Peru Highlights: Lima, Nazca & Machu Picchu Self-Launched (8 Days)
8 days · Peru
Waman Adventures charges £2,290
No-markup version: ~£726 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Waman Adventures' 8-day Peru Highlights tour, covering Lima, the Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, a Nazca Lines overflight, Cusco, the Sacred Valley (Chinchero, Moray, Maras salt mines), Machu Picchu and Pisac. Instead of a guided group package with private transfers, you book the same headline experiences directly: cheap domestic flights or the overnight Cruz del Sur bus, public/shared colectivos through the Sacred Valley, the PeruRail/Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes, an official Machu Picchu entry ticket with a licensed guide booked via GetYourGuide, and local tour operators for the Ballestas boat and Nazca flight. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Lima – Miraflores & Barranco
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and either take the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores (~£6) or an official taxi (~£12-15). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Miraflores or Barranco (~£15-22 dorm/private budget). Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop path, watching the sunset at Parque del Amor, then eat ceviche and an anticucho dinner in Barranco (~£8-12). Book your Ballestas/Nazca day tour tonight for tomorrow (GetYourGuide or any Miraflores agency, ~£45-60).
🚌Airport Express Lima bus ~£6, or official taxi ~£12-15
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco (~£18)
- →Malecón clifftop walk and Parque del Amor sunset
- →Barranco street art and ceviche dinner
- →Book Paracas/Nazca tour for Day 2
Paracas Ballestas Islands, Ica & Huacachina Oasis
Paracas / Ica / Huacachina
Join a shared full-day tour from Lima (most operators pick up in Miraflores around 04:00-05:00). Drive south ~3.5 hours to Paracas for a 2-hour boat trip around the Ballestas Islands — sea lions, Humboldt penguins and the Candelabro geoglyph (~included in tour price, harbour tax ~£1.50 extra). Continue to Ica for a pisco winery tasting and lunch (a modest menu del día ~£6-8 rather than the included winery lunch). Late afternoon at Huacachina for a dune buggy ride and sandboarding (~£18-22 booked locally or via GetYourGuide). Overnight in Ica or Huacachina hostel (~£15-20). Return independently by Cruz del Sur bus Ica–Lima the next day if you prefer, or stay on the tour's transport.
🚌Shared day tour minibus from Lima (included in tour); Cruz del Sur Ica–Lima ~£8 if returning independently
🛏Hostel in Huacachina or Ica (~£18)
- →Ballestas Islands boat tour with wildlife
- →Pisco winery tasting in Ica
- →Huacachina dune buggy and sandboarding
Nazca Lines Overflight, then back to Lima
Nazca / Lima
Early transfer to Nazca aerodrome for a 30-minute scenic overflight of the Nazca Lines (~£85-110 per person — book direct with Aeroparacas, Aerodiana or via GetYourGuide; airport tax ~£8 extra). The flight is weather-dependent so build in buffer time. After the flight, lunch in Nazca (~£6) and take the Cruz del Sur or Oltursa bus back to Lima (~4-5 hours, ~£10-14), or stay with your day tour if you booked a 2-day version. Evening in Lima: Mercado de Surquillo snacks or a menu del día in Miraflores (~£8).
🚌Shared transfer to Nazca aerodrome; Cruz del Sur/Oltursa bus Nazca–Lima ~£12
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores (~£18)
- →Nazca Lines 30-min overflight
- →Nazca town lunch and plaza
- →Evening food walk in Miraflores
Fly to Cusco – Acclimatise & explore San Blas
Cusco
Morning flight Lima–Cusco (~£50-70 one way with Sky, LATAM or JetSMART if booked ahead; hand luggage only). Alternatively the cheaper overnight Cruz del Sur bus (~£25, 20-22 hours) — slower but far cheaper. From Cusco airport take a taxi to the historic centre (~£4). Check into a hostel in San Blas or the centre (~£12-18). Take it easy on day one for altitude: coca tea, light walking, Plaza de Armas, San Blas lanes, and buy your Machu Picchu entry ticket (Circuit 1 or 2, ~£40, pre-booked online weeks ahead) plus Machu Picchu Mountain add-on if wanted (~£20). Arrange your Sacred Valley colectivo plan for tomorrow and confirm your train times.
🚌Domestic flight Lima–Cusco ~£60 (or overnight bus ~£25); taxi ~£4
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cusco centre (~£16)
- →Plaza de Armas and San Blas walk
- →Coca tea and altitude acclimatisation
- →Buy Machu Picchu entry ticket and confirm train
Chinchero, Moray & Maras Salt Mines to Aguas Calientes
Sacred Valley / Aguas Calientes
Do the Sacred Valley independently by shared colectivo and taxi: colectivo Cusco–Chinchero (~£1.50, 45 min) for the Inca walls, colonial church and weaving demo (entry ~£2). Then a shared taxi/colectivo to Moray (~£3) for the circular terraces (entry with Boleto Turístico ~£12 for multiple sites — worth it if visiting Pisac too). Taxi to Maras salt mines (~£4; entry ~£2.50) and walk among the salt pools. Head down to Ollantaytambo (~£1.50 colectivo from Urubamba) and take the afternoon PeruRail/Inca Rail Expedition train to Aguas Calientes (~£35-45 one way — book online early, sell-out risk in high season). Check into a guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£18-25) and queue early for tomorrow's Machu Picchu bus.
🚌Colectivos and shared taxis Cusco–Chinchero–Moray–Maras–Ollantaytambo ~£12; PeruRail Expedition train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes ~£40
🛏Guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£22)
- →Chinchero Inca ruins and weaving demonstration
- →Moray circular agricultural terraces
- →Maras salt mines
- →Scenic train to Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu at sunrise, back to Ollantaytambo
Machu Picchu / Ollantaytambo
Take the Consettur bus up to the citadel (~£10 each way, 25 min) or walk the steep 1,600 steps free (about 1 hour). Enter with your pre-booked ticket (~£40) plus passport, and meet a licensed guide for a 2-hour small-group tour (~£15-20 via GetYourGuide or booked at the gate). Alternatively explore solo with a guidebook. Optional extra: Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu climb (~£20-25 add-on, book months ahead — separate ticket). Lunch in Aguas Calientes (~£7). Afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (~£35-45), then a colectivo or shared taxi on to Ollantaytambo town for the night (~£12-18 guesthouse).
🚌Consettur bus up/down ~£20 return; Inca Rail/PeruRail train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo ~£40
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (~£16)
- →Machu Picchu citadel with licensed guide
- →Optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain hike
- →Aguas Calientes riverside lunch
Pisac ruins, market & Awanacancha back to Cusco
Pisac / Cusco
Morning colectivo from Ollantaytambo to Pisac (~£2, 1.5 hours via Urubamba). Walk or taxi up to the Pisac Archaeological Park (~£3 taxi or 45-min uphill walk; entry included in Boleto Turístico ~£12). Spend 2-3 hours among the terraces and cliffside ruins with valley views. Come down to Pisac market for textiles, empanadas and a menu del día (~£5). If time allows, stop at Awanacancha textile and camelid centre on the road back to Cusco (colectivo Pisac–Cusco ~£2, ask the driver to drop you). Evening in Cusco: San Pedro Market for a cheap dinner and souvenir browsing (~£7).
🚌Colectivos Ollantaytambo–Pisac–Cusco ~£6; local taxi to ruins ~£3
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cusco centre (~£16)
- →Pisac Archaeological Park terraces and ruins
- →Pisac traditional market
- →Awanacancha textile and camelid centre
- →San Pedro Market evening
Cusco morning & departure
Cusco
Free morning in Cusco: Qorikancha (entry ~£4), the Cathedral on Plaza de Armas (~£6), or a slow breakfast in San Blas (~£4). Pick up last souvenirs from the San Blas artisan stalls. Take a taxi to Cusco airport (~£4) for your onward flight — if you need to return to Lima, a domestic flight (~£55-70) is far quicker than the 20-hour bus (~£25). Add a buffer day here in case of Machu Picchu weather or train delays.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport ~£4; optional domestic flight Cusco–Lima ~£60
🛏None (departure day)
- →Qorikancha and Cusco Cathedral
- →San Blas artisan shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Waman Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Waman Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£726 | £2,290 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,564 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Waman Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£726
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 Peru Highlights: Lima, Nazca & Machu Picchu Self-Launched (8 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £726 per person for 8 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 Waman Adventures?+
Yes — Waman Adventures charges around £2,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £726 — a saving of roughly £1,564 (68%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, culture, hiking 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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