5 Bucket List Activities To Do In Peru
Not a single day goes by without me catching myself daydreaming about my time spent living in Peru. Those three months earned a special place in my heart forever, and I think EVERYONE should take some time to travel to this South American gem. It’s the perfect place for young travelers who love thrill, adventure, cultural experiences and exploring tons of IG worthy remote locations.
During my time there, I did so many fun activities so of course I wanted to share them with you! Here are the five must-do activities that will make your trip to Peru forever memorable:
1. Swimming with Sea Lions in Lima
Just about a 15-min boat ride off the coast of Lima, lies Palomino Islands- home to a colony of about 8,000 sealions. So, the crazy thing is.. When first planning this trip you would have never been able to tell me I was going to be swimming with sealions, yet there I was. Floating in the middle of the ocean, smiling ear to ear because a sealion was playing with my feet. Ugh, 10/10 experience- I HIGHLY recommend.
Cost of tickets: $75
*Lifejackets are provided so don’t worry, you don’t have to be the world’s best swimmer!
2. Hiking Machu Picchu
The day I hiked Machu Picchu was the day I said to myself “oh I really do this travel girl sh*t FR” LOL. Seriously though, you cant visit peru and not visit Machu Picchu. Special emphasis on the word “visit” because this hike is INTENSE!!! Between the altitude changes and eight-hundred-fourty-two-billion steps, if you’re not in the best of shape it could not only take a really long time, it might not be very enjoyable. You’d probably just be better off visiting the entrance, eating at the restaurant, and maybe taking a few pictures. But beware, once you hit those stairs.. make the right choice.
I do also think there may be a bus that will drive you to the top? However, I’m not 100% how that works because I didn’t do that- I hiked for about 7 hours that day, and im so happy I chose to push through it though, because it was the most rewarding hike I’ve ever done before. Once we got to the top we went on a tour where we learned about the ancient incan city, took in the views, and made memories that will literally last forever.
Cost of tickets: Depending on the travel company you book with.. We paid about $250.
3. Sandboarding at Huacachina Oasis
I did this postcard worthy experience on my birthday and it was literally AMAZING! Your tour guides will drive you in a sand buggy to the tops of the tallest dunes when you’ll either sand board or sand surf down to the bottom. We chose to go at sunset, so you can only imagine how stunning it was to watch the golden sun set behind the miles of sand dunes. You’ll def want to add this to your itinerary!
Cost of tickets: Super cheap! It’s only $25.
4. Chocolate-Making Class in Lima
Another super fun activity that’s easy on the pockets! This chocolate making class was so cute, definitely something to add to your travel plans on a day where you want something chill but still fun to do. This was the perfect way to get a hands-on experience of what it’s like to make chocolate! You learn every step of the process literally from the cacao bean to the chocolate bar you would buy in the store. Plus, you get to make your very own chocolate to take home. It’s a real 2-for-1- a fun and DELICIOUS way to immerse yourself in Peruvian culture.
Cost of tickets: Another cheap one.. $20 bucks!
I have this thing where in every country I visit I have to ride the ATVs, it’s like a right of passage for me almost. So in that, of course I was ecstatic when I saw this tour guide company offered both ATVs and a visit to the salt mines I had to sign up! Super super glad I did because I met an alpaca. The views on the drive were mesmerizing. I kept thinking to myself I can’t believe I’m actually here right now and the salt mines seemed so surreal. It was interesting to see the natural ways Incas utilized sustainable practices to harvest salt from the mountains.
Cost of tickets: About $45-$50 dollars.
BOOM. There you have it, the five activities that are non-negotiables for making your trip to Peru the memory you day dream about forever. Trust me when I tell you, Peru is THAT GIRLLLLL- you’re going to have such an amazing time when you go! And for those of you who aren’t planning a trip, I hope this blog was the thing that made you start!
Until next time..
Xoxo, Dru <3