--- title: "Peru - unbelievable landscapes -" description: "Peru was probably the most exciting place we've been to in South America. Beautiful landscapes, great people, and tasty food - we also ventured out by car" date: "2025-10-31T18:44:00+02:00" language: "en-US" canonical_url: "https://patrickposner.com/blog/peru-unbelievable-landscapes/" source_url: "https://patrickposner.com/blog/peru-unbelievable-landscapes/" content_type: "text/markdown" --- Peru was probably the most exciting place we’ve been to in South America. Beautiful landscapes, great people, and tasty food – we also ventured out by car this time. ## Cusco Roadtrip Our first stop was Cusco – it was our central hub for venturing out by car to visit different ruins, landscapes, and other sights. Driving a car in Peru is not for the faint-hearted. People are driving fast, streets are narrow in urban areas, and navigating the mountains with dusty roads is a challenge in itself, but we survived and even thrived after our first few trips. Before I realized it, I had adapted and even put some locals under a bit of pressure! 😅 [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 2](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04800-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04800-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 3](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04714-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04714-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 4](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04729-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04729-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 5](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04859-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04859-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 6](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04882-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04882-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 7](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04894-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04894-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 8](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04904-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04904-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 9](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04926-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04926-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 10](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04984-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04984-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 11](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04988-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC04988-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 12](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05028-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05028-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 13](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05114-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05114-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 14](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05140-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05140-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 15](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05156-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05156-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 16](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05170-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05170-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 17](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05179-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05179-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 18](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05192-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05192-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 19](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05206-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05206-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 20](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05483-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05483-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 21](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05494-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05494-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 22](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05506-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05506-scaled.jpeg) The landscapes are really astonishing, and we barely met other tourists on our way. When your timing is right (go in the late afternoon instead of the early morning), you can have a fantastic time here and explore the ruins at your own pace without dealing with those pesky tourist buses. ## Machu Picchu & Aguas Calientes No trip to Peru without visiting Machu Picchu, right? Right. It’s by far the most touristic place in the whole country, and the coordination is an absolute mess. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely worth a visit, but we’ve seen some way more impressive things over our trip around the world. I was much more impressed by Aguas Calientes – the small town you have to pass (or stay) to visit Machu Picchu. [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 23](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05222-682x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05222-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 24](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05219-1024x719.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05219-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 25](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05237-1024x648.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05237-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 26](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05239-682x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05239-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 27](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05241-1024x612.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05241-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 28](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05247-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05247-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 29](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05250-1024x719.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05250-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 30](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05266-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05266-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 31](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05272-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05272-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 32](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05276-682x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05276-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 33](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05278-1024x682.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05278-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 34](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05283-1024x682.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05283-scaled.jpeg) We stayed here for a few days and took two trips up to Machu Picchu – it’s small, it’s mystical (especially when it’s raining and the mountains are covered in fog). And yes, naturally, I took a bunch of photos at Machu Picchu, here you go: [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 35](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05349-648x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05349-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 36](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05314-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05314-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 37](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05286-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05286-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 38](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05436-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05436-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 39](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05448-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05448-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 40](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05298-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05298-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 41](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05390-682x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05390-scaled.jpeg) ## Arequipa Our next stop was Arequipa. The idea was to have a less entertaining place to visit after spending a lot of energy exploring Cusco, its surroundings, and Machu Picchu. It solved its purpose, but we probably should have stayed here for a shorter period of time – there is really not a lot to do here! [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 42](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05544-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05544-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 43](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05529-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05529-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 44](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05540-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05540-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 45](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05536-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05536-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 46](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05675-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05675-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 47](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05582-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05582-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 48](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05596-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05596-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 49](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05625-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05625-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 50](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05621-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05621-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 51](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05651-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05651-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 52](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05647-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05647-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 53](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05712-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05712-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 54](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05690-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05690-scaled.jpeg) I think the most impressive fact is that Arequipa is surrounded by seven volcanoes – the Misti (5,822m) is the most iconic one and also the symbol of the city. It’s also known as the “White City”, but I’m honestly not sure I can confirm that. More like the grey city? ## Lima Our last stop was the capital, Lima, and honestly, we completely underestimated it. We only had a few days here (the shortest connection to Mexico City), and that turned out to be the wrong decision. In retrospect, we should have cut down our time in Arequipa and doubled our time in Lima – it’s a great city! [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 55](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05759-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05759-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 56](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05733-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05733-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 57](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05768-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05768-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 58](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05771-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05771-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 59](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05777-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05777-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 60](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05785-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05785-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 61](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05797-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05797-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 62](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05804-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05804-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 63](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05832-824x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05832.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 64](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05824-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05824-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 65](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05840-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05840-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 66](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05844-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05844-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 67](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05856-683x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05856-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 68](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05866-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05866-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 69](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05879-682x1024.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05879-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 70](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05930-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05930-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 71](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05925-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05925-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 72](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05928-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05928-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 73](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05905-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05905-scaled.jpeg) [![Peru - unbelievable landscapes 74](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05894-1024x683.jpeg)](https://patrickposner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DSC05894-scaled.jpeg) That wraps up our time in Peru, and we had a great one! Definitely the highlight of our time in South America, and it’s not unlikely we’re back one day. Next up, we are heading to Mexico – stay tuned!