About this trip
Nine days across southern Peru covering the two big draws, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca, with proper time built in to adjust to the altitude rather than rushing between them.
You work through the Sacred Valley first, by train to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu, before heading up to Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake and then down to Lake Titicaca for a night with a local family on Amantani Island.
Most nights are in comfortable 3-star hotels, with the one homestay giving you a much closer look at Andean daily life than a hotel stay would.
What you'll do
- Explore Chinchero, Moray and the Maras salt mines before the train to Machu Picchu
- Overnight homestay on Amantani Island with home-cooked meals and a hike to viewpoints around 3,950 m
- Hike Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake, with optional horse rental at Rainbow Mountain
- Speed boat across Lake Titicaca to Uros, Amantani and Taquile, including local weaving traditions
- Travel the Route of the Sun via Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, La Raya Pass and the Pukara Museum
- High altitude throughout, including a pass at 4,338 m — the itinerary builds in acclimatisation but you should be prepared for thin air
- The Amantani homestay is basic by design, with home-cooked meals and simple family accommodation rather than hotel comforts
- Suits travellers who want a mix of ruins, trekking and genuine cultural contact rather than a beach-and-lounge pace
Worth it if you're fit, flexible with group dynamics, and want excellent guides in stunning landscapes. Think twice if you need a tight-knit group or prefer one consistent guide throughout.
- Guides like Fred, Papa Freddy, Roberto, and Wilbert consistently deliver outstanding personal service and deep cultural knowledge.
- Not fully guided and scattered across hotels means you'll travel mostly alone; different guide each day, no guaranteed group bonding.
- Early starts are frequent and demanding; pre-trip warning about hiking boot requirements for high-altitude days would help.
- Cusco accommodation is basic; one night in a villager's home on an island had no running water—authentic but spartan.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
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Getting there
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Where to stay
A night before your tour in Cusco · 20 Aug – 21 Aug
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