104 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Peru - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Peru

Aguas Calientes, Peru

Machu Picchu: The Lost City of The Inca

The intricate stonework of Machu Picchu serves as a testament to Incan engineers.

Q'eswachaka Rope Bridge

Keshwa chaca, among the last handwoven Incan bridges, crosses Apurimac Canyon in Peru.

Pitumarca, Peru

Rainbow Mountain

A remote candy-striped mountain in the Peruvian Andes straight out of the pages of Dr. Seuss.

Convento de San Francisco Ossuary

The mortal remains of an estimated 70,000 people lie in the basement of a monastery in Lima, Peru.

Puerto Inca, Peru

The Boiling River of the Amazon

This scalding hot river was thought to be a myth until one geoscientist made it his quest to study the mystical waters.

Nazca Lines

Giant ancient line art drawn in the Peruvian desert so large that it can only be fully seen from the sky.

Ollantaytambo, Peru

Ollantaytambo Ruins

Preserved Inca city and site of the last Inca stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors.

Mercado de Brujas

A market for witches is hidden within a train station.

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Unique Food & Drink in Peru

Peanut Butter Fruit

Its pulp tastes just like the creamy spread.

Ice Cream Bean

The South American bean that looks like cotton candy and tastes like ice cream.

Banana Passionfruit

This tangy fruit flavors everything from ice cream to cocktails.

Stinging Nettles

Boil away this plant's poisonous hairs, and you're left with a tasty, spinach-like leaf.

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Top Discussions in the Peru Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Ollantaytambo Ruins	7 November 4, 2019	819	November 4, 2019
Pizarro's Tomb	1 April 23, 2019	1208	April 23, 2019
Picarones	1 May 17, 2019	895	May 17, 2019
Plaza de Toros de Acho	1 September 5, 2019	585	September 5, 2019
Machu Picchu: The Lost City of The Inca	1 January 10, 2020	972	January 10, 2020

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Stories About Peru

Inca Kola stands out in a world dominated by brown colas.

How Peru’s Inca Kola Triumphed Over Coke

Appeals to patriotism helped it become the country’s signature flavor.

August 13, 2019

A black-fronted tamarin.

Two Tiny Monkeys Are Critical to Restoring the Amazon, With Their Poop

These tamarins have an affinity for disturbed rain forest.

by Isaac Schultz

Researchers recreated Wari chicha.

How Breweries Helped Keep This Pre-Columbian Empire Together

Researchers recreated Wari chicha for science and happy hour.

by Reina Gattuso

Bravo shows off a collection of cultivated tubers.

The Potato Whisperer

Manuel Choqque Bravo’s delicious, colorful creations are adored by world-class chefs.

by Alona Martinez

October 4, 2018

An agouti, perhaps trying to remember where it last placed its Brazil nuts.

Brazil Nuts Are Brought to You by Rodents

The snack wouldn’t exist without the help of one furry critter and its unusually sharp teeth.

by Abbey Perreault

September 14, 2018

Once a florist in Utah, Victor V. Morris lived half his life in Peru and opened a famous bar.

How a Mining Boom Led a Mormon Florist to Invent the Pisco Sour

The unorthodox backstory of Peru's signature cocktail.

Two men at the Takanakuy celebrations, Chumbivilcas, Cuzco, Peru.

December 25, Day of the Fistfighting Festival

In the Peruvian province of Chumbivilcas, physical conflict is an annual sporting event.

December 22, 2017

The bridge spans 118 feet and the first few steps across it are on a 30-degree angle.

Photos of the Peruvian Festival That Creates a New 118-Foot Bridge Every Year

A centuries-old tradition brings Inca infrastructure into the present.

by Scott Ferrara

August 29, 2017

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