Three Travel Tips for Exploring Peru Beyond Machu Picchu

Lima's new Jorge Chávez International Airport will open on 30 March 2025 and will be three times larger than the old one. Thanks to the new airport, Promperú, the marketing organisation for Peru as a travel destination, hopes to see a significant increase in the number of international airlines and thus an increase in the number of visitors.

‘We have currently reached 75 per cent of 2019 levels in terms of arrivals,’ Ricardo Baraybar, Vice President of Incoming Tourism at Promperú, told Travelnews. ‘In terms of revenue, we are already back at pre-Covid levels. We may not yet have as many guests as we did back then, but we do have better ones. Guests who want to stay longer and make many discoveries, Baraybar adds. ’This is the direction we want to take, increasingly appealing to guests who seek to immerse themselves in nature, experience our culture, and embrace sustainable tourism.’

At ITB Berlin, Ricardo Baraybar engaged with the Swiss holiday carrier Edelweiss. While direct flights are not yet planned for 2025, he is confident this will change soon. A direct Zurich-Lima route could provide Peru with a tourism boost from Switzerland, similar to what Costa Rica has experienced with Edelweiss flights.

Iquitos, Ica, Huaraz

Machu Picchu understandably tops the bucket list for most tourists visiting Peru. The Inca city in the Andes, founded in the 15th century and situated high above the Urubamba River, exudes an incredible fascination. Visitor numbers had to be restricted, with a daily limit of 5,600 allowed at Machu Picchu. The former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, which is an hour's train journey away, is just as popular.

Peru is much more than just Cusco and Machupicchu, as Ricardo Baraybar explains. Unfolding a map, he says, ‘Our country has so much to offer.’ First, he recommends a jungle discovery in the Amazon, by boat from Iquitos. 'Only small boats travel here, ensuring the wildlife remains undisturbed. It's a wonderful experience.' He also highlights the appeal of remote lodges nestled deep in the rainforest.

As a further tip, he mentions Ica, three hours south of Lima. Here you can experience the driest desert in the world, as well as the Huacachina Oasis, a beautiful green lagoon in the middle of the sand dunes, ideal for relaxing and taking photos. On the coast, you can observe sea lions and penguins.

He also highlights Huaraz, Peru's trekking paradise, as a destination for a day trip. Visitors can explore the stunning turquoise waters of Laguna 69 in the Andes or visit the archaeological site of the pre-Inca Chavín culture.

For Swiss travellers interested in outdoor activities, cultural discoveries and exchanges with locals, Peru is probably the most diverse travel destination in South America – and thanks to the new airport, it is likely to attract even more interest in the future.