Overview
Planning a trip to Peru means preparing for beautiful extremes—from the high altitudes of the Andes to the humid depths of the Amazon. If you want to see the visuals, I've saved everything in my Instagram Stories Highlights. It’s a journey of seven flights and diverse landscapes that left a huge impression on me.
Itinerary
Day 1 Geneva → Lima → Arequipa Travel day 
Arrived in Arequipa at 20:22 
Casa Andina
Day 2 Arequipa City exploration
Explored the 'White City' with a very nice free walking tour. The Santa Catalina Monastery is a must—it's like a city within a city with vibrant blue and red walls.
Day 3 Arequipa → Colca Canyon Canyon trekking 
Arequipa → Chivay → Cabanaconde 
Rustic cabin in Sangalle 
4–6h | ↓1000 m
We booked the DYM tour to visit Colca Canyon (if you like adventure, go with them!). 3:30 AM pickup. We saw condors flying at Cruz del Condor and then started the trek into one of the deepest canyons in the world. A 7km descent (3-4 hours) to San Juan de Chuccho for lunch. We continued through Cosñirhua and Malatta before reaching the 'Oasis' of Sangalle (2,200m).
Day 4 Colca Canyon → Puno The ascent 3h | ↑1000 m 6h GHL Titicaca
Day 5 Lake Titicaca & Puno Uros Islands 
Lake tour
Day 6 Puno → Cusco Bus journey 7h30min with stop at La Raya (4,335m) Apartment Samana House
Day 7 Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain (5,200m) 2–3h | ↑150 m ↓150 m
Woke up at 3 AM. The hike is short but the altitude can be tough. We reached 5,200m!
Day 8 Cusco City history Antigua Casona San Blas
Day 9 Cusco → Aguas Calientes Walking the tracks 3h | 10km (Flat) Andino Classic
We took the 'economical' route. After a long van ride, we walked 10km along the train tracks from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes. It's flat, takes about 3 hours, and follows the Urubamba River.
Day 10 Machu Picchu → Cusco The Lost City 
Arrived at 9 PM at Cusco 2–3h | ↑150 m ↓150 m Antigua Casona San Blas
Day 11 Sacred Valley Ollantaytambo & Pisac 2–3h | ↑150 m ↓150 m
Day 12 Cusco → Puerto Maldonado Amazon Forest 11:45 → 12:40 Motorized canoe to the lodge Amazon Planet
Day 13 Amazon Forest Rainforest arrival
Flew into the jungle. It was a total change of scenery and extreme humidity. We did some canopy walks and caiman spotting at night. The lodge was surprisingly accommodating with my celiac needs.
Day 14 Amazon Forest Wildlife and nature
Day 15 Puerto Maldonado → Lima Return to the capital 13:40 → 15:15 La Luna Inn
Day 16 Lima → Zürich Departure Departure at 19:55
Reflections & highlights
Colca canyon: tough but underrated
Totally underrated but absolutely worth it. Be warned: it is tough! We climbed 1 km of elevation gain over just 5 km in total. While challenging, the views are incredible.
Amazon rainforest: my favorite experience
Being immersed in the deep green of nature was unforgettable. The lodge was wonderful, though you should prepare for plenty of insects. A mini-storm cooled everything down to a comfortable temperature where long sleeves felt just right.
Cusco region: the real must-see
The area around Cusco is full of charm, history, and atmosphere. Arequipa is beautiful but felt architecturally closer to Europe. Cusco felt like the real Peru.
Good to know
The Bags
I used an American Tourister 118L suitcase (too big, honestly), a Patagonia Altvia 22L for day hikes, and a Peak Design Sling 3L for my camera.
Clothing & Sun Protection
Layering is key. I brought 'nice' clothes but never wore them. I stayed in technical hiking gear, quick-dry short-sleeved shirts, thermal shirts for unexpected cold, and leggings/hiking pants. Hiking boots are essential. Protect yourself from the intense sun with wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and light long-sleeved clothing.
Amazon Essentials
Bring both body and clothing-specific mosquito spray. Sandals or flip-flops are great around the lodge and for water activities.
Pharmacy Kit
Pack essential medications: diarrhea relief (e.g., Imodium), pain/fever medication, and motion sickness pills (like Itinerol B6). To prevent traveler's diarrhea, take a probiotic like Lactibiane Voyage 20M starting a couple of days before the trip.
Connectivity
Airalo eSIM (3-5 GB) worked perfectly. Use code COSTAN1544 for a discount.
Cash
Bring cash to exchange, it’s much more convenient than using ATMs, which often have high fees.
Apps
Wanderlog kept all my flights and 8 different lodgings organized.
Gluten-Free
Peru is surprisingly celiac-friendly. Quinoa and corn are staples. In Lima, you have world-class GF options, but in the mountains, stick to simple whole foods and bring your own emergency snacks.
If you’re planning a trip, I recommend checking out travel book guides. It’s also a good idea to do some research on blogs to get a feel for the best tours and activities to do. If you don’t want to miss out on the hidden gems or fall into tourist traps, Reddit and Pinterest are great resources for finding insider tips and recommendations. What I loved most about Peru was the sheer variety: literally every single day felt like stepping into a completely different world, transitioning from high mountain peaks to deep canyons, floating lake islands, and humid jungle foliage.
