The 13 Best Peru History Tours

1.Lima’s Vibrant Heritage: Exploring the City’s Landmarks Half-day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 581 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39Our pick

Spend 3.5 hours seeing Lima with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. Visit Love Park, view Huaca Pucllana, explore the Cathedral and Santo Domingo Convent, and walk Lima’s historic center. Pickup and drop-off are included from several Lima districts, with guides such as Janet, Gabriel, Rosa, and Ursula assigned on different departures.

“I actually booked this for my parents and they had a great time. They said they're guide was super friendly and she was very knowledgeable. They also thought it was the perfect amount of time and did not feel rushed at all. Thank you!”

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2.Lima: Historic Center Street Food, Market, and Eateries Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 216 reviews · 4 hours · from $69

Start at Gran Hotel Bolivar and walk through Lima’s old center with an English-speaking guide. Expect local eateries, food carts, Mercado Central, Chinatown, anticuchos, churros, picarones, chilcano, and Peruvian history. Guides have included Marcos, Aura, Valeria, and David. The tour ends at Alameda Chabuca Granda, without hotel pickup.

“This food tour in Lima’s historic center was an unforgettable experience! Everything was so well organized, and the pace of the tour felt just right — plenty of time to enjoy each stop without ever feeling rushed. Our guide, Valeria, was absolutely fantastic. She was extremely knowledgeable, sharing not only details about the food but also the history and culture of the city in a way that made us feel completely immersed. Walking through the historic center with her was like seeing Lima through the eyes of a local. Every tasting was delicious and thoughtfully chosen, highlighting the variety and richness of Peruvian cuisine. From traditional snacks to unique flavors…”

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3.Walking tour in the Historic Center of Arequipa

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 180 reviews · 2 hours · from $10Best value

Walk Arequipa’s historic center with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. See the Plaza de Armas, Company cloisters, volcano views from Grau Bridge, Mundo Alpaca, and San Lazaro. Guides such as Edgar, Johan, Beatriz, and Jorge Echeandia have led engaging tours, with optional paid visits to Santa Catalina Convent and museums.

“Very interesting and informative tour. Learned a lot about Arequipa and saw some beautiful views of the volcanoes.”

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4.Cusco: Historical Guided City Tour with 4 Inca Ruins

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 99 reviews · 6 hours · from $23

Explore Qoricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Luis, Alfredo, Romulo, and Hyame have led past departures. You’ll ride between sites, hear Inca history and local legends, and finish near Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.

“Amazing tour, was very helpful with education. Couldn’t have been better truly.”

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5.Arequipa: Walk through the Historic Center of the City

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 87 reviews · 2 hours · from $15

Walk Arequipa’s historic center with local guides such as Joss, Jose, or Joseph, visiting the Cathedral, colonial cloisters, ancient tambos, and lesser-known corners before ending at a viewpoint over Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu. The two-hour tour runs in English or Spanish and is limited to six people.

“Joss was so knowledgeable and personable. We had a private tour with him and he showed us so many historical sites and the San Camilo market. I would definitely recommend this tour as an introduction to the city!!”

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6.6-Day Cultural Tour to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · from $999Top rated

Spend six days with an English-speaking guide visiting Cusco, Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras, and Chinchero. The $999 package includes five hotel nights, breakfasts, transport, trains, Machu Picchu buses, entrance fees, and airport transfers. Guides such as Jonathan, Guido, Frankly, and Eddy have led similar departures.

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7.Cusco: Historic Walking Tour with Pisco Sour and Music Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 65 reviews · 2 hours · from $10

Walk Cusco’s historic center with a bilingual guide such as Erick, Nilo, or Niki. See the Cathedral, Qoricancha, Inca stonework, San Blas, 7 Borreguitos Street, and the Temple of Manco Capac. Visit a luthier, watch Andean music, enjoy city views, and finish with a Pisco Sour or Chicha Morada.

“Our guide Niki was fantastic. Very informative and had great communication skills. A perfect start to our stay in Cusco”

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8.Arequipa, Historic and Colonial City and Santa Catalina Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 42 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $61

See Arequipa beyond its central plaza on a 3.5-hour afternoon tour with hotel pickup, a small group of up to 15, and an air-conditioned vehicle. Visit Carmen Alto, Yanahuara, Santa Catalina Monastery, the cathedral, and the Church of the Society of Jesus. Guides such as Charo, Jeymi, Sline, and Kaitlin have led past departures.

“The guide was excellent, lively, interesting and spoke very good English. The tour was packed with information presented in a clear manner. The guide gave me another English translator for Santa Catalina so I had my own gilded tour for the Monastery. Overall, excellent.”

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9.Piramids of Tucume Tour, Sican Museum and Lambayeque city tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $87

Spend 7 to 8 hours visiting the Sican Museum, Tucume’s Huaca Balsas pyramid, and Lambayeque’s colonial center. Your English or Spanish-speaking guide explains royal tombs, gold objects, mural art, dry-forest wildlife, and local architecture. Transport, water, coffee or tea, and entrance fees are included. Lunch is extra.

“The museum was awesome and our guide was very knowledgeable, which added to our overall experience. The pyramids were amazing!!!”

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10.Lima: Historic Downtown, Miraflores & Catacombs Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 4 hours · from $75

This private four-hour tour links Lima’s old and modern districts by van, with hotel pickup, a guide, water, and entry to San Francisco Convent and Catacombs. You’ll see colonial balconies, Plaza Mayor, El Olivar, Huaca Pucllana, Love Park, and Larcomar. Guides may speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese, with Sofia and Laidy among the praised guides.

“Excelente tour por la Lima antigua y la Lima moderna, lo mejor fue la compañía de la guia Laidy una verdadera genia, aparte del tour y de contarnos todo lo necesario de cada lugar, nos dio muchas recomendaciones de lugares a donde ir que comer. Todas las estrellas son para ella.”

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11.Machu Picchu: historical and photographic guided tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 27 reviews · 3 hours

Meet Ericson in Aguas Calientes or at Machu Picchu station for a three-hour private tour focused on photography, Inca culture, archaeology, and new research. He guides you to major viewpoints, takes photos, explains the citadel’s past, and speaks English or Portuguese. The tour costs $80 per group of up to 10, excluding entry and bus tickets.

“Eric was extremely knowledgeable with Inca culture and MachuPicchu history. He gives extensive tour and also helps with photography too. We enjoyed this guided tour very much”

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12.Aymara Route Mystical Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 27 reviews · 8 hours · from $32

Spend about eight hours exploring the Aymara sites south of Puno with an official Spanish or English-speaking guide. Visit Chucuito’s Temple of Fertility, Molloco’s unusual chullpas, circular waru warus, Aramu Muru’s stone portal, and Juli’s lakeside area. Expect comfortable transport, a cultural ceremony option, and time for photos, shopping, or a short walk.

“Recommend highly. The guide was so knowledgeable and able to explain in multiple languages together, answer questions, give suggestions. This was one of the best tours I had, we were taken to the most fascinating sites.”

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13.Lima: Historical, Colonial, and Modern City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 21 reviews · 4 hours · from $40

Spend four hours tracing Lima’s story from the Pucllana Pyramid to the San Francisco Convent and catacombs, then through San Isidro, Miraflores, and Larcomar. Your bilingual guide provides transport, hotel pickup, and historical context. The Pucllana stop is mainly a panoramic view, while San Francisco receives the fullest visit.

“Estubo Bueno, pero faltò entusiasmo al guía, transmitir ánimo y emociòn en todo lo que explicò, parecía cansado de repetir y repetir su repertorio. El recorrido valio la pena, pero con otro guia hubiera sido fantastico”

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