Think Peru and the mysterious mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu springs to mind, but this magnificent country has so much more to reward those who give it their time. Where else can you visit a community living on manmade reed islands floating on one of the world’s highest lakes? Watch condors soaring over one of the world’s deepest canyons? Enjoy ornate colonial architecture in the morning and old Incan ruins in the afternoon? Explore jungle or beaches one day and be up in the mountains the next?
The rich culture is anchored by the thriving indigenous communities in the Andes who cleave to their age-old traditions, to which Spanish influence has simply added another dimension. Capital Lima is a vibrant and forward-thinking city, and a culinary hotspot – trying the ceviche is a must, washed down with a pisco sour, while enchanting Arequipa is fully of romantic architecture and laidback vibes. Really, Peru is a land of never-ending adventure.
The amount of rail travel you'll be enjoying varies from tour to tour. You may be exploring a country travelling predominantly by train or perhaps just getting a flavour of how the locals get about with one or two select journeys. We've also included those tours that include a journey on iconic scenic trains. Take a look at the tour inclusions to see how many rail journeys you'll be enjoying in each instance.
While Peru’s train lines are too disconnected to be called a network, there are a handful of lines that serve a few sections of the country, but with a topography that goes from rugged coastline to towering mountains its not much of a surprise. The most popular railway is the Ferrocarril der Sur, which links Cusco with Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu and Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
There are three rail operators that run trains to suit a variety of budgets along this line, including PeruRail, which runs the Vistadome and Titicaca trains that you will ride in our Panoramic Peru tour. Super comfortable, with huge windows to help you make the most of the spectacular views and even cultural shows, these are journeys that you will never forget.
