Peru luxury travel guide

The best time to visit Peru depends on the region. Climate varies by altitude, so even places which are beside each other on a map may be vastly different in temperature or rainfall. The seasons are loosely wet and dry, with May-September being drier and clearer in the highlands, and much better for trekking, though it will get very cold at night. The dry season is also the best time to visit Peru's Amazon basin, as wildlife congregates around the shrinking rivers, and mosquitos are fewer. From Jan-Apr roads and trekking paths in mountainous areas can be impassable due to the rains.

Luxury doesn’t have to mean lower environmental standards, and many of Peru’s top hotels and lodges go to great lengths to protect their natural environment. For example, harvesting rainwater, using solar power, recycling as much waste as possible and supporting local communities – from employing and educating staff from the surrounding areas to working with local schools, farms and charities. Lodges in the Amazon in particular provide invaluable income allowing the indigenous population to retain their identity without dependence on government or oil company handouts. The ethical practices of many luxury lodges extend to their guests, too, and educating visitors about the environment is often central to their offer.

Many of Peru’s high end hotels and lodges boast impressive environmental and social credentials, such as supporting wildlife conservation initiatives. Rainforest Alliance has certified a lot of tourism businesses for best practice in Peru, and many tourism businesses work with ECOAN (Andean Ecosystems Association), who conserve endangered species and invest heavily in the preservation of high Andean cultures. Tour operators employ local group leaders and driver guides, who all know their areas well and can help educate guests on the environmental dos and don'ts of the areas they are traveling through. Excursions in the Amazon rainforest, for example, are accompanied by indigenous guides who were born and raised in nearby villages. Some jungle lodges are part owned and managed by the local indigenous community.