10 FUN & EXCITING Things to do in Lima, Peru

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Looking for the top things to do in Lima? Luckily, you’ve come to the experts.

Lima is filled to the brim with unique activities, amazing culture, the best food, and so much more. We fell in love with this city and ended up living here – we couldn’t get enough! Now, for most, Lima is simply a flight layover but don’t waste your time here.

With our local knowledge, we put together this list of the absolute best things to do in Lima. These are all really easy to book and add to your busy travel itinerary. Even if you’re on a tight timeline, you can experience the top sights and activities! 

Things to do in Lima, Peru

1. Huacachina and Ballestas Islands Tour from Lima

For one of the best experiences in Peru, look no further than this full-day tour that includes a boat ride and a trip to an amazing desert oasis! At first glance it can look a little intimidating because of the long duration (18 hours!), but don’t let that deter you, this really is a tour of a lifetime!

The tour leaves from Lima around 6 am and heads for Paracas to board a boat to the Ballestas Islands, which are like a mini version of the Galapagos Islands. There are even penguins and sea lions! This was such a cool experience and is something that we would have never thought to do on our own.

After the boat tour was another one of our favorite parts – the dune buggies! This was one of the most fun things I think I have ever done. They go SO fast and I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time! By the time we were done, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! You can also sandboard down the dunes, which seems scary at first, but I’m so glad that we did it.

If you’re using Lima as the home base for part of your trip and you don’t have time to stay in Huacachina or Paracas, then this is a great way to experience this amazing desert oasis with limited time. You can book this full-day tour for $139 USD. 

Check out the 4,000+ glowing reviews and book this tour here!

2. Go on a food tour

This tour is aptly named Lima’s Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour because it includes 15 different food and drink tastings! Not only will you experience Lima’s food and drink scene, but you’ll also visit many historic and cultural sites in Barranco as you walk from place to place with your guide.

Make sure you come hungry because this 4-hour walking food tour is sure to leave you full! You’ll not only try a variety of Peruvian dishes, but you’ll also get to participate in workshops to learn about making some yourself.

In between all of the delicious tastings, you’ll get a tour of the trendy Barranco neighborhood, and enjoy cultural sights such as the Bridge of Sighs. While we were certainly here for a food tour, we really liked these additional activities. They help break up the eating portions so you can build up that appetite!

One of my favorite dishes I tried on this tour was causa rellena, which is a delicious layered potato casserole that I washed down with some Andean punch. I also loved the lomo saltado, a typical Peruvian dish with marinated sirloin and grilled vegetables over french fries and rice. It’s like the Peruvian version of poutine, so the Canadian side of me felt right at home! 

This tour has multiple start times throughout the day at 9:30 am, 11 am, 3 pm, and 5 pm, making it super flexible and easy to fit into your schedule. It costs $96 USD per person which includes all of the food and drinks, plus your wonderful guide. This food tour has hundreds of 5-star reviews for good reason, so make sure to book in advance to avoid missing out!

Book your spot on the Ultimate Food Tour here and enjoy FREE 24-hour cancellation!

3. Swim with Sea Lions in the Palomino Islands  

For something completely different from other Lima experiences, this tour to swim with sea lions was one of our favorites!

You meet at the port in Callao which is around a half-hour drive from Miraflores if there’s some traffic. The boat leaves at 10 am and takes you to the Palomino Islands. These islands are just off the coast of Callao where you can see penguins, sea birds, and of course sea lions!

There are actually thousands of sea lions here, so it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll see them and more importantly, get to swim with them! We first noticed all the sea lions hanging around the island grabbing some sun and playing in the water. Then we got to put on our wetsuits and jump in!

The sea lions are really curious and playful creatures, so they actually swim over to check you out. I had sea lions swimming around my feet and bumping into them under the water!

While there are a few different companies that offer the experience, we booked this exact tour with Viator and highly recommend it. This tour uses a speed boat which is faster and means less rocking around on the water. That’s good news if you’re like me and get easily seasick – I didn’t feel queasy at all! Tickets are $72 USD along with an 11 soles/$4 USD conservation fee.

Book this tour with over 500 reviews here, before it sells out!

4. Lima City Walking Tour

The best way to get to know the city is by exploring it on your own two feet! This walking tour in downtown Lima takes you to the top city sights, and you actually see a lot in just a few hours. This is so much history in this part of the city, so it’s really nice to have a bit more time with a guide who can share some of the stories behind what you’re seeing.

Having a guide also ensures you feel safe. The downtown core of Lima can feel a bit unsafe at times, so this is a great opportunity to see central Lima while feeling totally comfortable.  

One of our favorite parts of the tour was the Monastery of San Francisco and the catacombs! This was such a cool experience. While it might sound kind of spooky to go down and see thousands of human bones arranged like art all around you (and, actually, it kind of is), this was such a unique experience and we got to learn a lot about the history and culture of the colonial era in Peru.  

Another cool stop was walking by the Presidential Palace to Restaurante Cordano next door which is the oldest bar in Peru! Many former presidents and even writers like Ernest Hemingway have stopped in here.

All of the destinations on this tour are great, but we also appreciated the fact that the tour ends in the Plaza de Armas, where they have the Happy Inka Market. This market is the perfect place to see lots of art and local goods, as well as to pick up some souvenirs for yourself and loved ones back home!  

This walking tour is really affordable at $38 USD per person, including transport from your hotel. You can choose between a morning or afternoon tour, depending on what else you have planned that day! This tour has over 800 glowing reviews, so we can’t recommend it enough!

Get FREE cancellation 24 hours before your tour when you book it here!

5. Peruvian Cooking Class Including Local Market Tour

This half-day cooking tour seriously immerses you in Peruvian cuisine! The whole experience feels authentic, from buying the ingredients at a local market to savoring the meal you cooked. The guides do a great job of teaching you each recipe and making the whole experience super enjoyable.

You start by heading to a market to collect all the necessary ingredients. The market itself was fascinating as it’s just so different from what we’re used to back home. We wandered from stand to stand, learning all about the various Peruvian products they sold.

Then, your guide and personal chef will take you to the kitchen to prepare your choice of fish, beef, or vegetarian dishes. When we went, ceviche and Lomo Saltado were on the menu (and they were equally delicious). Our passionate and hilarious chef instructed us the entire time so we never felt lost in the cooking process.

This small-group experience costs $68 USD and operates daily at 8:30 am and 2 pm. It includes roundtrip transportation from your hotel, all necessary cooking equipment (including ingredients bought at the market), snacks while you cook, and the meal you prepare, of course! This was such a fun and unique experience – we still make Lomo Saltado to this day!

Don’t wait to book this top-rate tour, reserve your spot now and pay later!

6. Paragliding

So you want to do something kind of crazy? This is the one for you! Paragliding over Lima is the best – and most exciting – way to see the Lima coastline.

What we love about this paragliding experience is that you are paragliding with a really experienced pilot, so you can just enjoy the ride! You’ll be flying with the company Aeroxtreme which is led by Peruvian-American pilot, Michael Fernández, who has been paragliding for more than 30 years.

The flight takes place on a paratrike which is kind of what it sounds like – a trike and paraglider mashed together. It’s a light vehicle with three wheels that is designed to fly through the air. You’ll take off from the beach and then soar over the coast taking in some pretty amazing views.

The flight lasts around 10-12 minutes, so it really “flies” by! You may even want to book another flight after you’re done. You’ll be between 262-984 feet (80-300 meters) in the air and luckily an HD video recording is included so you can have a memory of the epic views you see!

We like to reserve experiences like this ahead of time so we can check out other travelers’ reviews. This isn’t an experience you want to have a mediocre tour operator, so checking reviews gives me peace of mind that this is a safe and fun experience! You can read all 150+ 5-star reviews here.

This is an epic way to see Lima, and you will never forget the view. The flight is $75 USD per person and includes all the equipment you need for a safe flight.

Check out the fantastic reviews and book this experience before you go here.

7. Visit the Temple of Pachacamac

This Pachacamac’s Inka Pyramids tour is perfect for anyone who is interested in Peruvian history. Not far from Lima lies the ruins of the ancient city of Pachacamac. Some of these structures were built back in 200 AD and construction of the entire city took place over 1,000 years!

This site was a spot where advanced studies of astronomy and architecture took place along with ancient rituals and large festivals to honor the gods. The most impressive structures are the huge Temples of the Sun and the Moon. These pyramids are constructed completely out of clay with around 50 million clay bricks used to build the Temple of the Sun!

While it’s not far from Lima, it isn’t nearly as busy as some of the other famous ruins in Peru. So if you’re planning to go to Cusco or Machu Picchu while you’re in Peru, we recommend doing this tour first! This will give you a good foundation of knowledge so that you can appreciate those sites even more.  

This tour will pick you up from your hotel in Miraflores, San Isidro, or Barranco and will take you on an hour’s drive to Pachacamac along the longest international highway in the world! The drive is scenic too with sand dunes and colorful towns you’ll pass by.

Once you arrive, you’ll have three hours to explore the archaeological complex of Pachacamac and the museum. The tour also includes your admission to the museum which is full of interesting objects on display. Perhaps the most famous is the Pachacamac Idol which was uncovered in the 1930s and survived the Spanish conquest – even though it was ordered to be destroyed. It’s a really significant archaeological find that’s pretty amazing to see in person.

The half-day tour is $79 USD each if you book a shared tour, but you can upgrade to a private tour too!

Check availability and book this tour here with FREE cancellation!

8. Miraflores and Barranco Bike Tour

Miraflores and Barranco are the most upper-class and trendy neighborhoods in Lima. For this reason, this is likely where your hotel will be located and where you’ll spend the majority of your time in Lima.

But these neighborhoods aren’t small, and there is a lot to explore including some very incredible views of the ocean.

The best way to cover a lot of ground while getting up close to the attractions is on a bike tour! This bike tour of Lima goes through Miraflores and Barranco for about three hours, hitting all of the best tourist highlights around. You’ll even get to hike up to the summit of El Morro Hill to take in the beautiful panoramic views!

This small-group tour costs less than $30 USD per person and includes all of your equipment and bottled water. It also includes a really knowledgeable guide who will tell you all about the city and answer all of your questions. It runs daily throughout the year and has tons of 5-star reviews that you can read here!

Reserve your spot here and don’t pay a thing until closer to your tour date!

9. Explore the Marcahuasi Stone Forest

We wanted to include this tour of the Marcahuasi Stone Forest as this isn’t usually a stop that many travelers have heard of, but we think it is so worth checking out! The stone forest is made up of rocks that almost look like sculptures. This site has a lot of mystery around it and the rocks are supposedly around 10,000 years old.

This tour is around 10 hours, so it will definitely take up a full day, but if you have an interest in nature, we absolutely recommend doing this! It’s also a private tour, which is really nice so you won’t feel rushed as you explore this unique landscape.

We hadn’t really looked into this ahead of time, so arriving here was such an incredible surprise. Even just driving up the mountain was a great experience, as the views are absolutely stunning. But getting time to explore the stone forest was really an unforgettable experience.

We don’t recommend this tour for anyone with mobility issues, as there is a lot of hiking involved. But for those who are willing and able, the hike has stellar views and is 100% worth it in our opinion!  

This full-day tour is $165 USD, which we think is a pretty good deal considering how long of a day it is!

Secure your spot on this top-rated day trip here, to book your preferred date!

10. Chocolate making experience

Did you know that Peru is a producer of some of the world’s highest quality cocoa beans – which are used to make chocolate?! Well, right in Lima you can learn all about this on a tour and then make your very own chocolate! 

We did this tour at the Choco Museo right in Miraflores. Here, for only $34 USD each we had this 2-hour workshop that involved an explanation and demonstration about how exactly chocolate is made. We made our very own chocolate bars to take home as well as drank some tasty hot chocolate during the tour. 

To me, this is one of the best value Lima tours because it is very affordable and fun, plus you get tons of chocolate to take home with you! If you have a sweet tooth, this short Lima tour is perfect for you! 

Get free cancellation options when you book this tour here!

Where to Stay in Lima, Peru

If you’re spending some time in Lima, you’ll need a place to stay! Lima is a big city with many accommodation options. However, I definitely have my favorite spots and am happy to share those with you. Keep reading for my top hostels and hotels for each budget range.

Luxury – $$$

JW Marriott Hotel Lima is located in the Miraflores district right behind the Larcomar shopping center, with amazing views of the ocean. The location is perfect! The rooms are luxurious and have everything you’d expect from a Marriott Hotel, including a fitness center, pool, restaurant, and super helpful staff. Guests also rave about the hotel’s breakfast!

Rooms start at around $200 USD, but you can find the best rates on Booking.com.

Mid-range -$$

Larq’a Park Rooms is a beautiful hotel with amazing reviews. The hotel is in a heritage building right next to Parque Kennedy, and the rooms are modern, clean, and comfortable. They have a nice common area where you can enjoy the complimentary continental breakfast.

Although we’ve included it as mid-range, it could easily be considered a budget option because rooms start as low as $49 USD. Click here to snag this awesome deal!

Tierra Viva Miraflores Centro is my top pick in Miraflores, Lima. The hotel has a 9.2 on Booking.com, and it’s no wonder since the staff are so attentive and sweet! It’s perfectly located in a quiet and safe area within walking distance of many restaurants, cafes, and shops. Rooms are super clean and come with either a king bed or two singles.

Stays here include breakfast and cost only $70 USD per night. You can book your stay at Tierra Viva Miraflores Centro online here.

Budget – $

Selina Miraflores is part of the well-established Selina chain. They have hostels all over Latin America, and I’ve personally stayed in lots of them. The Selina in Miraflores is a beautiful hostel with a modern, colorful aesthetic and super clean rooms and bathrooms. The whole place has a nice, easygoing vibe that makes it easy to meet people.

It’s also in a great location, with prices starting at $10 USD for a bunk and $45 USD for a private room. You can book Selina Miraflores on either Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Pariwana Hostel is the most popular and famous party hostel in Miraflores. It’s the perfect hostel to let loose and meet other travelers. Plus, prices are super reasonable, with dorms costing less than $20 USD and private rooms less than $70 USD.

If you want to party and have fun in Lima, you can book the Pariwana Hostel on Hostelworld. Or, if you’re booking well in advance, you can also do so on Booking.com.

Thanks for reading!

So there you have it, the absolute best things to do in Lima, Peru. I have included an activity for every type of traveler and for every budget on this list, and I just know you’re going to love your time in Lima. It’s one of my favorite cities in South America!

If you found this blog helpful, I’m sure you’ll love our other Peru blogs. We actually lived in Lima for a while, so we have a good pulse on the top city sights and beyond. Here are a few related reads to get you started.

How to Spend 3 Days in Lima, Peru – An Ideal Itinerary

5 BEST Day Trips from Lima, Peru

9 BEST Machu Picchu Tours from Cusco +Our Personal Reviews