10 Days in Peru

Peru is an amazing country with so many areas to explore. We did a ten day tour around the county to experience some of the highlights. Below is our plan to help you plan your own travels to Peru.

If you are only planning to visit Machu Picchu, check out our post – Visiting Machu Picchu for the First Time.

Day 1 – Arriving in Peru

Our first travel day was dedicated to flying to Peru. We had a mid-day take off from Austin, short layover in Atlanta, and arrived in Peru around 10 pm. Customs took around an hour to get through. Americans do not need a visa for visiting Peru, so you just need a passport to enter.

We finished customs around 11 pm, then stopped at the currency exchange and transferred some money to pay for our first few days of expenses. The rates are typically around 3 soles (S) to 1 US dollar.

A majority of taxis only accept soles, the Peruvian currency. Some taxis in Lima will accept US dollars and will calculate the cost at the 3:1 rate. At the airport there are a number of taxis hanging out ready to take you anywhere you need to go. Make sure you clearly state what your hotel is, or provide a print of the address for the location you are heading to.

If you arrive in Lima early enough, fly to Cusco and start your adventure. If you arrive late like we did, book your hotel at the airport in advance, as the hotel does book up early. The next morning fly to Cusco early to make the most of your second day.

Day 2 – Cusco and the Sacred Valley

The second day of your tour should be all about the Sacred Valley. There are about a dozen sites within the Sacred Valley that you can visit. The best way to explore the sites is by a private taxi. This way you can keep your luggage with you as you travel and stay as long as you want at each location.

Before you arrive, check out the sites to visit and plan your time. Some sites close early so you don’t want to arrive as a site is closing. We highly recommend checking out the salt pools at Salineras. You can walk along the tops of the pools which encompass the entire side of the mountain.

If you are going to spend a few days in the Sacred Valley, look into purchasing a Boleto Tourista. This allows you to pre-pay for your entrance fees to most of the sites at a discount. If you only plan to view a few of the sites, then this is not a good option.

We also recommend checking out the ruins in Ollantaytambo. The ruins in Ollantaytambo close earlier than some of the other sites, so getting there at least an hour before they close is ideal.

Spend the night in Ollantaytambo so you can catch the first train to Machu Picchu the next day.

Days 3 and 4 – Machu Picchu

Take the earliest train you can get from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and plan to hike up to Machu Picchu after you check in to your hotel. If you want to experience Machu Picchu like the Inca and can handle a pretty difficult hike, take the stairs up to Machu Picchu. The stairs are very steep and will take you around 2 to 3 hours. You can also take the bus up to the top, purchase your tickets at the ticket booth near the river.

Heading up to Machu Picchu in the afternoon means that you will likely have less people to deal with. If you can catch a sunset on a cloudless day, it is worth the views. Ride the bus back down after you are done to save your legs for another day of hiking.

Explore Aguas Calientes for a good dinner location and maybe a trip to the thermal hot springs if you have time.

For your second day of Machu Picchu head up early to catch the sunrise or to hike the Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountains. We hiked Wayna Picchu in the morning and enjoyed the hike. It is a moderate level hike with some steep areas. The total hike takes around 3-4 hours depending on your speed.

After taking the bus back down the mountain, check out of your hotel and head to the train. Catch the train back to Ollantaytambo and taxi back to Cusco, or take the train all the way to Poroy (near Cusco). Hang out in Cusco for the night and explore the Plaza de Armas at night for food and drinks.

For more detail about traveling to and from Machu Picchu, check out our post – Visiting Machu Picchu for the First Time.

Day 5 – Take a Tour Bus to Puno

There are a handful of tourist companies that offer transfers from Cusco to Puno. If you are not interested in the Andes or the Peruvian culture, you can take a night bus from Cusco to Puno for a small fee.

The tourist buses from Cusco to Puno may include stops at historical sites, ruins, and of course stops for pictures of picturesque views and souvenir shops. When planning our trip, we contacted a few different bus operators to get a price. We chose the tour bus option with Inka Express Bus that included two historical ruins, and a Pervuian lunch buffet. The tickets were $70 USD per person, booked in advance.

The total bus tour took around 10 hours, including stops. Make sure you request a pick up and drop off at your hotels in Cusco and Puno.

After arriving in Puno, check into your hotel and relax for the evening.

Day 6 – Tour the Uros Islands

For Day 6 plan a visit to check out the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. You can book a tour to the islands in advance through a number of tourist operators online. You can also book a tour in Puno, but it is safer to do so online in advance.

The tour company we used was called Great Trip Titicaca. The tour price was $10 per person. Tours lasted about 4-5 hours from take off to return. We did have to walk down to the piers from our hotel and back, but it was very safe during the day.

Each tour group will include around 6-8 people and you will explore a few of the floating islands with your group. The tours also include some background information about Lake Titicaca and the ways of life on the lake. The Uros people make hand-made items to sell, so bring some money for souvenirs.

After your tour check out the city of Puno. There are a few beautiful buildings in the Plaza de Armas. For dinner check out the restaurant – Balcones de Puno. The restaurant includes a dinner show alongside your Peruvian cuisine.

Day 7 – Hot Springs and Volcanoes

The next two days will be devoted to touring the Colca Canyon region. The Colca Canyon area of Peru includes active volcanoes, one of the worlds deepest canyons, thermal hot springs, and the Andean Condor.

Book a tour from Puno to Arequipa with an overnight stay in the Colca Canyon area. We used the same company as our Uros Islands Tour, Great Trip Titicaca. For your one night stay in Colca Canyon, we do recommend splurging and staying at the Colca Lodge and Spa. The tour price was $140 USD per person, and included all stops, transfers, and our night at the hotel.

The Colca Lodge and Spa was one of our highlight stops in Peru. The lodge has its own llama and alpaca stables that you can visit and get an up close look. They also have a small museum/information center about the Colca Canyon and the Andean Condor. However the best part about the lodge, was the hot springs. There are a handful of large hot springs along the river and they will feel amazing after a long day touring. The hotel offers you robes, shoes, and towels, so you do not need to bring anything extra.

Your first day of touring will take you from Puno to a point with amazing views of the volcanoes in the distance. During our trip, one of the volcanoes had been smoking for months. Luckily it did not explode while were in Peru. The tour bus will stop at historical locations, scenic views, and some souvenir stops.

Day 8 – Colca Canyon and Arequipa

On your second day, the tour company will pick you up from your hotel, and take you to Colca Canyon. The canyon is considered one of the deepest in the world, but the main attraction is the Andean Condor. The condors will fly down from the cliffs catching wind as they leave. There are a lot of great views, so if one view seems to be crowded, opt for another point of view. We saw over a dozen different condors from different view points.

The rest of the day is spent touring between Colca Canyon and Arequipa, which will include some of the same views as the previous day. On our second day, our driver stopped at herds of vicuña (smaller looking alpaca), alpaca or llamas for everyone to get pictures.

The tour company dropped us off at our hotel in Arequipa in the early evening. Arequipa is surrounded by three volcanoes in the distance, so from various points in the city you can see them in the distance.

Arequipa is similar to Puno and Cusco, so the plaza has some beautiful buildings. Most of the Plaza de Armas is surrounded by buildings with arches and beautiful architecture. The area is safe and very pedestrian friendly. If you have time, check out one of the many museums.

Day 9 – Full Day in Lima

Take an early flight from Arequipa to Lima to make the most of your day in Lima. If you are taking a night flight from Lima, you can store your bags in the lockers at the airport. If you fly out in the morning on Day 10, check into your hotel, drop off your bags and head for the Plaza de Armas.

For hotels in Lima, if your flight is early on Day 10, book a night in the airport hotel for convenience. If your flight is later in the day, we recommend booking a hotel in the Miraflores district.

The Lima Plaza de Armas, or Main Square of Lima, has its own beautiful architecture, and some hidden treasures. One of our highlights was touring the catacombs of the Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima. We purchased tickets on site, and the tour lasted about 1.5 hours.

For dinner and drinks, definitely head to the Miraflores district. There are numerous places to eat and beautiful views to enjoy. The food was amazing and we had numerous options from Peruvian – Asian fusion and Peruvian style hamburgers.

Day 10 – Time to Head Back Home

On your last day, make sure you give yourself at least a two to three hours at the airport for check-in, luggage drop, security, and customs. Customs was much faster leaving than arriving, but the entire process from check-in to clearing customs took us a little over an hour. On top of that, there was a wreck on the way to the airport, so it took us almost an hour to get from Miraflores to the airport.

Taxis from Miraflores to the Lima airport run roughly $25 to $30 USD depending on where you are starting. The drive should take from 30 to 40 minutes, assuming normal traffic conditions.

Once you are through customs, relax, wait for your flight, and look back at some of those amazing pictures.

So how much does it all cost?

What everyone wants to know, how much is this going to cost me? Below is a line item by line item of our hotel/airfare/tour expenses.

• Flight from Austin to Lima, Peru – $550 USD round trip per person
• Flight from Lima, Peru to Cusco, Peru (LATAM) – $40 USD per person 
• Hotel in Lima – $40 USD per night (not the airport hotel, it was booked up)
  
• Hotel in Cusco – $80 USD per night
• Private Taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo with 2 Stops – $50 USD
• Hotel in Ollantaytambo – $99 USD per night
• Round Trip Train to Aguas Calientes – $160 per person
• Hotel in Aguas Calientes – $150 USD per night
• Machu Picchu Tickets – $45 USD per person
• Wayna Picchu Tickets – $59 USD per person
• Bus Trips Up and Down to Machu Picchu – $12 USD each way per person
• Bus Tour from Cusco to Puno – $70 USD per person
• Hotel in Puno – $104 USD
• Uros Islands Tour – $10 USD per person
• Bus Tour from Puno to Arequipa (included night at Colca Canyon Lodge and Spa) – $140 per person
• Hotel in Arequipa – $70 USD
• Flight from Arequipa, Peru to Lima, Peru – $35 USD per person
• Taxi Rides in Lima (Airport to Plaza, Plaza to Miraflores, and Miraflores to Airport) – $50 USD total

Other Highlights in Peru

This tour includes the highlights we found to fit our time and budget, but there are some other areas in Peru to consider. If you have extra time or want to see other options, check out our list of other options below…

• Nazca Lines – Halfway from Arequipa to Lima, tours are available to fly over the lines and view them from above.
• Huacachina – A desert oasis in Peru, just north of the Nazca lines.
• The Amazon – You can tour the Amazon can be started in Puerto Maldonado, located east of Cusco.