Magical Peru – Arequipa, Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca 11 Days / 10 Nights

Welcome to Peru! We know how exhausting international flights can be, so upon your arrival in the Peruvian capital, we will make sure your welcome is as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Your Inka Trail Backpacker representative will be waiting for you at Lima Airport with a sign displaying your name to welcome you and comfortably transfer you to your selected hotel.

After check-in, you will have time to rest, take a refreshing shower, and recover from your journey. If you prefer, you can also explore the surrounding area or enjoy Peru’s world-renowned cuisine by having lunch at your hotel or at one of the many excellent local restaurants (meals not included).

Depending on your arrival time, you will also have the option to take the Lima City Tour, available every day at 8:30 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. During the tour, you will discover the three stages of Lima: Ancient, Colonial, and Modern Lima. Highlights include a panoramic view of the Huaca Pucllana Pyramid, Lima’s Historic Center with its impressive colonial architecture, the San Francisco Convent and its Catacombs, as well as the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.

The tour also includes a visit to the Central Reserve Bank Museum, where you can admire an important collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts, ceramics, and textiles.

Note: The Central Reserve Bank Museum is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

If you prefer not to take the City Tour, you can explore Lima at your own pace by visiting the district of Miraflores, one of the city’s most popular tourist areas. You can enjoy a walk through Kennedy Park or go shopping at the famous Larcomar shopping center, located overlooking the Pacific coast.

In the evening, we especially recommend enjoying dinner at Central or Maido, both recognized among the world’s best restaurants by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Due to high demand, advance reservations are recommended.

Overnight stay in Lima.

From the airplane window, you will be able to admire Peru’s beautiful coastline and, as you approach Arequipa, you will begin to see the impressive Andes Mountains. The majestic Misti Volcano will be one of the first sights welcoming you to this beautiful city.

Known as the White City, Arequipa is famous for its beautiful churches, colonial mansions, convents, and historic buildings constructed with sillar, a white volcanic stone that gives the city its distinctive appearance.

Upon arrival, our Inka Trail Backpacker representative will be waiting for you at Arequipa Airport with a sign displaying your name to welcome you and comfortably transfer you to your selected hotel.

You will have free time to rest, do laundry, or explore the city on your own. You can visit the Plaza de Armas of Arequipa, surrounded by the Cathedral and elegant colonial archways. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Santa Catalina Monastery, located just a few minutes from the main square.

At around 1:00 p.m., we will pick you up from your hotel or the Plaza de Armas to begin our journey toward the famous sillar quarries. Along the way, our guide will explain how this volcanic stone was used to build many of Arequipa’s most important historic monuments.

Our first stop will be the Zamácola Viewpoint, where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the volcanoes surrounding it: Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu.

We will then visit the sillar quarries, where this distinctive white volcanic stone is extracted. Here you will be able to observe enormous carved stone blocks and learn about the traditional techniques that local workers still use to extract and shape the stone.

The tour will continue to the Culebrillas Quarry, a fascinating place surrounded by narrow canyon walls and ancient petroglyphs left by earlier cultures. You will also learn about apachetas, small stone structures that form part of Andean traditions, and you will have the opportunity to build your own apacheta.

At the end of the tour, we will return to downtown Arequipa by private transportation.

In the evening, you will have free time to visit local restaurants or cafés and try some traditional Arequipa dishes, such as rocoto relleno or adobo arequipeño.

Overnight stay in Arequipa.

Meals included: None.

Your adventure to one of the deepest canyons in the world begins very early in the morning. At around 3:00 a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in Arequipa to begin our scenic journey through the Peruvian Andes toward the Colca Canyon.

Along the way, we will travel through impressive Andean landscapes surrounded by volcanoes, mountains, and traditional villages. We will make several stops at viewpoints, where you may observe llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas in their natural habitat.

After approximately 3 hours of travel, we will arrive in the town of Chivay, where you will enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we will continue to the famous Condor Cross Viewpoint, one of the most spectacular observation points in the Colca Canyon. Here you can appreciate the impressive depth of the canyon and, if weather conditions permit, observe the majestic Andean condor soaring above the valley.

After visiting the Condor Cross, we will begin our return through the Colca Valley, making stops in picturesque towns such as Maca and Yanque, known for their colonial churches, local traditions, and handicrafts.

During the journey, our guide will explain the history and culture of the valley, as well as the importance of the impressive agricultural terraces built by ancient civilizations that are still part of the landscape today.

Later, we will return to Chivay, where you will have free time to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, you will be transferred to your hotel located in the heart of the Colca Valley. The rest of the afternoon will be free for you to rest, enjoy dinner on your own, or explore the surrounding area at your own pace. Optionally, you can also visit the La Calera Hot Springs on your own.

Overnight stay in the Colca Valley, Chivay

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

After breakfast at your hotel, we will begin our scenic journey from Chivay to Puno, traveling through some of the most impressive landscapes in the Peruvian Andes.

Along the way, you will enjoy spectacular views of mountains, volcanoes, high-altitude lagoons, and vast plains inhabited by llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas. This route is considered one of the most scenic in southern Peru.

Throughout the journey, we will make several short stops at panoramic viewpoints, where you will have time to take photographs and appreciate the beauty of the Andean highlands.

As we continue our journey toward Puno, our guide will share information about the local culture, wildlife, and traditional communities that inhabit this remote region of Peru.

After approximately 6 hours of travel, we will arrive in Puno, located on the shores of the legendary Lake Titicaca, considered the highest navigable lake in the world.

Upon arrival, our representative will transfer you to your selected hotel. The rest of the afternoon will be free for you to rest, explore the city on your own, or enjoy the beautiful views of the lake.

Overnight stay in Puno.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Today you will explore the legendary waters of Lake Titicaca, considered the highest navigable lake in the world and one of the most sacred places in Andean culture.

After breakfast at your hotel, we will transfer you to the Port of Puno, where you will board a comfortable tourist boat to begin a full-day excursion across the lake.

Our first visit will be to the famous Uros Floating Islands, a unique collection of artificial islands built entirely from totora reeds by the Uros people. During the visit, you will learn about their ancestral traditions, way of life, and how this community continues to preserve its culture on the waters of the lake.

After visiting the Uros Islands, we will continue by boat to Taquile Island, a peaceful island known for its impressive landscapes, agricultural terraces, and renowned textile traditions, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Upon arrival, we will take a walk around the island while enjoying spectacular views of Lake Titicaca and the Andes Mountains. Local residents dressed in traditional clothing will welcome us and share aspects of their customs and way of life.

Later, you will enjoy a traditional lunch prepared with local ingredients while admiring the beautiful views of the lake. After lunch, you will have free time to explore the island, take photographs, or purchase textiles and handicrafts made by the local community.

In the afternoon, we will board the boat again to begin our return journey to Puno. Upon arrival at the port, our representative will transfer you back to your hotel.

Overnight stay in Puno.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

Day highlight: Travel through the impressive Andean landscapes of the Route of the Sun while discovering ancient Inca sites and colonial treasures on the way to Cusco.

After breakfast at your hotel, we will transfer you to the bus station to begin your journey along the famous Route of the Sun, one of the most important cultural and scenic routes in southern Peru.

During this full-day journey from Puno to Cusco, you will travel through spectacular Andean landscapes, traditional villages, and important archaeological and colonial sites while learning about the history and culture of the region.

Our first stop will be the Pukara Lithic Museum, where you will discover important archaeological artifacts and stone sculptures belonging to the ancient Pukara culture, one of the earliest major civilizations of the Andean highlands.

We will then continue across the highlands until we reach La Raya Pass, located at more than 4,300 meters above sea level. This is the highest point of the route and offers impressive views of the surrounding mountains and Andean landscapes.

Afterward, we will stop to enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, where you will find a variety of traditional Andean dishes and international cuisine options.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Raqchi Archaeological Complex, an important Inca ceremonial center dedicated to the god Wiracocha. During the visit, our guide will explain the history and significance of this impressive archaeological site.

Our final stop before arriving in Cusco will be the Andahuaylillas Church, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” because of its impressive murals, gilded decorations, and extraordinary colonial artwork.

Upon arrival in Cusco in the afternoon, our representative will be waiting for you at the bus station to welcome you and comfortably transfer you to your selected hotel.

Overnight stay in Cusco.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

Enjoy a relaxing morning at your own pace in the historic city of Cusco. You will have time to rest, explore nearby streets and cafés, shop for local handicrafts, or simply relax and continue acclimatizing to the altitude.

At 1:00 p.m., your guide will meet you at Cusco’s Plaza de Armas to begin a fascinating City Tour, during which you will visit some of the most important historical and archaeological sites of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.

The tour will begin in Cusco’s historic center, where you will visit the Plaza de Armas and admire the impressive colonial architecture built over ancient Inca foundations. We will then visit the famous Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, one of the main religious centers of the Inca civilization.

Afterward, we will head to the archaeological sites located in the upper areas of the city. Our first stop will be Sacsayhuamán, an impressive Inca construction famous for its massive stone walls and spectacular panoramic views of Cusco.

The tour will continue with visits to the archaeological complexes of Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay, where you will learn about different aspects of Inca engineering, spirituality, and social organization.

At the end of the tour, we will return by transportation to Cusco, where the tour will conclude at the Plaza de Armas. From this point, you will have the evening free to relax, explore the city, or enjoy dinner at one of Cusco’s local restaurants.

Overnight stay in Cusco.

Meals included: Breakfast.

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 6:30 a.m. to begin our journey toward the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After approximately one hour of travel by tourist transportation, we will arrive in Chinchero, a small town surrounded by beautiful Andean landscapes.

In Chinchero, you will see traditional adobe houses, cobblestone streets, and local residents who continue to preserve many of their customs and traditional clothing. During the visit, you will have the opportunity to learn about ancestral textile-making techniques and, if you wish, participate in a demonstration of washing and dyeing wool using natural plants and minerals. We will also visit the Chinchero archaeological site and its colonial temple.

We will then continue our journey to Moray, a fascinating archaeological complex used by the Incas to experiment with different crops and seeds. During the visit, you will learn how the Incas took advantage of the circular design of the terraces and developed drainage systems to prevent water from accumulating during the rainy season.

After visiting Moray, we will continue for approximately 20 minutes until we reach the Maras Salt Mines. Here you will see hundreds of salt pools built along the slopes of a narrow valley and fed by a natural saltwater spring. The water is distributed through a network of small channels and, as it evaporates, leaves behind salt that is later collected. This tradition has been maintained since pre-Inca times and continues to be an important activity for local communities.

After the visit, we will continue to Urubamba, located in the heart of the Sacred Valley, where we will stop to enjoy a buffet lunch.

In the afternoon, we will continue to the impressive town of Ollantaytambo, one of the best examples of Inca urban planning still preserved today, with its ancient stone streets, water channels, and traditional structures. As you walk through its streets, you will be able to appreciate how Inca architecture remains integrated into the daily life of the town.

In the upper part of Ollantaytambo, we will visit its impressive archaeological complex, which served ceremonial and strategic functions and also protected one of the main entrances to the Sacred Valley.

Finally, we will board the 4:30 p.m. train to Aguas Calientes. After approximately one hour and forty minutes of travel through the spectacular landscapes of the Andes, we will arrive at Aguas Calientes station, where our staff will be waiting to accompany you to your hotel or hostel.

Once settled in, you will have time to rest and prepare for your visit to Machu Picchu the following day. During dinner, you will receive all the necessary information and recommendations for the next day’s tour.

Overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

Today is the day you will visit Machu Picchu

After planning your trip, today you will finally visit Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive wonders of the world.

To begin your visit, from Aguas Calientes you will take the bus that will take you directly to the entrance of the citadel. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes, and the bus ticket is included in our package.

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

Buses depart from Aguas Calientes and take you directly to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Duration: approximately 25 minutes
Bus ticket: included in the tour

Machu Picchu Entrance Time

Your entrance time will depend on availability at the time of booking and the circuit assigned on your admission ticket.

We recommend reviewing your entrance time in advance so you can properly plan your arrival at the citadel entrance.

Guided Tour of Machu Picchu

Once inside Machu Picchu, you will enjoy a guided tour lasting approximately 2 hours.

During the tour, you will visit some of the main areas of the citadel, including temples, Inca enclosures, agricultural terraces, and ceremonial areas.

Our guide will share the history of Machu Picchu with you and explain its architecture, culture, and the extraordinary engineering techniques developed by the Incas.

Return to Aguas Calientes

At the end of the visit, you will once again take the bus back to Aguas Calientes.

Once in town, you will have free time for lunch and to rest before heading to the train station. Remember to arrive with enough time to board your return train.

Would You Like to Visit Huayna Picchu?

You can also add the hike to Huayna Picchu, provided there is availability and you have purchased the corresponding ticket in advance.

Entrance times are:

Group 1: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Group 2: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

The time of your hike will depend on the ticket purchased and may take place before or after your visit to the citadel.

Important: Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, and Machu Picchu Mountain are different attractions. Entrance to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain requires an additional ticket and is subject to availability.

If you would like to include Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain in your experience, please let us know in advance so we can check ticket availability.

Overnight stay in Cusco.

The day will begin with pickup from your accommodation in Cusco between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. From there, we will travel by tourist transportation south of Cusco to the town of Cusipata, a journey of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Upon arrival in Cusipata, we will enjoy breakfast before continuing toward the access area for Rainbow Mountain. This second part of the journey will take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Along the way, you will be able to appreciate beautiful high-Andean landscapes and, with a little luck, observe some local wildlife.

Upon reaching the starting point of the hike, we will begin an ascent of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Along the way, you will enjoy impressive views of mountains, snowcapped peaks, and extensive Andean landscapes.

Finally, we will reach the Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca, viewpoint, where you will have time to admire its distinctive natural formations, enjoy the scenery, and take photographs.

After the visit, we will begin our return along the same route with a hike of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Afterward, we will head to the restaurant to enjoy lunch before beginning the journey back to Cusco.

Arrival in the city is expected between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Overnight stay in Cusco.

After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and, at the scheduled time, we will transfer you to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco to board your flight to Lima.

If your flight is scheduled for later in the day, you will have free time for last-minute shopping, exploring the surrounding area, or enjoying your final hours in Cusco.

Upon arrival in Lima, you will make the corresponding connection with your international flight back to your home country, bringing this experience in Peru to an end.

We recommend booking as far in advance as possible, especially if you are traveling during the high season.

Machu Picchu entrance tickets are sold for specific time slots and circuits, and availability may sell out several months in advance.

Booking early allows us to better arrange your admission ticket, visiting time, available circuit, train tickets, and other services related to Machu Picchu.

If you book with little advance notice, we can check the available options, but we cannot guarantee a specific circuit or entry time until the tickets are officially confirmed.

This package combines private or coordinated transfers with group tourism services in the different destinations. During excursions, you may share the service with other travelers, while our representatives coordinate the transfers, tickets, and included services according to the itinerary.

Pickup times and the details of each excursion will be confirmed in advance by our team.

The package includes accommodation for 8 nights distributed between Lima, Cusco, and Aguas Calientes.

We work with different hotel categories, so you can select the option that best fits your needs and budget. The category and available hotels will be confirmed at the time of booking.

Hotel availability may vary depending on the season and how far in advance the reservation is made.

Yes. The listed times are approximate and may be modified due to weather conditions, traffic, train availability, buses, entrance tickets, flights, or other operational circumstances.

Any necessary changes will be communicated by our team in a timely manner while making every effort to maintain all activities included in the program.

The package includes only the meals specifically mentioned in each day’s itinerary.

Scheduled services include breakfasts and lunches on certain excursions, such as the Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, and other tours included in the program.

Any breakfasts, lunches, or dinners not specified in the itinerary must be paid for directly by the traveler.

During the 15-day package, transfers are provided through a combination of tourist transportation, intercity buses, trains, and coordinated transfers between hotels, terminals, and airports.

Our team will inform you in advance about pickup times, meeting points, and the details of each transfer. At destinations where applicable, a representative will be waiting for your arrival to assist you and transfer you to the selected hotel.

Some routes, such as Nazca – Arequipa, Chivay – Puno, and Puno – Cusco, are operated using tourist services or scheduled buses, while the journey to Aguas Calientes is by train.

We recommend being ready in advance for each departure and following the indicated schedules, especially for bus and train services.

During the trip, you will experience different weather conditions due to Peru’s geographic diversity.

Lima, Paracas, Ica, and Nazca generally have milder or warmer climates, while Cusco and Puno can experience considerably lower temperatures, especially in the mornings and evenings.

At high-altitude destinations such as Puno and Rainbow Mountain, temperatures can drop significantly. For this reason, we recommend bringing lightweight clothing, thermal layers, a waterproof jacket, and several warm layers.

Because the program includes overland transfers, tourist buses, trains, and different hotels, we recommend traveling with practical luggage and avoiding unnecessary items.

For daily excursions, we recommend using a small daypack where you can carry water, sunscreen, documents, a camera, warm clothing, and personal items.

Specific luggage restrictions established by the railway company may apply to the train journey to Aguas Calientes. Our team will inform you in advance about the conditions that apply to your service.

During this trip, you will visit several high-altitude destinations, including Cusco, Puno, the Colca Valley, and Rainbow Mountain.

We recommend getting adequate rest, staying hydrated, avoiding intense physical exertion during your first hours at altitude, and following your guide’s instructions.

If you have a medical condition or regularly take medication, we recommend consulting your doctor before traveling and informing us of any relevant information before your arrival.

You do not need to be an experienced traveler, but we do recommend having a basic level of physical fitness, as the itinerary includes hikes, archaeological visits, and activities at high-altitude destinations.

Most tours are conducted at a moderate pace and accompanied by professional guides. However, some activities, such as Rainbow Mountain, require greater physical effort because of the hike and altitude.

If you have a medical condition, difficulty walking, or concerns related to altitude, we recommend informing us before booking so we can advise you appropriately.

Yes. Depending on availability, some activities may be modified, replaced, or extended before the reservation is confirmed.

We can also evaluate additional services, different hotel categories, special admission tickets, or complementary activities.

Any modification may result in a change to the final package price and will be subject to availability.