Travel guide · Peru
Lima Travel Guide 2026: Museum Tickets, Grey-Sky Months, Day Trips and Real Costs
Miraflores and the Costa Verde, Lima Photo: Avodrocc, CC BY 2.0
Lima is Peru's capital on the Pacific desert coast: a UNESCO-listed colonial centre, adobe pyramids standing between apartment blocks, clifftop districts above the surf, and restaurants that took the world's No. 1 spot in 2023 and again in 2025. The decisions that shape a visit are where to base yourself (Miraflores, Barranco or the old centre), whether to arrive in the sunny season or the grey one, and which long day trip south or north is worth the road time. This guide sets out official 2026 ticket prices and hours, the climate month by month, the transport changes since the new airport terminal opened, and current prices across 1,440 bookable tours.
Lima at a glance
| Population | About 10 million in the metropolitan area (2023 projection) |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1535 by Francisco Pizarro as the 'City of Kings'; capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru |
| UNESCO | Historic Centre of Lima, listed 1988, extended 1991 |
| Climate | Almost rainless (about 6 mm a year); sunny December–April, grey and drizzly June–October |
| Altitude | At sea level: no altitude sickness here, unlike Cusco or Puno |
| Main airport | Jorge Chávez (LIM); new terminal in use since 1 June 2025 |
| Currency | Peruvian sol (S/); tips and small purchases in cash |
Lima rewards people who treat it as more than an overnight stop before Cusco. Inside one city you get a colonial centre with catacombs, a pre-Inca pyramid of handmade adobe bricks in the middle of Miraflores, the Larco Museum of ancient Peruvian art, and a coastline of cliffs and surf. Its restaurants are the other reason to stay: Central was voted The World's Best Restaurant in 2023 and Maido took the same title in 2025.
Lima in pictures
Tap a photo to enlarge it. Photos: JulioKuLu, Velvet, Municipalidad de Miraflores, Diego Delso — Wikimedia Commons.
Which Lima sights need tickets, and should you book ahead?
Very little in Lima sells out. Most sights are paid for at the door in soles, and only the Larco Museum gives a clear reason to buy online: a discount and preferential access, although its online shop is in Spanish only. Huaca Pucllana's night visits are the one thing that needs a reservation in advance.
| Sight | Adult ticket | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larco Museum | S/50 (60+ S/35, ages 9–17 S/25) | Daily 9:00–19:00 | Online discount; shorter hours on 24–25 December and 1 January |
| MALI (Museo de Arte de Lima) | Online by date — check the current price | Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00, Sat to 17:00 | Closed Monday; galleries close 15 min before the museum |
| Huaca Pucllana | S/15 by day (2024 figure; other sources say up to S/17) | Wed–Mon 9:00–17:00 | Closed Tuesday; night visits Wed–Sun 18:45–21:00, book ahead |
| Magic Water Circuit | S/5 (2024 figure) | Daily 15:00–22:00 | Fountain shows at 19:15, 20:15 and 21:10 |
| Pachacamac | S/15 (students S/5, ages 3–17 S/1) | Tue–Sat 9:00–17:00, Sun 9:00–16:00 | Closed Monday; optional guide S/50 per group |
| Caral | S/11, cash only | Daily, entry 9:00–16:00 | Site closes 17:00 |
| Paracas National Reserve | S/11 (S/17 combined with Ballestas) | Daily 9:00–16:00 | Ballestas boat priced separately |
Verdict: Buy the Larco ticket online the day before; pay at the gate everywhere else. Carry cash in soles for Caral, where the ticket office takes nothing else, and for the Ballestas port fees.
The San Francisco convent and Lima Cathedral did not publish current prices or hours on an official page we could verify for 2026. Third-party figures disagree, so check at the door or ask your hotel. Foreigners pay the same rates as Peruvians at Pachacamac; the free first Sunday of the month at both is for Peruvians and foreign residents only.
Miraflores, Barranco or the historic centre: where should you stay in Lima?
Miraflores is the easiest base for a first visit
The official airport bus runs straight to four stops in Miraflores (Larcomar, Av. Larco, Kennedy Park and Av. José Pardo), the clifftop malecón runs along its edge, and Huaca Pucllana sits inside the district. The Metropolitano bus line has a station in Miraflores and reaches the historic centre without a taxi.
Barranco suits evenings, art and a slower pace
Barranco borders Miraflores and is Lima's bohemian, artistic district, with the Puente de los Suspiros, the contemporary art museum MAC Lima and Casa Tupac, the building that houses Central and Kjolle. It is small (about 3.3 km²) and walkable, and it also has a Metropolitano station.
The historic centre works better as a day visit
The centre holds the main colonial monuments, but it is also where protests usually happen, where access can be restricted, and where the October processions of the Señor de los Milagros close streets and divert buses. For most visitors it is simpler to go in by day and sleep on the coast.
Verdict: Stay in Miraflores if this is your first time and you want the airport bus at your door; pick Barranco if you care more about bars, galleries and restaurants than about transport. Do not assume either district is crime-free: the UK government reports armed robberies of tourists in both.
When is the best time to visit Lima?
January to April is the best time for sun and warm sea air
Lima almost never rains in the usual sense: the airport records about 6 mm in a whole year. What changes is the sky. A low cloud deck usually forms in late May and stays until mid-November or early December, and from June to September mornings often bring garúa, a fine drizzle that leaves the streets damp until early afternoon. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rain mm | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.8 | 20.4 | 0.8 | Summer: warm, clearest skies |
| February | 28.0 | 21.0 | 0.4 | Warmest month |
| March | 27.6 | 20.5 | 0.4 | Still summer |
| April | 25.4 | 18.7 | 0.1 | Warm, cooling slowly |
| May | 22.8 | 17.3 | 0.3 | Cloud deck starts late in the month |
| June | 20.5 | 16.6 | 0.7 | Grey; morning drizzle begins |
| July | 19.6 | 15.9 | 1.0 | Grey and damp mornings |
| August | 19.2 | 15.4 | 1.5 | Coolest month |
| September | 19.6 | 15.3 | 0.7 | Grey; lomas bloom north of the city |
| October | 20.8 | 16.0 | 0.2 | Grey; Señor de los Milagros processions |
| November | 22.4 | 17.1 | 0.1 | Cloud often lifts mid-month or later |
| December | 24.4 | 18.6 | 0.2 | Summer starts |
The grey season is not a reason to cancel. Museums, food and the old centre work the same, and the fog-fed hills of Lomas de Lachay, about 3 hours north, turn green roughly from June to October. In October the processions of the Señor de los Milagros fill the centre on set days; the remaining 2026 dates are 18, 19 and 28 October and 1 November.
Verdict: Come between January and April if sea views and sunsets matter; come in the grey months if you are here for museums and restaurants, and accept that photos from the cliffs will be white.
Peru's El Niño committee (ENFEN) kept a coastal El Niño alert throughout 2026 and said in September 2026 that the event would continue until mid-autumn 2027, with sea warming of extraordinary magnitude. The 1991–2020 averages above may not describe the 2026–27 summer: check SENAMHI forecasts before a December–April trip.
How do you get from Lima airport and get around the city?
Jorge Chávez airport moved into its new terminal on 1 June 2025, on the same site but with access from Av. Morales Duárez. Guides written before then describe pick-up points that no longer exist. There is still no rail link: the metro line that will serve the airport is years away, so every option is by road, and the trip to Miraflores, about 17 km, can take from around 40 minutes off-peak to more than 2 hours at rush hour.
| Option | Cost | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Express Lima bus | S/20; S/15 each for 2+ | Hotels in Miraflores | Official airport bus; stops at Larcomar, Av. Larco, Kennedy Park, Av. José Pardo |
| AeroDirecto public bus | Check on board | Budget, other districts | ATU service; five routes at the terminal's opening |
| Official airport taxi | Priced at the desk | Late arrivals, luggage | Desks directly outside the baggage hall |
| App taxi | Shown in the app | Getting around the city | Recommended over taxis hailed in the street |
| Metropolitano BRT | S/3.20 plus S/4.50 Lima Pass card | Miraflores/Barranco to the centre | Roughly 5:30–23:00; no cash at the gates |
Verdict: Take the Airport Express if you are staying in Miraflores: it is the official airport bus and drops you near most Miraflores hotels. For everything else in the city, use app taxis or the Metropolitano, and never accept a ride from someone who approaches you in the arrivals hall.
If you are only changing planes at Lima, the UK government warns that a TUUA airport fee for transit passengers is not included in airline tickets; pay it online in advance to avoid delays.
What are the best things to do in Lima?
Walk the historic centre and the Plaza Mayor Must do· Morning, 3–4 hours
UNESCO lists the core of colonial Lima for a few surviving ensembles: the Plaza de Armas (also called the Plaza Mayor) with the cathedral, the Sagrario chapel and the archbishop's palace, Plaza de la Vera Cruz with Santo Domingo, and the convent of San Francisco. The cathedral holds the chapel with the remains of Francisco Pizarro. The changing of the guard at the Government Palace happens around noon and can be watched from in front of the building.
85 Top-rated historic centre and catacombs tours tours on Excurgo · from $5, typical $45 per person · rated 4.9 across 3,224 reviews
Go underground in the San Francisco catacombs Must do· Combine with the centre walk
Under the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco lie the catacombs that served as Lima's cemetery until 1810 and were rediscovered in 1951. Estimates of how many people were buried there range from about 25,000 to 70,000. The convent library is worth the visit too: about 25,000 volumes, some from the 16th century. The present church dates from 1672, rebuilt after the earthquake of 1655.
Spend a morning at the Larco Museum Must do· 2–3 hours, any day
Rafael Larco Hoyle founded the museum in 1926, and it occupies an 18th-century building in Pueblo Libre. Its Gold and Silver Gallery and its collection of pre-Columbian erotic ceramics are the famous rooms, but the Visible Storage is the surprise: you walk between shelves holding 30,000 catalogued ancient pots. It opens every day from 9:00 to 19:00, later than most Lima museums.
56 Larco tickets and tours tours on Excurgo · from $21, typical $89 per person · rated 4.8 across 1,033 reviews
Eat your way through Lima, from food tours to tasting menus Must do· Lunch or evening
Maido, Mitsuharu Tsumura's Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) restaurant, was named No. 1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, and Kjolle came ninth. Central, voted best in the world in 2023, cooks in Casa Tupac in Barranco. A guided food tour is the cheaper way into Lima's markets and street food, typically around $71, with cooking classes around $95.
92 Highest-rated food tours tours on Excurgo · from $4, typical $71 per person · rated 5.0 across 8,548 reviews
45 Cooking classes tours on Excurgo · from $44, typical $95 per person · rated 5.0 across 3,540 reviews
Walk the Miraflores malecón to Barranco Must do· Late afternoon, 2–3 hours
The clifftop path links Miraflores with Barranco. On the way you pass the Parque del Amor, opened in 1993 around Víctor Delfín's sculpture El Beso, and you finish at Barranco's wooden Puente de los Suspiros, first built in 1876, destroyed by Chilean troops in 1881 and rebuilt. Bike tours cover the same ground, typically around $40.
47 Bike tours along the coast tours on Excurgo · from $10, typical $40 per person · rated 4.9 across 1,233 reviews
Climb Huaca Pucllana, a pyramid in the middle of Miraflores Worth it· 1 hour; closed Tuesday
Less than 2 km from the ocean cliffs, the Lima culture built this ceremonial complex between AD 400 and 700, and the Wari and Ychsma used it later. The main pyramid has seven levels of small handmade adobe bricks stacked upright like books on a shelf. Day visits run Wednesday to Monday; evening visits need booking.
See the Magic Water Circuit after dark Worth it· Evening, 1–2 hours
Parque de la Reserva has had the Magic Water Circuit since 2007: 13 interactive fountains, including a tunnel of water jets, and a show of water, music and laser images on the Fantasía fountain at 19:15, 20:15 and 21:10. The entry ticket was S/5 in late 2024. Arrive after dark; by day it is just a park with fountains.
70 Evening tours with the fountain show tours on Excurgo · from $4, typical $68 per person · rated 4.8 across 1,531 reviews
Visit MALI, Lima's art museum Worth it· 2 hours; closed Monday
The Museo de Arte de Lima opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, closing at 17:00 on Saturdays, and sells tickets online by date.
Visit Pachacamac on the southern edge of the city Worth it· Half day; closed Monday
Pachacamac, at km 31.5 of the old Panamericana Sur in Lurín, about 40 km from the centre, was occupied for some 1,300 years from around AD 200 and ends with an Inca Temple of the Sun. Hernando Pizarro reached it in 1533 looking for gold. Entry is S/15 and a site guide costs S/50 per group; the Pilgrims' Route is suspended for conservation, whatever older itineraries promise.
65 Pachacamac tours from Lima tours on Excurgo · from $35, typical $65 per person · rated 4.7 across 1,199 reviews
Take a boat to the Palomino Islands sea lions Worth it· 2–4 hours from Callao
About six nautical miles off Callao, the Palomino Islands hold a colony of more than 7,000 sea lions and a few Humboldt penguins, protected since 2009. Boats leave the Callao pier for trips of two to four hours past San Lorenzo Island and El Frontón, and many trips include a swim with the sea lions. Tours are typically around $120.
21 Palomino Islands boat trips tours on Excurgo · from $55, typical $120 per person · rated 4.6 across 553 reviews
Paraglide or surf off the Costa Verde Worth it· Weather permitting
Tandem paragliding flights over the Costa Verde cliffs start at around $55, and surf lessons cost typically around $45. The UK government warns that some surfboard rentals on Miraflores beaches are unauthorised, that beaches may have no lifeguards, and that you should check any adventure operator holds a licence.
9 Paragliding tours on Excurgo · from $55, typical $73 per person · rated 4.9 across 368 reviews
Worth skipping
- A hop-on hop-off bus as your way into the centre: the Metropolitano gets you from Miraflores to the old town for S/3.20.
- Buying an itinerary that includes Pachacamac's Pilgrims' Route: it is suspended with no reopening date.
- Visiting the Magic Water Circuit before dark: the shows run from 19:15.
- Planning Huaca Pucllana for a Tuesday or Pachacamac for a Monday: those are their closing days.
Which day trips from Lima are worth it?
| Trip | Distance from Lima | Time each way | Tours typically | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paracas, Ballestas & Huacachina | About 250 km to Paracas; Huacachina 5 km from Ica | About 3.5 h to Paracas by bus | $120 | Best long day trip |
| Pachacamac | km 31.5 Panamericana Sur, about 40 km from the centre | Half-day trip | $65 | Easy half day |
| Caral | km 184 Panamericana Norte | Long day | $210 | For archaeology fans |
| Palomino Islands | Six nautical miles off Callao | Boat trip of 2–4 h | $120 | Best wildlife half day |
| Lomas de Lachay | km 105 Panamericana Norte | About 3 h | — | Only June–October |
| Nazca Lines | About 400 km south | 7–8 h by bus | $490 | Overnight, not a day trip |
Paracas, the Ballestas Islands and Huacachina make the best long day out
Paracas National Reserve lies about 250 km south, near Pisco: a desert coast where about two-thirds of the protected area is sea, with Humboldt penguins and sea lions. The Ballestas Islands are a separate reserve reached by a boat trip of about 2 hours from El Chaco pier, and boats only go out in the morning, because the wind picks up in the afternoon. Huacachina is a lagoon oasis 5 km from Ica, ringed by dunes up to 500 m high.
Day tours from Lima have to reach Ballestas before midday, so they start early and continue to the dunes afterwards. Expect to pay port fees of about S/16 at the pier on top of the tour, and the Paracas Reserve entry (S/11, or S/17 for both areas) if your tour goes there. The UK government warns that dune buggies around Ica and Huacachina are unregulated and have been involved in deaths and accidents, so choose an operator with care.
156 Top-rated Paracas and Huacachina day trips tours on Excurgo · from $15, typical $120 per person · rated 4.9 across 25,449 reviews
Nazca is too far for a day trip by road
The Nazca Lines lie about 400 km south of Lima, drawn between roughly the 8th century BC and the 8th century AD across some 75,000 hectares. By bus that is 7–8 hours each way, so a same-day trip by road means 14 hours or more on the bus for an overflight of about 30–35 minutes from the María Reiche aerodrome. Longer, pricier circuits fly from Pisco, which fits better with a Paracas stay.
Verdict: Do Nazca with at least one night in the south, or fly over it from Pisco during a Paracas stay. Fatal crashes have happened on Nazca overflights, including one in February 2022, and the ageing fleet is a recurring concern, so ask which aircraft you will fly in.
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Caral is the oldest city in the Americas, and a long day
UNESCO describes the Sacred City of Caral-Supe as the oldest centre of civilisation in the Americas: a 626-hectare site of platform mounds and sunken circular plazas built between 3000 and 1800 BC, on a desert terrace above the green Supe valley. It is at km 184 of the Panamericana Norte. Entry is S/11 in cash, from 9:00 to 16:00.
33 Caral day trips tours on Excurgo · from $99, typical $210 per person · rated 4.8 across 442 reviews
How many days do you need in Lima?
1 day
Historic centre and San Francisco catacombs in the morning, Larco Museum after lunch (open until 19:00), Magic Water Circuit after dark or dinner in Miraflores.
Tickets ≈ S/55 · tours ≈ $45
2 days
Day one as above. Day two: Huaca Pucllana, the malecón walk to Barranco, a food tour or cooking class, and an evening in Barranco.
Tickets ≈ S/70 · tours ≈ $71
3–4 days
Add a full day to Paracas, Ballestas and Huacachina, plus Pachacamac or the Palomino Islands; Caral if archaeology is your main interest.
Tickets ≈ S/100 · tours ≈ $120
Two days is the right length for most visitors on their way to Cusco: enough for the museums, the centre and one serious meal. Add the extra days only if you want the desert coast to the south; Lima's own sights do not need more than two.
Ticket sums use the adult prices in this guide (Larco S/50, Magic Water Circuit S/5, Huaca Pucllana S/15, Pachacamac S/15, Paracas and Ballestas fees) and leave out the San Francisco convent and cathedral, whose current prices we could not confirm.
How much do tours and tickets cost in Lima?
Official tickets in Lima are cheap by international standards: the most expensive is the Larco Museum at S/50, and the archaeological sites run by the Ministry of Culture cost S/15 or less. Tours are where the money goes, and the spread is wide: Paracas and Huacachina day trips run from $15 to $303 and beyond, depending on group size and what is included.
| Activity | Tours | From | Typical | Top end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historic centre & catacombs tours | 85 | $5 | $45 | $110 |
| Food & market tours | 92 | $4 | $71 | $201 |
| Cooking classes | 45 | $44 | $95 | $147 |
| Larco Museum tickets & tours | 56 | $21 | $89 | $173 |
| Barranco & Miraflores walking tours | 59 | $5 | $65 | $130 |
| Bike tours | 47 | $10 | $40 | $95 |
| Magic Water Circuit evening tours | 70 | $4 | $68 | $135 |
| Pachacamac tours | 65 | $35 | $65 | $150 |
| Palomino Islands sea lion trips | 21 | $55 | $120 | $300 |
| Paracas & Huacachina day trips | 156 | $15 | $120 | $303 |
| Caral day trips | 33 | $99 | $210 | $399 |
| Nazca Lines trips from Lima | 60 | $174 | $490 | $818 |
| Surf lessons | 23 | $14 | $45 | $82 |
| Paragliding over the Costa Verde | 9 | $55 | $73 | $89 |
Tour prices update from our catalogue of 1,440 Lima tours; 88% of them offer free cancellation. Entry fees paid at the gate (Ballestas port fees, Paracas Reserve, Caral) are often not included, so check what a tour covers.
Is Lima safe, and what should you know about money, entry and health?
Lima is safe enough with taxi and phone discipline
The UK government advises against all but essential travel only to two remote areas of Peru (near the Colombian border and the VRAEM valley), neither near Lima. Its warnings for the capital are about crime: armed robberies of tourists in Miraflores and Barranco, phones snatched by motorbike riders at the roadside, and express kidnappings, usually at night and often by criminals posing as taxi drivers. A state of emergency linked to crime was still in force in metropolitan Lima and Callao in mid-2026.
- Book taxis by app or through your hotel; do not hail them in the street.
- At the airport, use the official taxi desks just outside the baggage hall or the Airport Express bus.
- Use ATMs inside banks, supermarkets or malls during business hours.
- Keep your phone away from the kerb and avoid quiet streets alone at night.
- Stay away from demonstrations: foreigners taking part in political activity can be detained or deported.
Peru is an active earthquake zone with frequent tremors, and higher tides can follow a quake. For medical emergencies the UK government lists two private ambulance services in Lima, Alerta Med (+51 1 416 6767) and Clave Médica (+51 1 467 4861), both paid.
| Entry (UK passports) | No visa for tourism; usually up to 90 days in 180; passport valid 6 months after arrival; entry recorded digitally |
|---|---|
| Altitude | None in Lima; altitude sickness is a serious risk in Cusco, Puno and the Colca Canyon |
| Vaccines | Yellow fever not needed for Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu only; no malaria in Lima |
| Food and water | Diarrhoea from contaminated food or water is common; Peru has had a major dengue outbreak |
| Tipping | About 10% in sit-down restaurants unless service (10–13%) is already on the bill |
| Cash | Soles; keep small notes, as change is often short |
Mistakes visitors regret in Lima
- Getting into a car with someone who approaches you at arrivals. Fake taxis are the main airport risk; use the official desks or the Airport Express.
- Following pre-2025 airport instructions. The new terminal opened on 1 June 2025, and old pick-up points and directions are out of date.
- Expecting blue skies in August. From June to October Lima sits under a low grey cloud deck with morning drizzle.
- Trying to do Nazca from Lima in one day by road. It is 7–8 hours of bus each way for a 30–35 minute flight.
- Booking Ballestas for the afternoon. Boats go out in the morning only, because the wind rises after midday.
- Arriving at Caral with a card only. The ticket office takes cash.
- Planning Pachacamac for a Monday or Huaca Pucllana for a Tuesday. Those are their closing days.
- Treating Lima as a one-night stopover. The museums, the catacombs and the restaurants need at least two days.
Lima FAQ
Is Lima worth visiting, or should I go straight to Cusco?
Give it at least two days. Lima has the Larco Museum, the UNESCO-listed colonial centre with the San Francisco catacombs, a pre-Inca pyramid inside Miraflores and restaurants ranked No. 1 in the world in 2023 and 2025. It is also at sea level, so it is a gentle start before the altitude of Cusco.
What is the best month to visit Lima?
February is the warmest month (average high 28 °C), and January to April has the clearest skies. From late May to around November a low cloud deck covers the city, with morning drizzle from June to September. It barely rains at any time of year.
How do I get from Lima airport to Miraflores?
The official Airport Express Lima bus stops at Larcomar, Av. Larco, Kennedy Park and Av. José Pardo for S/20, or S/15 each for two or more. Otherwise use the official taxi desks outside the baggage hall. The road trip takes from about 40 minutes to more than 2 hours depending on traffic.
Is Lima safe for tourists?
Street crime is the main risk. The UK government reports armed robberies of tourists in Miraflores and Barranco and warns about fake taxis and express kidnappings at night. Use app taxis, keep your phone off the street edge and use ATMs inside banks or malls.
Should I stay in Miraflores or Barranco?
Miraflores for a first visit: the airport bus stops there, the malecón runs along it and the Metropolitano reaches the centre. Barranco, next door, is the better choice for art, bars and evenings. Both need the usual care with valuables.
How much is the Larco Museum, and do I need to book?
General admission is S/50, S/35 for over-60s and S/25 for ages 9–17. You can pay at the door, but buying online gives a discount and preferential access. It is open daily from 9:00 to 19:00.
Can I do Paracas and Huacachina as a day trip from Lima?
Yes. Paracas is about 3.5 hours by bus, and day tours reach the Ballestas Islands in the morning, when boats run, before going on to the Huacachina dunes near Ica. It is a long day; port fees of about S/16 are usually paid separately at the pier.
Can I see the Nazca Lines in a day from Lima?
Not sensibly by road: Nazca is about 400 km south, 7–8 hours by bus each way, for a flight of about 30–35 minutes. Spend a night in the south or take the longer overflight from Pisco during a Paracas trip.
Is Lima at high altitude?
No. Lima is on the coast at sea level. The UK government flags altitude sickness as a serious risk in Cusco, Puno, the Colca Canyon and Kuelap, not in Lima.
How much should I tip in Lima?
About 10% in sit-down restaurants, unless the bill already includes a service charge, which some upscale places add at 10–13%. Cash in soles is usual, so keep small notes.
Sources and how this guide is made
Written by the Excurgo editorial team with AI assistance. We are a tour comparison site, not a tour operator, and we have not personally tested every tour. Every fact was researched in official and specialist sources and checked against them before publication; prices, ratings and tour counts come from our live catalogue of 1,440 Lima tours. Ratings and review counts are collected by Viator and Tripadvisor. Tours are picked by rating weighted by number of reviews (at least 20); we earn a commission from Viator when you book, and it does not affect the order.
- Museo Larco — tickets, hours, address (Oct 2026)
- Museo Pachacamac (Ministerio de Cultura) — hours, prices, guided routes (Oct 2026)
- Gobierno del Perú — visiting Caral: hours, prices, location (Oct 2026)
- Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) — opening hours (Oct 2026)
- UNESCO — Historic Centre of Lima (Oct 2026)
- UNESCO — Sacred City of Caral-Supe (Oct 2026)
- UNESCO — Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa (Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) — Peru safety and security (Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) — Peru entry requirements (Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) — Peru health (Oct 2026)
- Lima Airport Partners — buses from the airport (Oct 2026)
- El Peruano — Señor de los Milagros 2026 procession dates (Sep 2026)
- ENFEN via SENAMHI — official El Niño communiqués 2026 (Sep 2026)
- Andina — Huaca Pucllana history, hours and ticket (Nov 2024)
- Wikipedia — Lima climate table (1991–2020 normals) (Oct 2026)
Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences (CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC0 or public domain); the author and licence are shown under each one. They show the places described, not the exact tours listed.
Changelog. 15 October 2026: guide written.
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