This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Peru, that means looking beyond Machu Picchu and Cusco to discover what lies south—a region of white volcanic cities, canyons twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and a food scene that rivals Lima's in flavor (if not fame).

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Mark Johanson, a Chile-based travel writer and author of Mars on Earth: Wanderings in the World's Driest Desert. Mark recently explored southern Peru—from the gleaming colonial streets of Arequipa to the condor-filled skies above the Colca Canyon—and found a landscape rich with adventure, history, and some of the heartiest food in the Andes.

Plan Your Southern Peru Getaway

In Arequipa

• Stay at Cirqa—a luxury hotel in a 16th-century monastery
• Explore the Santa Catalina Monastery—a city-within-a-city with salmon-pink walls and centuries of history
• Eat at a traditional picanterías like La Nueva Palomino or the more modern Victoria Picantería
• Try the rocoto relleno (stuffed spicy pepper), chupe de camarones (river shrimp chowder), and adobo arequipeño (tangy pork stew)
• Wash it down with chicha de guiñapo—the original Andean purple corn beer served in huge glasses called "el caporal"

Colca Canyon & Beyond

• Stay at Puquio—Peru's first safari-style adventure camp in Colca Canyon
• Watch dozens of Andean condors ride the thermals at sunrise
• Hike into the canyon and experience the climate shift from cold highlands to near-tropical canyon floor
• Mountain bike down a volcano (for the brave) or hike up one (for the rest of us)

Cotahuasi & Toro Muerto

• Stay at Tinajani—a new tented camp in the Tinajani Canyon
• Explore pre-Inca ruins with very few other visitors
• Experience the wind-swept plains and golden seasonal landscapes

Lake Titicaca

• Stay at Titilaka—with a new sister property coming in 2027
• Visit the world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet
• Spot flamingos in high-altitude lagoons along the way

Getting Around

• Belmond Andean Explorer—a luxury train connecting Arequipa to Lake Titicaca and Cusco
• SA Expeditions—for tailor-made trips and off-the-beaten-path Qhapaq Ñan (ancient Incan trail) adventures

Resources

• Follow Mark's work on his website and pick up his book Mars on Earth
• Explore all 24 destinations on our Where to Go in 2026 list
• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Stay Connected

• Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

• Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices