When we talk about Peru, the first thing that comes to mind is Machu Picchu. However, to be straight, the best time to visit Peru totally depends on the area of your interest. Normally, Peru is divided into 3 main areas: the coast, the Amazon Jungle, and the Andes Mountains. The rainy season in Peru lasts from December through March, which obviously isn’t the best season to visit Peru. The shoulder season, i.e., the months of April and May, is an excellent time for trekking in the Andes Mountains – including Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain. Nevertheless, the peak months to visit Peru are June through August, which see a lot of visitors. The hotels and the hiking trails get jam-packed. Another good time to visit Peru is from September through November, when the temperature gradually begins to rise. The number of tourists decreases, making these months excellent for hiking to Machu Picchu. To sum up, the best time for Andean and Amazonian adventures is June to August. Similarly, the best time for quiet hikes and surfing, without any crowds, is September to November. Likewise, the best budget travelers and festival maniacs.

The Inca Trail is a hiking trail in Peru that begins in Cusco and ends at Machu Picchu. There are three overlapping trails to reach Machu Picchu. The trail is located in the Andes Mountain range, passing through cloud forests and alpine tundra. On the Inca Trail, hikers will encounter various settlements, tunnels, and Incan ruins before reaching the Sun Gate at the summit of Machu Picchu Mountain. Most trekkers opt for the 4 or 5-day Classic Inca Trail, but there is also a 2-day trek available starting from KM 104. It’s important to spend adequate time acclimatizing in Cusco before embarking on the trek, as altitude sickness can occur if you haven’t properly acclimated.

Peru is a legendary country with magical natural attractions, incredible vistas, and majestic temples. This fabulous country has the hugest historical and cultural heritage in the world. Peru is also known to have some of the friendliest people in the world. From the long list of best places to visit in Peru, some prominent destinations are:

• Machu Picchu
• Lake Titicaca
• Amazon River
• Sacred Valleys of the Incas
• Rainbow Mountain
• Inca Trail
• Salkantay
• The Baths of the Inca

Peru is filled with so many things that perhaps, a single visit to this fairy-tale country would not be sufficient. Right from its gastronomy and the cultural heritages to its biodiversity, and mountains, jungles and seas, Peru is suitable for almost everyone in the world.

The distance from Lima to Machu Picchu is 503km (312mi) in a straight line, but when traveling, the total route covers 1280km (795mi). There is no option of reaching Machu Picchu from Lima directly. First, you have to get to Cusco from Lima. You can reach Cusco either by a domestic flight, car, bus, or train. Apparently, taking a flight to Cusco from Lima is the fastest way, which takes just over an hour and a half, to reach the destination.

The government of Peru have introduced various controls to minimize human impact on the trail up to the ancient city. They have restricted the number of people, including visitors, guides and porters to 500 each day. It simply means that if you wish to trek on the Inca Trail, you have to get your permit beforehand. You can get a permit to the Inca trail only through a government registered travel operator. It means that you are not allowed to trek the Inca trail independently. It is quite interesting to know that all of the year’s permits are released in October and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.