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

Ten Days Across Peru: From Lima's Museums to Machu Picchu's Stone Terraces

You travel from Lima through Arequipa and the Andes to Lake Titicaca, then overland to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu over ten days with a bilingual guide. The itinerary handles all transport between cities, entry to museums and archaeological sites, accommodation, and meals, so you move without arranging logistics at each stop. Train tickets and Machu Picchu access are locked in advance, which means no surprises on the day.

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 neighborhoods

• 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 and vicuna reserve

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

Day 4 — Colca Canyon and travel to Puno

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

Day 5 — Lake Titicaca islands tour

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

Day 6 — Altiplano route to Cusco

• 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 hotel transfer

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
• Visit Moray agricultural terraces
• Lunch
• Tour Ollantaytambo village and temples
• View Ollantaytambo from heights

Day 9 — Machu Picchu visit and return

• Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu
• Bus to Machu Picchu site
• Explore Machu Picchu ruins
• Lunch
• Return by train to Cusco
• Transfer to hotel

Day 10 — Departure and airport transfer

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

The Experience

"How early do we leave for the condor?" That question, asked by someone on day four, tells you what this trip does — it moves you through Peru fast enough to see the real landmarks, but slow enough that you're not just checking boxes. The 10-day itinerary starts in Lima with the Larco Museum and the colonial heart of the city, then heads south through Arequipa's white-stone neighborhoods and up into the Andes. By day three you're at 4,900 meters crossing the Pampa Cañahuas vicuña reserve, watching the active Sabancaya volcano rise ahead. The rhythm is deliberate: a day in one place, a long drive to the next, time to breathe between the big moments.

Lake Titicaca arrives on day five, and it's the kind of stop that changes how you think about Peru. You board a motorboat in the morning and spend hours on the water visiting the Uros islands — communities that built their own land from totora reeds and have lived there for centuries — and then Taquile, where Quechua traditions have stayed almost untouched. Lunch is simple and filling, eaten with people who live there. The lake is massive and still, and you understand why it matters. After that, the route climbs toward Cusco through the Altiplano, stopping at Pucará's museum and the temple ruins at Racchi, arriving at high altitude but with context for why you're there.

Cusco itself gets two days. The first covers Sacsayhuaman — the massive stone citadel above the city — and Q'enqo, Puca Pucará, and Tambomachay, all Inca sites that sit in the landscape like they grew there. The afternoon swings into the city proper: San Pedro Market, the Qorikancha Temple, the Twelve Angled Stone on Hatun Rumiyoc Street, the Cathedral. Day eight moves into the Sacred Valley, visiting Chinchero with its weaving women, the concentric terraces of Moray (an Inca agricultural laboratory), and Ollantaytambo's temple and baths. Then comes day nine: the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, the bus ride up the winding road above the Urubamba river, and the site itself — terraces, staircases, ceremonial plazas, the whole thing. You get lunch there and time to walk the circuits before the train back.

The tour includes all entry tickets, the train to Machu Picchu (Expedition or Vistadome depending on availability), private airport transfers, shared transfers to the train station, nine nights in selected hotels, daily breakfast, and a bilingual guide speaking Spanish and English throughout. Note that Machu Picchu tickets are non-refundable and date changes aren't accepted — if you need to shift your visit, you'll need to buy a new ticket. The site has three visitor circuits now to manage crowds; route 2 is the priority, but you'll be informed of alternatives before booking is final.

What’s included

Your ten days include private airport pickup and drop-off, all entry tickets to museums and archaeological sites, nine nights in selected category hotels with daily breakfast, shared group tours with a bilingual guide, the train ticket to Machu Picchu (Expedition or Vistadome depending on availability), shared transfers between cities and to the train station, and lunch or meals at several stops. You do not arrange transport, tickets, or accommodation yourself — everything is coordinated in advance.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by VIPAC Travel

Is this one for you?This tour works for travelers who want to see Peru's major landmarks — Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, the Sacred Valley — without spending time on logistics; the fixed itinerary and included transport mean you move through the country without negotiating rides or booking each site separately.

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Top questions

What's included in the tour price?

All admission tickets, nine nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, private airport transfers, shared transfers to the train station, the train ticket to Machu Picchu, and a bilingual Spanish-English guide for shared group tours.

How long is the drive from Puno to Cusco?

The route takes most of a day, with stops at Pucará museum, La Raya (the highest point at 4,335 meters), Racchi temple ruins, and the church at Andahuaylillas before arriving in Cusco.

Can I change my Machu Picchu visit date?

No. Machu Picchu admission tickets are non-refundable and date changes are not accepted. If you need to reschedule, you must purchase a new ticket.

What are the three visitor circuits at Machu Picchu?

Route 2 is prioritized. If unavailable, you'll be offered circuit 3B or circuit 1B, and you can confirm your choice before tickets are issued.

Is the tour suitable for people with limited fitness?

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it involves high altitude (up to 4,900 meters), long days of walking, and train travel.

Do I need to arrange my own transport between cities?

No. The tour includes private transfers from the airport, shared transfers between cities, and the train to Machu Picchu. You don't arrange transport yourself.

What language is the guide?

Guides speak both Spanish and English throughout the tour.

How many nights do I spend in each city?

Lima (1 night), Arequipa (1 night), Colca (1 night), Puno (1 night), Cusco (2 nights), Sacred Valley (1 night), plus one more night in Cusco after Machu Picchu (9 nights total).