13 Days in Peru - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Discover Peru: Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, & Amazon Rainforest

Consider it the grand tour of Peru: this diverse itinerary takes you to the heights of Machu Picchu, the Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley, and the lush Amazon rainforest. 

Start the adventure in Lima, where you'll spend a couple of days at the beginning of the trip. Go on a food tour of the capital, stopping in local markets and taking a cooking class where you’ll learn how to make ceviche and pisco sours. Spend the evening in the oceanside neighborhood of Barranco, filled with cafés, restaurants, and bars. Then it’s off to the Amazon the next day: you’ll catch a flight to Puerto Maldonado to start, then spend the next few days on jungle excursions of your choosing, including outings focused on botany and birding, and take a short hike to Parrot Clay Lick to see hundreds of parrots and parakeets in their natural habitat. 

On the second part of the trip, you'll fly to Cusco and take a city tour of the ancient Inca capital. Side-trip to Huamantay Lake on day eight, then tour the Sacred Valley on day nine, departing Cusco for the Andean village of Chinchero and charming Ollantaytambo, set on the shores of the Urubamba River, where you’ll spend the night. The next day, see the incredible stone amphitheaters—built by the Inca, though their function remains unknown to this day—in Moray. Catch the train to Aguas Calientes, where you'll spend the night before the next day’s excursion to the lost city of Machu Picchu. Finish with a hike to colorful Rainbow Mountain on the last full day of the trip before flying out from Cusco. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Culture & Wildlife in Peru

On this colorful itinerary, you'll fly high over the Nazca Lines geoglyphs and get up close with exotic wildlife in the Amazon rainforest.

Get oriented in Lima on day one. The next day, you'll drive four hours along the coast to Paracas, transferring to the airport in Pisco for a 90-minute flight over the Nazca Lines geoglyphs—look for the shapes of a hummingbird, dog, tree, whale, and lizard made with light-colored clay. You’ll sandboard down the dunes at Huacachina in the afternoon. Boat around the Ballestas Islands, spotting Humboldt penguins and marine life, on day five. You’ll pass a notable landmark along the journey: the Paracas Candelabra, a geoglyph that predates the Inca Empire by around 1600 years. Back-track to Lima for a free day of sightseeing in the capital before the following day's journey into the Amazon.

Catch a flight to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to the rainforest, where you’ll spend the next few days of the trip. Base yourself at the elegant Refugio Amazonas Lodge, venturing into the jungle to see giant river otters, exotic butterflies, and brightly colored parrots in their natural habitat. Don't miss the guided night hike—you’ll see wildlife that only comes out after dark. On day eight, fly to Cusco, then embark on a full tour of the Sacred Valley, featuring stops at archaeological sites, Inca ruins, the marketplace at Pisac, and the salt mines in Maras before overnighting in peaceful Ollantaytambo. Wake up early the next day for the ride to Aguas Calientes and onward to Machu Picchu, where you’ll go on a guided tour of the ancient Inca city. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Inca Trail & Amazon Excursion

Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail, Cusco, the Amazon rainforest: this diverse trip plan around Peru has something for everyone.

Touch down in Lima. Explore the UNESCO-honored historic center and take a guided food tour—and a cooking class where you'll learn to make ceviche and pisco sours—before jetting off to Cusco on day three. Tour the Spanish-designed cathedral and the Coricancha, also known as "The Temple of the Sun." Then spend a full day touring the Sacred Valley, stopping to shop for textiles in the market at Pisac and overnighting near a massive Inca fortress in riverside Ollantaytambo. 

On the second part of the trip, you'll hit the Inca Trail for a four-day hike. Start with a picnic by a stream and pass the archaeological site of Llactapata on your way to Yuncachimpa, where you’ll camp overnight. Continue along the Warmihuañusca Pass to Chaquicocha the next day, then hike through the tropical forest of Wiñaywayna, passing through Inca-built tunnels along the trail. You’ll get a very early start the next day to see Machu Picchu at sunrise. Then head back to Cusco: you’ll transfer from there to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to the Amazon, where you'll spend the last few days of the journey on rainforest excursions. Go for a ride in a traditional dugout canoe, see colorful birds at Parrot Clay Lick, and learn about medicinal plants—and fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle—to wrap up the trip. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Culture & Nature in Peru

Get your culture fix and enjoy the great outdoors on this wide-ranging itinerary that takes you to Colca Canyon, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Lake Titicaca.

Welcome to Peru! Spend the first day of the trip in Lima getting oriented in Peru. On day two, transfer to Arequipa and take a city tour. Then venture into Colca Canyon: look down into one of the world’s deepest canyons, then look up to see Andean condors circling overhead. Move onto Lake Titicaca, where you’ll see the Uros Floating Islands from a boat and have a chance to go kayaking. You'll continue outdoor adventures in and around the lake on day six, visiting Taquile Island to learn about native ways of life.

On the second part of the trip, continue onto Cusco. Check out the Spanish-built cathedral and the Coricancha, the Inca “Temple of the Sun,” then get some rest before the next day's tour of the Sacred Valley. Featuring stops at several archaeological sites and Inca ruins along the way, the day ends by the Urubamba River. Take it easy in the picturesque village of Ollantaytambo, where you’ll dine on traditional Peruvian cuisine and spend the night. Hike toward Aguas Calientes the following day and spend day ten touring Machu Picchu. You'll squeeze in a couple of days in the jungle at the tail end of the trip—go on a canoe tour in the rainforest, see exotic birds in their natural habitat, and learn about the flora and fauna of the Amazon before heading back to Lima to catch a flight out. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Explore Northern Peru

Explore the archaeological sites of the Chachapoya culture and hike to one of the highest waterfalls in the world on this adventure around northern Peru.

Begin the trip in Lima. On day two, take a city tour and enjoy walking around the clifftop promenade of Miraflores before dining on traditional Peruvian cuisine for dinner. The next day, you'll fly to Trujillo and tour the Temple of the Moon, a pre-Hispanic mud pyramid constructed by the Moche people who lived in the region around as early as 100 CE. Then visit the Rainbow Temple and the Chan Chan fortress, the world's largest mud-brick citadel. Continue onto the pyramids at Tucume in the nearby region of Lambayeque. Take a cable car ride to Kuelap Fortress, an ancient citadel of the Chachapoyas people who predated the Inca. The site is sometimes called the “Machu Picchu of the North.”

Relax for the evening before the next day’s hike to Gocta Waterfall. Look for the bright orange cock-of-the-rock—Peru's national bird—on your walk through the forest to the tall cascades. On day nine, road-trip to see the Sarcophagi of Karajia, the funeral statues of the Chachapoya culture. Then transfer to San Bartolo to see more funeral constructions at the Mausoleum of Revash, followed by a visit to Museum Mallqui, where you'll view a collection of 219 mummies in perfect conservation state. Finish up the trip in Cajamarca, where highlights include trekking to see the otherworldly Ventanillas de Otuzco, one of the most important pre-Inca cemeteries in existence. Fly back to Lima to catch a flight out. Learn more

More Great 13-Day Peru Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your Peru trip? Check out these other 13-day Peru itineraries, ranging from active, to cultural, to luxury, or family-friendly trips.

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