Self-Launched Peru: Coast, Andes & Machu Picchu (21 Days, Lima to Lima)

Land at Jorge Chávez (LIM) and take an authorised taxi or ride-hail (approx. 60–80 PEN / £13–17) to a hostel in Miraflores or Barranco — safest, most walkable bases. Settle in, grab a cheap menu del día, and walk the Malecón clifftop at sunset. Use the evening to confirm your Inca Trail permit status and print/backup all bookings.

🚌Airport taxi ~60–80 PEN; local combis 2 PEN

🛏Hostel dorm in Miraflores or Barranco (£8–14)

• →Malecón sunset walk
• →Barranco street art wander
• →Arrange SIM/eSIM data

Free morning: ceviche lunch in Barranco and a wander round the Museo Larco or MALI (or just the free cat park and Plaza de Armas). Around 1pm take a Cruz del Sur or Oltursa coach from Javier Prado or the airport terminal to Paracas (~3.5–4 hrs, 40–60 PEN). Overnight in Paracas town so you're ready for the morning boat.

🚌Cruz del Sur/Oltursa coach Lima–Paracas ~40–60 PEN (£9–13)

🛏Paracas hostel or guesthouse (£12–18)

• →Lima historic centre walk
• →Ceviche lunch
• →Coastal coach to Paracas

Join the 8am shared boat tour to the Ballestas Islands (book a day ahead at any Paracas pier agency or on GetYourGuide, ~£15–20) for boobies, pelicans, sea lions and the Candelabra geoglyph. Afterwards take a short taxi to a local vineyard (Tacama-style tasting ~£8). Mid-afternoon head to Huacachina for the dune buggy and sandboarding sunset run (~£18), then an evening coach to Nazca or stay in Huacachina if you'd rather not rush.

🚌Local taxi Paracas–Huacachina ~40–60 PEN; evening coach ~25 PEN

🛏Nazca hostel or Huacachina hostel (£10–15)

• →Ballestas Islands boat tour
• →Pisco winery tasting
• →Huacachina dune buggy & sandboarding

Book the small-plane Nazca Lines flight yourself with a licensed operator at Nazca airfield or via GetYourGuide (~£85–110 depending on aircraft and route length; weight surcharges apply). Combine it with the Chauchilla desert cemetery and a local potter's studio tour by shared taxi or a cheap half-day tour (~£15). Then take the overnight Cruz del Sur coach to Arequipa (~10 hrs, ~70 PEN, cama seat) — saves a night's accommodation and a full day of travel.

🚌Overnight coach Nazca–Arequipa ~70 PEN (£13)

🛏Overnight coach

• →Nazca Lines overflight
• →Chauchilla cemetery
• →Pottery workshop visit

Arrive early, drop bags at a hostel in the historic centre and take a self-guided loop of the Plaza de Armas, the Santa Catalina Monastery (40 PEN entry, far cheaper than any tour) and the free-ish Museo Santuarios Andinos to meet Juanita the ice mummy (60 PEN). Afternoon in the Yanahuara viewpoint; evening on Calle San Francisco for rocoto relleno and a pisco sour. Acclimatise gently — you're at 2,335m.

🚌Walkable centre; taxi from bus station ~15 PEN

🛏Arequipa hostel near Plaza de Armas (£10–16)

• →Santa Catalina Monastery
• →Museo Santuarios Andinos (Juanita)
• →Yanahuara viewpoint

Join a 2-day shared Colca Canyon excursion booked with a local Arequipa agency or GetYourGuide (~£40–55 including transport, guide and one night's simple lodging). Climb to Patapampa pass (4,910m) on the way to Chivay, take the village thermal baths (15 PEN) and stop at Cruz del Cóndor in the morning for condor sightings. Trekking routes (Mirador San Miguel / Oasis Sangalle) can be added for a small fee.

🚌Included minibus in 2-day tour

🛏Simple Chivay or Colca village guesthouse (included in tour)

• →Cruz del Cóndor condor viewpoint
• →Chivay hot springs
• →Patapampa pass stop

Finish the canyon tour with village stops (weaving demos, miradors) and return to Arequipa early afternoon. Use the gap for laundry and supply shopping, then take the overnight bus to Puno (~5–6 hrs, ~45 PEN) with Cruz del Sur or Transzela, or a daytime bus if you prefer the lake views.

🚌Overnight bus Arequipa–Puno ~45 PEN (£8)

🛏Overnight coach

• →Colca villages & miradors
• →Arequipa laundry/stock-up

Arrive Puno, settle and visit the Coca Museum or the cathedral and market. Book a Lake Titicaca homestay independently through a Puno agency or Airbnb Experiences (~£30–40 including boat transfers, meals and a host family) — you'll land on Amantaní or a smaller community island, hike to the Pachatata/Pachamama viewpoints and eat dinner with your host family.

🚌Bus arrival; boat transfer included in homestay

🛏Lake Titicaca island homestay (included in booking)

• →Puno market & cathedral
• →Boat to island community
• →Homestay dinner with local family

Morning boat back via the Uros floating islands (entry ~10 PEN, usually included in homestay packages). Optional kayaking on the lake (~£15) or a reed-boat ride. Return to Puno for the afternoon and prep for an early-ish bus to Cusco. Try trucha (trout) from the lake for dinner.

🚌Return boat included; local taxis ~5 PEN

🛏Puno hostel (£8–14)

• →Uros floating islands
• →Optional Lake Titicaca kayaking

Take a full-day bus (10 hrs, ~50–70 PEN) or the tourist bus with stops at Pukara, La Raya pass and Raqchi (~£20–25). Both are daily departures. Arrive Cusco in the evening, check in to a hostel in San Blas, and go easy — you're at 3,400m. Confirm your Inca Trail briefing time and buy your Boleto Turístico if you plan to use it.

🚌Puno–Cusco bus ~50–70 PEN (£9–13)

🛏Cusco hostel in San Blas (£10–18)

• →Altiplano scenic bus
• →Raqchi / La Raya stops (tourist bus)
• →San Blas evening wander

Buy the Boleto Turístico (130 PEN) and walk the city: Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha, the Cathedral, then uphill to Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay — all covered by the same ticket and doable on foot or with cheap local buses. Afternoon free for a coca tea and altitude rest, or a cheap 4-hour cooking class (~£25) if you want the local foodie experience.

🚌Walking + local bus ~4 PEN

🛏Cusco hostel (£10–18)

• →Qorikancha & Cathedral
• →Sacsayhuamán & Qenqo
• →Tambomachay
• →Optional Cusco cooking class

Take a shared colectivo or local bus from Cusco to Pisac (5 PEN, ~1 hr) for the Sunday-style market and the hilltop ruins, then continue by colectivo to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. Stop at a community weaving co-op (Pisac's Awanacancha or the Awamaki project in Ollantaytambo, small fee) and have lunch at a community restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo or Urubamba. Explore the Ollantaytambo fortress terraces (covered by Boleto Turístico). Sleep in Ollantaytambo to cut your trek morning.

🚌Colectivos Cusco–Pisac–Urubamba–Ollantaytambo ~15 PEN total (£3)

🛏Ollantaytambo guesthouse (£12–20)

• →Pisac ruins & market
• →Weaving co-op visit
• →Ollantaytambo fortress ruins

Your 4-day Inca Trail permit must be booked months ahead (directly through the official Sernanp/ Ministerio de Cultura portal or via a licensed Cusco trek operator; permits for peak season sell out 3–6 months early). A licensed agency package typically costs £380–480 and covers guide, permits, porters, cook, meals, tents and transport. Day 1 is a gentle warm-up from Km 82 along the Urubamba river to Wayllabamba (12km, ~4–5 hrs).

🚌Agency minibus to Km 82 (included)

🛏Trek camp (included)

• →Inca Trail trekking
• →Llactapata ruin viewpoint
• →Camp at Wayllabamba

The big one: climb to Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's Pass, 4,215m) then descend to Pacaymayo — 11km, 6–7 hrs. Go slow, drink water, and keep snacks handy. Your guide sets the pace; porters carry the group gear up to 6kg per hiker.

🚌On foot

🛏Trek camp (included)

• →Dead Woman's Pass summit
• →Runkurakay pass descent

The most scenic day: over Runkurakay and Sayacmarca, through cloud forest and orchids, down stone staircases to Phuyupatamarca and on to Wiñay Wayna camp (16km). Early night — tomorrow's alarm is around 4am.

🚌On foot

🛏Trek camp at Wiñay Wayna (included)

• →Sayacmarca & Phuyupatamarca ruins
• →Wiñay Wayna ruins

Pre-dawn start to reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) as light spills over Machu Picchu — Circuit 5 entry for 4-day trekkers. Guided tour of the citadel (2 hrs, included in the trek package), then optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb (book separately, ~£15–20, sells out). Bus or walk down to Aguas Calientes; hot springs (20 PEN) and a real bed.

🚌Included descent bus or 1.5 hr walk

🛏Aguas Calientes guesthouse (£15–25)

• →Sun Gate sunrise
• →Guided Machu Picchu tour
• →Optional Huayna Picchu climb
• →Aguas Calientes hot springs

Take the Expedition or Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo (~£45–65 one way, book on PeruRail or Inca Rail — the cheapest tickets sell out early), then a colectivo or shared van to Cusco (~15 PEN). Afternoon free for laundry, a mercado lunch and a slow evening in San Blas. A massage is well earned at this point.

🚌Train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo ~£45–65; colectivo 15 PEN

🛏Cusco hostel (£10–18)

• →Scenic train ride
• →Cusco market lunch
• →San Blas evening

Fly Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (LATAM/Sky, ~£60–110 one way, book ahead). An Amazon lodge package is the simplest independent route: 3-day/2-night jungle stays with transport, cabin, meals, guide and activities run £150–230 with operators like Posada Amazonas or a Tambopata reserve lodge booked direct or via Klook. Arrive, transfer by boat upriver and take an afternoon walk or canopy tower visit.

🚌Flight ~£60–110; lodge boat transfer included

🛏Amazon jungle lodge (included in package)

• →Domestic flight to Puerto Maldonado
• →Boat transfer into jungle
• →Afternoon nature walk / canopy tower

Full day with a naturalist guide (included in the lodge package): paddle or boat to an oxbow lake for giant river otters and hoatzins, hike trails looking for monkeys and toucans, and a night boat or walk to spot caiman and frogs. Rubber boots are provided. The Tambopata reserve has some of the highest biodiversity on earth.

🚌Included in lodge package

🛏Amazon jungle lodge (included)

• →Oxbow lake wildlife boat trip
• →Rainforest trail hike
• →Night caiman spotting

Dawn macaw clay-lick or an early morning walk before breakfast, then transfer back to Puerto Maldonado and fly to Lima (~1.5 hr). Check into a Miraflores hostel, eat your last ceviche and pick up souvenirs at the Inka Market or handcraft shops in Barranco. Budget for one more taxi to the airport tomorrow.

🚌Flight Puerto Maldonado–Lima ~£60–100

🛏Lima hostel (£10–16)

• →Sunrise wildlife walk
• →Flight to Lima
• →Miraflores evening

Morning at leisure — a coffee in Barranco or a last walk along the Malecón — then an airport taxi (60–80 PEN) for your international flight home. If your flight is late, the Museo Larco café and free garden are a good way to spend an easy couple of hours.

🚌Airport taxi 60–80 PEN (£13–17)

🛏—

• →Barranco coffee & Malecón
• →Airport transfer