Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca

A starting shape, not a fixed plan. We tailor the days, pace, and hotels with you during planning.

1. 1

   Arrive in Lima

   Welcome at the airport and private transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. No agenda tonight; settle in at sea level before the highlands.

2. 2

   Lima: city, Larco Museum, and the Water Circuit

   A guided day through Lima's historic center, the Larco Museum's pre-Columbian collection, and the Magic Water Circuit in the evening, one of the city's best-loved sights.

3. 3

   Fly to Cusco, then the city and its ruins

   Morning flight up to Cusco, then an easy-paced afternoon tour of the city with the ruins above it, Sacsayhuaman and Puka Pukara. The pace is deliberately gentle on your first day at altitude.

4. 4

   Sacred Valley: Pisac and Ollantaytambo

   A full day in the valley at a kinder altitude: Pisac's market and terraces, lunch in the valley, and the fortress town of Ollantaytambo.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Huayna Picchu morning, then back to Cusco

   An early optional hike up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (limited entry, confirmed during planning), then the train and transfer back to Cusco.

7. 7

   Through the Andean highlands to Puno

   The scenic overland route across the altiplano to Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca, with the rest of the day free to explore.

8. 8

   Lake Titicaca: Uros and Taquile

   A boat day on the lake: the Uros floating reed islands, then Taquile Island and its weaving tradition, with a picnic lunch on the water.

9. 9

   Departure from Puno

   Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and your onward connection.

The same reliable standard tier throughout: Casa Andina Standard hotels in Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, and Puno, or similar, all chosen for location. Stepping up a tier in any city is one of the easiest upgrades to quote.

• Hotel level and room type (single rooms carry a supplement)
• Travel dates and high-season demand
• Group size
• Private guiding or add-ons such as the Huayna Picchu climb

Nine days is the right length for this route. If you try to compress it into five, something good gets cut and the altitude gets harder. We would rather tell you that than sell you a rushed version.

Why start in Lima?

It makes the domestic connections and acclimatisation smoother, and adds the coast, the Larco Museum, and the city's food before the highlands. If you would rather skip it, we can adjust.

Which circuit will we do at Machu Picchu?

We confirm the circuit and route with you during planning based on your dates, fitness, and interests. The current route rules are on our Rules Center.

Is the Puno leg tiring?

It is a long scenic day getting there and the lake sits even higher than Cusco, which is exactly why it comes at the end of the trip, after you are acclimatised.

Is this good for families?

Yes, at a moderate pace. For younger kids or grandparents, Machu Picchu for Families is built specifically around a lower physical load.