Peru: 10-Day Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca Tour

Summary

From Lima’s colonial heart to Machu Picchu’s sunrise with locals

You’ll taste Lima’s street snacks, meet weaving women in Chinchero, watch condors soar above Colca Canyon, sail across Lake Titicaca with locals, and climb up to Machu Picchu at sunrise with a small group and bilingual guide by your side. This journey isn’t just about places — it’s about moments that stick with you long after you’re home.

What’s the experience like?

“You ever try chicha morada?” That’s how our guide broke the ice in Lima — purple corn juice, sweet and a little spicy, and honestly I still can’t decide if I liked it or not. We wandered through the old city with its faded yellow buildings and that cool hush inside Santo Domingo Convent. There was this scent of old paper in the library, like a thousand stories pressed together. At the Larco Museum, someone next to me laughed at the cheeky ceramics (you’ll see what I mean). It felt like we were peeling back layers of Peru before we’d even left the capital.

Arequipa was all white stone and volcanoes looming in the background — Misti just sitting there like it owned the place. Our local guide, Lucía, grew up here and pointed out tiny details I’d never notice: how people touch the arches for luck or how you can smell eucalyptus near Carmen Alto. The drive up to Colca Valley was wild — thin air at Patapampa pass (4,900 meters!) made my head feel floaty. Saw vicuñas darting around in that dry wind; their fur is worth more than gold apparently. Lunch tasted extra good after that altitude — simple quinoa soup but somehow perfect.

The day trip to Lake Titicaca from Puno started early; it was cold enough that my breath hung in little clouds while we waited for the boat. The Uros people welcomed us onto their reed islands — I nearly lost my balance stepping off (everyone does). Their kids giggled when we tried out a few words in Aymara; I think we butchered every one but they didn’t seem to mind. On Taquile Island, lunch was trout caught right from the lake — light and fresh with potatoes grown on those steep terraces. The whole place felt quiet except for bursts of laughter from our group or music drifting from somewhere uphill.

Cusco hit me hardest: those huge stones at Sacsayhuaman fit so tight you can’t slip a coin between them. San Pedro Market smelled like fruit and grilled corn; I bought a woven bracelet from an old woman who winked when she handed me change. Walking down Hatun Rumiyoc Street as dusk fell — that’s when it really sank in how much history sits under your feet here. And then Machu Picchu… well, nothing really prepares you for seeing it appear through morning mist after that winding bus ride up from Ollantaytambo station. Our guide Marco just let us stand there silent for a minute before he said anything.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Lima's historic center and museum

• Tour Convent of Santo Domingo
• Visit Universidad Mayor de San Marcos
• See Plaza Mayor and Government Palace
• Visit Larco Museum and warehouse

Day 2 — Discover Arequipa's colonial sites

• Explore San Lázaro neighborhood
• Visit Carmen Alto viewpoint
• Tour Yanahuara district
• Visit Santa Catalina Monastery
• See Plaza de Armas and Cathedral
• Visit Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

Day 3 — Travel volcano route to Colca Valley

• Drive along Chachani volcano
• View Misti and Picchu volcanos
• Cross vicuna reserve Pampa Cañahuas
• Reach Patapampa pass at 4,900 m
• Descend to Colca Valley
• Lunch at hotel
• Rest or enjoy thermal baths

Day 4 — Colca Canyon and travel to Puno

• Visit Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint
• Observe condors flying
• Visit Maca and Yanque towns
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Bus trip to Puno (6.5 hours)
• Transfer to hotel

Day 5 — Explore Lake Titicaca and islands

• Boat to Uros floating islands
• Learn island building techniques
• Sail to Taquile Island
• Experience local music and dances
• Lunch at community restaurant
• Walk around Taquile Island
• Return to Puno port
• Transfer to hotel

Day 6 — Journey to Cusco via Altiplano sites

• Visit Museo de Lítico de Pucará
• See toritos de Pucará
• Stop at La Raya highest point
• Lunch
• Explore Racchi temple ruins
• Visit San Pedro Apóstol church
• Arrive in Cusco and transfer hotel

Day 7 — Cusco citadels and city tour

• Visit Sacsayhuaman citadel
• Explore Q’enqo altar site
• See Puca Pucará lookout
• Visit Tambomachay monument
• Panoramic views from San Cristóbal Square
• Explore San Pedro Market
• Visit Qorikancha Temple
• Tour San Blas artisans neighborhood
• Walk Hatun Rumiyoc Street
• See Plaza de Armas and Cathedral

Day 8 — Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo

• Visit Chinchero village and textiles center
• See Inca plaza and colonial church
• Explore Moray terraces
• Lunch
• Visit Ollantaytambo village and temples
• View from Ollantaytambo heights

Day 9 — Visit Machu Picchu and return Cusco

• Board train at Ollantaytambo
• Arrive Machu Picchu station
• Bus to Machu Picchu site
• Explore terraces and ceremonial sites
• Lunch
• Return by train to Cusco
• Transfer to hotel

Day 10 — Departure and transfer to airport

• Transfer to airport in Cusco
• Fly to Lima for return flight

Top questions

How many days is this Peru tour?

This tour lasts 10 days including Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco & Machu Picchu.

Is hotel accommodation included?

Yes, 9 nights of accommodation in selected hotels are included.

Does this tour include entry tickets?

All admission tickets on tours are included in the price.

Are transfers between cities covered?

Private airport-hotel transfers and shared transfers such as train stations are included.

Is there a guide during the tour?

The tour is guided in both English and Spanish by local guides throughout.

What meals are provided?

Daily breakfast is included; some lunches are also provided as described in the itinerary.

Is this suitable for all fitness levels?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels but includes high-altitude locations.

How do visits to Machu Picchu work now?

Machu Picchu uses new visitor circuits; route 2 is prioritized but alternatives may be offered depending on availability.

What’s included

Your journey includes airport pickup and drop-off, all entry fees along the way (including Machu Picchu), shared tours led by bilingual guides who know each region inside out, daily breakfast plus several lunches (like trout on Taquile Island), comfortable hotel stays each night according to your chosen category, plus train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and back — so you don’t have to worry about any logistics between stops.