10-day road-trip in Peru, from Lima to Cuzco

The gateway to our road trip, Lima is well worth a visit before setting off on less urban adventures. The city, also nicknamed "Grey Lima" for its sunny weather, contains many cultural treasures that allow it to shine.

We devote the first morning to visiting the monuments in its historic centre. From the Plaza San Martin, where the statue of Jose de San Martin is enthroned, to the Plaza Mayor, where the city of Lima was built, we admire the architecture of the buildings and enjoy the atmosphere that reigns in this district, which has seen buildings dating back to pre-Inca times.

A morning in the historic centre

Arriving at the Plaza Mayor (also known as the Place des Armes), we begin with a visit to the cathedral. Built in the 16th century and renovated in the 19th, the cathedral stands out for its different architectural styles (Baroque, neo-Gothic) and its various chapels, 14 in all.

They represent different periods, in particular the period when Pizarro, the Spanish conqueror, lived. He is buried in the main nave of the monument. Take your time to admire every nook and cranny, which sparkles with gold ornamentation.

Then head for the Government Palace (once Pizarro's palace), the Basilica of San Francisco and the Convent of Santo Domingo. The latter is also well worth a visit. It boasts a magnificent rose-coloured church, gardens, galleries (adorned with azulejos), several cloisters with fountains and even a library. A soothing architectural treasure trove (and cool even in summer)!

Afternoon in Miraflores and Barranco

The afternoon is devoted to discovering two must-see districts. After lunch at Cevicheria La Mar, we head for Miraflores. We pass the Huaca Pucclana archaeological site, a pyramid in the heart of the city dating from pre-Inca times.

Our tour of the district begins in the Parc de l'Amour. With its benches, mosaics and romantic quotations, this spot facing the ocean is surprisingly similar to Barcelona's Parc Güell. Paragliding jumps take place right next door, so you can enjoy the panorama for a while before heading back to Kennedy Park.

Here, you can sit on a bench and enjoy a coffee while watching the park's cats play. All around, shops, museums, bars and restaurants bring this lively district to life day and night.

The taxi then takes us to Barranco, the bohemian district par excellence. It's great to stroll the streets and admire the street art on the colourful walls.

We pass the colonial church of La Ermita, then the statue of the much-loved Peruvian singer Isabelle Chabuca Grande, before crossing the Bridge of Sighs (and making a vow in accordance with tradition). We spend the evening in Barranco, where the party is in full swing.

In the evening, we head back to the Miraflores district to sleep, having checked into the Casa Andina Select hotel the day before.

Distances are often very long in Peru. To reach our goal, Cuzco, we need to make a few stops. And just as well, the country is full of treasures to discover. We set off with a hire car from Lima to the Huacachina oasis. After a 4h30 drive, we arrived at our destination. The oasis lies in the desert in the middle of the Ica dunes. We have lunch in a restaurant near the lagoon. The scenery is both magnificent and rare.

The afternoon is devoted to activities in the desert. We set off in a buggy to discover the dunes and the Ica desert. And we try out an unexpected sport: sandboarding. It's like surfing (or snowboarding) but... on sand!

After an afternoon of sliding and fun, it's time to relax and admire the sunset from the dunes.

To make the most of the oasis (and to wake up in this paradise-like setting), we spend the night at the Huachina Ecocamp, surrounded by dunes.

After breakfast, it's off to Nazca for a trip back in time. This impressive and mysterious site is always in the news. After a 2? hour drive, we finally learn more about these lines drawn in the desert in pre-Inca times.

We decided to fly over the site with a guide to get a panoramic view of the lines. The lines are several kilometres long and largely represent animals. They were drawn by the Nazca people in pre-Inca times.

There are at least 600 of them, but not all of them are visible. Only a few years ago, research using a drone revealed new lines that had previously been invisible to the naked eye. We can make out a number of shapes, including a spider, a partially cut lizard, a monkey and a flower.

There are no words to describe this experience, we are left speechless.

In the middle of the afternoon, we visit the town centre, which revolves around the Plaza de Armas. In Peru, every village has its own "Plaza de Armas", the heart of the village, where the town hall, administrative offices, police station, etc. are grouped together. The museum has several rooms, where you can learn more about the Nazca people and the civilisations that lived in the Nazca desert. There are many everyday objects, instruments, textiles, etc.

In the evening, a little rest is in order, and we sleep at the Alegria hotel before setting off very early for the longest stage of our road-trip the next day.

The next day, we set off early in the morning for Arequipa. A 10-hour drive awaits us. On the outskirts of Nazca (about 4 km), we stop to discover the Cantalloc aqueducts. Built by the Nazca people, they supplied the city with water. An amazing system for its time.

It's dark when we arrive in Arequipa, but we can already see the beauty of the white city, which will have some wonderful surprises in store for us the next day. We check into the Plaza Central hotel for 3 nights. It offers an uninterrupted view of the bustling Plaza Mayor.

Morning in the city centre

Arequipa is one of Peru's most beautiful cities, with its colonial architecture and unmistakably white buildings. The city is the capital of the region of the same name and the 2nd largest in the country.

Head for the Plaza de Armas to see the imposing cathedral and the Company Church. The latter is one of the oldest in Arequipa, which has many others, including the church of Santo Domingo and La Merced, which are also well worth a visit.

The cathedral, meanwhile, is impressive for its neo-Renaissance architecture. You can visit the cathedral and its museum with a guide, who will also take you up to the roof for an original view of the city.

The tour of the city centre continues on to the Santa Catalina convent. Covering an area of over 20,000 m², it is one of the largest in the world and resembles a veritable small town. Created by the Spanish in the 16th century, it was home to 450 nuns. Today, around twenty remain. We wander through the narrow streets, some red, others white, passing under arches to reach cloisters of different styles.

Afternoon at the Santuarios Andinos Museum

To find out more about the history of the Andes and Peru, we visit the Santuarios Andinos museum. A must-see for history and archaeology buffs, the museum houses discoveries made in the 1990s, as well as explanatory films. Scattered across several rooms are objects dating back to the Inca period, with over 500 years of history behind them.

Mummies are also on display, including Juanita, the famous "ice princess". She was found at the top of a volcano at an altitude of 6,000 metres by a researcher. Very well preserved thanks to the low temperatures, the young Inca girl has since been on display in a refrigerated area at around -18 degrees. It's a visit that can make your blood run cold... Sensitive souls are advised to abstain.

The building houses a bar, the Siwara. Here you can enjoy a typical cocktail after your visit, the pisco sour.

As you can see, distances are long in Peru, and we set off early in the morning to reach the Colca valley. The journey takes around 4h30. As soon as we arrive, we are overwhelmed by the canyon that characterises the valley. A dozen villages have sprung up around it, and if you only have one to discover, it could be Chivay.

It is located on the road leading to the Colca Canyon. At an altitude of 3,640 metres, the village is home to hot springs and thermal waters from the mountains. It's a great place to soothe rheumatism. There are also plenty of hotels and restaurants to extend your stay.

The Colca Canyon has nothing to envy its American counterparts: it is the 2nd deepest canyon in the world. With the Colca River running through it, it offers land for terraced farming, a system already used in Inca times. Several treks are possible, but for one day we decide to visit the villages and enjoy the views along the way, looking out for alpacas and condors, the largest bird in the world.

To do this, head for the Condor Cross, a must-see viewpoint offering a view of the Colca Canyon, the Mismi volcano and, with a bit of luck, a glimpse of the famous Andean condor.

We return to Arequipa that evening.

The next morning, it's an early wake-up call as it's a 5-hour drive from Arequipa to Puno, the city where the famous Lake Titicaca is located. Nestling on the border between Peru and Bolivia, it is the highest lake in the world (3812 m above sea level). It is home to some forty islands, no less!

Afternoon in the Uros Islands

Located 6 km from Puno, the Uros Islands are floating islands created in the 13th century by the Indians to escape the Incas. Built from reeds, the architecture of the archipelago is astonishing. Boats, houses and even furniture were created from this reed, also known as totora.

To reach these islands, we take a boat from the port of Puno, which takes around 30 minutes. The locals welcome tourists and explain their way of life. On the spot, it is possible to bring back souvenirs by buying local handicrafts. It's a unique experience that you don't necessarily expect when you visit Lake Titicaca.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off again for a 7-hour drive. This time we're a little closer to our ultimate goal: a visit to Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital and Machu Picchu. We arrive in Cuzco at the end of the day. After checking in at the Hacienda Cusco Centro Historico hotel, it's time to head to the restaurant for dinner and a taste of the region's specialities.

The next day, we set off for Machu Picchu. The site is located 100 km from Cuzco, near the village of Aguas Calientes (but allow 4 hours' drive).

Once you arrive at this ancient Inca city, you can't help but be impressed and amazed by such a unique site. You visit the site from north to south, with its agricultural terraces, its ingenious irrigation system and its different districts.

During the visit, we discover numerous temples and monuments that give us an insight into Inca civilisation.

In the evening, we take the shuttle bus back to the village and return to Cuzco by train.

Morning in the historic centre

The last day is devoted to visiting Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital. Our first stop is the historic centre, where we can explore the Plaza de Armas and its monuments. We then head for the imposing cathedral and its three naves to discover the architecture of its interior, before visiting the Santo Domingo convent. It is unusual in that it was built by the Spanish on the foundations of an Inca temple.

At lunchtime, we have lunch at the central San Perdro market. This covered market (designed by Gustave Eiffel himself) offers a moment of immersion in the life of the locals (even if we also come across tourists). The colourful stalls and lively atmosphere charm us. There are stalls selling food, spices, flowers and handicrafts... You can sit down at a counter to enjoy a dish, juice or breakfast. We took the opportunity to buy a few souvenirs before heading back to France.

Afternoon in the San Blas district

Located just 6 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, we then discovered the famous Hatunrumiyoc street on the road leading to the San Blas district. We had to stop to admire once again the work of the Incas, which is still visible. They used stones ranging from 7 to 11 angles to create alleys and walls.

But in this street, we can see stones with 12 angles that fit perfectly together. This is exceptional proof of the ingenuity of the Inca civilisation, who planned their constructions to avoid earthquake damage.

San Blas is renowned for being an artistic district. As we stroll along the cobbled streets, we come across numerous craft shops, workshops and small cafés.

In Plaça San Blas, it's the art galleries that catch our eye. The highlight is the church, a must-see to discover the nave and the pulpit carved from cedar wood. Not far from the church is the San Blas viewpoint, offering a magnificent view of the whole city (best done at sunset).

To make the most of the last evening, we dined at the Nina Raymi restaurant. We couldn't have wished for a better way to end our trip.

The next day, we took a flight to Lima, and left the Peruvian capital for France with our heads full of memories.