
4-hour Lima highlights tour from Miraflores: Huaca Pucllana, Plaza Mayor and San Francisco catacombs, $79 with tickets.
“Jordan was the best tour guide we have ever had; he was extremely enthusiastic, helpful and very knowledgeable. We got a great feel of Lima after spending the afternoon with him ; he and Jorge the driver made a great team and made our short stay in Lima very enjoyable”
Pick a kind of day, and see the best of it.
