Hidden gems in Peru
Waterfalls, natural pools, viewpoints and beaches that most itineraries skip — cheap or free, with what you need to know before you go.
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Catarata de Perolniyoc
💧 Waterfall 📍 Socma / Ollantaytambo Free entryA tall, impressive waterfall (over 40 metres) considered one of the Sacred Valley's best-kept secrets, hidden above the small village of Socma near Ollantaytambo. Free, and the well-marked trail climbs through farming terraces and an ancient Inca site (Raqaypata), with about 600 metres of ascent. Best in the dry season, May to September, when the weather is clear and the trail dry.
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Mirador de Taray
⛰️ Viewpoint 📍 Taray / Pisac Free entryA free panoramic viewpoint at the roadside between Cusco and Pisac that most organised tours pass without stopping. From here the whole Sacred Valley spreads out: green fields, the Vilcanota river winding like a silver ribbon, and snow-capped mountains behind. No trek needed; just get off the colectivo or taxi on the way to Pisac. Most beautiful in early-morning light.
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Lagunas de Kinsa Cocha (Kinsacocha)
🏞️ Lagoon 📍 Pisac (via Amaru / Paru Paru) Free entryThree quiet lakes at about 4,030 metres north of Pisac, a remote place with almost no tourists because it is 'not on the way to anywhere'. The walk around the lakes is easy and perfect for acclimatising before higher treks. Access is free; the expensive part is the ride from Pisac. Best to arrive in the morning, especially in the rainy season, when the weather up high is better early.
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Baños Termales de Cocalmayo
♨️ Hot spring 📍 Santa TeresaNatural hot pools (38–44 degrees) on the bank of the Urubamba river, loved by backpackers taking the cheap overland route to Machu Picchu via Santa Teresa. Entry is very cheap (about 10 soles), and the real fun is switching between the hot water and a dip in the cold river. Walk (about an hour) or take a short taxi from the main square. Open at night too, perfect after the Salkantay trek.
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Aguas Turquesas de Millpu
🌊 River 📍 Circamarca / HuancarayllaA chain of more than 20 natural pools of glowing turquoise in a narrow canyon, one of the most astonishing sights in Peru, and still barely known to foreigners. You pay about 5 soles to the local community and walk about 30–45 minutes to the pools. Important: no getting into the water (photos only), and the turquoise appears only between April and October; the rest of the year the water is greenish or brown.
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Catarata de Yumbilla
💧 Waterfall 📍 Cuispes / Pedro RuizOne of the highest waterfalls in the world (about 896 metres), hidden in cloud forest near the village of Cuispes, yet few people visit compared with its famous neighbour Gocta. You pay about 10 soles at the village visitor centre and walk about an hour through green, damp forest to the base of the falls. Best in the dry season. If you have time, you can add the nearby Chinata and Pabellón falls.
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Laguna Wilcacocha
🏞️ Lagoon 📍 Huaraz Free entryA small lake at 3,850 metres in the Cordillera Negra, considerably lower than the famous lakes and so perfect as a first acclimatisation hike in Huaraz without gasping. Free, and the short hike (about 1.5 hours) ends with a spectacular view of the whole chain of snow-capped Cordillera Blanca peaks opposite. Easy access by cheap colectivo from town. Best in the afternoon for a clear view of the mountains.
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Laguna Llaca
🏞️ Lagoon 📍 HuarazA glacial lake far less known than Laguna 69 or Parón, at the foot of the Cordillera Blanca peaks, and yet easier to reach. A driver drops you close to the shore in the Llaca valley (a rough dirt road), and from there it is a short walk. The lake itself has no separate fee, but you need a Huascarán National Park ticket. Best in the dry season (June–August). An excellent place to acclimatise, with few tourists.
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Baños Termales de Guñoc
♨️ Hot spring 📍 Cajatambo Free entryCompletely wild hot springs at about 4,335 metres at the foot of the Cordillera Huayhuash peaks, a quiet place almost empty of tourists. The springs themselves are free (you pay only small fees to communities along the way). You get there from the town of Cajatambo, partly by vehicle or on a donkey and partly on foot. On the way you pass a spectacular viewpoint at 5,000 metres over the Huayhuash peaks. The recommended season is May to September.
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Catarata de Pillones
💧 Waterfall 📍 Arequipa (via Imata)A wide, beautiful waterfall above 4,000 metres in the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, framed by stepped basalt columns like a layer cake: a rare and lesser-known sight in the Arequipa region. You pay a token fee of about 6 soles to the community. You can also come by cheap bus towards Puno or Juliaca and get off before Imata. It pairs well with the nearby 'stone forest'. Most pleasant in the dry season, when the roads are open.
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Cañón de Culebrillas (Ruta del Sillar)
🌿 Nature 📍 ArequipaA narrow, dazzling canyon of the white volcanic stone (sillar) from which all of Arequipa was built, with carved stone walls and thousand-year-old petroglyphs: a lesser-known natural site right on the edge of the city. Entry to the Culebrillas canyon costs only about 5 soles. You can go independently or on a cheap tour (from 45 soles). An excellent half-day outing, and on the way you watch craftsmen cutting sillar in real time.
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Cataratas de Ahuashiyacu
💧 Waterfall 📍 TarapotoA beautiful jungle waterfall with a natural swimming pool at its foot, very close to Tarapoto and so easy and worthwhile to reach. Entry is cheap (about 2–5 soles), and an easy 10-minute walk up stone steps through tall forest brings you to the fall. There is a changing room; half the pool is waist-deep and the part near the fall is deeper. Perfect for a hot, humid day in the Amazon region.
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Ventanillas de Otuzco
🌿 Nature 📍 CajamarcaA volcanic cliff with hundreds of small burial niches carved into the rock ('windows') from pre-Inca times, above green countryside near Cajamarca: an area outside the usual backpacker route, visited mainly by Peruvian tourists. Entry costs only about 5 soles, and you can get there independently by cheap colectivo, without a tour. A lovely mix of nature and history; add a visit to the nearby Baños del Inca hot springs.
Written by the TravelOS team from the sources linked on each card. Prices, hours and access change — check the source or ask locally before you set out.