Classic Highlights of Peru
14 days from £2,950 pp
Classic Highlights of Peru is our 13-day tailor-made introduction to the highlights of Peru: Lima’s street food, the villages and Inca sites of the Sacred Valley, two visits to Machu Picchu, the artists’ quarter of Cusco and the islands of Lake Titicaca. Prices start from £2,950 per person, including hand-picked hotels, private guides for most excursions, transfers, internal flights and many meals. It’s the ideal first trip to Peru, with time to meet the people behind the landmarks: Quechua weavers, a Misminay farming family, a Cusco instrument maker and the islanders of Taquile.
Trip Highlights
- Visit Machu Picchu twice, with a night at the foot of the mountain
- Share a pachamanca earth-oven lunch with the Misminay community
- Taste 14 flavours of Lima on a private street food walk
- Meet the Uros and Taquile islanders on Lake Titicaca
Our Expert Tip
”If you’re feeling adventurous, there are several ways to reach Machu Picchu on foot. Ask us about the one-day Inca Trail or, for those with more time, the classic four-day Inca Trail or the scenic Salkantay Trek”
Sinead, Peru Expert
Peru Highlights Itinerary: Day by Day
Day 1-2: Lima
Arrive in Lima and settle into Humano Hotel or similar for two nights. Next day, a private guide leads you through the historic centre one bite at a time: 14 tastes that tell the story of the city, from dishes shaped by Chinese and African influences to the stalls of Lima’s biggest market. It’s the perfect introduction to a country that takes its food very seriously (the tour doesn’t run on Sundays, so we plan around it).
Day 3-6: Sacred Valley
Fly to Cusco and drive down into the Sacred Valley, a gentler place to adjust to the altitude, for four nights in a bungalow at Las Casitas del Arco Iris. Your first full day explores the high plateau around Maras with a private guide: watch weavers dye wool with plants and minerals and work their looms, see how traditional hats are made, walk past the carved stone gateways of Maras town, and finish at the salt terraces, where pink salt has been harvested by hand for centuries.
The next day, visit the Misminay community to join in with daily life and share a pachamanca lunch, cooked in an earth oven of hot stones, before exploring Ollantaytambo, a town still laid out on its original Inca street plan beneath its terraced fortress.
Your fourth day in the valley is yours to enjoy at your own pace: relax at the hotel, wander a local market, or, if you’d like to stay active, kayak on Piuray Lagoon, with a picnic by the water and a visit to Chinchero’s market on the way.
Day 7: Machu Picchu
Board the Vistadome train, with its panoramic windows, at Ollantaytambo and follow the Urubamba River down to Aguas Calientes, then take the bus up to Machu Picchu for a private guided visit. Spend the night at Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu or similar, at the foot of the mountain.
Want to arrive on foot instead? See our Peru walking holiday.
Day 8-10: Cusco
Rise early for a second guided visit to Machu Picchu, when it’s quieter and you can return to the places you loved most, then take the train and road back to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, for three nights at Quinta San Blas, in the artists’ quarter.
A private guide walks you through San Blas to the workshop of luthier Sabino Huamán, where you’ll help make a zampoña (Andean panpipes) and hear a short performance, then past the Mendívil family’s art museum and the Twelve-Angled Stone to the Plaza de Armas. Keep a day free for Cusco’s museums, cafés and markets, or paint your own Torito de Pucará, the ceramic bulls found on Andean rooftops, over a cup of Peruvian coffee.
Day 11-12: Lake Titicaca
Travel south across the Andes to Puno, stopping at the richly painted church of Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, the Inca Temple of Wiracocha at Raqchi, and the La Raya pass at 4,335 metres. Stay two nights at Sonesta Posada del Inca or similar, looking out over Lake Titicaca. Next day, take a boat to the floating reed islands of the Uros, built and rebuilt by hand, then walk up through the terraces of Taquile, whose islanders’ weaving is recognised by UNESCO.
Day 13: Depart
Transfer to Juliaca airport for your flight to Lima and on home. Want to add the Amazon? Ask us about three or four nights at a rainforest lodge, or see our Peru holidays for more ideas.
When to Go
Best time for a Peru highlights holiday
The best time for this trip is May to September, Peru’s dry season, with sunny days in the Andes and clear views at Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. April and October are good shoulder months. December to March is the rainy season, though Machu Picchu is open all year. Nights in the Andes are cold, especially from June to August, so pack warm layers.
Includes
- All accommodation
- Excursions
- Transport
- Private guides
Excludes
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa cost
- Tips
Why Book With Travel Differently
Passionate and experienced
- Each member of the team has over a decade of experience in the industry
- Our 5* client reviews reflect our service & standards
- We are a fully independent & owner-run tour operator
- Our holidays include full financial protection & ATOL coverage
- We are destination experts, ensuring authentic & reliable advice
Committed and Responsible
Tailor-made and Personal
- No two trips are the same, our holidays are 100% bespoke
- We design personal, genuine cultural connections & experiences
- From planning to travel, you’ll have one dedicated point of contact
- Our support is available around the clock during your holiday
- We take care of the details, so you don’t have to
Need More Inspiration?
Want to combine multi-countries, take less flights, or include a hike in Patagonia? Thinking of a longer sabbatical holiday, or staying in some luxury yurts? It’s all possible; all our holidays are tailor-made with a focus on responsible travel. Take a look at more ideas below, and contact our experts.
