Explore Peru & Bolivia

About this trip

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

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   Day 1 · LimaLima

   

   Arrive in Lima for a 2 pm welcome meeting at your hotel, then walk through the historical centre to see colonial mansions, palaces and churches. There's an optional Lima Bites and Sights Tour available to sample street food and Pisco cocktails in Barranco, plus a group dinner option to meet other travellers.

2. 2
   Day 2 · Puerto MaldonadoAmazon Jungle

   Fly early from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, then board a motorised canoe for a two-hour journey into the Madre de Dios region. Settle into a thatched-roof eco-lodge and take an orientation walk before spending your first evening absorbing the jungle atmosphere.

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   Day 3 · Madre de Dios Territorial ReserveAmazon Jungle

   Trek half a day through the jungle with local guides learning about medicinal plants and Indigenous uses. Watch for rainbow macaws, butterflies, peccaries, monkeys, capybaras, giant otters and jabirus, then return to the lodge for lunch and free time.

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   Day 4 · Puerto MaldonadoCusco

   

   Fly back from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco at 3450 m altitude. After acclimatising, take an orientation walk past the Plaza de Armas, San Pedro Market, the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square, San Blas Square and Qoricancha, the main temple of the ancient Inca empire.

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   Day 5 · Sacred ValleyOllantaytambo

   

   Travel by private bus through Sacred Valley terraces to Ollantaytambo, an Inca site where locals defeated the Spanish. Stop in a village for lunch, visit the AMA Restaurant in Urubamba which trains single mothers, then continue to Ollantaytambo for the evening.

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   Day 6 · CuscoInca Trail

   Prepare for the next four days: either hike the Inca Trail, hike the Quarry Trail, or stay two days in Cusco before taking the train to Aguas Calientes. All routes lead to Machu Picchu. Pack a 5 kg duffle bag; porters carry the rest.

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   Day 7 · Pacaymayo ValleyInca Trail

   Inca Trail Route 1: Tackle the trek's hardest day with a 5-hour steep ascent to Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4200 m for valley views, then descend to camp in Pacaymayo Valley at 3650 m. Quarry Trail Route 2: Climb to Puccaqasa pass (4370 m), enjoy views, lunch, then hike 2 hours to Kuychicassa, the highest pass.

8. 8
   Day 8 · Pacaymayo ValleyInca Trail

   Inca Trail Route 1: Climb through Pacaymayo Valley to Runkuracay Pass (3980 m), see snow-capped Cordillera Vilcabamba, descend to Sayacmarca ruins, then reach Phuyupatamarca (Town Above the Clouds) before a 2-hour descent of Inca steps to Winay Wayna. Quarry Trail Route 2: Hike downhill to the incomplete Kachiqata quarry where Spanish intercepted Incas, then explore Ollantaytambo's cobbled streets.

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   Day 9 · Machu PicchuInca Trail

   

   Inca Trail Routes 1-3: Start before dawn with 4 am breakfast. Route 1 hikers begin their final 2.5-hour trek at 5 am, entering Machu Picchu through Intipunku (Sun Gate) at sunrise for views of the Lost City of the Incas. Routes 2-3 take an early bus at 6 am to reach Machu Picchu, built around 1440 as an Incan noble retreat.

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    Day 10 · CuscoCusco

    Free time in Cusco to rest, shop and explore. Relax at a cafe on Plaza de Armas, browse San Pedro Market for vegetables, local cheeses, chocolates, herbal medicines and handicrafts, or sample 'mystery soups' with locals. Mountain biking in surrounding hills is another option.

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    Day 11 · PunoPuno

    

    Travel through high altiplano scenery by local bus to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 3800 m. Experience this melting pot of Aymara and Quechuan culture and Andean traditions, with the chance to eat grilled trout and catch local cultural festivals.

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    Day 12 · Uros Reed IslandsLlachon community

    Take a motorboat tour stopping at the floating Uros Islands, built from totora reeds by the Uros people centuries ago to escape Inca forces. Stay overnight with a local family, help with daily activities, practise Quechua and possibly join a soccer game.

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    Day 13 · Taquile IslandPuno

    Motorboat to Taquile Island, known for intricate hand-knitted textiles where knitting is strictly a male domain and women do the spinning. Browse high-quality, locally made goods.

14. 14
    Day 14 · La PazLa Paz

    
15. 15
    Day 15 · La PazLa Paz
16. 16
    Day 16 · La PazLa Paz – Uyuni
17. 17
    Day 17 · UyuniSalar de Uyuni

    
18. 18
    Day 18 · Salar de ChiguanaDesierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada
19. 19
    Day 19 · San CristobalSalar de Uyuni – Uyuni
20. 20
    Day 20 · UyuniPotosi
21. 21
    Day 21 · PotosiSucre
22. 22
    Day 22 · SucreSucre
23. 23
    Day 23 · SucreSucre
24. 24
    Day 24 · SucreSucre - La Paz
25. 25
    Day 25 · La PazLa Paz

What's included

• Guide: All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
• Meals: 23 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 8 dinners
• Activities: Amazon Jungle - Jungle activities Cusco - Leader-led orientation walk Sacred Valley - Community visit & lunch Sacred Valley - Snack & drink at AMA Restaurant social enterprise 3 Night/4 Day Inca Trail (or 2 Night/3 Day Inca Quarry Trail) guided hike(s) with porters' support. Or guided Cusco stay (Machu Picchu by train) Machu Picchu - Entrance and guided tour Lake Titicaca - Boat tour & Homestay La Paz - Orientation Walk Salt flats - Visit to 'Fish Island/Inca Wasi' Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada Sucre - Dinosaur Footprints Sucre - Orientation Walk Sucre - Chataquila Pre-Inca trek
• Transport: Plane, Canoe, Boat, 4X4, Private Vehicle, Taxi, Public Bus
• Accommodation: LAKE TITICACA HOMESTAYS: As a responsible travel company, we believe in facilitating positive and meaningful exchanges between our travellers and locals at the places we visit. Homestays are a great vehicle for us to facilitate this! What will you do during a homestay? Well…it’s hard to tell. As you know a day in a family’s life varies from day to day. We don’t want this experience to feel forced (on you or on them) so we ask families to simply carry on with their lives and that, if there is anything that you may be interested in being part of, they ask you to join in. As such you may be invited to help cook dinner, or to go to the local market for groceries, or to join a soccer game with the kids! While your leader will give you some tools to interact with your family (such as some simple words/phrases in Quechua and/or Spanish) big smiles and lots of sign language can go a long way! That said, it’s also important that you understand that you are not obliged to participate in these activities. We believe that the more you put in the more you get out of an experience, but we also understand that you may just want to chill out, grab a book or your camera and go for a wander – and that is fine too. Ultimately, we believe that by simply being there, observing family and friends dynamics is a step forward towards understanding the local way of life. In terms of facilities, the rooms are clean and comfortable (or as comfortable as they get in this part of the world!) however quite basic. Plenty of blankets are provided. Ask for more if you are cold. Layering up with thin thermals and a fleece material will help during very cold nights too. Lastly, be aware that some homestays in Lake Titicaca have shared drop toilets and no showers. So mind your step! Camping (with basic facilities) (3 nights), Dormitory (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Hotel (13 nights), Jungle Lodge (2 nights)

How travellers rate it

Your free day in Lima

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