Fascinating Machu Picchu
Seven days across the essentials of southern Peru: colonial Lima, the Inca capital of Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu itself. Gentle acclimatization to the altitude, guided throughout, with every transfer, tour, and entry arranged as part of the trip.
The trip
Day by day
Day 1 · Lima
Arrive in Lima
Welcome at the airport and private transfer to your hotel. No agenda tonight; settle in at sea level before the highlands.
Overnight in Lima
Day 2 · Lima
Lima City Exploration, Larco Museum, and Water Circuit
A guided day through Lima's historic center, then the Larco Museum, an 18th-century mansion built on top of a pre-Columbian pyramid, holding five thousand years of Peru in one collection. The evening is the Magic Water Circuit, where the fountains in the old city park run to music after dark.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight in Lima
Day 3 · Lima › Cusco
Cusco City Tour and Sacsayhuaman Ruins Discovery
You land in Cusco at 11,150 feet and the morning stays open, which is how the altitude is meant to be met. The afternoon is the old Inca capital and the ruins above it: Sacsayhuaman, the ceremonial fortress built as the head of the Inca's puma-shaped city, and the lookout fort at Puka Pukara, with Cusco spread out below.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight in Cusco
Day 4 · Cusco
Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Moray and Maras
A full day across the Sacred Valley, the first drop below Cusco's altitude: the weaving town of Chinchero, the ringed terraces of Moray where the Inca tested crops at a different climate on every level, and the salt pans of Maras, thousands of them stepping down one hillside.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight in Cusco
Day 5 · Cusco › Machu Picchu
Guided visit to Machu Picchu
Train through the Urubamba gorge to Aguas Calientes and your guided exploration of the citadel on the confirmed circuit. Overnight below the site, so you are not racing a same-day return.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight in Machu Picchu Town
Day 6 · Machu Picchu › Cusco
Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain hike
A self-guided climb, on whichever of the two peaks your dates allow. Huayna Picchu is the peak standing behind the ruins in every photograph of them: a steep hour of Inca stairs to 8,920 ft, looking straight down on the city. Machu Picchu Mountain is the longer, steadier climb to 10,111 ft, with the whole valley below. The afternoon is the train back to Cusco, running up the valley beside the river most of the way.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight in Cusco
Day 7 · Cusco › Lima
Departure
Transfer to the airport for the flight to your next destination and onward connection.
Meals: Breakfast
On the ground
Where you stay
- Lima (2 nights)
- Cusco (3 nights)
- Machu Picchu Town (1 night)
4-star and 5-star hotel upgrades available on request.
The deal
What's included
- 6 nights accommodation
- Meals: 6 breakfasts and 1 lunch
- All ground transfers
- Guided tours and excursions
- Entrance tickets and permits
Pricing
What moves the price
Season, hotel standard, and train class move the price most. Peak dates (Inti Raymi, Fiestas Patrias, Christmas and New Year) carry supplements.
Prices shown are for 2026. Inquire to check rates for future years.
Next step
Check my dates
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and a trip specialist replies personally to confirm your dates and put the plan in writing.
- 1.A specialist checks your dates against the current access rules and what is still open: entry, train seats, and rooms.
- 2.You receive a written proposal with confirmed availability, your price, and payment timing.
- 3.A deposit reserves the trip and confirms your entry.