Peru · HIKING & TREKKING
Peru walks high: most of these start above 3,500 metres and several cross 4,600. The 15 below are sorted by days, by altitude gained and by price, with a clear note on which ones need a permit and which need acclimatising first.
Spend four hours outside Arequipa visiting the working Añashuayco Quarry, its huge stone carvings, and Culebrillas Canyon with a bilingual guide. You will hear how white sillar shaped the city, walk past ancient Wari petroglyphs, and stop at a volcano viewpoint. Guides such as Mike, Jose, Alexandra, and Julia have led recent departures.
“our guide was fun and gave us a lot of info. the bus was clean and wasn't too hot.”
Leave Cusco before dawn for Pacchanta, then hike about 13 kilometers past Ausangate’s seven high-altitude lakes. English and Spanish guides such as Kevin, Eduardo, Carlos, and Diana lead the group, with horses available locally for an extra fee. Breakfast, lunch, transport, and hot springs complete this long but memorable day.
“Diana was a great guide! The meal included was good as well”
Trek deep into Colca Canyon with an English-speaking guide such as Alex, Carlos, Rafael, or Tonny. You’ll see Andean condors, walk about 24 kilometers, sleep at Sangalle Oasis, and climb roughly 1,000 to 1,200 meters back to Cabanaconde. The $30 booking price does not cover all costs, so bring cash.
“Was really fun. Alex was a good guide who took good care of the group!”
Travel from Cusco to Vinicunca with a bilingual guide, breakfast, lunch, transport, and an optional Red Valley hike. Guides such as David, Fredy, Joel, and Gorky are praised for patient support. The 5,020-meter hike is demanding, and the usual access route may be limited, so check current conditions before booking.
“Had the most amazing time! I can totally recommend this company because they really value your feedback. Our guide, Joel, was translating all the information into English just for me, considering I was the only non-Spanish speaker on the bus. Everything was perfect, from the smooth transport to the delicious food (with plenty of vegetarian choices) and the super enjoyable hike up the mountain. Highly recommend. P.S. Note for Joel: Aconcagua - 6,961 m, Everest - 8,849 m, Ausangate - 6,384 m”
Travel from Cusco to Phulawasipata, then hike about 1.5 hours to Rainbow Mountain at 5,036 meters. Continue toward Red Valley, with views of Ausangate and Andes wildlife. A bilingual guide, transport, breakfast, lunch, oxygen, and a first aid kit are included. The group can reach 15 people, though some departures are smaller.
“Escursione? Sostanzialmente è stato un servizio di transfer. Nessuna spiegazione dalla guida che non ci ha seguiti durante il tragitto. Inoltre, si è persa un turista causando un ora di ritardo a tutto il gruppo. Infine, non è stato dato il tempo per visitare la red valley.”
Leave Huaraz around 5:00 to 5:30 AM for a full-day trip to Lagoon 69 in Huascaran National Park. You will stop at Llanganuco Lakes, hike from Cebollapampa at 12,631 feet, and reach the blue lake beneath Chacraraju and Nevado Pisco. Spanish guiding is included, with English availability to confirm.
“Bellissima escursione! Se siete a Huaraz, consiglio di fare questa gita”
Take the fast, demanding route from Cusco over the 4,630-meter Salkantay Pass to Machu Picchu. You will sleep at Mountain Sky View and in Aguas Calientes, with meals, a guide, horse-carried duffel, safety gear, train, and transfers included. Guides such as Marco, Guido, and Cesar Quispe have been praised for patient support and strong group spirit.
“Salkantay Trekking does a great job in ensuring all the conditions are set for this hard challenge to be doable for everyone.”
Leave Cusco around 4:00 AM for a demanding high-altitude trek to Rainbow Mountain. Walk past alpacas, llamas, red hills, local homes, and Ausangate views before reaching 5,020 meters. Your small group includes an English or Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast, lunch, poles, first aid, and oxygen.
“Es war ein guter Ausflug, allerdings habe ich die Beschreibung missverstanden, ich dachten wandert ca.3 h hin un 2 h zurück, es waren aber nur 3h insgesamt zum Wandern. Außerdem hat mir die Information gefehlt, dass man zum red valley auch noch gehen kann für 30 Soles zusätzlich. Hätte gerne mehr Zeit gehabt am Vinicunca und Red Valley. Ansonsten hat aber alles gepasst.”
Trek from Cabanaconde into Colca Canyon, passing Condor’s Cross, village terraces, and Sangalle’s warm pool. You’ll sleep at basic Cielo Azul Lodge, then climb by torchlight to Cabanaconde before returning to Arequipa. English and Spanish guiding, meals, transport, and hotel pickup are included. Guide Eveline has earned particular praise for her calm support.
“We really enjoyed this 2-day trip to the Canon de Colca. The landscape was incredible and our tour guide, Eveline, was really competent and kind. She gave us some info and then let us free to enjoy this experience at our best supporting us in the hardes part of the treck. The tour was realised exactly as described (keep in mind that the place where you will spend the night is really basic) and we are happy to suggest it to those who wish to visit this amazing place.”
Leave Cusco before dawn for Palccoyo, a quieter alternative to Vinicunca. A local guide leads you toward three rainbow mountains, with an optional stone forest walk and valley views. Breakfast, lunch, transport, hiking poles, oxygen, and a possible alpaca companion are included. The hike reaches about 4,900 meters, so acclimatization matters.
“We had a fantastic time exploring Palcoyo, thanks to our experienced guide, Jesús Carrion. The tour started promptly, and Jesús took great care of us throughout the day. Although the walk to Palcoyo, also known as the alternative Rainbow Mountain, was relatively easy and moderate, the high altitude of 4900m caused my husband to feel short of breath. Jesús made a concerted effort to ensure his well-being while also keeping an eye on the rest of the group. Compared to Vinicunca, Palcoyo was noticeably less crowded, and it offered breathtaking views of three rainbow mountains, the red valley, and the stone forest. Unfortunately, we had to skip the stone forest…”
This four-day Choquequirao trek takes you from Cusco into the Apurimac Canyon and to one of Peru’s least-visited Inca sites. You hike with an English-speaking guide, chef, and porter, enjoy four breakfasts, four lunches, and three dinners, and carry only a small personal bag. Guide Elias and chef Leandro have earned especially warm praise on past departures.
“Trip of a lifetime! We did the 4-day, 3-night TreXperience Trek with Gary (lead guide) and Sergio (support guide) and “Chef Ratatouille” Balbino starting Sept 8th, 2025. Length of trip was just about right - long enough to get good hikes bu”
Trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass, with glamping at 4,150 meters, cloud-forest huts, a Pachamanca feast, coffee tasting, and a night overlooking the citadel at Llactapata. Small groups of up to 16 travel with English or Spanish guides, cooks, muleteers, and a panoramic train back to Cusco.
“Fantastic trip! All of the staff were incredible. The food was delicious and better than the restaurant food we had in aquas calientes. Cesar was a brilliant guide and looked after us really well. Some highlights. Salkantay mountain standing over our campsite first night. The night sky first night. The very distant view of macchu picchu on the fourth night. Some tips - you need cash in Peru. Be prepared. Altitude was a problem on the first day of the trip and medication (acetazolamide) helped those who had it.”
You’ll hike from Soqma through waterfalls, Inca ruins, Andean villages, and the 14,599-foot Kuychiccasa Pass before reaching Machu Picchu. Action Peru Treks provides guides, camping equipment, meals, park fees, transport, and one night in Aguas Calientes. Guides may include experienced team members such as Lino, Lina, Edison, Christian, or Eddy, depending on the departure.
“Loved this trek. I did two other treks with another company and really feel Action Peru delivered a better experience. And the other tour group is a major operator while Action Peru is smaller. So pros and cons.”
Leave Cusco before dawn for Humantay Lake with a professional guide, private transport, breakfast in Mollepata, and lunch after the hike. From Soraypampa, you walk about 1 hour 45 minutes uphill to the turquoise lake at 3,900 meters. Groups are limited to 15, and guide Luz has been praised for patient, hands-on support.
“Tour was awesome. Pick up perfectly on time. Our tour guide Luz was above and beyond , she was perfect. She answered all questions we were asking and most important she helped us to get all the way to the top because at the beginning of the climb I was struggling. Thank you Luz and I hope we meet again on some other tour.”
Spend five days circling Ausangate, Peru’s sacred 6,384-meter mountain, with a small group of up to 10. Guides such as Guillermo, Urbano, and Chino lead you across high passes, glacial lakes, and remote villages, while cooks prepare full meals and horse drivers carry camp gear. Expect thin air, cold nights, and some of the Andes’ finest scenery.
“Where to begin? A fabulous trek with an incredible team. There were two of us, and we were pampered by the Vidal Expedition team. Ansangate is a captivating mountain, and it must be experienced with people who reveal its spirituality to you. Every day we went from glacier to glacier, from color to color, from discovery to experience. The expedition was very comfortable with top-notch equipment transported by our horse driver Angel. We ate more than enough thanks to our cook Beni and our assistant cook Euden, and we were expertly guided by our guide Chino. Thank you all for your good humor and smiles, thank you for all these…”
Pick a ruin, a ridge, a river or a table.
