Quick verdict: Peru is South America’s most accessible backpacker route — Lima + Cusco + Machu Picchu + Lake Titicaca + Amazon.
6 best backpacking spots in Peru
Lima (Miraflores)
Capital + food
$15-40/night. Top-3 food city. Backpacker hostels in Miraflores + Barranco.
Cusco (San Blas)
Inca Trail base
$15-40/night. Plaza de Armas + cathedral + San Pedro Market. Inca Trail launching pad.
Sacred Valley
Cheaper acclimation
$12-30/night. Lower altitude than Cusco. Ollantaytambo + Pisac ruins + cooler nights.
Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes)
Iconic backpack
$30-80/night for 1-2 nights below Machu Picchu. Sunrise climb essential.
Huaraz (Cordillera Blanca)
Trekking budget
$10-30/night. Andes trekking + Laguna 69 + Pastoruri Glacier. Less touristy than Cusco.
Puno + Lake Titicaca
Cheap cultural
$15-40/night. Floating Uros islands + Taquile + Amantani islands.
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Updated 2026. Some links on Packzup are affiliate links.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.