Solo-ish Peru, Self-Launched: Lima to Cusco in 9 Days
9 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,649
No-markup version: ~£555 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A solo-friendly, self-launched version of G Adventures' 9-day Lima-to-Cusco "Solo-ish Peru" trip. You'll do the same route — Barranco street art and a ceviche cooking class in Lima, a flight up to the Andes, community-run lunch and pottery in the Sacred Valley, the train to Aguas Calientes, a guided Machu Picchu day, and free days in Cusco — but booking hostels and guesthouses, public buses and collectivos, and self-bookable activities instead of a small-group tour. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP, excluding international flights to/from Peru.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Barranco orientation
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez Airport and take an official taxi or airport bus into Miraflores or Barranco (S/50–70 by taxi, ~£11–15; the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores is ~S/20/£4). Check into a hostel or guesthouse and spend the evening walking the Malecón clifftop and grabbing your first lomo saltado or anticuchos at a local menú place. Sort a SIM card at the airport or a Claro/Movistar shop in Miraflores so you can book onward transport.
🚌Airport taxi or Airport Express Lima bus (~£4–15)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco (dorm £10–16, private £22–30)
- →Malecón sunset walk
- →SIM card setup
- →Menú del día dinner in Miraflores
Lima: Barranco street art, market fruits and a ceviche cooking class
Lima
Do the Barranco walk yourself: murals around Jr. Unión and the Bajada Balta, cross the Puente de los Suspiros (hold your breath and make a wish), and wander the bohemian cafés. Then book a small-group ceviche and causa cooking class via GetYourGuide or directly with a Barranco cooking school (~£30–40), which usually includes a market visit to taste native fruits like lucuma and granadilla. Alternative: a Lima food tour via Klook/GetYourGuide (~£35–45). Evening free for a Pisco sour at a bar in Barranco.
🚌Metro/walk/taxi within Lima (~£2–4)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco
- →Self-guided Barranco street art walk
- →Puente de los Suspiros
- →Market fruit tasting
- →Ceviche & causa cooking class (self-booked)
Fly Lima to Cusco, bus to Ollantaytambo via Chinchero
Ollantaytambo / Sacred Valley
Take a morning flight Lima–Cusco (book ahead on Sky, Latam or JetSMART; ~£55–90 one way). From Cusco airport, take a taxi or colectivo to the Terminal Terrestre and catch a bus or colectivo toward Urubamba/Ollantaytambo, stopping at Chinchero for its textile market and terraced ruins. Check into a guesthouse in Ollantaytambo. Go gently on day one of altitude: drink coca tea, eat light, sleep early. Buy your Machu Picchu entry ticket online in advance if you haven't already.
🚌Flight Lima–Cusco (~£55–90) plus taxi/colectivo/bus (~£8–12)
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (~£15–22)
- →Chinchero textile market and ruins
- →Ollantaytambo old town stroll
- →Altitude acclimatisation
Sacred Valley day: Pisac ruins, pottery community and community lunch
Sacred Valley
Hire a local driver-guide for the day or use colectivos plus short taxis to link Pisac, Cuyo Chico and Ollantaytambo. Explore the Pisac ruins and market, visit one of the pottery-making families in Cuyo Chico (small donation or ~S/20 demonstration fee), and book lunch at Parwa Restaurante in Huchuy Qosqo — the community-run restaurant G Adventures supports — or a similar community tourism lunch (~£10–14). Finish with the Ollantaytambo fortress ruins in the late afternoon. A shared day tour via GetYourGuide is a simple alternative (~£25–35).
🚌Colectivos and shared taxi/driver for the day (~£12–20)
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo
- →Pisac ruins and market
- →Cuyo Chico pottery demonstration
- →Parwa community lunch
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
Train to Aguas Calientes and hot springs
Aguas Calientes
Ride the PeruRail or Inca Rail train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes through the Urubamba gorge (~£45–65 one way; book a month or more ahead, the cheapest Expedition/Voyager fares sell out). Drop bags at a guesthouse, then walk the riverside and soak in the Baños Termales hot springs (S/20/£4). Book tomorrow's Machu Picchu entry (circuit of your choice, S/152/£32) and a Consettur bus ticket for the switchbacks up (return ~S/88/£19) if not already arranged. Early dinner and early night.
🚌Train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes (~£45–65)
🛏Guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£18–28)
- →Scenic train through the Urubamba Valley
- →Baños Termales hot springs
- →Riverside walk
Machu Picchu with a local guide, then back to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Take the first Consettur bus up (from ~5:30am) for sunrise and meet a licensed guide booked in advance via GetYourGuide or on arrival (~£20–30 for a shared 2–2.5hr tour, entry ticket extra). Circuit 2 or 3 covers the classic viewpoint plus more of the site. Bus back down, lunch in Aguas Calientes, then afternoon train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy and a bus or shared van on to Cusco (~£8–12). Check into your Cusco hostel and have a low-key dinner near the Plaza de Armas.
🚌Consettur bus (~£19 return), train (~£45–65), bus to Cusco (~£8–12)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cusco centro (~£12–20 dorm, £25–35 private)
- →Machu Picchu guided visit
- →Sunrise viewpoint
- →Train and bus transfer to Cusco
Cusco free day: San Blas, Sapantiana and a massage
Cusco
A day entirely your own. Walk up to San Blas for artisan workshops and cafés, find the Sapantiana colonial aqueduct, and maybe visit Qorikancha or Sacsayhuamán with the Boleto Turístico (~S/130/£27, covers several sites). Optional full-day Rainbow Mountain trip (~£25–35 via GetYourGuide) if you want something bigger. Book a massage in the afternoon (~£10–15) and join a free walking tour in the morning if you want company (~£5 tip).
🚌Walking plus occasional taxi (~£3–5)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cusco
- →San Blas neighbourhood
- →Sapantiana aqueduct
- →Boleto Turístico sites (optional)
- →Massage
Cusco: Qorikancha, San Pedro Market and farewell dinner
Cusco
Walk down to Qorikancha, the Inca 'Walls of Gold' temple (~S/15/£3), then browse San Pedro Market for fruits, cheeses and sweets — grab a fresh juice and a bowl of caldo de gallina for a few pounds. Afternoon free for souvenir shopping or a chocolate workshop. Meet any travellers you've clicked with for a final dinner on Plaza de Armas or in San Blas (~£10–15).
🚌Walking and short taxis (~£2–4)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Cusco
- →Qorikancha temple
- →San Pedro Market food tasting
- →Optional chocolate workshop
- →Farewell dinner
Depart Cusco
Cusco
Breakfast at your hostel, then a taxi to Alejandro Velasco Astete airport for your onward or international flight (~S/25–35, £5–8). If you have a late flight, store bags and do one last coffee in San Blas.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport (~£5–8)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Airport transfer
- →Last-minute shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£555 | £1,649 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,094 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.~£555
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 Solo-ish Peru, Self-Launched: Lima to Cusco in 9 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £555 per person for 9 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 £1,649 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £555 — a saving of roughly £1,094 (66%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, backpacker 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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