Lima Tours

Lima tours with South American Luxe

Lima is where most journeys to Peru begin. The capital founded by the Spanish in 1535 sits on cliffs above the Pacific, with a historic centre that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, pre-Inca pyramids in the middle of the city, the seaside districts of Miraflores and Barranco and, above all, a food scene that has made it one of the great culinary capitals of the world.

We include Lima in our journeys through Peru, usually for two nights at the start or the end of the trip. Your days include transfers, a half-day city tour with a local guide and a gastronomy walking tour in Barranco, and some journeys add a full day on the desert coast of Paracas and Huacachina.

What you see on our Lima tours

Lima, the food capital of South America

Peruvian cooking mixes Andean, Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese traditions, and Lima is the place to taste it all: ceviche at lunchtime, causa and lomo saltado, anticuchos from a street grill, the Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cuisine and the Chinese-Peruvian chifa, and a pisco sour to finish. The city is also home to some of the most celebrated restaurants in the world: Maido was named the World’s Best Restaurant in 2025, and Central held the title in 2023.

Tables at the best restaurants are booked weeks or months ahead, so tell us early if you want one; we request the reservation for you. Read our guide to the best things to do in Peru.

The districts of Lima

• Miraflores: the clifftop parks and walkways above the Pacific, the Parque del Amor, Huaca Pucllana and many of the best hotels and restaurants.
• Barranco: the bohemian quarter, with colourful mansions, street art, galleries, the Bridge of Sighs and lively bars.
• San Isidro: the business district, with the olive grove of El Olivar and some of the best restaurants.
• The historic centre: Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Government Palace, colonial balconies and the San Francisco convent.

How many days do you need in Lima?

Lima is at sea level, so it is an easy place to start before the altitude of Cusco and the Sacred Valley. From Lima we fly you to Cusco, to Puerto Maldonado for the Amazon, or on to the rest of South America.

When to visit Lima

Lima is a desert city where it almost never rains. Summer, from December to April, brings warm, sunny days and beach weather on the coast; from June to October a layer of low cloud covers the city, with cool, humid days and a fine mist called garúa. The good news is that the grey months in Lima are the dry, sunny season in the Andes and at Machu Picchu:

Climate normals 1991–2020 for Jorge Chávez airport, Lima’s weather station. See the best time to visit Peru for the Andes and the Amazon.

Where to stay in Lima

Most of our travellers stay in Miraflores, close to the ocean, the clifftop parks and the restaurants, with Barranco a short ride away. These are some of the hotels of our journeys:

Before you go

• Arrival: international flights land at Jorge Chávez airport, which opened a new terminal in 2025. Traffic in Lima can be slow, so we plan your transfers with time to spare.
• Flights: the domestic flights to Cusco or Puerto Maldonado are quoted separately, and we can book them for you.
• Water and food: drink bottled water. Ceviche is a lunch dish in Lima, made with the morning’s fish.
• Staying safe: Miraflores, Barranco and San Isidro are pleasant to walk; as in any big city, keep your phone and valuables out of sight, and use transfers or ride-hailing apps at night.

Lima in a longer journey

Lima is the gateway to Peru. Our Peru & Bolivia Discovery (16 days) and Peru & Bolivia Highlights (14 days) begin in Lima before the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, the Ecuador & Peru Highlights (15 days) arrives from the Galápagos, and the Peru, Bolivia, Argentina & Brazil Grand Escape (24 days) adds the Paracas coast. Read our Peru itineraries for 5 to 14 days and see our Machu Picchu tours from Lima.