Peru Itinerary 10 days: Lima, Arequipa, Cusco & Machu Picchu

Upon your arrival to the Lima Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our representatives, who will provide a brief introduction to the city and our services while driving you to your hotel in Miraflores. 

You will have the remainder of the day free to relax and get acquainted with the city at your own pace. Depending on your arrival time, we have plenty of suggestions for you so you can make the most of your first day in Lima.

Meals: None provided
Accommodations: (S) Tambo Hotel 🍃, (C) Dazzler Miraflores 🍃, (P) Pullman Miraflores  

Get ready to explore Lima and all it has to offer! Our tour starts in the morning with a visit to the Historic Downtown area. First, you will stop off at the Main Square, where you will walk through its most important streets and observe its architectural monuments like the Cathedral and the Government Palace. 

Afterwards you will head to the San Francisco Convent and its renowned catacombs. Lunch will be at a traditional restaurant where you will enjoy classic Peruvian cuisine, as well as learn how to prepare a Pisco Sour, Peru´s signature drink.

You will complete your tour of Lima with a visit to the Bohemian neighborhood of Barranco, a neighborhood called home by countless artists, photographers, and authors.

Walk along beautiful streets lined with Republican houses, admire the splendid views, and visit the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), the source of inspiration for one of Peru’s great composers, Chabuca Granda.

Later you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport, from where you will fly to Arequipa. Once there, you will be taken to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Maison D´Elise, (C) Palla Boutique 🍃, (P) CIRQA Boutique

Arequipa, known as the “White City”, for its unique architecture, is surrounded by three impressive volcanoes.

You will begin your tour visiting the Santa Catalina Convent. Founded in 1579 as a cloister, you will be able to walk through its beautiful buildings. It is considered an icon of colonial architecture in the Americas.

Later on, we will explore the Compañía de Jesús Church. An impressive baroque-style building, its interior is decorated with vividly colored murals. 

We will then head to Mirador del Carmen, where you will be able to enjoy a spectacular view of the River Valley and the impressive Misti Volcano. 

Finally, you will stop off in the upscale neighborhood of Yanahuara and get a chance to see its old ashlar stone mansions with beautiful gardens.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Maison D´Elise, (C) Palla Boutique 🍃, (P) CIRQA Boutique

Early in the morning, you will embark on an amazing journey to one of the deepest Canyons in the world! We will travel across snow-covered volcanoes, quaint Andean villages, finally arriving in the Colca Valley.

One of our stops will be the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, whose rugged terrain is home to vast herds of Vicuñas, Alpacas and Llamas. Next we will visit the Mirador de los Andes (Lookout Point of the Andes) in Patapampa. 

This lookout point, at 16,100 ft / 1408 m above sea level, offers spectacular views of the snow-capped peaks of the various volcanoes surrounding Arequipa, including the Hualca Calca, the Sabancaya and the Ampato. 

After, you will head to the town of Chivay (close to where the Colca Valley begins) for a closer inspection of the impressive system of platforms and terraces built by the ancient Collagua and Cabana inhabitants.

After lunch, you will make your way to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon will be free to take advantage of the hotel’s amenities, enjoy the tranquility of your surroundings, and simply rest and rejuvenate for the next day.

Optional: After reaching Chivay Village, we will encounter La Calera Hot Springs, which boasts a wonderful array of hot spring pools, fed by the bubbling brooks that emerge from the mountain sides all around – they average a natural temperature of 85°C. Said to be wondrous for curing arthritis and rheumatism. These clean and well-kept thermal baths are not to be missed.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: (S) Casa Andina Standard 🍃, (C) Colca Lodge 🍃, (P) Las Casitas, a Belmond Hotel 🍃

Early in the morning, we will head off to the Condor Cross Lookout Point. Which is an incredible vantage point where you will be able to look out across one of the world’s deepest canyons and if we get lucky, see the majestic Andean Condor in flight! After lunch, you will experience an awe-inspiring trip of about four hours through the unique landscapes of the high mountain plain back to Arequipa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: (S) Maison D´Elise, (C) Palla Boutique 🍃, (P) CIRQA Boutiquee 

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to Arequipa airport to fly to Cusco and start your tour of the Sacred Valley. 

Today you will experience a full-day private guided excursion throughout the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

First, you will visit the ruins of the Andean village of Chinchero, located high-up on the windswept plains of Anta (12,342.52 feet). You will find yourself surrounded by gorgeous views overlooking the Sacred Valley and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. This excursion combines Incan ruins with a typical Andean village, a colonial church, some wonderful mountain views, and a colorful traditional market.
En route, you will witness one of the best sites in the valley: the huge circular agricultural terraces at Moray, built by the Incas in natural sinkholes. They sit on a limestone plateau overlooking the Urubamba Valley.

For lunch, you will enjoy a traditional Peruvian – Andean cuisine at Tunupa Restaurant, conveniently located in a beautiful setting overlooking the Urubamba River. In the afternoon, you will continue on to visit Ollantaytambo, an old Inca fortified village where we may observe some of the best examples of Inca architecture in the region. Surviving structures here include multiple walls and towers that were used to protect the citadel from possible invasions.

The evening you will spend in your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: (S) Sol Natura 🍃, (C) Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado 🍃, (P) Tambo del Inka 

After a very early rise, you will board the train from the Ollantaytambo Station heading to Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes). This train journey is a spectacle in itself! You will be able to appreciate Peru’s immense biodiversity as you witness the landscape transition from Andean green fields to lush rainforest, descending alongside the Urubamba River.

Upon your arrival to the Aguas Calientes train station, you will take a 20 minute bus ride up to the spectacular site of Machu Picchu. You will explore this enigmatic sanctuary where your expert guide will lead you through the ruins, providing archaeological and historical information on key areas of interest, including The Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana (the Sun Dial) and the Sacred Plaza. 

You will appreciate the most amazing views from the top of the citadel! This is an opportunity to revel in the energy and atmosphere of one of the most significant and spectacular archaeological sites of the world, surrounded by the cloud forest.

You will also have the opportunity to see Llamas meandering around in their natural environment.

After descending to Machu Picchu Pueblo, you will have some free time for lunch, and wander through this picturesque town. In the afternoon, you will board the return train to Ollantaytambo Station where one of our representatives will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.
 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Sol Natura 🍃, (C) Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado 🍃, (P) Tambo del Inka 

Today is at your leisure and you can enjoy the idyll of the Sacred Valley on a walk or relax in your hotel.

You will be picked up in the afternoon and taken back to your hotel in Cusco. Stroll through the streets of Cusco in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Tierra Viva Cusco, (C) Antigua Casona San Blas 🍃, (P) Palacio del Inka

We will explore the amazing city of Cusco, which was the Capital of the Inca empire and one of the most historical cities in the Americas.

In the morning, you will begin your tour visiting the Fortress of Sacsayhuamán, one the most important military and ceremonial centers in Incan times.

We will continue our tour strolling through the main square, where you will be able to explore the Cathedral and admire its exquisite vestibules and priceless paintings from the Cusco School of the 17th and 18th centuries. Just a few blocks away, you will explore one of Cusco’s most impressive buildings, Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun, whose interior walls were said to have been covered in gold. As you return to the lower part of the city, you will stop off at the San Pedro Market, where you will be mesmerized by the variety of unique and traditional produce and discover new aromas and tastes of the region.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S)Tierra Viva Cusco, (C) Antigua Casona San Blas 🍃, (P) Palacio del Inka

At a set time our representative will accompany you to the airport to take our flight back to Lima and connect with your international flight home.

Meals: None provided

The trip spans 10 days, starting and ending in Lima.

The trip covers Lima, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Cusco, and includes visits to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Yes, the package includes flights from Lima to Arequipa, Arequipa to Cusco, and Cusco back to Lima.

Yes, transportation between cities is included, whether by flight or ground transportation.

The trip involves some walking and hiking, particularly in places like Machu Picchu and Colca Canyon, but most activities are suitable for all fitness levels.

Colca Canyon offers breathtaking views and opportunities for hiking. You may also witness the impressive Andean condors soaring above the canyon.

Lima is known for its diverse culinary scene. Don't miss trying ceviche, Lomo Saltado, Nikkei Food and Peruvian desserts like Suspiro a la Limeña.