How many days do you need in Lima, the Amazon, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley?
- Most travelers spend 12-14 days in Lima, the Amazon, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley combined
- Visiting Lima, the Amazon, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley in 10 or 11 days is possible, but it will feel rushed
- With 15 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
- The most common extensions are Arequipa, Cabanaconde, and Amantani Island
How Many Days to Spend in Lima
How Many Days to Spend at Machu Picchu
Recommended Itineraries for Lima, the Amazon, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley
Recommended Itinerary for 2 Weeks
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Lima, Explore | Lima |
| Day 2 | Lima City & Food Tour | Lima |
| Day 3 | Transfer to the Amazon, Explore | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 4-5 | Jungle Excursions | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Cusco, Explore | Cusco |
| Day 7 | Cusco City Tour | Cusco |
| Day 8 | Tour the Sacred Valley: Cusco, Pisac & Ollantaytambo | Ollantaytambo |
| Day 9 | Maras & Moray Tour, Train to Aguas Calientes | Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu |
| Day 10 | Machu Picchu Excursion | Cusco |
| Day 11 | Rainbow Mountain (Mount Vinicunca) Hike | Cusco |
| Day 12 | Fly to Puno, Explore | Puno |
| Day 13 | Lake Titicaca Tour: Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island | Puno |
| Day 14 | Fly to Lima, Depart Peru |
From Lima to the Amazon, this two-week itinerary has it all. Take in the sights, aromas, and tastes of Lima, then head east to Puerto Maldonado, your launch point for your journey to the rainforest. Spend three days viewing wildlife, like the giant river otter, river cayman, and vibrant parrot species, while enjoying a comfortable stay at an ecolodge. Next, travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley to learn about its culture and ancient ruins, including visits to Rainbow Mountain as well as Machu Picchu. Finally, travel to Lake Titicaca to explore the region's history and beautiful Islands. Read more
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Extended Itineraries
2-Week Itinerary Including Arequipa & Cabanaconde
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Lima, Explore | Lima |
| Day 2 | Fly to Arequipa & City Tour | Arequipa |
| Day 3 | Colca Canyon Tour: Arequipa, Chivay & Cabanaconde | Cabanaconde |
| Day 4 | Morning in Colca Canyon, Transfer to Puno | Puno |
| Day 5 | Lake Titicaca Tour: Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island | Puno |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Cusco, Explore | Cusco |
| Day 7 | Sacred Valley Tour: Cusco, Chinchero & Ollantaytambo | Ollantaytambo |
| Day 8 | Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu | Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu |
| Day 9 | Machu Picchu Excursion | Cusco |
| Day 10 | Transfer to the Amazon | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 11-12 | Jungle Excursions | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 13 | Transfer to Lima, Depart |
Start your two-week trip at the impressive Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. From there, visit the floating islands of Lake Titicaca and the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. Next, hit the markets and towns of the Sacred Valley, complete a short Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, and end your trip in Puerto Maldonado among Amazonian wildlife, including macaws, cayman, giant river otters, and tapirs. Read more
16-Day Itinerary Including Amantani Island
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Lima | Lima |
| Day 2 | Lima City & Food Tour | Lima |
| Day 3 | Transfer to the Amazon, Explore | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 4-5 | Jungle Excursions | Puerto Maldonado |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Cusco, Explore | Cusco |
| Day 7 | Cusco City Tour | Cusco |
| Day 8 | Tour the Sacred Valley: Cusco, Pisac & Ollantaytambo | Ollantaytambo |
| Day 9 | ATV & Ziplining in the Sacred Valley | Ollantaytambo |
| Day 10 | Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu | Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu |
| Day 11 | Machu Picchu Excursion | Cusco |
| Day 12 | Rainbow Mountain (Mount Vinicunca) Hike | Cusco |
| Day 13 | Fly to Puno | Puno |
| Day 14 | Lake Titicaca: Uros & Amantani Islands | Amantani Island |
| Day 15 | Lake Titicaca: Taquile Island, Return to Puno | Puno |
| Day 16 | Fly to Lima, Depart |
Experience the best of Peru with this comprehensive tour. Spend three days at an ecolodge in the Amazon rainforest, where you'll view wildlife like the giant river otter and multiple parrot species. Next, travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley to learn about its ancient ruins and take short treks to Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. End your trip at Lake Titicaca, immersing in the culture of this region's famous Islands. Read more
How to travel between Lima, the Amazon, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley
How to get to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu needs little introduction—it's South America's most famous and most visited travel destination. Getting to this complex of Inca ruins, as almost every Peru-bound traveler wishes to do, always involves first traveling to Cusco. Read more
How to get to the Peruvian Amazon
The Amazon jungle, or Peru's Amazon Basin, covers a huge swathe of Peru: almost half of the country's land area, in fact. To get to the Peruvian Amazon, however, there are three key entry points: north, central, and south. Read more
How to get to Puno
Puno sits along the shores of Peru's Lake Titicaca, the high-altitude freshwater lake known as a cultural treasure for its long-inhabited islands. Read more
How to get to the Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is the name given to the valley of the Río Urubamba and the pretty tradition-rich towns and villages that cling to its sides amid a clutch of Inca ruins. The valley begins twists and turns beneath steep mountainsides north of Cusco. Cusco is the only real access point to the Sacred Valley because it acts as one of Peru's biggest transport hubs. All travel to the Sacred Valley, therefore, first necessitates a journey to Cusco. Read more
How to get from Lima to Cusco
The most popular place to head from Lima is Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca and the jumping-off point for Machu Picchu. For those with limited time, the easiest means of getting there is to fly. Flight prices per person are still not that much more expensive than heading overland by bus and cheaper than heading overland by private transfer. It isn't recommended to drive yourself due to road conditions and other dangers. Read more
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