A Trip Through Peru and Bolivia Is Also a Tasting Menu

A small group journey through Peru and Bolivia crosses cities, lakes, and salt flats, and the food changes with every stop. You will meet potatoes in more shapes than you expected, quinoa grown on the high plateau, trout from Lake Titicaca, and warm pastries sold from street corners in La Paz. Below is a look at the dishes travelers commonly find in the Andes, how altitude changes your appetite, and how to plan around any special dietary needs in your group during a Peru and Bolivia food tour.

Peruvian Staples

Highland cooking in Peru starts with what grows well at height: potatoes, corn, and quinoa. Peru's tourism promotion board, PromPerú, is a good starting point for the country's wider food scene, and the dishes below are the ones worth looking for on a menu if you want to tantalize your taste buds with local cuisine.

Quinoa and Potatoes

Andean farmers grow hundreds of native potato varieties in different colors, sizes, and textures, and some are freeze-dried into chuño, a staple that keeps for months. Quinoa turns up in soups, salads, and breakfast bowls. Both are filling and mild, which suits a stomach adjusting to thin air.

Coastal and Andean Dishes

Ceviche, raw fish cured in lime juice, is a coastal classic and tastes best near the sea, so do not expect it to be the highlight of an inland menu. In the highlands, look for lomo saltado, a stir-fry of beef, onion, and tomato served with fries and rice, and ají de gallina, shredded chicken in a creamy yellow chili sauce. Cuy, or guinea pig, is a traditional Andean dish served at some regional restaurants. Trying it is optional, and a local guide can point out where it appears on a menu.

Bolivian Highland Flavors

Bolivian highland food is hearty and warm, built for cold mornings and long days at altitude. The best-known regional snack is the salteña, a baked pastry filled with a juicy, lightly sweet stew and usually eaten mid-morning. Chairo, a thick soup made with chuño, vegetables, and meat, is a common lunch in the highlands, and api morado, a warm purple corn drink, often comes with breakfast.

Near the country's waterways, fish moves to the center of the plate. Trout is served on both the Peruvian and Bolivian shores of the lake, which you can read more about in our Lake Titicaca travel guide. Out on the salt flats the menu simplifies, with hearty stews, rice, and grilled meats the usual fare, so a good breakfast goes a long way.

Eating at Altitude

Cusco sits at about 11,154 feet above sea level and Lake Titicaca at 12,506 feet above sea level, and many travelers notice a smaller appetite and slower digestion in the first days of their Peru and Bolivia food tour. Lighter meals, steady fluids, and going easy on alcohol usually feel better than heavy dinners. Mate de coca, a tea made from coca leaves, is offered almost everywhere in the highlands. It is a local tradition, and it is worth checking your home country's rules before bringing any coca products back.

Food is only one part of adjusting, and our guide to preventing altitude sickness on Peru and Bolivia tours covers the rest.

Dietary Needs and Food Safety

Vegetarian travelers usually eat well, since potatoes, corn, quinoa, beans ,and cheese are everyday ingredients, and quinoa and corn are naturally gluten-free. Meat-centered dishes can be hard to avoid in smaller towns, though, and sauces and broths sometimes contain animal products. Allergies and strict diets are best raised with Gondwana Ecotours well before departure, so the details can be discussed while there is still time to plan.

For food safety, the CDC's food and water safety advice for travelers is a sound reference. In practice that means choosing food served hot and freshly cooked, drinking bottled or treated water, and being cautious with raw salads and street stalls until your stomach settles.

Meals Inside the Tour

Gondwana Ecotours designed the Peru and Bolivia: From Salt Flats to Sacred Lakes Adventure for small groups with local guides, and a shared meal is often the easiest time to ask questions about what is on the table and how a dish is made. Meal arrangements vary from day to day, so confirm what is included in the tour brochure and on our accommodations and meals page.

If you enjoy learning about a place through its people, our article on cultural exchange and authentic tour experiences explains how we think about connecting travelers with the communities they visit.

Plan a Taste of the Andes

Food is one thread in a route that also includes Machu Picchu, the highland lakes and the Uyuni Salt Flats. Our Machu Picchu small group tour guide shows how a small group changes that visit, and our guide to wildlife in Peru and Bolivia covers what you may spot between meals. While menus shift with the season, supply, and altitude, the dishes mentioned above are what travelers commonly find on a Peru and Bolivia food tour!

If a trip built around local flavors, small groups, and unhurried days appeals to you, the download our Peru and Bolivia brochure for a full, up-to-date itinerary so you can begin planning your trip today!