Peru · LIMA TOURS
Two days in Lima go further than most people expect. These 15 take in the colonial centre and its catacombs, the pyramids in Miraflores, the cliffs above the Pacific and the food that made the city famous, each priced and paced.
Spend four hours tasting Peru’s signature dishes in Barranco, with cooking demonstrations for ceviche, lomo saltado and pisco sour. Your English-speaking guide, including guides such as Marcos, Valeria, David and Aura, explains the food, culture and local makers in a group of up to 10.
“The pace was good. Valeria did a great job explaining how the flavors were connected to the history and culture.”
Start before dawn from Miraflores and spend a packed day seeing sea lions and Humboldt penguins at Ballestas, tasting pisco and wine in Ica, then riding dune buggies and sandboarding at Huacachina. Guides such as Mayor, Alvaro, and Anthony are noted for keeping the long ride lively.
“The activities in this trip were fun and very well organized, but beware, it IS a super long day (17+ hours). The day is full of activities and flies by, but the return ride home drags on forever. We were picked up at 4:30a and dropped off at 9:45p. We booked an English tour but we were the only 2 English speaking passengers out of 32 on this trip. The guide did the entire tour in Spanish and then came and gave us a shortened description in English. It wasn't ideal and made us feel isolated as it did not allow us to mingle with other passengers on this tour.…”
Explore Lima with an English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and air-conditioned transport. Visit Parque del Amor, view Huaca Pucllana, then tour the Cathedral and Santo Domingo Convent in the historic center. Small groups of up to 12 make this a useful first look at Lima.
“Fantastic tour to get a snap shot of the city in a short period of time, as well as learning generally about the city and country. Mayrol the guide was very knowledgeable, easy to talk to and a great guy.”
Leave Lima early for a boat trip past El Candelabro, sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds. After lunch and pisco tasting in Ica, ride a dune buggy and sandboard at Huacachina. English and Spanish guides, transport, tickets, and fixed-point pickup are included.
“The tour was well organized dispite it was long. Tour guide did an excellent job in communicating with us in every step. one of the best trips we took in recent years.”
Book a private, air-conditioned transfer between New Jorge Chávez International Airport and your Lima hotel. A driver waits with your name on a sign for arrivals, or arrives five minutes early for departures. Expect free Wi-Fi, a private car, and direct service, but confirm the meeting point carefully.
“Driver there on time, communicated well, the car was clean if not fancy. Very reasonably priced. If you’re looking for a dependable transport from the airport this is it, if your looking for a luxury ride this is not.”
Travel from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina with an English or Spanish guide such as Celeste, Chris, or Javier. Cruise to the Ballestas Islands, taste local pisco, then ride dune buggies and sandboard before returning to Lima.
“It’s must if you are in peru in lima or cusco , don’t skip it , totally worth it. Thanks to celicta and driver who I forgot his name for being accommodating.”
Join GOGO Biking Peru for a three-hour English-language ride through Miraflores and Barranco. Guides such as Diego and Kral lead small groups of up to seven past Huaca Pucllana, the Pacific coast, Love Park, Kennedy Park, and the Bridge of Sighs, with a drink, coffee, or gelato included.
“Great tour - small group, gracious guide, good bike lanes!”
Leave Lima at 5 AM for Paracas and Ica with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Cruise to the Ballestas Islands, taste pisco at Nieto winery, then ride a dune buggy and sandboard at Huacachina. A comfortable coach makes this long, active day practical if you have limited time.
“Amazing experience highly recommend !! You start at 4:55am from Jw Marriott waiting outside the beautiful bus picks up it has storage for luggage, big comfortable first class seat recline all the way down to sleep, bathroom, Curtains to close for your journey we slept the whole way comfortably. Stop for coffee/snack, bathroom(1soles to use bring money to every bathroom none are free) then boat ride paracas/ chocolate tasting, stop for lunch/wine tasting. Then bus to Huacachina walk up dunes to buggies ride, then they give boards to sled down. Leave at 5pm and end up back to Jw Marriott Lima at 22:30. You will get very sandy but it’s…”
Visit Barranco’s Bridge of Sighs, colonial streets, and central park, then tour Pachacamac’s ancient temples and museum. Guides such as Milagros, Christian, and Janet explain the Lima, Wari, Ichma, and Inca cultures in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Hotel pickup is available in three Lima districts.
“We were fortunate to have, effectively, a private tour for just the two of us. This meant that the walking parts of the tour were done at our pace and we had plenty of time for photo opportunities. Rosaria was an engaging and knowledgeable guide and we had a thoroughly enjoyable tour. Also our compliments to our driver - whose name I have forgotten - but who gave us a smooth ride, despite the hecticness of the Lima traffic! Recommended.”
Travel 30 km south of Lima in a small, air-conditioned minivan to explore Pachacamac’s adobe temples, plazas, palaces, and site museum. A bilingual guide such as Mario, Nataly, or Victor explains the Moche, Huari, and Inca cultures. Plan for walking, wind, and no bathrooms beyond the entrance.
“Mario was very knowledgeble, friendly and professional. The tour is a good complement to the activities one can do in Cusco. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
Leave Lima around 4:00 to 5:00 am for Paracas’ Ballestas Islands, where you’ll see sea lions, penguins, birds, and the Chandelier Lines. Continue to CulturPisco for pisco and wine tasting, then finish at Huacachina with a dune buggy ride and sandboarding before returning to Lima late.
“Initially, we were a bit apprehensive about the tour because it is a very long day with a 4:30 am pick up. However, it was well worth it! You get to do and learn so much in one day. Mayer was a great guide and kept us organized and on time the whole way. The islands were beautiful, the sand buggy rides were a blast and the food at the winery was great. We highly recommend. Definitely dress in layers because the island trip can be chilly but the dessert of course is hot.”
Ride from Miraflores, Barranco, or San Isidro to Lima’s Magic Water Circuit for a guided evening walk through its fountains. Guides such as Pamela, Mabel, and César explain the park and Peru’s past before the Fantasy Fountain show. Transport, admission, and return hotel drop-off are included.
“A lovely park with an amazing Magic Water Circuit light show - not an activity to be missed.”
Meet Condor Xtreme at the Costa Verde esplanade for a tandem powered-paragliding flight with an English- or Spanish-speaking pilot. In about 15 minutes, you’ll see Magdalena del Mar, San Isidro, Miraflores, and San Miguel from above, then receive an HD video of the ride.
“The flight was perfect. I would have rated it 4.5 for the following reasons: 1) It was a little misleading where they are located, much further than I thought. They do provide transportation from a KFC in Miraflores which we didn't use. 2) I didn't notice this was paramotoring. Not that I was disappointed, but none of us noticed this in the listing. 3) They break the video up in 2 and the break was right where we were going side to side and almost upside down (it felt) so I was disappointed to miss that). I would request they not do that. But overall it was a great time…”
Spend four hours walking Lima’s historic center with guides such as Marcos, Aura, Valeria, and Sheyla. Taste anticuchos, churros, picarones, chicharrón sandwiches, market fruit, and chilcanos while visiting Chinatown, Mercado Central, Plaza Mayor, and colonial landmarks.
“Absolutely fantastic! Valeria was amazing! Food was soooo good!”
Travel from Miraflores, Barranco, or San Isidro to Pachacamac, where a private guide such as Jordan, Edwin, or Maria can explain Lima, Wari, and Inca culture. Visit the museum, walk the sacred complex, see the Pacific from the Temple of the Sun, and return with alfajores.
“Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and showed us the sites in an efficient manner. I would highly recommend.”
Pick a ruin, a summit, a dune or a kitchen.
