Peru Adventure: Self-Launched

Catch an official taxi from Jorge Chávez International Airport to your hostel in Miraflores or Barranco (~$27 USD / ~£21). Drop your bags and start exploring. Walk the clifftop Malecón, cross the Puente de los Suspiros in Barranco, and grab a cold Cusqueña with fellow travellers in the evening. Book a self-guided city walking tour or a GetYourGuide Lima bike tour (~£12) for the afternoon.

🚌Official airport taxi to Miraflores ~£21

🛏Pariwana Hostel Miraflores or similar rated hostel, dorm ~£12–16/night

• →Self-guided walk through Barranco and Miraflores
• →Visit the San Francisco Church & Catacombs (self-booked, ~£5)
• →Optional: Lima Cooking Class via GetYourGuide (~£35)
• →Optional: Bike tour to Puente de los Suspiros (~£12)

Take an early Cruz del Sur or Oltursa bus from Lima's bus terminal to Nazca (~7–8 hrs, ~£15–20). Watch the desert landscape transform as you head south. Arrive in the evening and check into a budget guesthouse. Enjoy the sunset over the desert.

🚌Cruz del Sur or Oltursa bus Lima → Nazca, ~£17

🛏Hostal Alegría Nazca or similar guesthouse, ~£12–15/night

• →Scenic bus journey through Peru's coastal desert
• →Arrive and explore Nazca town centre on foot

Full day in Nazca. Book a self-guided or small-group tour to the Chauchilla Cemetery and a Nazca pottery workshop (~£15 combined). For adrenaline seekers, hire a dune buggy and sandboard at Cerro Blanco (~£25–35). In the evening, experience a traditional Pachamanca meal at a local restaurant before boarding an overnight Cruz del Sur bus to Arequipa (~£18–22).

🚌Overnight Cruz del Sur bus Nazca → Arequipa, ~£20

🛏Overnight bus (seat/bed reclines) — no hotel cost

• →Guided tour of Chauchilla Pre-Inca Cemetery (~£12)
• →Nazca-style pottery workshop (~£8)
• →Optional: Dune buggy & sandboarding at Cerro Blanco (~£30)
• →Traditional Pachamanca dinner at a local restaurant (~£8)
• →Overnight bus to Arequipa

Arrive in the morning and check into your hostel. Arequipa's centro histórico is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk to the Plaza de Armas, visit the Santa Catalina Monastery (~£10 entry) and the Juanita Mummy Museum (~£5). Join a self-booked walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£8) to learn about the sillar volcanic architecture. Try shrimp chowder (chupe de camarones) and alpaca steak for dinner.

🚌Walking within city centre

🛏La Casa de Melgar Hostal or similar, ~£14–18/night

• →Visit Santa Catalina Monastery (~£10)
• →Juanita Mummy Museum (~£5)
• →Self-guided or GetYourGuide walking tour of historic centre (~£8)
• →Dinner: local Arequipeño cuisine — chupe de camarones & alpaca

Book a shared 2-day Colca Canyon tour via a local agency in Arequipa (e.g. Zarela Travel, ~£35–45 including transport, guide and basic lodge). Depart early, passing through Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca. Spot llamas, vicuñas and alpacas en route. Arrive at the canyon, hike to the valley floor and relax in the natural hot springs at La Calera (~£3 entry) as the sun sets.

🚌Shared minibus Arequipa → Colca Canyon (included in tour)

🛏Basic lodge/guesthouse in Cabanaconde or Chivay, included in tour package or ~£12–15 separately

• →Shared guided Colca Canyon day tour (departs Arequipa, ~£40 for 2-day package)
• →Hot springs at La Calera (~£3)
• →Spot llamas, vicuñas and alpacas in Reserva Nacional Salinas

Rise at dawn and head to Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint to watch Andean condors ride the thermals — one of Peru's most spectacular wildlife moments. Continue through quaint local villages in the valley. Your shared tour transport returns you to Arequipa, from where you board an overnight bus to Cusco (~£15–20, ~9–10 hrs).

🚌Shared tour minibus back to Arequipa, then Cruz del Sur overnight bus to Cusco ~£18

🛏Overnight bus to Cusco — no hotel cost

• →Cruz del Cóndor condor watching at sunrise
• →Walk through local villages in the canyon
• →Overnight bus to Cusco

Arrive in Cusco and check into your hostel near Plaza de Armas. Spend the day acclimatising and exploring at your own pace. The Cusco Tourist Ticket (~£35) gives access to 16 sites including Sacsayhuamán, Qorikancha and the Inka Museum. Book white water rafting on the Upper Vilcanota River via GetYourGuide (~£25) or mountain biking for extra adventure.

🚌Walking within central Cusco

🛏Loki Hostel Cusco or Pariwana Cusco, dorm ~£12–16/night

• →Plaza de Armas, Cathedral & San Blas neighbourhood (free)
• →Cusco Tourist Ticket — 16 sites including Sacsayhuamán & Inka Museum (~£35)
• →Optional: White water rafting on Upper Vilcanota via GetYourGuide (~£25)
• →Optional: Cusco cooking class at a local market (~£28)

Take a shared taxi or colectivo toward Pisac (~£2–3) and arrange a visit to the Ccaccaccollo women's weaving cooperative — bookable via local Cusco tour agencies (~£15–20 including transport). Watch traditional backstrap loom weaving, buy directly from artisans, and spend the night with a Quechua host family. Help prepare a traditional dinner and learn about daily Andean life — a highlight of the whole trip.

🚌Shared colectivo or taxi Cusco → Pisac area ~£3

🛏Ccaccaccollo community homestay, ~£15–20/night (often included in tour)

• →Visit Ccaccaccollo Women's Weaving Co-op (~£15–20 via local agency)
• →Help prepare a traditional Quechua dinner with host family
• →Cultural exchange: learn about Quechua customs and daily life

Join a shared Sacred Valley day tour from Cusco (~£20–25) or travel independently by colectivo. Visit the Pisac ruins and artisan market (covered by Cusco Tourist Ticket). Stop at Sacred Valley Brewing Company for award-winning craft beer made with local ingredients. Continue to Ollantaytambo, your base for the Inca Trail start. Check into a hostel and prepare your kit for tomorrow's hike.

🚌Shared colectivo or Sacred Valley day tour bus, ~£5–8

🛏Hostal El Albergue or KB Tambo Hostal, Ollantaytambo, ~£14–18/night

• →Pisac archaeological ruins & artisan market
• →Sacred Valley Brewing Company stop
• →Explore Ollantaytambo fortress (Cusco Tourist Ticket or ~£12 entry)
• →Prep gear for the Inca Trail

The Inca Trail must be booked in advance through a licensed operator — this is a legal requirement. Budget agencies in Cusco (e.g. Alpaca Expeditions, SAS Travel) offer the classic 4-day Inca Trail from ~£280–320pp including permit, guide, porters, all meals and camping. Transfer by van to Km 82, cross the Urubamba River and begin hiking through cloud forest. Pass the ruins of Llactapata on your first full day.

🚌Van transfer Ollantaytambo → Km 82 (included in package)

🛏Camping on trail (included in Inca Trail package)

• →Hike Km 82 → Llactapata ruins → campsite (~12km)
• →Guided interpretation of Inca ruins along the trail
• →All meals provided by trekking operator

The hardest day: ascend to Dead Woman's Pass (Warmiwañusca) at 4,215m — the highest point on the trail. The effort is absolutely worth it for the panoramic Andean views. Descend to Pacaymayo camp, arriving by early afternoon to rest, refuel and enjoy the mountain air.

🚌On foot

🛏Camping on trail (included in Inca Trail package)

• →Hike to Dead Woman's Pass summit at 4,215m (~16km)
• →Descend to Pacaymayo campsite
• →All meals provided by trekking operator

Hike through the circular ruins of Runkurakay and enjoy sweeping views across the Cordillera Vilcabamba. Pass through cloud forest, emerge at the 3,700m pass with views over the Urubamba Valley, and descend to camp at the spectacular ruins of Phuyupatamarca — literally 'town in the clouds'. Fall asleep above the clouds.

🚌On foot

🛏Camping at Phuyupatamarca (included in package)

• →Hike Runkurakay ruins and second pass (~22km)
• →Views of Cordillera Vilcabamba
• →Camp at Phuyupatamarca ruins (3,600m)
• →All meals provided by trekking operator

Rise before 4am to reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) for sunrise over Machu Picchu — one of the world's great travel moments. Descend into the citadel for a guided tour of Inti Watana, the Temple of the Condor, the Room of the Three Windows and Inti Mach'ay Cave (guide included in your trekking package). Take the afternoon train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (PeruRail or Inca Rail, ~£35–45), then a bus or shared taxi back to Cusco. Celebrate with your new trail friends over dinner and drinks in Cusco!

🚌PeruRail/Inca Rail Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo ~£40, then shared taxi ~£5

🛏Loki Hostel or Pariwana Cusco, dorm ~£12–16/night

• →Sunrise walk to Inti Punku (Sun Gate)
• →Guided tour of Machu Picchu citadel
• →Inti Watana, Temple of the Condor, Room of the Three Windows
• →Train Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo (~£40)
• →Bus/taxi Ollantaytambo → Cusco (~£5)
• →Celebratory dinner in Cusco

Enjoy a leisurely final breakfast at one of Cusco's excellent cafés (Jack's Café is a backpacker favourite). Browse the San Pedro Market for last-minute souvenirs. Reminisce on an incredible adventure before heading to Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport or onward by bus.

🚌Taxi to Cusco airport ~£5, or onward bus

🛏Check out

• →Farewell breakfast at a local café
• →Browse San Pedro Market for souvenirs
• →Depart or extend your Peru adventure independently