Peruvian Pathways

About this trip

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

1. 1
   Day 1 · MirafloresLima

   Arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. Meet your tour leader and group at 2pm, then head downtown for a walking tour of Lima's colonial centre, including the San Francisco Monastery and its catacombs, plus the central market. The rest of the day is yours.

2. 2
   Day 2 · Puerto MaldonadoAmazon Jungle

   

   Early flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, then a three-hour motorised canoe ride deep into the Amazon jungle to reach your thatched-roof eco-lodge in the Madre de Dios region. After settling in, take a short orientation walk and spend the evening adjusting to the jungle's sights, smells and sounds.

3. 3
   Day 3Amazon Jungle

   Spend a half-day guided walk through the jungle learning about medicinal plants from local experts and their traditional uses. Watch for macaws, butterflies, peccaries and monkeys; this area also has capybaras, giant otters and jabirus. Return to the lodge for lunch and free time.

4. 4
   Day 4 · Puerto MaldonadoCusco

   

   Canoe back to Puerto Maldonado for your luggage, then fly to Cusco. Get your bearings with an orientation walk from your leader. This evening, venture out for dinner with fellow travellers—your leader can point you towards local spots, including restaurants serving cuy if you're feeling adventurous.

5. 5
   Day 5 · CuscoSacred Valley - Ollantaytambo

   

   Visit Sacsayhuaman, an Incan citadel on Cusco's outskirts, then travel by private bus through the Sacred Valley (Wilcamayo to the Incas). See terraced maize crops and the sacred river, visit an Andean community near Pisac to learn about traditional textile weaving, and lunch at the AMA Restaurant in Urubamba, which provides employment training for single mothers.

6. 6
   Day 6 · CuscoInca Trail / Inca Quarry Trail or Train option

   Choose your route to Machu Picchu: the Inca Trail (Route 1), the Quarry Trail (Route 2), or stay in Cusco before taking the train to Aguas Calientes (Route 3). If hiking, pack a 5kg maximum duffle bag; porters carry the rest of your luggage, food and equipment. Most of your belongings stay at your hotel.

7. 7
   Day 7 · CuscoInca Trail / Inca Quarry Trail or Train option

   Route 1: Tackle the trek's hardest day—a five-hour steep ascent to Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4200m with stunning valley views, then descend to camp in Pacaymayo Valley. Route 2: Hike three hours to Puccaqasa pass (4370m), enjoy views, have lunch, then trek two hours to Kuychicassa.

8. 8
   Day 8 · OllantaytamboInca Trail / Inca Quarry Trail or Train option

   Route 1: Climb through Pacaymayo Valley to Runkuracay Pass (3980m), descend two to three hours to Sayacmarca ruins, cross the third pass to Phuyupatamarca (3850m), then descend Inca steps to camp at Winay Wayna. Route 2: Hike downhill past the incomplete Kachiqata quarry to reach Aguas Calientes by midday.

9. 9
   Day 9 · Machu PicchuMachu Picchu/Cusco

   

   Route 1: Start at 4am, say goodbye to porters, begin hiking at 4.30am. Enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate at Intipunku after a 2.5-hour walk at dawn. Route 2: Take a 5.30am bus up to Machu Picchu, the country retreat built around 1440 for Incan nobility.

10. 10
    Day 10 · CuscoCusco

    Free time in Cusco—rest at a Plaza de Armas café or explore the city. This afternoon, learn to make a Pisco Sour at Casa Intrepid with a hands-on mixology class covering Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, egg white and bitters. Join fellow travellers for dinner with your leader's recommendations.

11. 11
    Day 11 · PunoPuno

    Take a seven-hour public bus with reclining seats through mountain scenery to Puno on Lake Titicaca's shore. The town blends Aymara and Quechuan cultures and is Peru's folklore capital, known for traditional dances and festivals like Virgen de la Candelaria with costumed parades.

12. 12
    Day 12 · PunoPuno / Lake Titicaca

    Sail across Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, to the floating islands of the Uros. Built from totora reeds layered as lower ones rot, these islands use reeds for everything including boats lasting up to 12 months, originally constructed to isolate from rival tribes.

13. 13
    Day 13 · PunoLima

    Fly back to Lima from Puno (one to two hours). Explore the modern neighbourhood of Miraflores, a hub for locals and travellers with restaurants, cafes and shops. Visit the traditional Parque.

14. 14
    Day 14 · LimaLima

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: 13 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners
• Activities: Complimentary Arrival Transfer Lima - San Francisco Monastery and the Catacombs Lima - Downtown walking tour Amazon Jungle - Night jungle walk Amazon Jungle - Morning jungle walk Cusco - Leader-led orientation walk Cusco - Full Boleto Turistico Pass (access to 16 archaeological sites, transport & guides not included) Sacred Valley - Community visit Sacred Valley - AMA sustainable project Sacred Valley - Sacsayhuaman site visit 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) Cuzco Free Time - Comfort - Combo Trip Lima - Miraflores and Barranco neighborhoods tour
• Transport: Plane, Canoe, Private Vehicle, Public Bus
• Accommodation: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available., PERU: Due to local energy supply and infrastructure issues, please be prepared for some cold showers while travelling in Peru. Hotel (8 nights), Jungle Lodge (2 nights), Camping (with facilities) (3 nights)

How travellers rate it

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