Peru is one of the most extraordinary countries on earth — a place where you can stand inside a 15th-century Inca citadel in the morning, ride a canoe through flooded Amazon rainforest in the evening, and eat some of the world's finest food in between. Machu Picchu is the obvious draw, but it's only the beginning.
📅 Day-by-Day Itinerary
📅 Days 1–2: Lima
Touch down in South America's food capital. Spend two days eating your way through Barranco and Miraflores — world-class ceviche at La Mar, pisco sours at sunset, and the Larco Museum's pre-Columbian gold. Fly to Cusco and check in. Your first act: order coca tea at the hotel. You're at 3,399m and your lungs will know it.
📅 Days 3–5: Cusco
Give yourself two full days to acclimatise and explore. Wander the cobblestone lanes of San Blas — the artisans' quarter — past workshop doors spilling out with textiles and ceramics. Climb to Sacsayhuamán fortress at dawn before the crowds arrive. Lose an afternoon in San Pedro market sampling chicha morada and trying coca candy from the stalls. On day five, board the afternoon train to Aguas Calientes — the little spa town nestled in the jungle beneath Machu Picchu. Check in to Casa del Sol and sleep early.
📅 Days 6–7: Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu
Up at 4:30am. Take the first bus up the switchbacks to Machu Picchu — arrive before the gates open and watch the citadel emerge from the mist. If you have a Huayna Picchu permit (book months ahead — only 400 per day), begin the climb: near-vertical stone steps cut into the cliff face, a 600m drop on either side, and a view from the top that will stop your heart. Back at Aguas Calientes by mid-afternoon, head straight to Inti Spa for a hot stone massage. Your legs have earned it. Day seven: explore the thermal baths, browse the market stalls, then board the evening train back to Cusco.
📅 Days 8–9: Back to Cusco
Arrive back in Cusco and take it slow — a final morning in the Plaza de Armas, a long lunch at one of the Andean restaurants around San Blas, and a last pisco sour watching the sun drop behind the mountains. On day nine, fly to Puerto Maldonado — the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. It's a short flight but a complete world change: from high-altitude stone ruins to the thick, humid heat of the jungle. Transfer by boat along the Madre de Dios river to your lodge.
📅 Days 10–12: The Amazon
Three nights deep in the Peruvian Amazon. Days are built around guided jungle walks, canoe trips through flooded forest, and dawn excursions to the macaw clay lick — hundreds of parrots descend at sunrise in a riot of colour and noise. Spot caimans from the boat at night with a torch, fish for piranhas off the dock, and swim in an oxbow lake with giant river otters. On your last morning, a final walk before the boat takes you back to Puerto Maldonado for your flight home.
🏨 Where to Stay
Casa Republica Barranco, Lima
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Belle Époque boutique in Lima's artsy Barranco district — rooftop terrace, free breakfast, free bikes, 2 blocks from the Pacific. From ~$129/night
Family-owned boutique in Cusco's most beautiful neighborhood — stone courtyards, fireplaces, spa with hyperbaric chamber, free coca tea. From ~$150/night
Riverside boutique steps from the Machu Picchu train station — Andean textiles, a bar stocked with pisco, jungle views from every window, and a jacuzzi to soak in after the hike. From ~$180/night
One of the world's most dangerous hikes — near-vertical steps cut into the cliff above Machu Picchu, with a 600m drop on either side. Only 400 permits issued per day. The view from the top is unlike anything on Earth.
Your first stop after landing at 3,400m — a cup of coca leaf tea, brewed from the same plant chewed by Andeans for centuries. It takes the edge off altitude sickness and tastes surprisingly good.
Inka Massage, Aguas Calientes
After a full day on the Inca Trail, collapse into a hot stone massage at Inti Spa — the best spa in Aguas Calientes. Coca leaves, volcanic stones, and centuries-old Andean techniques. Your legs will thank you.
💡 Key tips: Book Machu Picchu tickets online 3–6 months in advance — daily visitor numbers are strictly capped. Take altitude seriously — acclimatise 2 days in Cusco before any serious hiking. Huayna Picchu permits sell out months ahead; book the moment they open. And don't skip the coca tea — it genuinely works.
