Co-Founded by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett, Green Global Travel is an ecotourism, nature / wildlife conservation & cultural preservation magazine. More about us.
Published February 9, 2011 | 
Ballestas Islands
TOP 5 PERU ECOTOURISM ATTRACTIONS
BALLESTAS ISLANDS- Often referred to as “the poor man’s Galapagos,” these islands west of Pisco are home to hundreds of thousands of birds, large colonies of sea lions, pelicans, penguins and dolphins. Boat tours visit the islands daily, taking passengers past the “Candelabra” (a hillside geoglyph seen from the coast) and then boating around the islands watching for wildlife.
Cordillera Blanca
HUASCARÁN NATIONAL PARK- Established in 1975 to protect the picturesque mountain area of the Cordillera Blanca and the numerous historical sites found there, this UNESCO Mankind Heritage Site contains more than 650 glaciers, pre-Inca ruins, hundreds of lakes and more than 20 peaks over 19,850 feet. Native people who have inhabited the region for centuries still live within the park’s borders.
Lake Titicaca
LAKE TITICACA- Perched at an elevation of 12,338 feet, this beautiful blue lake (the highest navigable lake in the world) has been inhabited for centuries by ancient cultures and remains steeped in legend. The main city on the Peruvian side is Puno, a good place to arrange tours, but it’s in the small communities on the islands or along the shores of the mainland where visitors will find clear water and sandy beaches.
Machu Picchu
MACHU PICCHU- Built by Incas over 500 years ago, Peru’s most popular tourist attraction draws more than 500,000 visitors each year. It’s easy to see why, as the glorious architecture of the ancient city perched high above the clouds remains largely intact, with giant stone walls, old temples and luscious green terraces overlooking a canyon on the Urubamba River and the surrounding Andes mountains.
Puerto Maldonado
PUERDO MALDONADO- Numerous tour companies provide the full Amazon experience in this beautiful national park near the Madre de Dios, which features three conservation areas– the Manu Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, which features populations of several endangered species; and the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, home to 450 different bird species. –Bret Love
If you enjoyed reading Top 5 Peru Ecotourism Attractions, you might also like:
Peruvian Amazon Day 1: Yatapa River
Peruvian Amazon Day 2: Parakeets, Punk-Rock Birds & Pimp Monkeys
Peruvian Amazon Day 3: 3-Toed Sloth, Toucan Sam and the Elusive Pink Amazon River Dolphin
Peruvian Amazon Day 4: Up Close & Personal with one of the Amazon’s Most Endangered Species
Peruvian Amazon Day 5: Visiting a Shaman, Peruvian beauty & the cutest kids you’ve ever seen! (Green Global Travel)
Peruvian Amazon Day 6: Out Of The Village & Into The Jungle
36 Responses to Top 5 Peru Ecotourism Attractions
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It’s official – now I definitely want South America to be the next leg of our journey!
I love the tip about the Ballestas islands, thanks for that!
South America is really, really wonderful, and we’re hoping to explore more of it ourselves in the next few years. I’ve loved every place we’ve visited, from Colombia and the Galapagos Islands to Lima and the Peruvian Amazon, but would love to get to Brazil, Chile and Argentina soon!
There are also a lot of really wonderful sites in Northern Peru that a lot of local people visit but most foreigners never see.
Agreed! One of our friends we met in the Peruvian Amazon, Renzo, is a naturalist guide who will be leading birdwatching expeditions in northern Peru starting in 2013. We hope to explore he area with him at some point in the future.
Machu Picchu has always been a dream of mine, I know I can’t even correctly imagine what it would feel like to stand amongst the old stone temples. I think I would not breath for a couple mintues. Anyway, great list Bret!
We’re right there with you, Michael! We had to pass up an optional extension to Machu Picchu on our recent trip to the Peruvian Amazon due to a lack of a time, but it’s definitely on our travel bucket list to get back there someday.
I want to visit Lake Titicaca because the name has always made me giggle. Machu Pichu too, obviously
LOL, same here! Every time I hear the words “Lake Titicaca” I always think of Beavis & Butthead, which was the first place I ever heard about it. Thanks for the smile!
Ahhh, Machu Picchu. I know it’s super touristy, but I can’t WAIT to visit someday! And when we’re there, we’ll check out these other attractions as well. Thanks for the list!
Us too, Christy. Some places become super touristy for as good reason…
Great pu pu platter of Peru!
LOL, that’s great! If I ever lead a tour of the country, I shall name it Pu Pu Peru!
The thing I love about Peru (and a lot of South American countries) is the diversity in what they have to offer. You’ve got a great variety here!
Yeah, countries that have so much diversity across their various regions REALLY make me wish I could do longer-term travel, but with a kiddo back home it’s just not possible. Maybe someday.
I’ve never been to South America, but this sounds really tempting.
Oh, you really should go. Colombia, Peru and the Galapagos Islands all rank among the best trips I’ve ever taken!
Such wonderful places, the sea lions are gorgeous!
Agreed! We’ve been in love with sea lions ever since we went to the Galapagos Islands. Hope to swim with them again in La Paz, Mexico in 2013.
I so want to go to Peru. My brother lived in one of the small communities on Lake Titicaca for a month to learn Spanish. He loved it
That sounds amazing! One of the things we loved most about Peru was the kindness of the people, so I can imagine getting to live in one of the indigenous communities there would be a life-altering experience. Your brother should write a post for yTravel Blog about it!
All places I’d like to visit!…Macu Picchu especially…
Same here, D.J. They “Top 5 Ecotourism Attractions In…” series basically gives us (and hopefully our readers) a chance to learn more about what a given destination has to offer nature- and culture-lovers. We loved Peru’s Amazon, but there’s so much left of the country we still want to see.
I’ve only been to Machu Picchu on this list but have both Lake Titicaca and the Amazon very much on my radar. Didn’t know about the other two spots – interesting to see shades of both Ecuador and Chile!
The Peruvian Amazon is definitely a must-see, particularly the area around the Picaya Reserve. Some of the best wildlife spotting we’ve ever encountered there.
Peru is the big trip on our list for 2013. Titicaca and Machu Piccu loom large on that list. We are hoping for a few weeks there, so will get to see more than just those two.
I know you’re not a big nature guy, but you really should try to make it to the Amazon for a few days. It’s truly spectacular!
I’d love to stay on one of the islands in Lake Titicaca for a while.
Me too! Everything about that area just looks amazing, and completely different from the Amazon, Lima and other parts of Peru we’ve visited.
I love that photo of Lake Titicaca. I didn’t know about 2 of these places, so now I’m going to have to add to our very long list of places to see in Peru.
Yeah, I’d say Peru is tailor-made for us outdoor recreation types, as there is so much to see and do. I think you could easily spend a few months there and still not see all the amazing sights.
Just need to update my bucket list again thanks guys!
It’s a constant thing, isn’t it?
We loved the surfing up in Mancora. GREAT waves.
I loved the waves in Peru, but I’ve never gone surfing. I’ve always admired (and hung out with) surfers and skateboarders, but have never really felt a huge urge to find out if I’m coordinated enough to keep from busting my butt in the process of learning to do those things.
Where can I find the money tree so I can just quit work forever and visit all the amazing places you guys blog about?
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