The road to Machu Picchu

Ceviche for lunch in Lima, the Inca walls of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, with days to get used to the altitude.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Lima → Cusco → Machu Picchu · 7–9 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

PeruLima
Days
2–3
When
Jan–Apr
Per person/day
Average 350–550 S/Mid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
PeruCusco
Days
4–5
When
Apr–May · Sep–Oct
Per person/day
Average 350–600 S/Mid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
PeruMachu Picchu
Days
1–2
When
Apr–Oct
Per person/day
Average 425 S/Mid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone going to Machu Picchu who wants to arrive with time for the altitude and for Cusco.

Not for anyone with only five days, since the altitude calls for a slow pace.

The strategy

Lima comes first and sits at sea level. Cusco comes next, with days for the body to adjust to the altitude, and Machu Picchu closes the trip with the ticket bought in advance, because it has a fixed time slot and sells out.

What you will see

Museo Larco, Lima. In Pueblo Libre, inside an 18th-century mansion built on top of a huaca.
Cusco Cathedral, Cusco. Built between 1560 and 1654 over the Kiswarkancha palace, with blocks taken from Saqsaywaman.
Casa del Guardián, Machu Picchu. The shelter with its restored thatched roof stands high in the agricultural sector, near the stone known as the Funerary Rock.