Machu Picchu Self-Launched: Lima to Cusco Without the Group Tour
7 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,650
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 7-day "Machu Picchu In Style" trip: Lima's coastal neighbourhoods and food scene, a cheap domestic flight to Cusco, a self-guided Sacred Valley loop via collectivo and combi, the train to Aguas Calientes, and Machu Picchu with a pre-booked official guide. You'll stay in hostels and family guesthouses, use Peru Hop/local buses, and book Machu Picchu entry + guide through the official site or GetYourGuide — easily under half the operator's price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & Barranco on foot
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez Airport and take an official taxi or ride-hailing app (approx. S/60–80 / £13–17) to a hostel in Miraflores or Barranco. Skip the private transfer: the airport bus (Airport Express Lima) runs regularly to Miraflores for about £6. Settle in, then walk the Malecón clifftop path at sunset and wander Barranco's murals and bars. Grab a cheap menú del día (S/15–25 / £3–5) or a ceviche at a market stall in Surquillo. Book your Machu Picchu entry online tonight if you haven't already — tickets for Circuit 2 sell out weeks ahead.
🚌Airport Express Lima bus approx. £6, or taxi approx. £15
🛏Hostel dorm or private room in Miraflores/Barranco (e.g. Pariwana, Flying Dog, Barranco's Backpackers Inn) — approx. £14
- →Malecón sunset walk
- →Barranco street art & Puente de los Suspiros
- →Cheap ceviche at Mercado Surquillo
- →Book Machu Picchu entry online
Fly to Cusco — acclimatise and explore San Blas
Cusco
Morning domestic flight Lima–Cusco (LATAM, Sky, or JetSMART) booked direct online — typically £45–80 one way if booked 3+ weeks ahead. Skip the Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico, S/130) unless you plan several ruins; it's optional. Take it easy on arrival day at 3,400m: hydrate, drink coca tea, no big hikes. Wander Plaza de Armas, the San Blas artisan quarter, and Qorikancha's exterior. Cheap lunch at Mercado San Pedro (S/10–15 / £2–3).
🚌Local taxi to airport ~£6; flight ~£60; airport-to-centre taxi ~£4
🛏Family guesthouse or hostel in San Blas/Cusco centre (e.g. Casa San Blas, Loki, Wild Rover) — approx. £18
- →Lima–Cusco flight
- →San Blas neighbourhood wander
- →Mercado San Pedro food stalls
- →Optional: Cusco cooking class (~£25 via GetYourGuide)
Sacred Valley DIY — Pisac, weaving co-op & Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Take a collectivo from Cusco's Puputi street to Pisac (S/5–8 / £1–2, ~1hr) for the famous Sunday/market day stalls. Detour to a community weaving co-op near Ccaccaccollo (many are free-entry, fair-trade sales rather than the G Adventures-supported one — ask your guesthouse to recommend). Then combi Pisac → Urubamba (S/5 / £1) and on to Ollantaytambo (S/3 / £0.60). Optionally lunch at Parwa Community Restaurant in Lamay, open to independent diners — reserve ahead, ~S/50 / £10. Afternoon: hike up to the Pinkuylluna storehouses opposite the Ollantaytambo ruins (free) for sunset views, then a chicha at a local chichería.
🚌Collectivos and combis throughout: ~£6 total
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (e.g. El Albergue budget rooms, Hostal Iskay) — approx. £20
- →Pisac market
- →Andean weaving co-op visit
- →Optional Parwa Community Restaurant lunch
- →Pinkuylluna storehouse hike (free)
- →Chichería visit
Train to Aguas Calientes — hot springs & optional 1-day Inca Trail
Aguas Calientes
Book the PeruRail or Inca Rail Vistadome/Expedition from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes direct online (£30–45, ~1.5hrs). If you want the 1-day Inca Trail add-on, book separately via a licensed operator (approx. £160–200 including guide and permits) and disembark at Km 104 to hike in via Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate. Otherwise arrive midday, drop bags, hit the Machu Picchu hot springs (S/20 / £4) and the craft market, and buy your bus ticket to the ruins for the morning (round trip S/88 / £18) or plan to walk up the steps (free, ~1.5hrs).
🚌Train ~£38; optional bus tickets ~£18
🛏Budget guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (e.g. Hostal Viajeros, Casa de Luz) — approx. £22
- →Scenic train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes
- →Optional 1-day Inca Trail via Km 104
- →Machu Picchu hot springs
- →Craft market
Machu Picchu with a licensed guide — back to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Take the 5:30–6:30am bus up for the quieter early slots. Your Machu Picchu entry (approx. S/152 / £31, booked at machupicchu.gob.pe or via GetYourGuide) plus a shared official guide (about £20–25 pp) is the whole experience — no need for a private tour. Do Circuit 2 for the classic postcard viewpoint, and optionally tag on the free Inca Bridge walk (you must sign in at the control gate before 10am). Take the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (or direct to Poroy) and a collectivo/taxi on to Cusco (~£4).
🚌Bus up ~£10 one way, train ~£38, collectivo to Cusco ~£4
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Cusco centre — approx. £18
- →Bus up to Machu Picchu
- →Guided tour of Machu Picchu (shared licensed guide)
- →Inca Bridge walk (free, timed entry)
- →Return train to Ollantaytambo/Cusco
Cusco free day — rafting, biking or ruins
Cusco
Pick your own adventure, booked locally or via GetYourGuide/Klook the night before: whitewater rafting on the Urubamba (~£35–45 with transport and lunch), mountain biking to Moray and the Maras salt pans (~£35), or horseback riding above Sacsayhuamán (~£25). Budget option: walk up to Sacsayhuamán and Q'enqo (S/70 combined ticket) or just café-hop San Blas and take a free walking tour of the centre. Final dinner at a picantería — try cuy or alpaca if you're game.
🚌Local taxis/walking ~£5
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Cusco centre — approx. £18
- →Optional whitewater rafting on the Urubamba (~£40)
- →Optional Moray & Maras salt pans mountain bike (~£35)
- →Sacsayhuamán walk-up
- →Free walking tour of Cusco
- →Picantería dinner
Depart Cusco
Cusco
Fly Cusco–Lima (~£50–70) to connect to your international flight, or continue overland to Puno/Lake Titicaca by night bus (~£20) if you're extending. Allow 3 hours between domestic and international connections. Taxi to Cusco airport ~£4.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£4; Cusco–Lima flight ~£55
🛏None (departure day)
- →Departure flight or onward bus
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping at Mercado San Pedro
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £1,650 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,090 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
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 Machu Picchu Self-Launched: Lima to Cusco Without the Group Tour cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 7 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 £1,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £1,090 (66%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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 culture, hiking, adventure 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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