When you’re looking for a 10-day Peru itinerary, it’s no surprise that you have to make choices and can only see some of the highlights of the country.
To help you make the right decision, I’m happy to share how we spent 10 days in Peru and fully enjoyed the region around Cusco. Expect incredible landscapes, stunning sunsets, incredible gastronomy, a rich history, and of course plenty of lamas and alpacas.
In this guide, not only will I provide updated information including prices, but I also share what I would have done differently if we had to redo this amazing trip. You can easily navigate through this in-depth article via the following table of contents.
Below, you can find an overview of our 10-day Peru itinerary. You can easily navigate to each specific day by tapping on the link. Or simply keep reading.
This itinerary is not perfect and you can always adjust it to your preferences. At the end of this article, I dive deeper into What I should have done differently. Here is a quick overview:
The most important thing that you need to arrange before visiting Peru is the ticket to Machu Picchu. You can buy the tickets via the official website of Machu Picchu.
Because so many tourists visit Machu Picchu, the government had to limit the number of visitors as Machu Picchu is “sinking”. There are three different routes available nowadays to spread the tourists equally. The best and most popular one is number two. But this one is also the one that gets easily sold out. Booking in huge advance is therefore highly recommended.
Once you bought your tickets for Machu Picchu, you can start buying the tickets for the train rides from Ollantaytambo to Macchu Picchu and back. There are several train operators. We opted for IncaRail, which is an attraction of its own. You can even go more luxurious and travel with PeruRail.
We do not recommend booking the tours in and around Cusco in advance, simply because you pay double via these third parties.
The following bus, train, and airplane tickets are required for this itinerary, aside from your flight tickets to and from Peru.
For most travelers, the first stop in Peru is Lima.
This huge city offers an impressive food scene and in the neighborhood, Miraflores foodies will be in paradise.
Depending on what time you arrive, the first day in Peru is for most travelers a day of acclimatization.
Lima is not per se the most interesting city during the trip, I have to admit. Nature lovers will prefer leaving this chaotic city as quickly as possible.
However, exploring Miraflores and watching the sunset in this part of the city is definitely a great activity for the first day.
We highly recommend staying in this area. Just keep in mind that it takes about one hour and 50 SOL (with an Uber) to get from the airport to Miraflores.
In the near future, Cusco’s international airport will allow you to directly fly to that part of the country, which will save you quite some traveling time.
By then, you can directly fly to Cusco and start your Peruvian adventure straight away, and fly back from Lima where you can explore its colonial past.
When staying in Miraflores, there are two must-try restaurants if you want to explore Peruvian gastronomy.
This 10-day Peru itinerary mainly focuses on the city of Cusco and its surroundings. It is here where the Inca Empire enjoyed its Golden Age.
Before you land in Cusco, you can witness the greatness of the Andes Mountains from the airplane window.
Once landed, the first thing you need to arrange after dropping off your luggage are the tours that you will follow in the upcoming days.
We stayed at the Golden Inca Hotel, relatively close to the historical center, but in a much quieter area.
One of the biggest complaints of staying right in the historic center is the noise pollution. The hotel is decent, although there is definitely room for improvement when it comes to the breakfast.
Aside from its good location, the hotel also offers the free option to store our luggage when we visit Machu Picchu, which comes in handy for this itinerary.
At the bottom of this article, we dive deeper into how to get the best rates and which ATMs to use.
If you want to change dollars to SOL in Cusco, which many travelers do, head over to Calle El Sol. Here, you can find a few money exchange agencies that offer the best rates in town.
Almost every tour operator offers the same prices and probably the same tours.
So, to make our decision, we made it based on our gut feeling: which agency “feels” the most trusted. This in combination with online reviews, and we ended up with Waliki Tours Peru.
The following prices apply:
There are a few extra costs during the tours. The best option you have is to buy a combi-ticket for 130 SOL. This allows you to visit all the historical sights and museums around Cusco.
Visiting the 7 Colours Mountain (25 SOL) and the Humantai Lake (20 SOL) is an additional 45 SOL to enter.
In total, all the tours in and around Cusco costs us 455 SOL per person (October 2024).
Once you booked all the tours locally, head over to the historical center of Cusco. You can find many great restaurants here and the views are simply stunning. At 13:00, the City Tour starts. This tour takes you to:
Around 18:30, the tour ends and you can explore Cusco’s bustling center.
A bit of history: The Inca Empire was short-lived. Yet, in such a short time, they still accomplished a lot. They were masters of architecture and engineering. The most important Inca emperor who significantly expanded the empire was Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, often just called Pachacuti. He ruled from around 1438 to 1471 and is credited with transforming the Inca Kingdom into the vast Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu), which became the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. They had no writing, everything was passed on orally. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived and eventually overthrew the Empire, much history was lost. Moreover, history was written by its victor. During these tours, you still get a good idea of what happened here, but there is always a bit of speculation.
Altitude sickness: During your travels through Peru, you will encounter some form of altitude sickness. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, headaches, and an upset stomach. Cusco is located at 3,399 meters / 11,152 feet above sea level. This already has an impact on your body. To avoid altitude sickness, most tourists drink coca tea. Some take Acetazolamide, which is available at pharmacies. As your body needs to adapt, it’s highly recommended to first do the city tour before doing any of the other tours. Looking back at our trip, the coca tea and coca candies were enough to not feel ill, but this is a personal preference.
While the City Tour is far from boring, the Valle Sagrado Tour is simply next level compared to it.
The Sacred Valley was a crucial region for the Inca civilization. It provided fertile agricultural land due to its unique microclimate, allowing the Incas to grow crops like maize and potatoes. Many of the valley’s ancient towns, such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, offer impressive ruins, terraces, and temples, reflecting the sophisticated Inca engineering and spiritual connection to the land.
Compared to the City Tour, the highlights during the trip are not only even more impressive but also offers. more variety. During the tour, you also stop at a salt-winning mountain, which offers spectacular views and you have a buffet during lunchtime at The 14 Inkas which was definitely one of the tastiest meals we’ve had during our whole trip!
The train ride is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. You will arrive at the heart of Machu Picchu Town, also known as Aguas Calientes.
We stayed at Hotel 1911, which is located centrally and offers affordable yet comfortable rooms.
Make sure to buy the bus tickets the night before you visit Machu Picchu at the official ticket office (Google Maps) which costs 24 dollars per return.
The entrance tickets of Machu Picchu have a time slot. If your time slot is 09:00, then it’s highly recommended to get in line for the bus at 07:45. Despite the long line, you have to wait approx. 40 minutes to get on the bus to reach Machu Picchu. You also have the option to hike up the mountain, though.
For most travelers, a visit to Machu Picchu is on their bucket list and the absolute highlight of their trip. Months before your trip, you should buy the entrance tickets as they easily get sold out. As mentioned in the introduction, there are three different routes available to spread the tourists over Machu Picchu. The second route is the most popular one. If this one is sold out, then opt for the third route.
The easiest way to reach Machu Picchu is by bus. In the previous paragraph, we’ve explained the time slots, the costs, and which bus you have to take. You can also ask the staff at your hotel just to verify, as every single tourist in that town is there for one thing only: Machu Picchu.
Once you arrive at Machu Picchu, you can hire a tour guide, which is highly recommended. It costs 50 SOL per person to discover the ruins with an English-speaking guide in a small group. The tour takes about 90 minutes and gives you great insights about this World Wonder. Below, you can see a few pictures of the train, the landscapes you spectate during the train ride, and Machu Picchu.
Before noon, you’re already back at Machu Picchu Town if your time slot is at 09:00, like ours. That means that you have quite some time before going back to Cusco.
In our case, we had to catch the train at 19:00. You can see the full train schedule on the Official website of IncaRail. There are other train companies available too.
In the afternoon, we explored the local market and the town and ate a fantastic meal at Chullos (Google Maps): alpaca meat.
At 19:00, our train left Machu Picchu Town to Cusco. Make sure to buy the outbound train tickets to Cusco. The train stops at Ollantaytambo, but busses are waiting for all passengers heading to Cusco.
At 23:00, you arrive at Cusco. Go straight to the hotel because the next morning at 04:30, the tour operator picks you up from your hotel for the next tour.
The tour operator will pick you up at 04:30 from the hotel. Breakfast and lunch are included in this tour, although the quality is not as good as the buffet at Inka 14. Perhaps it’s good to bring snacks if you’re a picky eater.
The ride to Vinicunca to visit the 7-colored mountain takes 3 hours, with a stop after 2 hours to have breakfast.
Once arrive at the mountain, it will take most of us one and a half hours to reach the top at 5,036 meters (16,522 feet) above sea level.
It’s a doable but a bit tough climb due to the lack of oxygen. But keeping a steady pace, drinking plenty of coca leaves tea, and taking your time will make it a fun trip.
If it’s too tough, you can always take a horse ride to the top.
The scenery is breathtaking and although the 7-colored mountain is the highlight to many, the surrounding mountains are as beautiful.
Once everyone is back at the van, it’s time to drive to the lunch buffet, which takes about an hour.
After lunch, you drive back to Cusco and at approximately 16:00, you’re back in the city.
In our case, we were exhausted. After a quick dinner in the city center, we went back to our hotel and immediately fell asleep. Tomorrow, we have to wake up early again as we will be picked up at 04:30 again.
This is the last intense day. At 04:30, you will be picked up at your hotel by the tour operator.
Most tourists only visit either Montaña 7 Colores or Laguna de Humantay and not both.
But knowing that we would relax for two full days at Lake Titicaca afterward, we opted to do both tours.
Laguna de Humantay is a stunning turquoise glacial lake located in the Peruvian Andes, near the famous Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.
In Incan culture, the lake is considered sacred and is associated with the worship of natural deities, especially “apus”, or mountain spirits.
You’re completely dependent on weather conditions and in our case, we were quite lucky as right after our visit, a storm appeared.
This tour is not as intense as Montaña 7 Colores, simply because you won’t reach the same height. But it’s definitely not incredibly easy.
You can always choose for a horse ride to the top.
The whole climb to the top takes you about one hour.
Looking back at our travel, these tours were incredible and if you enjoy stunning landscapes, we highly recommend you take both tours.
The downside is that you travel quite a lot by van. Yes, you can enjoy the Peruvian rough landscapes, but you easily spend 6-7 hours on the road.
At 18:30, we arrived back at our hotel in Cusco. At 22:00, the night bus leaves from Cusco to Puno.
You can easily buy the tickets online on the Official website of Transzela.
This bus ride is probably the most comfortable bus ride we’ve ever experienced. Expect first-class seats that can decline 160 degrees.
In the early morning, around 05:30, our bus arrived in Puno.
The city of Puno is not that beautiful. Many tourists tend to stay here and visit the floating village of Uros during a day trip.
We opted to stay in Uros, at an incredible floating house with a huge balcony with magnificent views.
During the day, we explored the lake via a tour that was offered by the hotel owner.
But overall, we rest and enjoy the peace that Titicaca, one of the highest navigable lakes in the world at 3,812 meters (12,507 feet) above sea level, offers.
Here are some things that you need to know before visiting:
On the second day, we simply enjoyed the peacefulness and the views of the lake.
Looking back at our travel, perhaps we should only have stayed one full day at the lake.
On the other hand, we were traveling so much in such a short period of time, we didn’t regret this experience.
At the bottom of this article, you can find a section about What I should have done differently.
Here, you can find options where you either skip Lake Titicaca or just visit Lake Titicaca for one full day. In the end, it’s all about personal preferences.
We, as a couple, definitely enjoyed our stay at the lake for the two full days.
Our flight from Juliaca to Lima was at 15:00.
The owner of the hotel took us to the pier at 09:00 where a taxi he arranged brought us to Puno’s city center for 20 SOL.
During the ride, we managed to arrange another taxi ride straight to Juliaca for 100 SOL. It will take less than an hour to get there. You can also choose to take the bus.
We landed around 15:00 at Lima’s International Airport. An Uber to our hotel was about 50 SOL. Just keep in mind that traffic is a huge pain, meaning that we arrived at our hotel at 16:30. That’s quite a long travel from Lake Titicaca to the hotel in Lima, to be honest.
Based on the activities for the next 24 hours, we chose to stay in a comfortable hotel in the neighborhood of San Borja.
We planned the following activities:
If you solely want to explore the Historic Center, it makes much more sense to stay closer to the airport. However, the neighborhoods around the airport are not only boring and not tourist-friendly, they are considered dangerous. Therefore, stay near the Historical Center instead.
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As soon as we arrived at the hotel and dropped off our luggage, we went to the nearest shopping mall. Here, we went to the official Claro shop. Explained that we only stay for 10 days, here were our options:
Given the fact that you will stay in Lake Titicaca with no WiFi in your room, the second option is by far the best option. The overall signal of Claro is excellent, although the signal often gets broken when you’re in the mountains. But that goes for every provider.
Before visiting Peru, we often read on the internet that you must have dollars with you for a stress-free holiday. The dollar is indeed often accepted throughout the country. But it’s not per se needed.
ATMs in Peru often give terrible exchange rates with high fees.
The best ATM is the MultiRed ATM from Banco de la Nación. There is no better option. The problem is that you can only withdraw 400 SOL, which was in October 2024 the equivalent of about 100 USD.
So, most tourists tend to exchange USD for SOL.
But do you really need that much cash with you all the time?
Well, even at Lake Titicaca, which is quite a remote area, we were able to pay by card.
Keep in mind that they often ask for an additional 5% fee when paying by card.
So, where do you exchange USD for SOL?
Definitely not at the airport!
They take huge advantage of the fact that there is no MultiRed ATM at the airport, meaning that you easily lose 15% with one of the other ATMs or the Exchange Agencies.
From Lima Airport to your hotel, simply use an Uber and pay in-app.
The best place to exchange dollars for SOL is in front of banks. There are often men in front of banks who are official exchange agents. This looks incredibly sketchy and goes against your instinct, but the best exchange rate I’ve had was at one of these official agents. To be clear, this is a common phenomenon in Peru.
Always check the current rate with apps like XE Currency.
As said, in Cusco, at Calle El Sol, you find certified exchange agencies with great rates too!
Let me put this first, our 10-day trip to Peru was amazing.
But the purpose of this article is not only to share all the good things but also things that I probably would plan differently.
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