Amazon & Incas Adventure — Self-Launched
10 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£945 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Amazon and Incas Adventure" (Lima → Tambopata rainforest → Cusco → Sacred Valley → 4-day Inca Trail → Machu Picchu). You fly and bus yourself, stay in budget hotels and hostels plus a mid-range jungle lodge, book the Inca Trail through a licensed local operator (permits sell out months ahead — book early), and use local guides instead of a tour leader. Highlights kept: night wildlife walk, caiman-spotting canoe trip, oxbow lake excursions, Cusco Planetarium, Parque de la Papa, Pisac and Ollantaytambo ruins, the Parwa community restaurant, Dead Woman's Pass, Sun Gate sunrise arrival and a guided Machu Picchu circuit. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores or Barranco base
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and take an authorised taxi or Airport Express Lima bus (about £5–8) to a hostel or budget hotel in Miraflores or Barranco. Skip the included private arrival transfer and use the shared bus — it runs to Miraflores every 30 minutes. Settle in, walk the Malecón clifftop path at sunset, and eat at a menú del día spot (set lunch/dinner £4–6). Book your Tambopata flight and lodge for tomorrow before bed — morning departures are cheapest.
🚌Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Miraflores/Barranco (dorm £10–14, private £22–30)
- →Malecón sunset walk
- →Miraflores/Barranco street food
- →Book onward flights and lodge
Fly to Puerto Maldonado — canoe into the Tambopata jungle
Tambopata
Fly Lima to Puerto Maldonado (LATAM/Sky, ~2 hrs, book 2–4 weeks ahead for £70–110 one way). At the airport, lodges meet guests; a licensed rainforest lodge just outside Tambopata National Reserve (e.g. a mid-range eco-lodge) will collect you and take you by motorised canoe down the Madre de Dios. Negotiate a 2-night package that includes meals, the night walk and the caiman cruise — this is the cheapest way to replicate the G Lodge experience. After dark, join the lodge naturalist for a torchlit night walk looking for tarantulas, owls, frogs and snakes.
🚌Flight ~£90; lodge boat transfer usually included in package
🛏Mid-range rainforest eco-lodge, full board (2-night package £130–185 per person total)
- →Domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado
- →Motorised canoe transfer to jungle lodge
- →Guided night walk
Oxbow lakes, jungle trails and a caiman cruise
Tambopata
Full day of guided excursions — most lodge packages bundle a morning oxbow lake trip (giant otters, hoatzins, macaws), a jungle trail walk with a naturalist explaining medicinal plants, and an afternoon swim in a local creek. Chill in a hammock between outings. After dinner, take the motorised canoe out with a spotlight to spot caimans on the riverbanks — eye reflections give them away. Tip guides £5–8 for the day.
🚌Lodge canoe excursions included
🛏Rainforest eco-lodge, full board (included in package)
- →Oxbow lake boat excursion
- →Naturalist-led jungle trail
- →Caiman-spotting night cruise
Back to Puerto Maldonado, fly to Cusco, stargaze
Cusco
Canoe back to Puerto Maldonado for a midday flight to Cusco (about £55–85). Take a taxi or airport minibus to your hostel in San Blas or the historic centre (£3–5). Go easy on arrival day — you're at 3,400m. Drink coca tea, walk slowly, and eat a light dinner. In the evening, book a Cusco Planetarium show directly (about £12–15, book online or by phone; it's a short taxi ride up the hill) to learn how the Inca read the night sky, with telescope viewing if clear.
🚌Flight ~£70; airport taxi ~£4
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Cusco (dorm £8–12, private £20–28)
- →Flight to Cusco
- →Cusco Planetarium night show
- →Gentle acclimatisation wander in San Blas
Sacred Valley — Parque de la Papa, Pisac and Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Take a colectivo or shared van from Cusco to Pisac (about £1.50, 1 hr) for the famous Sunday-style market and the hilltop Inca ruins (entry with the Boleto Turístico, £18 for 10 sites). From Pisac, taxi or colectivo to Parque de la Papa near Lamay — a community-run potato park preserving 1,000+ native varieties; arrange a visit and lunch in advance by phone or through your hostel (£10–15). Then continue by colectivo to Ollantaytambo (£1.50), walk the terraced fortress ruins and the old Inca town grid. Stay in Ollantaytambo so you're close to the trailhead.
🚌Colectivos Cusco–Pisac–Ollantaytambo ~£4 total
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (private room £20–30)
- →Pisac market and Inca ruins
- →Parque de la Papa community visit
- →Ollantaytambo fortress and old town
Inca Trail day 1 — Km 82 to Wayllabamba
Inca Trail
Your licensed local trek operator (booked months in advance — permits are limited and sell out, especially Apr–Oct; expect £380–520 per person including guide, cook, porters, meals, permits and the return train) picks you up in Ollantaytambo pre-dawn for the short van ride to Km 82. Show your passport at the checkpoint, cross the Urubamba on the hanging bridge and hike an easy 11km past Llactapata with gentle climbing to the Wayllabamba camp (3,000m). Porters carry up to 6kg of your duffel; you carry your daypack.
🚌Van to Km 82 included in trek package
🛏Inca Trail camp (tent, provided by trek operator)
- →Inca Trail checkpoint at Km 82
- →Llactapata ruins
- →First camp at Wayllabamba
Inca Trail day 2 — Dead Woman's Pass
Inca Trail
The hardest day: a long, steep 1,200m climb to Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,198m. Start early, walk at your own steady pace, drink water and chew coca leaves if altitude bites. Descend to the Pacaymayo camp for lunch and an afternoon of rest — most hikers are in camp by early afternoon. Sleep early; tomorrow is long.
🚌On foot
🛏Inca Trail camp (tent)
- →Summit Dead Woman's Pass (4,198m)
- →Descend to Pacaymayo camp
Inca Trail day 3 — Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and cloud forest
Inca Trail
Cross the 3,950m Runkurakay pass with views of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, then drop through cloud forest and original Inca paving to Sayacmarca and the 3,650m ruins of Phuyupatamarca ('town above the clouds'). Most operators camp near Phuyupatamarca; if yours continues 1.5 hours further, you'll stay near Wiñay Wayna (2,650m) — one of the most beautiful sites on the trail. Early night ahead of a pre-dawn start.
🚌On foot
🛏Inca Trail camp (tent)
- →Runkurakay pass and ruins
- →Sayacmarca
- →Phuyupatamarca ruins
Sun Gate sunrise, Machu Picchu, train to Ollantaytambo/Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Leave camp in the dark to reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) for first light over Machu Picchu — the classic arrival. Descend into the citadel for your included 2-hour guided circuit (Inca Trail hikers are assigned Circuit 3, with Sun Gate access). Afterwards, bus down to Aguas Calientes (£10) for lunch, then take the PeruRail or Inca Rail Expedition train to Ollantaytambo (£50–70, usually included in the trek package) and a colectivo or bus on to Cusco (£2).
🚌Machu Picchu bus ~£10; train included in trek package; colectivo ~£2
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Cusco (dorm £8–12, private £20–28)
- →Sun Gate sunrise
- →Guided Machu Picchu circuit
- →Bus down to Aguas Calientes
- →Scenic train to Ollantaytambo
Cusco — markets, San Blas and departure
Cusco
Spend the morning on your own: San Pedro market for a cheap breakfast and souvenirs, Qorikancha or the Museo de Arte Precolombino if you have time, and a slow coffee in San Blas. Take a taxi or airport minibus to Alejandro Velasco Astete airport for your onward flight (about £3–5). If you have a night to spare, a Cusco cooking class runs around £20–25 and is a good low-effort final activity post-trek.
🚌Airport taxi ~£4
🛏—
- →San Pedro market
- →San Blas neighbourhood wander
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£945 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,455 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£945
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Amazon & Incas Adventure — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £945 per person for 10 days in Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £945 — a saving of roughly £1,455 (61%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, wildlife trip through Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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