The Atlas Obscura Guide To Peru

115 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Peru

Updated April 10, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Peru

Machu Picchu.

Aguas Calientes, Peru

Machu Picchu: The Lost City of The Inca

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

Peru

Q'eswachaka Rope Bridge

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

The Ausangate trek.

Pitumarca, Peru

Rainbow Mountain

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

Lima, Peru

Convento de San Francisco Ossuary

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

The Boiling River.

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.

Lima, Peru

Mercado de Brujas

A market for witches is hidden within a train station.

The Spider (Nazca Lines)

Nazca, Peru

Nazca Lines

A set of ancient drawings in the desert of Peru that are so massive, many of them 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.

See All 115 Things To Do in Peru

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Peru

Salt Pans of Maras

Maras, Peru

Salt Pans of Maras

This Peruvian canyon is filled with geometric salt pools that have been being harvested since the Incan empire.

Coca tea

Cusco, Peru

Museo de la Coca (Coca Museum)

A fascinating little museum all about the rich history of Peru’s famous plant.

Trees surrounding a pond in the Bosque el Olivar

Lima, Peru

Bosque el Olivar (Olive Grove Forest)

A pretty park of over 1,600 olive trees that grew from just three saplings brought over from Spain.

The Last Supper by Marcos Zapata

Cusco, Peru

Chinchilla Last Supper

A painting in the historic Cathedral Basilica depicts Jesus and his disciples dining on a traditional Peruvian menu.

See all 7 Places to Eat in Peru

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Ruins 26

Archaeology 23

Cultures And Civilizations 14

Nature 14

Incas 13

Natural Wonders 12

Geology 11

Ancient 9

Water 9

Museums 9

Lost Tribes 9

Animals 7

Places To Stay 3

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Macchu Piccu, Peru

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On a tiny island in Lake Titicaca, a knitted hat symbolizes a man’s code of honor, marital status, and love for life.

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High-altitude archaeologist Constanza Ceruti climbs towards the highest archaeological site on Earth at the top of the 22,110-foot-tall Mount Llullaillaco in Argentina.

In High Altitude Archaeology, One Woman Isn’t Scared of Heights—Or Mummies

Even when those mummies still have skin, hair, and clothing.

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February 2, 2024

In western Bolivia and southeastern Peru, angels are armed and ready—like the one shown in this 17th-century painting, Asiel Timor Dei.

Decoding the Gun-Wielding Angels of Bolivia

The 'angeles arcabuceros' morphed from Catholic messengers to symbols of Indigenous independence.

by Amy Crawford

November 30, 2023

Of the 151 species they studied, all of them, including this tree frog, Dendropsophus rhodopeplus (shown under blue light), displayed some level of fluorescence.

Biologists Threw a Fluorescent Frog Rave in the Amazon, for Science

Turns out many of the frogs glow, maybe to communicate.

by Roxanne Hoorn

August 22, 2023

A reconstruction of P. colossus shows it in its coastal habitat. The head is an educated guess because a skull has not been found yet.

Paleontologists in Peru Discover What Might Be the 'Chonkiest Whale Ever'

And maybe the heaviest animal the world has ever seen.

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The Gocta Waterfalls in northwestern Peru are the subject of one of our favorite recent Atlas Obscura Podcast episodes.

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For our two-year pod-iversary we're headed back to some of the coolest places we've taken you recently.

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A view of the Cushing Center from the entrance

Brain of Helen Hamilton Gardener

The World's Most Fascinating Displays of Preserved Brains

The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Including The Cushing Center, Mammalian Brain Collection, and Brain Museum

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