Peru Cultural Tourism - Cultural Tourism forms the largest sector of the tourism industry in Peru. Home to various pre-Columbian civilizations, most notably the Incan Empire, Chavin, Moche, and Nasca, left a large archeological and cultural impact on the nation as it is today. The ruins of Machu Picchu are the most internationally recognized of all the ruins of Peru and therefore receive the most tourists. This is not to say that they are the only ones present as there are hundreds of other ruins not popularized to the magnitude as those of Machu Picchu. The most popular ruins, not including Machu Picchu, are that of Chan Chan, Sipan, Kuelap, Nazca lines, Ollantaytambo, Caral, Sacsayhuamán, and Sillustani. There are hundreds of others besides these. The other form of cultural tourism is directed towards the colonial architecture present in many cities in Peru. Some of the most astounding examples of Peruvian colonial architecture are located in the cities of Lima, Arequipa, and Cusco. These areas, many built over five hundred years ago, demonstrate the superb architectural ingenuity of the colonists during the Viceroyalty of Peru. The city of Lima is home to many acclaimed museums holding works of art reflecting the diverse history of the country. These museums include the National Museum, National Museum of Anthropology, Archeology and History, Rafael Larco Herrera Archeological Museum, National Museum of Peruvian Culture, Museum of Italian Art, among many others.

Peru Ecotourism - 60% of the land of Peru is located in the Amazon. Percentage-wise, more land area is located in national parks and preserves, than any other country in South America. This fact results in the Peruvian Amazon to be one of the most pristine, virgin, and untouched rainforests on the earth. This has led to the increased arrival of tourists and increased tourist infrastructure has followed. The Peruvian Amazon is divided into two areas, the High Jungle, and the Lower Jungle. The High Jungle is more easily accessible while the lower jungle is more pristine and untouched. In recent times however, accessibility to the lower jungle has greatly increased and is now nearly on par with that of the high jungle. Nonetheless both contain a diversity of animal life and plant life unrivaled by any other rainforest on the face of the earth. Large tourist national preserves include the Manú National Park, Rio Abiseo National Park, and the Tambopata-Candamo Protected Area. Tourist agencies in these areas promote eco-friendly tourism so as not to damage the fragile ecosystems of the rainforest.

Peru Adventure Tourism - Because of Peru's geographical diversity, it is possible to go surfing, sand boarding, 4x4, dune buggy, alpinism, rafting, rappelling, downhill, rally, trekking, skiing, and mountain climbing. Surfing is an extremely popular sport in Peru and the country has been host to numerous national and international competitions in the sport. The Inca Trail is a very popular trail going from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It can be hiked in 3-4 days.

Additionally, the country has produced many world famous surfers, most notably the world surfing champion, Sofía Mulánovich. The Peruvian coast is known to have some of the best waves in the world. Peru is divided into three geographical regions known as the coast, the sierra, and the jungle. Each one has numerous activities suited to its particular climate and environment. The sport of skiing is developing in the city of Huaraz and new resorts are created to suit the rising tourist demand. The sand dunes of Ica are popular for dune buggies. Also, river rafting has become very popular among national and international tourists in recent years and availability in Lima and Cusco is high. Rapids range in difficulty and there is rafting options from novices to experts. Trekking has become the most popular type of adventure sport among tourists in Peru. This is because of the various treks offered from Cusco to Machu Picchu, as well as the trails located in other parts of the country such as Ancash. Mountain climbing is another popular sport among tourists in the sierra region. For more information of adventure tourism see the Ancash section of this article below.

Peru Gastronomic Tourism, centered around Lima, has become one of the major tourist attractions in Peru in recent years. Peruvian cuisine is considered among the best in the world by internationally renowned food critics. Lima, known by many as the Gastronomic Capital of the Americas, is the melting pot of foods from various different world wide cultures who have come together to form a unique blend of Peruvian food. With the arrival of European and Asian immigrants their foods mixed and combined with Andean foods to produce what is now known as Peruvian food. Peruvian gastronomy holds various Guinness World Records, for its diversity and quality. An example of a unique style of food brought by immigrants is chifa. Chifa was brought by Chinese immigrants who brought and retained their culinary customs. There are 6,000 chifas scattered all over Lima.