Lima Tours: Larco, Callao and the Centre

Some Lima attractions can only be seen with a guide, others are easier alone, and a few are worth a guide for context. Here is a sorting of the main ones. Prices are in soles (S/).

Guide required

  • Huaca Pucllana. Entry is by guided visit, and the guide is part of the ticket. A 2024 press report lists S/ 15 by day (Wednesday to Monday, 9:00 to 17:00) and S/ 17 at night (Wednesday to Sunday, 18:45 to 21:00, booking ahead). Closed Tuesday.
  • Casa de Aliaga. A family home in the old centre, at Jiron de la Union 224, that opens only to booked guided visits. A guide to the house gives daily hours of 9:30 to 17:00 and a final entry at 16:30.
  • San Francisco catacombs. Visited with a guide. The catacombs hold colonial burials, so treat the visit as a quiet one. Reported fees run from about S/ 7 to S/ 30, so confirm at the desk and ask about photography.

Guide optional

  • Museo Larco. A ticket is S/ 45 online or S/ 50 at the door. Labels explain the rooms, but private guides bundle the ticket and add context for the open storage. Opening hours are 9:00 to 19:00 daily.
  • Pachacamac. About 31.5 km south of the city. A guide helps make sense of a very large site of mudbrick temples, and visitors keep to the paths.
  • MALI. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00, closing at 18:00 and at 17:00 on Saturdays.

Callao

West of the city, Callao has a street-art district known as Callao Monumental and the Real Felipe fortress, an 18th-century coastal stronghold. Operators list the fortress ticket at about S/ 20, and the hours differ from source to source (9:00 to 16:00 or to 17:00), so call or check first. Join a guided walk, stay in the group and finish before dark.

Choosing an operator

  1. Ask whether tickets, transport and guide are in the price.
  2. Check group size and the guide’s language.
  3. Look at recent reviews, because many companies use similar names.
  4. Confirm the pick-up point.

Safety on organised outings

The UK government notes that tourists have been robbed at gunpoint in Miraflores and Barranco and that fake taxis operate around the airport. Keep valuables out of sight and travel back by app or licensed taxi. The old centre sees protests, so check the news the morning you go.

You can compare options on GetYourGuide , and the Ministry of Culture’s Pachacamac site lists current announcements.

Read more: walking tours in Lima and the 2 day Lima itinerary .