Peru: 12-Day Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines & Lake Titicaca Tour

Bus rides through deserts, ancient ruins, condors over Colca Canyon and Machu Picchu mornings

You’ll cross deserts by bus from Lima to Paracas, fly above the Nazca Lines’ mysteries, watch condors soar over Colca Canyon, share lunch with islanders on Lake Titicaca, walk Cusco’s ancient streets and finally stand in silence atop Machu Picchu—all with local guides handling logistics so you can soak up every moment.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and Lima city tour

• Arrive in Lima and transfer to hotel
• Tour Love Park and Huaca Pucllana
• Visit Main Square and Cathedral
• Explore Santo Domingo Convent

Day 2 — Travel to Paracas and Nazca flight

• Transfer to bus station
• Bus to Paracas
• Fly over Nazca Lines
• Free time at hotel

Day 3 — Ballestas Islands and return to Lima

• Boat tour to Ballestas Islands
• See Chandelier geoglyph
• Observe sea lions and penguins
• Bus back to Lima and hotel transfer

Day 4 — Flight to Arequipa and city tour

• Transfer to airport and fly to Arequipa
• Free morning
• Visit San Lazaro district and Carmen Alto viewpoint
• Tour Yanahuara district and Santa Catalina Monastery
• Visit Main Square and Church of the Society of Jesus

Day 5 — Colca Valley and Pampa Cañahuas

• Travel to Colca Valley via Chachani foothills
• See Misti and Picchu Picchu volcanoes
• Visit Pampa Cañahuas vicuña reserve
• Stop for lunch
• Free afternoon and optional thermal baths

Day 6 — Condor Cross and travel to Puno

• Visit Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint
• See flight of condors
• Visit Maca and Yanque towns
• Lunch
• Bus to Puno and hotel transfer

Day 7 — Lake Titicaca and island tour

• Visit Uros floating islands
• Explore Taquile Island
• Enjoy typical lunch on island
• Return to Puno

Day 8 — Altiplano route to Cusco

• Bus to Cusco with stops
• Visit Pucara Museum
• Lunch and view at La Raya
• Visit Racchi Temple
• Visit Andahuaylillas chapel
• Arrive in Cusco and hotel transfer

Day 9 — Cusco and Sacsayhuaman tour

• Visit Sacsayhuaman fortress
• Tour Qenqo and Puca Pucara
• Visit Tambomachay monument
• Afternoon city tour: San Cristobal Plaza
• Visit San Pedro Market
• Tour Korikancha temple and Santo Domingo Church
• Walk San Blas to Main Square
• Visit Cathedral and colonial sites

Day 10 — Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo

• Visit Chinchero village and textile center
• Tour Inca plaza and colonial church
• Visit Moray terraces
• Lunch
• Visit Ollantaytambo ruins and temples

Day 11 — Machu Picchu visit and return

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

Day 12 — Departure day

• Departure transfer

The Experience

“You’ll want to sit on the left side of the bus,” our guide grinned as we left Lima for Paracas. I did, and suddenly the Pacific was just there—gray and endless. The salt air crept in every time someone opened a window. That first morning set the tone: Peru isn’t subtle. The Nazca Lines flight made my stomach do flips (the pilot called it ‘dancing’), but seeing that hummingbird below—just lines in sand, but so old—was worth every queasy second. I still think about that monkey shape twisting out of nowhere under us.

Arequipa was a blur of white stone and volcanoes in the distance. Carmen Alto viewpoint—honestly, I didn’t expect to feel so small looking out at those fields with Misti smoking quietly behind them. In Colca Valley, we stopped for lunch (alpaca stew—tastes like lamb’s more athletic cousin) before driving up into thin air where even breathing felt like effort. Early next morning at Cruz del Cóndor, everyone went quiet when the birds showed up. They’re huge; you don’t get it until one glides right over your head and you hear nothing but wind.

Puno’s markets were noisy and smelled like fried dough and lake water. On Taquile Island, our host Juan wore a hat his wife knitted—he explained each color meant something about his family (I forgot which meant what). Lunch was trout caught that morning; simple but perfect after climbing those stone steps. The whole day on Lake Titicaca felt slow in a good way—the kind where you notice sunlight on water or how reeds squeak under your shoes on Uros islands.

Cusco hit different: narrow streets full of laughter and car horns, Sacsayhuaman’s stones fitting together without mortar (our guide swore no one knows how). At San Pedro Market I tried chicha morada and probably looked confused enough for a vendor to hand me a slice of lucuma fruit just to see my reaction. Ollantaytambo’s terraces made my legs burn but the view from up there—yeah, worth it. And then Machu Picchu day: misty at first, then suddenly clear and green everywhere. It’s busy but somehow peaceful if you find a quiet spot above the terraces. I just sat there for a while watching clouds move past the peaks—didn’t even take photos for once.

What’s included

• Your trip includes all bus tickets between Lima and Paracas plus return.
• guided tours at every stop from Lima’s historic center to Arequipa’s volcanic views.
• entry fees to sites like Sacsayhuaman and Ollantaytambo.
• boat rides out to Ballestas Islands.
• overflight of Nazca Lines.
• hotel pickups and drop-offs throughout.
• eleven nights’ accommodation according to your selected category.
• plus traditional lunches on Lake Titicaca, Sacred Valley days, and Machu Picchu itself before returning back each evening to your hotel.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by VIPAC Travel

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Top questions

How long is this Peru tour?

The tour lasts 12 days with 11 nights of accommodation included.

Is hotel pickup included for all excursions?

Yes, all transfers between airports, hotels, railway and bus stations are included.

Do I need to book domestic flights separately?

Yes, flights such as Lima to Arequipa are not included in the package price.

Is lunch provided during the Machu Picchu visit?

Yes, lunch is included on the day you visit Machu Picchu.

Are entrance fees for attractions included?

All tours and excursions listed in the itinerary include entry fees.

Is this tour suitable for people with low fitness levels?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels but some walking is required.

Can children join the Nazca Lines flight?

The overflight is not recommended for children under 8 years old.

What languages do guides speak?

Tours are led by local guides who speak Spanish and English; other languages may be available upon request.