Trip to Peru 8 days, Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

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 the nearby areas or enjoy Peru’s renowned gastronomy with lunch at your hotel or at one of the excellent local restaurants (meals not included).

Depending on your arrival time, you also have the option to join the Lima City Tour, available daily at 8:30 AM or 2:00 PM. During the tour, you will explore the three stages of Lima: Ancestral, Colonial, and Modern Lima. Highlights include a panoramic view of Huaca Pucllana, 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 an important 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 the district of Miraflores, one of the city’s most popular tourist areas. You may enjoy a walk through Kennedy Park or go shopping at the famous Larcomar shopping center, located along the Pacific coast.

In the evening, we recommend enjoying dinner at Central or Maido, both recognized among the best restaurants in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Due to high demand, advance reservations are recommended.

Overnight in Lima.
Included meals: None.

Between 4:30 and 5:00 AM, we will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and begin our journey south to Paracas.

Upon arrival in Paracas, we will head to the El Chaco pier to board a modern speedboat for an excursion to the Ballestas Islands, located in Paracas Bay. During the tour, you will enjoy spectacular coastal scenery and observe a great variety of marine wildlife, including sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingos, parihuanas, and numerous seabirds. Along the way, you will also see the famous Candelabra geoglyph carved into the hillside while your guide explains the different theories surrounding its origin. The boat tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

After the excursion, we will continue to the city of Ica, where you will have free time for lunch (not included).

Later, we will visit the Noelia Chocolate Factory to taste traditional local products such as chocotejas, alfajores, jams, artisanal cookies, filled mousse, and more.

In the afternoon, we will explore the beautiful Huacachina Oasis, a natural lagoon surrounded by impressive sand dunes. Here, you will enjoy an exciting dune buggy ride and sandboarding experience across the desert, as well as free time to walk around the oasis and take unforgettable photographs.

Before returning to Lima, we will visit a local winery where you will have the opportunity to taste some of the region’s most traditional products, including wines, piscos, pisco creams, macerates, and mistelas.

At approximately 7:00 PM, we will board the bus back to Lima. Upon arrival at around 10:00 PM, our team will transfer you to your selected hotel.

Overnight in Lima.
Included meals: None.

Today, your adventure in the Peruvian Andes begins! After enjoying breakfast at your hotel in Lima, our staff 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 landscapes as the Pacific coastline and desert dunes gradually give way to the majestic Andes Mountains, once home to one of the most extraordinary civilizations in history: the Incas.

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.

Located at 3,399 meters (11,152 feet) above sea level, Cusco offers not only incredible history and culture but also breathtaking mountain scenery. After check-in, we recommend taking time to rest, acclimatize to the altitude, and enjoy a traditional coca tea at your hotel.

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

You also have the option to join the Cusco City Tour, available daily at 9:00 AM or 1:00 PM. During the tour, you will visit some of the city’s most important historical and archaeological sites, including the impressive Cathedral of Cusco, Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), and the nearby Inca archaeological complexes of Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay.

If you prefer not to join the tour, you can spend the afternoon walking around the Plaza de Armas, visiting the traditional San Blas neighborhood, browsing local artisan shops, or relaxing in one of Cusco’s cozy cafés.

In the evening, we recommend enjoying dinner at Chicha by Gastón Acurio or Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse, both excellent options for experiencing traditional Peruvian and Andean cuisine.

“It’s not altitude sickness… it’s the feeling of being closer to heaven.”

Overnight in Cusco.
Included meals: Breakfast at the hotel in Lima.

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 6:30 a.m. and travel for approximately one hour by tourist transportation to Chinchero, a small village with beautiful views of the Sacred Valley. In this charming place, you will see adobe houses, narrow cobbled streets, and local people wearing traditional Peruvian clothing. Here, residents still preserve many Inca traditions and artisanal techniques. If you wish, you may observe a demonstration of how wool is washed and dyed using native plants and minerals. You will also visit the beautiful INCA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE AND COLONIAL TEMPLE OF CHINCHERO.

We will then continue our journey to MORAY to discover the fascinating site used by the Incas for agricultural experiments and cultivating different seeds. Here, you will learn how they ingeniously designed a drainage system at the bottom of the terraces to prevent flooding during the rainy season.

After visiting Moray, we will take an approximately 20-minute bus ride to THE MARAS SALT MINES. At this impressive site, you can observe the pools fed by saline spring water, built on steep terraces along one side of a narrow valley. Water is distributed through the pools by a network of channels and slowly evaporates, leaving the salt behind. Salt has been extracted from Maras since pre-Inca times, and groups of workers have maintained the terraces and channels for hundreds of years. We will then follow the beautiful route toward Urubamba, the heart of the Sacred Valley, where we will stop to enjoy a BUFFET LUNCH.

We will continue our scenic journey to the impressive town of OLLANTAYTAMBO. Ollantaytambo is a classic Inca town that has preserved the traditional Inca urban layout of narrow streets alongside flowing water channels. As you walk through its stone streets, the gentle sound of water will make it easy to imagine how the town looked during Inca times. In the upper part of the town is an impressive ceremonial center associated with water worship, as well as a powerful fortress that protected access to the lower valley.

Finally, you will board the 4:30 p.m. train to Aguas Calientes. After a journey of approximately one hour and forty minutes through the Andes, you will arrive at Aguas Calientes train station, where our staff will welcome you and accompany you to your hotel or hostel. Here, you can relax and rest before your visit to Machu Picchu. During dinner, you will receive the corresponding instructions for the following day’s tour.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Included meals: Breakfast and lunch.

Today is the day to discover Machu Picchu

After planning your journey, today you will finally visit Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive wonders in the world.

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

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 to your entrance ticket.

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

Guided Visit to Machu Picchu

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

During the tour, you will discover some of the main sectors of the citadel, including temples, Inca structures, agricultural terraces, and ceremonial areas.

Our 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 the visit, you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes.

Once in town, you will have free time for lunch and rest before heading to the train station. Remember to arrive with enough time to board your return train.

Would You Like to Visit Huayna Picchu?

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

Entrance times are:

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

The time of your hike will depend on the ticket purchased and may take place before or after your visit to the citadel.

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 in Cusco.

Included meals: Breakfast.

Today is free for you to relax or continue exploring Cusco at your own pace. You may choose to visit local museums, explore colorful markets, discover streets filled with history, or simply enjoy the unique atmosphere of the city.

Optional tours such as ATV rides, cooking classes, or other cultural experiences can also be arranged upon request.

Overnight in Cusco.
Included meals: Breakfast.

Your day will begin with an early pickup from your accommodation in Cusco between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. Our transportation will take you south of Cusco to the town of Cusipata. The transfer lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Upon arrival in Cusipata, we will enjoy breakfast. After breakfast, we will continue our journey toward Rainbow Mountain for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to enjoy beautiful landscapes and observe the local wildlife.

We will begin our adventure with an uphill hike lasting approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, with snow-capped mountains and wonderful landscapes in the background. Finally, we will reach the viewpoint from where we can admire the colors of Rainbow Mountain and the breathtaking views it offers.

After visiting the site and taking photographs, we will return along the same trail with an approximately 1.5-hour hike, enjoy lunch, and begin the drive back to Cusco, arriving between approximately 5:00 and 5:30 p.m.

Overnight in Cusco.
Included meals: Breakfast and lunch.

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and be transferred to Cusco Airport for your onward journey. If your flight is later in the day, you may have some free time for last-minute shopping or exploring nearby attractions. Upon your arrival in Lima, you will connect with your international flight back to your country.