103 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.

Casma District, Peru

Huayllay National Sanctuary

A remarkable geological formation resembling a forest made of stone.

See All 103 Things to Do in Peru See All 103 Places

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.

See all 38 things to eat in Peru See all 38 things to eat in Peru

Atlas Obscura Trips

Expedition Amazon

Come experience rare wildlife and conservation biology on this adventure deep into the jungle.

Jason Goldman

Community Forums / South America / Peru

Top Discussions in the Peru Travel Forum

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Gran Hotel Bolivar	1 July 15, 2019	949	July 15, 2019
Ollantaytambo Ruins	7 November 4, 2019	367	November 4, 2019
The Twelve-Angled Stone	2 October 15, 2019	1233	October 15, 2019
Rodadero Slides	1 February 17, 2019	986	February 17, 2019
Taquile Island	1 February 10, 2019	939	February 10, 2019

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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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