Northwest Coast of South America
Best Times to Visit: Jan-Apr
No
Spanish (minimal English)
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Lima, Peru is the perfect destination for an adventure lover! After leaving Ecuador, I decided to check out the city. I had no idea that Lima was in the desert. Be sure to pack sunscreen as the heat and UV rays during the day can be treacherous. Activities I enjoyed while there: A 10 mile sightseeing bike ride, paragliding over Costa Verde with Condor Xtreme, a walking tour to explore the Miraflores, San Isidro and Barranco neighborhoods, a cooking class (fresh ceviche and pisco sour), an adventure boat tour with the option of swimming with sea lions (the tiny penguins on this route are irresistible). As a lover of culture and entertainment, I truly enjoyed the live music at Jazz Zone! The city is a true beaty!! I would recommend spending 4-5 days in the city to soak up the culture. I was there for 3.5 weeks and enjoyed it. You will need to brush up on your Spanish skills or have a translator handy.
I was in Peru for 11 days and in that 11 days, I saw 6 people of color. Lol. I used a service called Peru Hop that allowed me to see so many different places all over Peru without breaking my transportation bank.
What I found in Peru is that EVERYONE was really nice and helpful. A little Spanish goes a long way. I loved every part of Peru and my experience. I even experienced traveler diarrhea and while that is an experience that I don’t recommend for anyone, THAT was still an amazing experience.
If you are a foodie and adventure junkie, then you need to visit Peru. Just know that if you book a solo trip, more than likely you will be the only Black person in all the Peruvian spaces you encounter. It’s safe and fun. Go to the market and eat ALL of the Ceviche you can get your hands on.
As an adventure traveler, there were wonderful options for activities like paragliding, swimming with sea lions, traveling to Huacachina, a plane ride over the Nazca Lines, and much more! Lima is full of history and culture and the food is phenomenal…in some places. I stayed in and near the city for 7 days but only ate 3 good restaurants. I expected more since so many people rave about the food, but it also gave us the runs. It was so bad that we had to cancel our plans on one of the days to take care of ourselves in the hotel room.
Going to the Heavenly Spa by Westin is a MUST DO, I’ve never had a massage that deep and intense. It seriously gave me an emotional and spiritual awakening that has changed my life since returning from the trip. Although Lima isn’t on my more favorable side of vacations, it’s certainly an experience I think everyone should enjoy. My only comment is that I saw maybe 2 black people during the entire trip. If that’s important to you then I wouldn’t recommend Lima, however, everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming. We went to the mall on one of the days and my friend was wearing a hot pink outfit – maybe that’s not a normal clothing color for them, but she was laughed at several times by people we walked past, wasn’t a fan of that experience.
Looking for some of the best food in South America go to Lima! I spent 3 weeks here solo as part of my travel journey and i really enjoyed. Along with the most beautiful coastline to the pacific ocean. They have a great diversity of food! Every restaurant was very good especially the Chifa restaurant which is a combination of asian and Peruvian Cuisine! My top restaurant recommendation is Buenaventura which is a famous local bakery in Barranco district. Very good with a diverse selection of baked goods! My recommendation for Lima Peru is to stay in Miraflores, safe with tons of restaurants and shopping!
Peru was an amazing journey back in time. The people are incredibly nice and welcoming.
Here are some highlights of our trip and the lists of hotels we stayed at whilst in Peru.
– See the 18th-century SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY with its unique cloisters, Government Palace, and the cathedral situated around the vast Plaza de Armas.
– Visit the LARCO HERRERA MUSEUM, which houses the largest private collection of Pre-Columbian Peruvian art in the world. Enjoy dinner at the museum’s restaurant.
– Head into the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit the semi-circular KENKO Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages and see the ancient site of Puca Pucara.
– Visit the Inca Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO, followed by the opportunity to visit a locals’s HOME, meet some of the locals, and experience their way of life in the Sacred Valley. Then, board the Vista dome TRAIN for a scenic journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Upon arrival, ascend the mountainside to legendary MACHU PICCHU, the “Lost City of the Incas.”
– On your guided sightseeing tour of Cusco, (where Dana got altitude sickness) learn more about the Inca and Spanish influence. Begin at the heart of Cusco in the Plaza de Armas (main square), with a visit to the imposing CATHEDRAL, where construction began in 1550 and was finally completed 100 years later. Continue to Koricancha and the SANTO DOMINGO MONASTERY, and see how the two sites have become one. The Temple of the Sun at Koricancha was once the most important Inca site, dedicated to the worship of the Sun.
– Visit the TEMPLE OF SACSAYHUAMAN, perched on a hillside overlooking Cusco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons—was built.
Hotels where we stayed (we booked through a tour so not such how much they costs):
Casa Andina Premium Miraflores -Lima
Casa Andina Premium Sacred Valley – Urubamba Valley
Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel – Machu Picchu
Casa Andina Premium Cusco – Cusco
https://www.casa-andina.com/en/destinations/miraflores/hotels/casa-andina-premium-miraflores
https://www.casa-andina.com/en/destinations/cusco/hotels/casa-andina-premium-cusco?_ga=2.206544659.1016165394.1614875174-568363068.1614875174
*** Sumaq Hotel | Machu Picchu Hotels | Cusco Peru (you can do pisco sour and ceviche making class) Our favorite hotel
Stopped in Lima before going to Machu Picchu, on the first leg of our trip we stayed in Miraflores which had a great night life, tons of local bars! While there we also visited Parque Del Amor and Plaza Mayor De Lima (do-able in one day). Another cool thing to do is check out the temples at Huaca Pucllana and Museo De Contemporaneo. Perfect stop before heading to Machu Picchu and definitely full of culture and history!
First time in South America …. Lima, Peru exceeded my expectations!! Spent most of my time in Miraflores and Barranco. Miraflores is where I stayed and nice Airbnb is about $50-70/night. I would say barranco was my favorite … such a vibrant vibe. So many restaurants to choose from … a nice place with a view for lunch is restaurant Javier… if you are looking for a nice bar/club check out Ayahuasca in Barranco it has tons of rooms and bars on two floors (not a tourist spot)… y’all a walk or a bike ride along Miraflores coastline it will leave u speechless. If u leave restaurant Javier and descend down the steps u will come upon a beach on costa verde where the locals hang out … lots of locals hanging out with music and playing in the water…. I took a quick day trip to Arequipa for $80 RT flight and visited the Santa Catalina monastery and had lunch on a rooftop of hotel Katari hotel for some amazing views of the plaza and the three volcanoes…. . Like most countries I did get stared at but not a lot. Only downside not many people speak English
Peru is full of so much history so many places to see. The Inca originated there . Lima consists of many places to visit and learn about.
Stumbled across Sibaris restaurant and it was great. Brunch is amazing ..but don’t be surprised if the service is slow but it is worth it ! Ceviche is amazing. The beaches are rocky in the city unless you venture about an hour away and it takes a coin to use the restroom. Beautiful culture and people. The bars have great music and the pisco sours are great. i went to Loki, it got pretty crazy in there so if you like action..go.
Relatively inexpensive places to eat throughout Lima. Ceviche and pisco sours are a must but there are several other options available. I frequented Mercado 28 during my visit and that was a great late evening / night time spot to have varying food options and drinks.
Peru is by far one of my favourite countries. I started in Lima and travelled a long the coast ending Cuzco for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
HUACACHINA – it’s a desert Oasis located about 1.5 hours away from Lima and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. Please don’t miss this opportunity, it is absolutely beautiful. It is literally an Oasis in the middle of the desert. Spend the day surfing the sand dunes or flying across them on dune buggies for the real thrill seekers. Spend the night here if you can and watch the sun set and rise over the sand dunes, an experience not to be missed.
FOOD – CEVICHE, CEVICHE AND CEVICHE. This is probably all I ate day and night in Peru. Of course there’s a large variety of delicious cuisine in Peru but Ceviche was just divine, especially if you’re a fish lover.
Traveling while Black – I honestly felt safe and comfortable in any town across Peru and had no issues or safety concerns what so ever, it was by far one of the friendliest places I’ve know. I can’t wait to go back!
I went to Lima, Peru through a program at my school, Hampton University. I am a part of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students and we decided to do a volunteer abroad program through IVHQ. IVHQ was the main facilitator and coordinator of the program, providing all of the necessary information from flights to accommodation, food, and activities. I flew to the country through Avianca and stayed in a home stay for my two week trip. Food was provided from my house parents. I volunteered in Pachacutec, a poor village an hour and a half away from where I stayed in Lima (San Miguel). We did health screenings including blood pressure and glucose and then after finishing for the day, we made time for daily excursions such as going to the sand dunes, going to nightclubs, and going on a historical tour.
Theres so much to do in Lima! I recommend paragliding on Costa Verde. Paragliding costs 80 dollars for 10 minutes in the sky and it come with a full video of the experience. I learned how to surf for the first time in Lima as well. The trainers at Kño Surf are really helpful and really want to help you learn! Surfing lessons were only $35 for 90 minutes. I also recommend doing to the water park at night to enjoy the show. Its called “Circuito Magico Del Agua”
Lima Peru, is absolutely amazing, I enjoyed every second there. i want to go back because i had so much fun there.
1. DO NOT BRING ALOT OF VALUABLES WITH YOU. i had my wallet stole by a bartender at a bar. i found my wallet but all of my money was gone.
2. People are so friendly, i stayed at hostels and the Peruvians are so nice. i met some many wonderful people there that i still keep in contact with.
3. The nightlife was amazing, being a black male there i felt very attractive. i had of admirers while i was in peru.
Lima is a great bustling city. I love how exotic this place was! I visited for a week during a mission trip. This place is romantic and fun. I went hang gliding off a cliff with a professional of course. Go to Lacomar and see the beach by the plaza. There’s restaurants there as well. Walk through Parque Kennedy. There’s also opportunists to go on excursions to Ica and Cusco. I went on a boat tour and saw Nazca lines and sea lions. I went to a Pisces vineyard, crushed some grapes and had a tasting. In Huacachina, I went sandboarding and rode in a dune buggy. Word of caution, be very careful of the taxi drivers, if you don’t know who they are, you can get kidnapped. Don’t just jump into any taxi, make sure they are safe and walk in groups. They use peruvian peso, 1=.30 cents in U.S. There’s a lot of casinos around the town, and easy access to food. I usually try to eat what the locals eat so the food was very tasty and flavorful.
Take a free walk tour, it runs daily and it’s a great way of learning the history of the city, visit important sites that are hard to find on own and even enjoy a free Pisco Sour at the end of the tour. Go to the Water Park, enjoy the show at night.
Nightlife in Peru is absolutely amazing! The clubs stay open until 5am almost every night and there’s always something to do. In Lima there this hostel called Loki (its near downtown Miraflores near the cat park). It’s got a very “white vibe” but some of my best memories were made there. You do have to stay there in order to get in, but if you want a party crowd then that’s the place to stay. The party will come to you! If you go, get ready for a buttload of blood bombs and ready to hear “Loki Loki Loki! OÍ Oí Oí!” with every group shot!
I loved Lima and I definitely recommend Peru as a stop on your travel list! There’s so much more to it than just the night life too! Go experience it for yourself!!
I only spent one full day in Lima before I flew to Cuzco. One day is not enough to fully grasp this vibrant city. I stayed in the Miraflores district at a hotel called Miramar. The hotels surrounding area is really nice, close to the ocean and perfect for a nice stroll to trendy shops and restaurants. The gorgeous seaside location of the city makes water-sporting activity possible. There’s also a nice mall perched atop a coastal cliff called Larcomar. If you stay in Miraflores, taxi is the best way to get to other spots and attractions in the city. I visited the main square of Lima and saw so much beautiful architecture. It would take a full day to explore the historic area of Lima. If you are short on time in Lima, make sure you plan accordingly. Traffic is chaotic (and this is coming from an LA native that is used to traffic) and will take you more than an hour to get from one side of town to the other. I would love to visit again to get a more in-depth experience.
I missed a connect flight from Lima to Cuzco so I had one day to explore Lima. I wasn’t aware how much Lima had to offer! When you arrive make sure to get in a licensed taxi and it does help to have some level of Spanish or a translator to help!
Make sure to visit the Cathedral, they sometimes have weddings going on there and if you’re lucky like I was, you get to see one live. There’re a few galleries and museums in the centre of Lima to visit, I only managed to visit Casa de literatura Peruana (House of Peruvian Literature) as I was strapped for time and most were closing soon! If you’re a lover of all things chocolate and cocoa, make sure you visit the Chocolate Museum, they have a range of products made with chocolate! You can even do a workshop and make your own chocolates.
Being the capital of Peru, I found that Lima was a lot more expensive than the region I was staying but till cheaper than prices in the UK. Be sure to visit the markets where you can haggle with prices and get beautiful little souvenirs and touristy trinkets.
Another must see in Lima was the water show in Parque de la reserva. This is a DEFINITE must if you;re ever in Lima. It’s an amazing display of lights and a show of water dancing around in unison to music, just magical. It goes on for about 45 minutes and is on in the evenings and is not expensive to my recollection. The park also has interactive water fountains that you can play with which are so much fun, the aim is to not get wet but it’s almost difficult to resist!
All in all Lima is a wonderful city. Captures the culture of Peru and its history. It also has an array of wonderful Peruvian cuisine (try not to eat in the touristy spots by the water show or in the centre as they can be a bit more pricey than usual)
I visited Peru to volunteer at elementary schools in the urban areas and had a great time! There is a lot of poverty outside of the city but the people were very friendly and I had no problems. There are very few English speakers here so make sure you bring a translator if needed. The center City has a lot of rich history and there’s a water light show show at one of the parks which l think is a must see :)