Inca Heartland & Bolivia Discovery — Self-Launched

Fly into Jorge Chávez International. Skip the official airport taxi stand (~US$27) and use a rideshare app or the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores (~£4-6). Check into a hostel in Miraflores or Barranco, do a supermarket run, and spend the evening walking the Malecón clifftop path at sunset. Sort a Peruvian SIM (Claro/Entel, ~£5 for a data package) and withdraw soles from a bank ATM.

🚌Airport Express bus or rideshare from airport ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm, Miraflores (~£10-14/night)

• →Malecón sunset walk
• →Miraflores/Barranco orientation

Morning in Lima: pick one — Museo Larco (~£8) or the Barranco street-art and bohemian neighbourhood walk. Early afternoon take a Cruz del Sur or Peru Hop bus south to Paracas (~4 hrs, £12-20). Arrive in time for seafood on the waterfront (ceviche is the thing here). Book tomorrow's Ballestas Islands boat directly with a local jetty operator (~£14) rather than a hotel desk.

🚌Cruz del Sur / Peru Hop bus Lima–Paracas ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm, Paracas (~£10-12)

• →Museo Larco or Barranco walk
• →Waterfront ceviche dinner

Early 2-hour boat out to the Ballestas Islands for sea lions, Humboldt penguins and boobies — book at the Paracas jetty the day before. Then a local bus or shared shuttle to Ica/Huacachina (1.5 hrs, ~£5) for sandboarding and dune buggy at sunset (~£15-20), followed by an evening bus to Nazca (2.5 hrs, ~£5).

🚌Local bus Paracas–Ica/Ica–Nazca ~£10 total

🛏Basic hostel or guesthouse, Nazca (~£10)

• →Ballestas Islands boat tour
• →Huacachina dune buggy & sandboarding

Optional early light-aircraft flight over the Nazca Lines from the local aerodrome (~£65-80, book direct with a Nazca operator — flights are weather-dependent). Afterwards take a local taxi or tour to the Chauchilla desert cemetery with 1,500-year-old mummies and pottery, plus a working potter's studio (~£12 with a local guide). Catch the overnight Cruz del Sur bus to Arequipa (~10 hrs, cama seat ~£20).

🚌Overnight bus Nazca–Arequipa ~£20

🛏Overnight bus (reclining seat)

• →Nazca Lines overflight (optional)
• →Chauchilla cemetery & potter's studio

Arrive early morning and check into a hostel in the historic centre. Self-guided wander of the Plaza de Armas, the Santa Catalina Monastery (~£9 entry) and the Juanita mummy museum (~£4.50). Evening on Calle San Francisco; try rocoto relleno and queso helado. Acclimatise gently — you're now at 2,335m.

🚌Walking / short cheap taxis ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Arequipa (~£9-12)

• →Santa Catalina Monastery
• →Museo Santuarios Andinos (Juanita)
• →Plaza de Armas wander

Take a shared minibus or local collectivo from Arequipa toward Chivay (~3-4 hrs, £7-10). Many travellers instead join a 2-day/1-night shared Colca Canyon tour booked direct with an Arequipa agency (~£35-45 including transport, guide, hostel and breakfast) — cheaper than the group tour equivalent. Soak in the Chivay thermal baths (~£4).

🚌Collectivo/minibus Arequipa–Chivay ~£9

🛏Basic hostel or guesthouse, Chivay (~£10)

• →Chivay thermal baths
• →Colca Canyon roadside viewpoints

Leave at dawn for the Cruz del Condor viewpoint to watch Andean condors rise on the morning thermals — the single best wildlife moment of the Peru leg. Walk a stretch of the canyon rim, then head back to Arequipa for the night. Book your Cusco flight or overnight bus now.

🚌Shared minibus Chivay–Arequipa ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm, Arequipa (~£10)

• →Cruz del Condor viewpoint
• →Canyon rim walk

Short hop flight Arequipa–Cusco (~£45-70 with Sky/LATAM/JetSmart booked ahead) or overnight bus instead (~£15, 10 hrs). Afternoon at 3,400m: go slow. Collect your Inca Trail briefing, rent or buy any missing gear, and take an evening cooking class in San Blas (~£18). Coca tea is your friend.

🚌Domestic flight Arequipa–Cusco ~£55

🛏Hostel dorm, Cusco (~£9-13)

• →Cusco acclimatisation walk
• →Cusco cooking class (optional)
• →Inca Trail briefing with your operator

Do the Sacred Valley independently with local combis: Cusco–Pisac (~£2), Pisac ruins and market, then on to Urubamba and a community weaving demonstration in the Ccaccaccollo area (small entry/co-op donation ~£5). Lunch at a farm-to-table community restaurant such as Parwa in Lamay (~£7). Finish in Ollantaytambo for the storehouse ruins hike above town and a chicheria stop. Buy the Boleto Turístico (~£18) if you're hitting several sites.

🚌Local combis Cusco–Pisac–Urubamba–Ollantaytambo ~£6

🛏Guesthouse, Ollantaytambo (~£10-14)

• →Pisac ruins & market
• →Ccaccaccollo weaving co-op
• →Parwa community restaurant lunch
• →Ollantaytambo storehouse hike

Your licensed Cusco operator collects you from Ollantaytambo for the drive to km 82 (Piscacucho), where the trail begins. Easy first day of meandering streams, Andean scenery and the Llactapata ruins, camping near Wayllabamba (~3,000m). Porters carry up to 6kg of your duffle — pack accordingly. Book this 4-day trek 4-6 months ahead; permits sell out and are only issued via authorised agencies (~£450-550 per person including porters, cook, guide, meals, entrance and return train).

🚌Operator van Ollantaytambo–km 82

🛏Trek camp (tent, provided by operator)

• →Inca Trail hike day 1
• →Llactapata ruins

The hard day: a long steep climb to Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,198m — the trek's high point. Pace yourself, drink water, and expect to be in camp by early afternoon. Afternoon rest at Pacaymayo. Altitude is the challenge, not the distance.

🚌On foot

🛏Trek camp (tent)

• →Dead Woman's Pass (4,198m)
• →Inca Trail hike day 2

Cross Runquraqay pass (3,950m) with views of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, then drop into cloud forest and over a second pass (3,700m) with Urubamba Valley views. Pass the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, the 'town above the clouds', and continue ~1.5 hrs to camp at Wiñay Wayna (2,650m) — the classic final night, an early start tomorrow.

🚌On foot

🛏Trek camp (tent) near Wiñay Wayna

• →Runquraqay and second pass
• →Phuyupatamarca ruins
• →Wiñay Wayna camp

Pre-dawn start to reach the Sun Gate for first light over Machu Picchu, then a guided tour of the citadel with your trek guide (entry included in the permit). Bus down to Aguas Calientes, then the Expedition train back to Ollantaytambo and a bus or shared van to Cusco. Treat yourself to a proper bed and a hot shower.

🚌Inca Trail permit includes return train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo + bus

🛏Hostel dorm, Cusco (~£10-14)

• →Sun Gate sunrise
• →Machu Picchu guided tour
• →Aguas Calientes hot springs (optional)

Well-earned rest day. San Pedro market for a cheap set lunch (~£2.50), Qorikancha, and the San Blas galleries. Optional Rainbow Mountain day trip (~£25-35 booked direct in Cusco, very early start at 4,300m+) — only if you're feeling strong after the trek.

🚌Walking / taxis ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Cusco (~£10-14)

• →San Pedro market
• →Qorikancha
• →San Blas neighbourhood
• →Rainbow Mountain (optional)

Daytime tourist bus or Cruz del Sur Cusco–Puno (~10 hrs, £12-20) with stops at Andahuaylillas, Raqchi and the La Raya pass at 4,335m. Arrive in Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca by evening. Book tomorrow's Uros and Taquile boat direct at the Puno pier (~£9-12).

🚌Tourist bus Cusco–Puno ~£16

🛏Hostel dorm, Puno (~£8-12)

• →Andahuaylillas church
• →Raqchi Inca ruins
• →La Raya pass

Morning boat to the Uros floating reed islands, then on to Amantaní for a night with a local family (booked direct with a Puno community-tourism office, ~£20-28 including boat, meals and homestay). Walk to the Pachamama and Pachatata temples for sunset over the lake. Bring gifts of fruit or school supplies if you'd like to reciprocate.

🚌Shared boat Puno–Uros–Amantaní

🛏Family homestay, Amantaní (basic, shared bathroom)

• →Uros floating islands
• →Amantaní community homestay
• →Sunset temple walk

Boat to Taquile Island for its famous textile weaving cooperatives and hilltop views across the lake, then return to Puno by late afternoon. Rest up — the Bolivia border is tomorrow.

🚌Shared boat Taquile–Puno (included in tour)

🛏Hostel dorm, Puno (~£8-12)

• →Taquile Island textiles
• →Lake Titicaca viewpoints

Local bus or shared van Puno to the Kasani border (~3 hrs, £4), walk through immigration (UK nationals get 90 days visa-free; bring US$ cash for any reciprocity fee if applicable to your passport), then on to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca's Bolivian shore (~£3). Afternoon hike up Cerro Calvario for sunset over the lake.

🚌Bus Puno–Kasani–Copacabana ~£7

🛏Hostel, Copacabana (~£8-12)

• →Cerro Calvario sunset hike
• →Copacabana basilica

Morning boat to Isla del Sol for the Inca steps and Pilkokaina ruins (~£8 return), back by early afternoon. Then a bus to La Paz (3.5-4 hrs, ~£5). La Paz sits at 3,650m in a dramatic bowl — arrive in daylight if you can. Check into a hostel in Sopocachi or the historic centre.

🚌Boat ~£8; bus Copacabana–La Paz ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (~£8-12)

• →Isla del Sol boat trip & ruins

Self-guided day using the cable-car network (~£0.30 per ride) as your sightseeing transport. Witches' Market, San Francisco church, Plaza Murillo, and the Valley of the Moon (~£3 entry plus a cheap minibus). Optional Death Road mountain biking (~£35-45 booked direct with a La Paz operator) — a full day, so save it for tomorrow if you want it.

🚌Cable cars & minibuses ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (~£8-12)

• →Mi Teleférico cable cars
• →Witches' Market
• →Valley of the Moon
• →Death Road biking (optional)

Slow morning in La Paz — the National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore (~£2) or the Coca Museum. Afternoon/evening bus to Sucre, Bolivia's whitewashed judicial capital (11-12 hrs overnight, cama ~£12-16). Book with a reputable company (Trans Azul, El Dorado) at the main bus terminal.

🚌Overnight bus La Paz–Sucre ~£14

🛏Overnight bus

• →Museo de Etnografía y Folklore
• →Mercado Rodríguez lunch

Arrive in the morning and settle into a courtyard hostel. Sucre is lower (2,800m), sunny and very walkable: Plaza 25 de Mayo, the Casa de la Libertad, and the Mirador de la Recoleta for sunset. Cheap, excellent set lunches at the mercado central (~£2).

🚌Walking

🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Sucre (~£8-13)

• →Plaza 25 de Mayo
• →Casa de la Libertad
• →Recoleta viewpoint

Optional trip to the Cal Orck'o dinosaur trackway at the cement quarry (~£4 with a cheap local bus), or the Sunday Tarabuco market if your timing lines up. Otherwise: Spanish lessons, café culture, and the textile and chocolate shops around town. Book your onward bus to Potosí.

🚌Local bus ~£1

🛏Hostel, Sucre (~£8-13)

• →Cal Orck'o dinosaur tracks (optional)
• →Tarabuco market (if Sunday)
• →Café and market wandering

Morning bus to Potosí (3 hrs, ~£4) — at 4,090m one of the highest cities on earth. Afternoon tour of the Casa de la Moneda mint (~£6), then a guided cooperative mine visit at Cerro Rico with a former miner (~£12-18; sobering, bring a gift of coca or drinks for the miners as is customary). Evening bus back to Uyuni or stay over.

🚌Bus Sucre–Potosí ~£4

🛏Hostel, Potosí or overnight bus (~£8-10)

• →Casa de la Moneda
• →Cerro Rico mine tour

Travel to Uyuni (4-5 hrs bus from Potosí, ~£5) and check into a hostel. Book a 3-day/2-night Salar de Uyuni + desert circuit 4x4 tour direct with a locally-owned Uyuni agency (~£110-150 per person, shared 6-person jeep, includes driver-guide, food, and 2 nights accommodation — the second night in a community salt lodge in Santiago de Agencha). Buy snacks, water and a headlamp.

🚌Bus Potosí–Uyuni ~£5

🛏Hostel, Uyuni (~£8-12)

• →Book Uyuni 4x4 tour
• →Uyuni town & train cemetery

Early start in a shared 4x4: the train cemetery, the town of Colchani, salt piles, the Dakar monument, and hours of blinding white salt flat with endless perspective photos. Overnight in a basic salt hotel on the edge of the salar (multi-share, cold at night — bring layers).

🚌Shared 4x4 (included)

🛏Basic salt hotel, multi-share (included in 4x4 tour)

• →Salar de Uyuni crossing
• →Train cemetery
• →Colchani salt workshops

South across the altiplano to the coloured lagoons — Cañapa and Honda with their flamingos — past the Siloli Desert and the Árbol de Piedra rock formation. Night in a community-run salt lodge in Santiago de Agencha, a rural village among giant cacti, with dinner cooked by local families. This is the trip's most memorable night.

🚌Shared 4x4 (included)

🛏Community salt lodge, multi-share (included)

• →Cañapa & Honda lagoons
• →Siloli Desert
• →Árbol de Piedra
• →Santiago de Agencha community lodge

Pre-dawn start for the Sol de Mañana geysers and a soak in the Polques hot springs, then the red waters of Laguna Colorada with its flamingo colonies. Return to Uyuni in the late afternoon (expect a long, dusty drive). Overnight in Uyuni or take the night bus toward La Paz.

🚌Shared 4x4 (included); overnight bus to La Paz optional ~£14

🛏Hostel, Uyuni (~£8-12)

• →Sol de Mañana geysers
• →Polques hot springs
• →Laguna Colorada

Bus or overnight service Uyuni to La Paz (10-12 hrs, ~£14-18). If you have time, break the journey at Oruro. Arrive La Paz, check into a hostel, and take an easy evening — you're back at altitude after the salt flats so drink water and sleep.

🚌Bus Uyuni–La Paz ~£16

🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (~£8-12)

• →Travel day
• →Evening in Sopocachi

Take a self-booked walking tour (free tours run daily, tip ~£5-8) or a paid city tour (~£20-27) covering the cathedrals, museums and the El Alto market, with Illimani looming behind. Afternoon: the Killi Killi mirador and last souvenir shopping at the Witches' Market.

🚌Cable cars & minibuses ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (~£8-12)

• →La Paz walking or city tour
• →El Alto market
• →Killi Killi viewpoint

Final breakfast and a last wander through the markets before your flight from El Alto International (allow extra time — altitude and city traffic make transfers slow). Departure tax is now generally included in air tickets, but keep US$25 spare just in case. If you're continuing, buses run onward to Lake Titicaca, Cochabamba or Santa Cruz.

🚌Taxi/rideshare to airport ~£5

🛏N/A

• →Market shopping
• →Departure