Peru 7 Days Tour: Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley & Lake Titicaca

Welcome to Peru! We know how exhausting international flights can be, so upon your arrival in the Peruvian capital, we will make your arrival as smooth and stress-free as possible. Your Inti Sun Trek representative will be waiting for you at Lima Airport, holding a sign with your name, to welcome you and transfer you comfortably to your selected hotel.

After checking in, you can take time to relax, enjoy a refreshing shower, and recover from your journey. If you prefer, you may also explore nearby areas or enjoy Peru’s world-famous gastronomy with lunch at your hotel or at one of the many excellent local restaurants. Meals are not included.

Depending on your arrival time, you also have the option to join the Lima City Tour, available daily at 8:30 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. During the tour, you will explore three stages of Lima’s history: Ancestral, Colonial, and Modern Lima. Highlights include a panoramic view of the Huaca Pucllana Pyramid, the Historic Center of Lima with its impressive colonial architecture, the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs, and the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.

The tour also includes a visit to the Central Reserve Bank Museum, where you can admire a collection of pre-Columbian gold, ceramics, and textiles.

Note: The Central Reserve Bank Museum is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

If you prefer not to join the city tour, you can explore Lima at your own pace by visiting Miraflores, one of the city’s most popular tourist districts. You may enjoy a walk through Kennedy Park or go shopping at Larcomar, located along the Pacific coast.

In the evening, we recommend enjoying dinner at Central or Maido. Due to high demand, advance reservations are highly recommended.

Overnight: Lima.

Included meals: None.

Today, your adventure in the Andean highlands begins. After breakfast at your hotel in Lima, your host will accompany you to the airport for your flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.

During the flight, you may admire the dramatic change in scenery as Peru’s Pacific coastline gradually gives way to the majestic Andes Mountains.

Upon your arrival at Cusco Airport, your Inti Sun Trek representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals area, holding a sign with your name, to welcome you and transfer you comfortably to your selected hotel.

At approximately 3,399 meters (11,152 feet) above sea level, Cusco offers incredible history, culture, and spectacular mountain scenery. After check-in, we recommend taking time to rest and acclimatize to the altitude.

Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy lunch at a local restaurant or begin exploring the charming streets of Cusco at your own pace.

You can spend the afternoon walking through the Plaza de Armas, visiting the artistic neighborhood of San Blas, browsing local artisan shops, or relaxing in one of Cusco’s cafés.

In the evening, you may enjoy dinner at one of Cusco’s many restaurants and experience traditional Peruvian and Andean cuisine.

Overnight: Cusco.

We will pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and travel for approximately one hour by private van to Chinchero, a small village with beautiful views of the Sacred Valley. In this charming village, you will see adobe homes, narrow cobblestone streets, and local people wearing traditional Andean clothing. Here, villagers continue to preserve many Inca traditions and crafts. You may also see a demonstration of how wool is washed and dyed using native plants and minerals.

We will then continue our journey to Moray to visit its fascinating circular agricultural terraces. Your guide will explain the archaeological site and its traditional association with Inca agricultural experimentation and crop cultivation.

After visiting Moray, you will take an approximately 20-minute drive to the Maras Salt Mines. At this impressive site, you will see thousands of salt pools built along the mountainside and supplied by naturally saline spring water. The water flows through a network of small channels and gradually evaporates, leaving salt behind. Salt has been collected in this area since pre-Inca times.

We will then continue through the beautiful Sacred Valley to Urubamba, where we will stop for a buffet lunch.

After lunch, we will continue our scenic journey to the town of Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo preserves a remarkable Inca urban layout, with narrow stone streets and water channels that still flow through the town. In the upper section, you will find an impressive archaeological complex with ceremonial structures and terraces overlooking the valley.

Finally, you will board an afternoon train to Aguas Calientes, the town located at the base of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, you will have time to explore the town and settle into your accommodation. One night of hostel accommodation is provided according to the itinerary, with the option to upgrade to a hotel if preferred.

Later, you will receive information about the schedule and arrangements for the following day’s visit to Machu Picchu.

Overnight: Aguas Calientes.

Today is the day you will visit Machu Picchu.

After planning your trip, today you will finally visit Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive archaeological destinations in the world.

To begin your visit, from Aguas Calientes you will take the bus directly to the entrance of the citadel. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes, and the bus ticket is included in the tour.

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

Buses depart from Aguas Calientes and take you directly to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Duration: approximately 25 minutes
Bus ticket: included in the tour.

Machu Picchu Entrance Time

Your entrance time will depend on availability at the time of booking and the circuit assigned on your admission ticket.

We recommend reviewing your entrance time in advance so you can properly plan your arrival at the citadel entrance.

Guided Tour of Machu Picchu

Once inside Machu Picchu, you will enjoy a guided tour lasting approximately 2 hours.

During the tour, you will visit the areas permitted by your assigned circuit, which may include temples, Inca enclosures, agricultural terraces, and ceremonial areas.

Your guide will share the history of Machu Picchu and explain its architecture, culture, and the extraordinary engineering techniques developed by the Incas.

Return to Aguas Calientes

At the end of your visit, you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes.

Once in town, you will have free time for lunch and to rest before heading to the train station. Lunch is not specified as included. Please arrive at the station with enough time to board your return train.

You will then board the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, transportation will be waiting to take you by road back to your hotel in Cusco.

Would You Like to Visit Huayna Picchu?

You can also add the hike to Huayna Picchu, provided there is availability and you have purchased the corresponding ticket in advance.

Entrance times are:

Group 1: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Group 2: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

The timing of your hike will depend on the ticket purchased and must be coordinated with your Machu Picchu entrance schedule.

Important: Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, and Machu Picchu Mountain are different attractions. Entrance to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain requires an additional ticket and is subject to availability.

If you would like to include Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain in your experience, please let us know in advance so we can check ticket availability.

Overnight: Cusco.

After an early breakfast at your hotel, we will transfer you to the bus station, where you will begin your journey to Puno aboard a comfortable tourist bus, with several scheduled stops along the way.

Stop 1: The Sistine Chapel of Andahuaylillas
Highlight: La Capilla de Andahuaylillas – The Sistine Chapel of the Americas.

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at approximately 6:30 a.m. and transfer you to the bus station. The bus will depart at approximately 7:30 a.m. Our first scheduled visit is Andahuaylillas, a small village famous for its 17th-century church. The church is built mainly of adobe and brick and contains impressive murals, religious artwork, and carved altars.

The visit lasts approximately 25 minutes. Photography and video recording are not permitted inside the church. After the visit, we will continue toward Raqchi.

Stop 2: Inca Complex of Raqchi
Highlight: Raqchi and the Temple of Wiracocha.

Raqchi is home to the impressive Temple of Wiracocha and other important Inca structures. Here, you can observe archaeological remains, including storage buildings traditionally known as colcas, and learn more about Inca architecture and the historical importance of the site.

The guided visit to Raqchi takes approximately 40 minutes. Afterward, we will continue to Sicuani, an important highland town along the route to Puno.

In Sicuani, you will enjoy a buffet lunch before continuing the journey.

Stop 3: La Raya Pass
Highlight: The highest point of the route between Cusco and Puno.

After lunch, we will continue by bus to La Raya Pass, located between the regions of Cusco and Puno. The pass reaches approximately 4,335 meters (14,222 feet) above sea level and offers panoramic views of the surrounding high-Andean landscapes.

You will have a short stop to admire the scenery and take photographs before continuing toward Pukara.

Stop 4: The Museum of Pukara
Highlight: Learn about the Pukara culture and the early civilizations of the northern Lake Titicaca Basin.

We will continue to the Museum of Pukara. The Pukara culture developed in the northern Lake Titicaca Basin during the Late Formative Period. At the museum, you will see ceramics, sculptures, and other archaeological pieces associated with this important Andean culture.

The museum visit takes approximately 30 minutes. Afterward, we will continue to Puno, arriving at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Once you arrive in Puno, our company representative will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name. You will then be transferred to your hotel and receive the necessary information about the following day’s Lake Titicaca tour.

Overnight: Puno.

At 7:00 a.m., we will pick you up from your accommodation in Puno and transfer you to the Puno harbor. From there, we will begin our excursion by motorized boat across Lake Titicaca toward the Uros Floating Islands.

The Uros communities are known for constructing their floating islands using totora reeds from Lake Titicaca. During the visit, your local guide will explain their traditions, lifestyle, and the techniques used to maintain the islands and reed structures.

After exploring the Uros Floating Islands, we will continue our journey toward Taquile Island. The boat journey takes approximately two hours.

Taquile is a traditional Quechua-speaking community known for its agricultural terraces, community organization, and internationally recognized textile traditions.

When we reach the shores of Taquile Island, we will walk along the island’s paths while enjoying impressive views of Lake Titicaca and the surrounding landscapes.

Here, you will have the option to try local cuisine for lunch. This lunch is optional and is not specified as included in the standard program.

After the visit, we will descend to the harbor and take our boat back to Puno. We will arrive in Puno at approximately 5:00 p.m. and transfer you back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel in Puno.

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and be transferred to Juliaca Airport for your onward or return flight.

End of our services.