Best of the Andes: Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain & Lake Titicaca — Self-Launched
8 days · Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca)
Inkayni Peru Tours charges £825
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, backpacker-friendly version of the 8-day guided Andes circuit from Cusco to Juliaca. You'll see the Sacred Valley ruins of Chinchero, Moray and Maras, sleep in Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu with a small-group local guide, hike Rainbow Mountain (5,020m) on a shared tour, ride the tourist "Route of the Sun" bus to Puno with its Inca and colonial stops, and explore the Uros floating islands and Taquile on a shared boat trip. Everything is booked directly through local operators, hostels and PeruRail/Inca Rail — no group package, no single supplement. Costs are approximate and assume hostel/guesthouse dorms or simple private rooms, cheap menus and shared transport.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cusco & acclimatise
Cusco
Fly or bus into Cusco (3,400m) and take it very easy — altitude is the biggest challenge of this trip. From Alejandro Velasco Astete airport, an official taxi to the historic centre costs around S/25-35 (£5-7); if you arrive by overnight Cruz del Sur bus from Lima or Arequipa the terminal is a short taxi ride away. Check into a hostel in San Blas or the Centro Histórico, drink coca tea, and take a gentle wander around Plaza de Armas and San Pedro Market. Book your Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes logistics today while you have wifi.
🚌Airport taxi ~£6; walking around town
🛏Hostel dorm or simple private room, Cusco historic centre (~£12-16)
- →Gentle acclimatisation walk around Plaza de Armas
- →San Pedro Market
- →Coca tea and early night
Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Moray, Maras & train to Aguas Calientes
Cusco → Chinchero → Moray → Maras → Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes
Join a shared Sacred Valley day tour, or do it yourself with colectivos: Cusco to Chinchero (S/5), Chinchero to Urubamba (S/5), then a taxi up to Moray and the Maras salt pans (around S/60-80 return, negotiable — shared with other travellers it's cheaper). Chinchero's colonial church sits on Inca foundations and there's a weaving cooperative demo (free, tips welcome). Moray's concentric terracing, then the Maras salt mines (entry S/10). In the late afternoon take a colectivo or taxi to Ollantaytambo station (S/10-15) and board the PeruRail or Inca Rail service to Aguas Calientes — book online in advance, roughly £55-70 one way for the cheaper 'expedition/voyager' classes. Drop your bag at the guesthouse and eat on the riverside.
🚌Colectivos Cusco–Chinchero–Urubamba ~£3-4; shared taxi to Moray/Maras ~£12; taxis to Ollantaytambo ~£3; train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes ~£55-70
🛏Guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£16-22)
- →Chinchero church and Inca ruins (S/10)
- →Andean weaving demonstration
- →Moray agricultural terraces (S/10 combo ticket)
- →Maras salt mines (S/10)
Machu Picchu & hot springs
Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu
Buy your Machu Picchu entry ticket weeks (ideally months) ahead on the official Ministerio de Cultura site — around S/152 (£33) for Circuit 2, plus the Consettur bus up and back (S/24 each way, or queue for the cheaper option, but the bus is worth it). The gates open early; aim for one of the first buses around 5:30am to beat the crowds. You can hire a licensed guide at the entrance for around S/50-80 per person if you share with others (£6-10 each), or pre-book a small-group guide via GetYourGuide for roughly £15-20 — much cheaper than a full private tour and gives you the same context. Add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain only if you booked that permit in advance (S/75 extra). Afternoon: soak in the Baños Termales hot springs (S/20) and pick up dinner in town.
🚌Consettur shuttle bus up/down ~£8-10 return
🛏Guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£16-22)
- →Machu Picchu entry Circuit 2 (~£33)
- →Shared licensed guide or small-group Machu Picchu tour (~£6-20)
- →Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain hike (optional, S/75)
- →Aguas Calientes hot springs (S/20)
Back to Ollantaytambo, Pisac & return to Cusco
Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo → Pisac → Cusco
Take the morning train back to Ollantaytambo (£55-70 — book the early departure) and leave your bag at a café or the station. Explore the Ollantaytambo fortress and terraces (S/70 for the boleto turístico that covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and more — good value if you haven't already bought individual tickets). Then take a colectivo or shared van to Pisac (via Urubamba, ~S/8-12, around 1.5-2 hours) for the hilltop Pisac ruins and the artisan market in the plaza. From Pisac, colectivos run regularly back to Cusco (S/5, ~1 hour). Dump your bag at the hostel, shower, and eat in San Blas. (Awanacancha alpaca centre is on the Cusco–Pisac road — easy to stop if you take a tourist bus instead of a colectivo.)
🚌Train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo ~£55-70; colectivos Ollantaytambo–Urubamba–Pisac–Cusco ~£6-8
🛏Hostel dorm or simple private room, Cusco (~£12-16)
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
- →Pisac archaeological site and market
- →Boleto turístico (S/70 for multiple sites)
- →Optional Awanacancha alpaca stop
Rainbow Mountain trek
Cusco → Cusipata → Rainbow Mountain → Cusco
Book a shared Rainbow Mountain day tour with any Cusco agency (shop around the Plaza de Armas — around S/90-130 / £20-30 including transport, breakfast and a buffet lunch; GetYourGuide and Klook pre-bookings run £25-35). Pickup is around 4:00-4:30am. Hearty breakfast in Cusipata, then the trailhead near Phuluwasipata: a 2-2.5 hour uphill hike to the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint at 5,020m, usually with 45-60 minutes there. Acclimatisation matters — if you've felt rough in Cusco, hire a horse (S/50-60) for part of the climb. Back in Cusco by around 5-6pm. This is a shared minibus tour, no private guide needed.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included in activity price)
🛏Hostel dorm or simple private room, Cusco (~£12-16)
- →Rainbow Mountain shared day tour (~£20-30)
- →2-hour hike to 5,020m viewpoint
- →Optional horse hire (S/50-60)
Route of the Sun bus to Puno
Cusco → Andahuaylillas → Raqchi → La Raya → Puno
Book the 'Ruta del Sol' tourist bus (Cruz del Sur, Turismo Mer, Inka Express and others) online a few days ahead — around S/120-160 (£25-35) including lunch and a bilingual guide, with four guided stops: the Andahuaylillas 'Sistine Chapel of the Andes' church, the Temple of Wiracocha at Raqchi, the La Raya pass viewpoint (4,335m, best alpaca photos of the trip), and the Pucara ceremonial centre and museum. The bus leaves Cusco around 7am and arrives in Puno around 5pm. Note: the commercial tour continues to Juliaca airport, but most independent travellers will want to stay in Puno — it's the better base and only 45 minutes from Juliaca. Check into a hostel near the Plaza de Armas.
🚌Route of the Sun tourist bus Cusco–Puno ~£25-35
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puno (~£12-18)
- →Andahuaylillas church (S/10-15 entry)
- →Raqchi Temple of Wiracocha (S/15)
- →La Raya pass viewpoint
- →Pucara site and museum (S/15)
Uros floating islands & Taquile Island
Puno → Uros → Taquile → Puno
Book a shared full-day boat trip to Uros and Taquile the evening before at the Puno port or through your hostel — around S/70-100 (£15-22), or £25-30 pre-booked online with lunch included. Boats leave around 7:30am: first stop at the Uros floating reed islands to meet families (bring small change for crafts — this is their income), then a 2-3 hour crossing to Taquile. Taquile is a real working island community: walk the stone paths up to the 4,150m viewpoint, see the Pachamama and Pachatata shrines, and eat a set lunch of quinoa soup and trout with a local family. Boats return to Puno around 5pm. Keep the group tour format — it's the standard, most sustainable way to visit and prices are fixed.
🚌Shared boat from Puno port (included in activity price)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puno (~£12-18)
- →Uros floating islands boat visit (~£15-30)
- →Taquile Island crossing and summit walk
- →Pachamama/Pachatata temples
- →Lunch with a local family
Puno to Juliaca airport / onward travel
Puno → Juliaca
Take a shared taxi or colectivo from Puno to Juliaca (around S/15-25 / £3-5, about 45 minutes) — or a taxi direct to Inca Manco Capac airport for S/60-80 (£13-17). Allow 3 hours before a domestic flight to Lima. Alternatively, if you're continuing overland, buses run from Puno to Copacabana, Bolivia (around 3-4 hours, ~£8-12) or on to La Paz — a natural extension for a longer Andes trip.
🚌Shared taxi or colectivo Puno–Juliaca ~£3-5
- →Transfer to Juliaca airport
- →Optional onward bus to Copacabana/La Paz
Self-launched vs. Inkayni Peru Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Inkayni Peru Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £825 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £80 per person (10%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Inkayni Peru Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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 Best of the Andes: Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain & Lake Titicaca — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 8 days in Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca). 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 Inkayni Peru Tours?+
Yes — Inkayni Peru Tours charges around £825 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £80 (10%) per person.
How long is the Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca).
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, culture, hiking trip through Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca), 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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