Cusco & Machu Picchu: 6-Day Peru Tour with Lake Titicaca

Six days across Peru's three worlds: mountain ruins, floating islands, and the train ride between them

You arrive in Cusco and spend six days moving through Peru's three signature landscapes: the Sacred Valley ruins and markets, Machu Picchu with a local guide, and Lake Titicaca's floating and island communities. Hotels, trains, buses, entry fees, and airport transfers are included. You book once and the logistics are handled. The early start on Machu Picchu day (5:30am breakfast) is what lets you see the site with a guide and still have time in Aguas Calientes before the return train.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and leisure in Cusco

• Arrive at Cusco airport
• Meet representative and transfer to hotel
• Check-in and leisure time

Day 2: Sacred Valley tour and train to Aguas Calientes

• Breakfast at Cusco hotel
• Meet guide and depart to Sacred Valley
• Visit animal rescue center
• Stop at Taray viewpoint
• Explore Pisac Archaeological Park
• Visit Pisac Market
• Drive to Urubamba for lunch
• Visit Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park
• Board train to Aguas Calientes
• Arrive and transfer to hotel
• Leisure time in Aguas Calientes

Day 3: Machupicchu tour and return to Cusco

• Breakfast at Aguas Calientes hotel
• Meet guide and walk to bus station
• Bus to Machupicchu entrance
• Guided tour of Machupicchu
• Bus back to Aguas Calientes
• Free time and lunch in town
• Train to Ollantaytambo
• Transfer to Cusco hotel

Day 4: Sun Route bus tour to Puno

• Breakfast at Cusco hotel
• Transfer to bus station
• Bus departs for Sun Route tour
• Visit Andahuaylillas church
• Visit Raqchi archaeological site
• Lunch stop at Sicuani restaurant
• Stop at Abra La Raya viewpoint
• Visit Pucará Lithic Museum
• Arrive at Puno and transfer to hotel
• Leisure time in Puno

Day 5: Lake Titicaca islands tour

• Breakfast at Puno hotel
• Transfer to Lake Titicaca harbor
• Visit Uros Floating Islands
• Boat to Taquile Island
• Hike to host family restaurant
• Traditional lunch with dance and music
• Walk back to harbor
• Boat back to Puno harbor
• Transfer to hotel and leisure time

Day 6: Departure from Puno

• Breakfast at Puno hotel
• Private transfer to Juliaca Airport

The experience

"You will see things here that most people only read about," our guide told us on the first morning in Cusco, and he wasn't exaggerating. This 6-day tour moves through three distinct landscapes: the high valleys where the Incas built their cities, the cloud forest where Machu Picchu sits hidden, and the highest navigable lake on Earth where people still live on islands made of reeds. The pace is steady but not rushed. You spend two nights in Cusco, one in Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu), and two in Puno on Lake Titicaca, which means you're not constantly packing and unpacking.

Day two takes you into the Sacred Valley with stops at Pisac: both the archaeological site high above the valley floor and the market below where locals sell textiles and crafts. Then Ollantaytambo, a fortress-temple that rises straight from the Urubamba River, before you board the train to Aguas Calientes in the late afternoon. The train itself is part of the experience. It follows the river gorge for 90 minutes and the scenery shifts from dry highlands to green cloud forest. Day three is the Machu Picchu day. You start at 5:30am with breakfast, take a shuttle bus up at 6:20am, and have a guided tour with a local expert before heading back down by 10am. It's early and it's crowded, but you avoid the worst of the midday crush. The guide walks you through the Temple of the Sun, the agricultural terraces, and explains how the Incas built this place without mortar: stones fit so tight you can't slide a knife blade between them.

The journey to Puno on day four is a long bus ride (about 10 hours with stops), but it's not empty time. You visit Andahuaylillas, a small church with gold leaf and frescoes so ornate it's called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Then Raqchi, where the Incas built the largest single-roofed structure of their empire: 14-meter adobe walls and rows of storage buildings still standing. You cross Abra La Raya, the border between Cusco and Puno regions, where the altitude peaks and you see vicuñas and alpacas grazing. The last two days belong to Lake Titicaca. You take a boat to the Uros Floating Islands, where families live on islands woven entirely from totora reeds. Then a 90-minute sail to Taquile Island, where you walk up terraced slopes to a family's private restaurant for lunch with traditional music and dancing. The whole experience (the floating islands, the boat rides, the lunch) is included.

What makes this work is the detail. Airport pickups are included, so you don't negotiate a taxi fare when you land. Hotels are 3-star properties in the city centers, not on the outskirts. The train tickets, bus tickets, entry fees to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and the Sun Route archaeological sites are all paid for. You get a professional English-speaking guide for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. One bottle of water is provided on day two. The only meals not covered are lunch in Urubamba and lunch in Aguas Calientes, which gives you flexibility to eat where you want. Groups stay small. This is not a 40-person bus tour. If you're traveling with young children, car seats and prams are available. If you need to extend your stay, the company can arrange onward travel to La Paz, Bolivia or Arequipa and the Colca Canyon.

What’s included

• All overland transportation during the 6 days.
• round-trip train tickets between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes.
• round-trip shuttle bus tickets to and from Machu Picchu.
• full-day Lake Titicaca adventure including boats to Uros and Taquile Islands.
• 5 nights' hotel accommodation with private bathroom (3-star properties in Cusco, Aguas Calientes, and Puno).
• entry tickets to Machu Picchu, the Sun Route archaeological sites (Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Pucará Museum), and Lake Titicaca.
• guided tours of the Sacred Valley (Pisac and Ollantaytambo), Machu Picchu with a local expert guide, and the Sun Route sightseeing bus.
• airport and hotel pickup and drop-off.
• professional English-speaking guide per itinerary.
• one bottle of water on day two.
• and traditional lunch with folk music on Taquile Island.

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide in English or SpanishAvailable from 30 Oct · 09:00

Guide in English or SpanishAvailable from 30 Oct · 09:00

Guide in English or SpanishAvailable from 30 Oct · 09:00

Guide in English or SpanishAvailable from 30 Oct · 09:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 85 years) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3)

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Machupicchu Latin America

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Lake Titicaca in one trip without arranging trains, buses, hotels, or entry fees separately: the fixed itinerary and included logistics are what make all three regions fit into six days.

Traveler reviews

4.80★★★★★★★★★★

130 verified traveler reviews

5 ★112

4 ★13

3 ★3

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3).

Is lunch included on the Machu Picchu day?

No. Breakfast is provided at your hotel, and lunch in Aguas Calientes is on your own, giving you time to explore the town.

What time does the Machu Picchu guided tour start?

The tour begins at 7:00am, after a 6:20am shuttle bus ride from Aguas Calientes. Breakfast is at 5:30am at your hotel.

Are the train tickets included?

Yes. Round-trip train tickets between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes are included in the tour cost.

Do I need a passport for this tour?

Yes. A valid passport with at least 6 months expiration is required on the day of travel. Passport details (name, number, date of birth, gender, country) must be provided at booking.

What is included in the Lake Titicaca day?

Boat transport to the Uros Floating Islands and Taquile Island, a guided visit to both, a traditional lunch on Taquile Island with folk music and dancing, and the return boat ride to Puno.

How long is the bus ride from Cusco to Puno?

Approximately 10 hours, with stops at Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Abra La Raya, and the Pucará Lithic Museum.

Can I extend my stay after the tour ends?

Yes. The operator can arrange onward travel to La Paz, Bolivia; Arequipa; or the Colca Canyon. Contact them with your interests.

What happens if I arrive late on day one?

Airport pickup and hotel drop-off are provided according to your flight information. The afternoon is free. A Cusco city tour is available for an extra cost.