The Ultimate Dog-Friendly Peru Itinerary (2-3 Weeks)

Planning a Peru itinerary with a dog? I’ve got your covered! Me and Puglo spent a month exploring Peru, and it was one of our favorite destinations.

Peru was one of the trips I was most excited about doing with Puglo despite the long flight, high altitude, a complicated entry process, and a whole lot of unknowns. Traveling with a brachycephalic dog adds another layer of anxiety to an already complicated destination. But, It ended up being one of our best adventures yet and one I’d recommend to any dog parent willing to do a bit of planning.

Peru is incredibly dog-friendly, the food scene is world class, and the landscapes are unlike anything else on earth. Most restaurants allow dogs on patios and many welcome them inside. Parks are great. Hotels and guesthouses are generally accommodating. The country just works for dog travel.

This post covers a 2-3 week Peru trip itinerary with a dog, from Lima all the way through to the Amazon rainforest. I’ll share exactly where we stayed, where we ate, which tours allowed Puglo, what entry documents you need, and everything I wish I had known before we went.

Planning your own dog trip and not sure where to start? Dog travel academy breaks down exactly what you need before your first international trip with your dog.

Dog-Friendly Peru Itinerary at a Glance

Peru Itinerary with a dog

Lima (2-3 Days)

Lima is your starting point and it completely surprised me. I had low expectations and it blew me away, especially how dog-friendly it is. The restaurant scene is world class and you can spend a couple of days here just eating your way through the city.

The two neighborhoods most people stay are Miraflores and Barranco, and both are great bases. I stayed in both across different parts of my trip.

Miraflores vs Barranco: Which Is Better for Dog Parents?

Miraflores is the classic expat and tourist neighborhood. It’s polished, safe, and walkable with a great restaurant scene. It has the famous cat park (Parque Kennedy), which is exactly what it sounds like: dozens of cats living in the park. Puglo tried to befriend all of them, but they weren’t so into him. The malecón runs right along the cliffside here with incredible views over the Pacific.

Barranco has more of a bohemian, artistic vibe. Modern buildings, cool street art and graffiti everywhere, great cafes and bars. There are loads of Airbnb options here and it has a younger, more creative energy. Both neighborhoods connect to the malecón and there’s a famous bridge in between that links the two, making it easy to explore both even if you’re based in one.

For dogs, both neighborhoods are excellent. The parks are well-maintained and very dog-friendly. The one exception is museums. Regular pets typically aren’t permitted inside museums in Lima, so plan your sightseeing accordingly.

What to Do in Lima with Your Dog

• Walk the Miraflores malecón – Clifftop paths above the Pacific Ocean, beautiful views, completely dog-friendly and a great morning or evening walk
• Explore Barranco on foot – Wander the streets, check out the street art, find a cafe with outdoor seating
• Cross The Puente de la Paz (Bridge of Peace) – The famous bridge connecting Barranco’s neighborhoods, a great photo spot with Puglo
• Parque Kennedy (the cat park) – Puglo wanted to befriend all the cats, but a good idea to keep your dog on a leash here
• Enjoy the food – Seriously, this is one of the best food cities in the world and most restaurants are very welcoming of dogs

Where to Eat in Lima with Your Dog

Most restaurants in Lima allow dogs on patios, and many allow them inside too. Don’t hesitate to just ask. Here are two that we loved specifically:

• Caleta Dolce – Our go-to for brunch. Dogs are actually allowed inside which is wonderful. The food is incredible, and it’s a great place to work remotely.
• LOV Restaurant – Great ceviche and they welcome dogs on the outdoor terrace.

Where to Stay in Lima

• NAIA Apart Hotels (Miraflores) – What used to be Selina, this hotel/hostel offers a mix of private apartments, private rooms, and dorm rooms with shared common areas and restaurant/bar on-site with breakfast. Pet fee around $12 per night. Perfectly located in Miraflores and they were welcoming of Puglo from the start. I really enjoyed having our own space, but still having the social aspect of meeting people during breakfast or in the common areas.

There are also loads of Airbnb options in Barranco if you want more of a local neighborhood feel.

Paracas (1 Day)

Paracas is about 4 hours south of Lima and is one of the most unique landscapes I saw in Peru. It’s a desert that meets the ocean and the colors are completely surreal. The reserve itself is stunning and unlike anything else on the itinerary.

You can absolutely see the highlights of Paracas in a day, so I’d only spend a night here if you’re short on time.

What to Do in Paracas with Your Dog

• Golden Shadows Hike – A beautiful desert hike through the reserve with incredible coastal views. Not too strenuous and Puglo handled it really well. I had to show my ESA certificate to enter the reserve.
• Boat tour to the Ballestas Islands – Sea birds, penguins, and sea lions. I had to pay for an extra seat for Puglo but the tour was only $19 so it made for a really comfortable ride. He couldn’t have cared less about the penguins but the sea lions? Absolutely obsessed.

Where to Stay in Paracas

I stayed in a private room at a hostel in Paracas that was technically pet-friendly but not worth recommending (Viajero). They had an extensive list of rules around having a pet and charged a large pet fee. Given you’re only spending a night here at most, I’d look for a simple guesthouse or Airbnb that welcomes dogs without the fine print.

Huacachina (1 Day)

Huacachina is one of those places that doesn’t feel real. A tiny oasis village sitting inside a bowl of massive sand dunes. It’s one of the most visually dramatic places I’ve ever been and Puglo had SO much fun zooming around the sand dunes.

We did an overnight glamping experience with Duna Camp and it was magical. They picked us up by dune buggy from town, then took us through a bunch of activities, sandboarding, tubing in the sand, before heading to camp for dinner under the stars. The tent was incredibly comfortable and all activities are included when you book with them.

What to Do in Huacachina with Your Dog

• Desert buggy ride and sandboarding – This is the main activity and it’s brilliant. You pile into a dune buggy and race across the sand dunes, stopping to sandboard down them. We did this through Duna Camp and Puglo came along for the whole ride. He was not prepared for the speed but he recovered quickly. You can see what it was like in the video below!

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Where to Stay in Huacachina

• Duna Camp Huacachina – Desert glamping right in the dunes. Unique, fun, and they were great with Puglo. If you’re going to splurge anywhere on this stretch of the trip, make it here.

Arequipa (2-3 Days)

Arequipa is one of my favorite cities in all of Peru . The colonial architecture is stunning, the streets are beautiful to walk, and the city sits against this dramatic backdrop of volcanoes. It has a completely different energy to Lima and I could have easily spent a week here.

The Historic Centre of Arequipa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the white volcanic sillar stone buildings are absolutely stunning. It’s also significantly easier to navigate with a dog than Cusco. The streets are wider, it’s less crowded, and restaurants are very welcoming.

What to Do in Arequipa with Your Dog

• Walking tour of the city center – The colonial streets are beautiful and wide enough to walk comfortably with a dog. A great way to get oriented when you first arrive. We joined the free walking tour and Puglo was able to join.
• Yanahuara scenic overlook – One of the best views in the city, looking over Arequipa with the volcanoes behind. Completely accessible with a dog.
• Carmen Alto viewpoint – Another beautiful viewpoint with a fun little cafe and even a zipline, and it’s dog-friendly.
• Waya Lookout – Looks right over the famous Santa Catalina church. Great for photos with Puglo.
• Day trip to Colca Canyon – One of the deepest canyons in the world and the condors are incredible. Most tour operators allowed Puglo but required us to purchase an extra seat at the full tour price.

Where to Stay in Arequipa

• Flying Dog Hostel – Don’t let the hostel label put you off. They have private rooms, no pet fee, and it was quiet and really comfortable. Great central location and great value.

Sacred Valley (1-2 Days)

If you’re nervous about altitude, Sacred Valley is the answer. It sits at a lower elevation than Cusco which makes it a much gentler place to acclimatize before heading up. And beyond the practical benefits, it is one of the most beautiful parts of Peru.

We slowly acclimatized by taking the Peru Hop bus across the country rather than flying directly into Cusco. I think this made a real difference for both of us. Puglo showed zero signs of altitude sickness throughout the entire trip, which I attribute partly to this gradual approach. If you have a flat-faced breed, read my full guide on flying with a pug for more on how I prepare Puglo for travel.

You can also visit the Sacred Valley as a day trip from Cusco if you’d rather base yourself there, but I’d strongly recommend spending a night here.

What to Do in Sacred Valley with Your Dog

• Mountain View Experience – This is the experience. More on this below, but the property itself has enough to keep you busy for days.
• ATV rides – Available through Mountain View Experience and incredible through the mountain landscape.
• Horseback riding – Also available at Mountain View Experience.
• Historic sites and salt mines – The Sacred Valley has Inca ruins and the famous Maras salt mines worth visiting on a day out.

Where to Stay in Sacred Valley

• Mountain View Experience – This was the highlight of the entire trip. Beautiful A-frame cabins surrounded by mountains and alpacas. Yes, actual alpacas wandering around the property. The staff were wonderful, the food was great, and Puglo was in absolute heaven. If you do nothing else on this list, stay here.

Cusco + Machu Picchu (5+ Days)

Cusco itself is a little tricky with dogs. The city center has very narrow sidewalks and gets extremely busy, especially around the main tourist areas. But it’s manageable. The main plaza (Plaza de Armas) is actually lovely for dogs and a great place to sit with a coffee and take everything in.

The reason I suggest at least 5 days here is the day trips. There are so many incredible hikes and excursions around Cusco that you could fill a week and still not run out of things to do. And Machu Picchu alone needs at least 2 days if you’re doing it properly, including a night in Aguas Calientes.

What to Do Around Cusco with Your Dog

• Humantay Lake – One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done in South America. A stunning turquoise lake at high altitude. Puglo came with us. Tour operators generally allow dogs but require you to purchase an extra seat at the full tour price.
• Seven Lagoons Trail – Seven high-altitude lakes in a row. Dramatic, beautiful, and another one where Puglo was welcome with an extra seat purchased.
• Sacsayhuaman – The massive Inca fortress above Cusco. Note: you’ll need ESA documentation to enter historic sites in Peru with your dog. More on this below.
• Explore the Plaza de Armas – Wide open space, great for dogs, and the perfect place to take a break between activities.

Machu Picchu: What You Need to Know as a Dog Parent

Machu Picchu is absolutely worth doing. But there is something critical you need to know before you go.

Pets are not permitted at Machu Picchu or any historic sites in Peru. This applies to all pets. However, service dogs and emotional support animals are allowed, but you need to request the permit well in advance. I was told anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months depending on the season. Book your Machu Picchu tickets ahead of time and note that Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with strict rules around access.

I found this out when I was already there. It was one of the most frustrating moments of the trip and completely avoidable. Please sort this before you travel, not when you arrive.

Also: Machu Picchu is much more enjoyable if you spend at least a night in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the mountain. Getting up early to beat the crowds makes an enormous difference to the experience.

Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Cusco

• Qampaq – Dogs allowed inside. A perfect stop after visiting Sacsayhuaman, it’s close by and the food is great.
• Organika Cusco – Healthy, delicious, very dog-welcoming.

As with Lima, most restaurants in Cusco are welcoming of dogs, especially those with outdoor seating. Just ask.

Where to Stay in Cusco

• Culinary Stay & Taste (B&B) – Charming B&B in Cusco with no pet fee. Comfortable and well-located, with a delicious breakfast and very kind owner.
• Airbnb with incredible view – If you want to treat yourself, this Airbnb has one of the most insane views I’ve ever seen from an accommodation.

The Amazon Rainforest (3 Days)

I know this sounds like the most unlikely dog-friendly destination on the list. But yes, I took Puglo into the Amazon and it was one of the most surreal experiences of the whole trip.

Fly into Iquitos, which is the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. There are pet-friendly lodges available and boat trips are generally fine with dogs. We spotted sloths, monkeys, and caimans on our boat tours and Puglo came along for all of it.

A few honest things to know before bringing your dog to the Amazon:

• During high water season the jungle floor is flooded and you can only access areas via boardwalks. This limits where you can walk your dog significantly.
• I’m not sure I’d bring my dog deep into the jungle. The boat trips and lodge grounds are great, but venturing into dense jungle with a dog is a different consideration entirely.
• If you’re staying at a specific retreat or lodge, contact them well in advance. We stayed at Arkana and Puglo was actually the first dog they had ever welcomed. They were amazing about it but it required a real conversation first.

Where to Stay in the Amazon

• Pet-friendly Amazon lodge – A pet-friendly option near Iquitos. Check with them directly about current conditions and what access looks like for dogs during your travel dates.
• Arkana Spiritual Center – Where we stayed. A deeply immersive retreat experience. They don’t automatically accept pets so you must contact them in advance. Puglo was their first dog guest.

Getting Around Peru with a Dog

We traveled between most cities on Peru Hop, a hop-on hop-off bus service popular with travelers. I notified them in advance that I was bringing Puglo as an ESA and it was straightforward and hassle-free. A great option for covering the country at a relaxed pace while letting your dog and your body adjust gradually to changing altitude.

Flying Within Peru

We flew Aeromexico with Puglo as an emotional support animal into Lima from Mexico City. If you’re flying with your dog as an ESA, check out my full guide to airlines that allow emotional support animals for a full breakdown of which carriers accept ESAs and what documentation each requires.

If you want to fly between cities, such as flying into Iquitos for the Amazon, you’ll need a health certificate from a vet. There are vets in Lima and Cusco experienced with travel documentation who can issue these for you.

In Cusco specifically, I’d recommend Doctor. Pet´s Clinica Veterinaria. They were the most responsive vet I found and helped me sort Puglo’s health certificate without any stress.

LATAM is the main airline in Peru and they don’t accept ESA’s within the country, however Peru Star does.

If you’re still figuring out which airlines fly into Peru with dogs in cabin, my Airline Database has 80+ airlines with pet policies, fees, and cabin rules all in one place. Saves hours of research.

Tours

Most tour operators in Peru allowed us to bring Puglo, but consistently required us to purchase an extra seat at the full tour price. One operator in Cusco slightly discounted this. It’s not cheap when it adds up across multiple tours, so factor this into your budget.

Bringing Your Dog into Peru: Entry Requirements

• Health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet: Your vet needs to examine your dog and certify he is healthy and free from signs of infectious or parasitic disease. The certificate must confirm he has been vaccinated within the past 12 months against rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. They also needsto have been treated for endo and ectoparasites (internal and external parasites) within 30 days of your export date. This is all standard stuff your vet should be familiar with.
• USDA endorsement: Once your vet signs the health certificate, you need to take it to your nearest USDA office (or your home country’s equivalent agricultural authority) to get it officially endorsed. Don’t skip this step, Peru requires the endorsement, not just the vet signature. The full requirements are on the USDA APHIS pet travel site.
• Requirements may differ depending on your country of origin so check with your vet and SENASA (Peru agricultural department).
• Inspection on arrival: SENASA does inspect dogs on arrival at the airport and there is a small fee to pay. Have all your documents organized and easily accessible. The process was straightforward but you don’t want to be digging through your bag at the inspection desk.

I built my Dog Travel Academy specifically for this moment, it covers the health certificate timeline, what to pack, and what to have ready at the airport so nothing catches you off guard.

Leaving Peru

To leave Peru, I did not need an export certificate from Peru itself. However, I did need a health certificate for the airline. You can get this from a vet in Lima or Cusco. Make sure you sort this before your departure date as health certificates have a short validity window.

Visiting Historic Sites in Peru with a Dog

Pets are not permitted at Machu Picchu or any historic sites in Peru. Service dogs and ESAs are allowed but require a permit that must be requested well in advance for Machu Picchu. The timeline varies by season but plan for at least a few weeks to a couple of months. Don’t make my mistake and find this out when you arrive. For other historic sites, you can typically show your certificate on arrival to enter.

Altitude and Brachycephalic Dogs

If you have a flat-faced dog like a pug, French bulldog, or bulldog, altitude needs to be taken seriously. These breeds already have compromised airways and high altitude can compound that.

What worked for us was acclimatizing slowly. Taking the Peru Hop bus across the country meant our bodies adjusted gradually rather than flying straight to 3,400 meters. We also based ourselves in Sacred Valley before Cusco, which sits at a lower elevation and gives you time to adapt.

Puglo showed zero signs of altitude sickness throughout the trip and I believe the gradual approach was the reason. For more on traveling with a pug specifically, including what to watch for and how to prepare, read my full guide to flying with a pug.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Peru Dog-Friendly for Travelers?

Peru is more dog-friendly than most people expect, especially in Lima’s Miraflores and Barranco districts where dogs are common in parks and on cafe terraces. Outside the cities, high-altitude regions like Cusco and the Sacred Valley need extra care because of the elevation, and Machu Picchu itself does not allow dogs. With planning, though, Peru makes a rewarding stop on a longer South America trip with your pup.

Sorting out the paperwork and logistics first? Read my guides on how to travel with a dog internationally, the best dog breeds for travel, and being a digital nomad with a dog. For nearby countries, see whether you can bring your dog to Colombia and browse every destination on my dog travel guides hub.

A Quick Word on Paperwork for Peru

Peru is refreshingly straightforward for dogs, but do not wing the paperwork. You will need an up to date rabies vaccination and an endorsed health certificate, and requirements can shift, so I always confirm the current rules before booking flights. For bringing your dog back into the US afterward, check the USDA APHIS pet travel page for the latest re-entry steps. If this is your first big international trip together, my full walkthrough on how to travel with a dog internationally covers the health certificate timeline step by step.

Final Thoughts

Peru with a dog is absolutely doable and one of the most rewarding trips we’ve done together. The country is more dog-friendly than you’d expect, the accommodation options are great, and the landscapes are going to leave you speechless.

The key is planning ahead. Sort the entry requirements, apply for the Machu Picchu ESA permit if you need it, confirm with tour operators before you book, and acclimatize slowly if you have a flat-faced breed. Get those things done and the rest of the trip flows really naturally.

If you’re still working out how to get your dog on the plane, start with my guide to airlines that allow dogs in cabin and my tips for flying with your dog in cabin. And if this is your first big international trip with your dog, my guide to traveling internationally with a dog is a helpful read.