Peru · Private tour · 9 days
A private 9-day program with 4-star hotels, English-speaking guides and private transfers: the historic center of Lima, Cusco and its Inca sites, two nights in the Sacred Valley with Chinchero, Yucay and Ollantaytambo, and a night at the foot of Machu Picchu, so you can return to the citadel at sunrise.
Your trip at a glance
We run this program with our trusted partner in Peru: every tour and transfer is private, so you travel at your own pace with your own guide.
| Travel style | Luxury / first class |
|---|---|
| Highlights | Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lima, the Sacred Valley |
| Fitness level | Fair condition |
| Price | From US$1,800 per person (lower group price) |
Day by day
Day 1
Upon your arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, our transportation service and a representative take you to your hotel.
Day 2
Our guide picks you up from your hotel to begin your tour of the Historic Center of Lima. You start at the Aliaga House, a colonial mansion with over five centuries of history, considered the oldest house in the Americas. Then you explore the Plaza Mayor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you visit the imposing Lima Cathedral.
Finally, you visit the Larco Museum in the traditional district of Pueblo Libre. The museum holds a comprehensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold and silver objects and a selection of erotic art pieces.
Day 3
Our transportation service with an English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel and takes you to Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima for your domestic flight to Cusco (the round trip is not included in this price, but can be added for US$275 per person). On arrival at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco, our transportation service and a representative take you to your hotel in Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley.
Day 4
Start the day in the picturesque village of Chinchero, with its impressive agricultural terraces and its 17th-century church, built on an ancient Inca palace and one of the earliest Catholic buildings in Peru. On the way, stop at a lookout to enjoy the spectacular landscapes of the Sacred Valley.
Next, visit the Living Museum of Yucay, where you see textiles, adobe, ceramics and silverware made with ancient Inca techniques, and enjoy a buffet lunch at Muña Restaurant. After lunch, head to the Ollantaytambo Fortress, an important ceremonial center famous for the agricultural terraces that cascade down the mountainsides. Then return to your hotel to rest. On Sundays the visit includes the Chinchero market.
The Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTC), included in the itinerary, is a personal and non-transferable document that gives access to 16 important attractions in Cusco and its surroundings, such as Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. It also allows entry to sites of the Sacred Valley circuit, including Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Moray and Chinchero.
Day 5
Our transportation service and a representative take you from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo station.
Board the Inca Rail Voyager train from Ollantaytambo station to Aguas Calientes station (Machu Picchu Town), where you receive assistance on arrival. Your return to Ollantaytambo is on board the 360° train. Each journey takes about an hour and a half, and schedules are subject to availability.
Aguas Calientes, on the slopes of Machu Picchu, has a lively craft market, restaurants and lodging options. Just a 25-minute bus ride away is Machu Picchu, an architectural and engineering marvel believed to have been a sanctuary and retreat of the Inca Pachacutec. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” and enchants visitors with its history and natural beauty. After the guided visit, return by bus to Aguas Calientes.
Confirm your reservation as soon as possible so we can buy your tickets in advance: the citadel has limited capacity. The circuit and the time of your visit are selected according to availability when the reservation is confirmed.
Enjoy a set lunch menu at Café Inkaterra, with views of the Vilcanota River. The restaurant is known for its blend of Andean cuisine and contemporary trends.
Day 6
Enjoy a free morning in Aguas Calientes. Optionally, you can return to Machu Picchu to visit more of the citadel: we suggest waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountain, an unforgettable experience. In the afternoon, begin the journey back to Cusco.
Our transportation service and a representative pick you up at Ollantaytambo station and take you to your hotel in Cusco.
Day 7
Explore the enchanting and historic city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire. Begin with a visit to the Santo Domingo Convent, built on the foundations of the Coricancha temple. Next, discover the Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption, the main church in town, with a rich collection of colonial art: golden altarpieces, paintings from the renowned Cusco School and religious sculptures.
Explore the ancient hills of Cusco, including the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, the Qenqo archaeological complex and the Puca Pucara military complex. Conclude with a visit to Tambomachay, known as the Inca spa, and return to your hotel.
Day 8
Our transportation service and a representative pick you up from your hotel and take you to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco for your domestic flight to Lima.
Day 9
Transfer to the airport for your international flight from Lima.
A note on the order of the itinerary: the itinerary may change with local conditions. It can be adapted to your interests and to what your guide considers feasible within the framework of your trip; your guide has the final decision on what can and cannot be done beyond this itinerary, in light of any changing circumstances on the ground.
What is included
Price
| 9 days / 8 nights | From US$1,800 per person (lower group price) |
|---|---|
| Domestic flights | The round trip can be added for us$275 per person. |
Domestic flights Lima–Cusco–Lima are not included in the price; the round trip can be added for US$275 per person. Prices are per person, for foreign travelers, and depend on the size of your group and the hotels available on your dates. We send you the exact quote within 24 hours.
Before you travel
Check with your embassy whether you need a visa to enter Peru (or any other country on your itinerary); we are not responsible if a traveler does not have the documents required to enter the country. Your passport must be valid for at least six months when you enter Peru.
Comfortable, light clothing for the coast of Peru and warm clothes for the high Andes. Avoid sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or other short clothing when visiting churches or official buildings. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent are very useful.
The first entrance to the citadel requires a guide; the guided tour lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes. The route and the time of your visit are subject to availability. To buy the tickets we need each traveler’s full name, date of birth, nationality and passport number, exactly as in the passport you will travel with. Entrance tickets are non-refundable once purchased.
On all trains to Machu Picchu you may carry only hand luggage (a backpack, bag or briefcase) of up to 5 kg / 11 lb and 157 cm / 62 linear inches (height + length + width). If you stay in the Sacred Valley, we take your main luggage to your hotel in Cusco; if you stay in Cusco, it waits in the hotel storage. Carry the same passport you sent us: train and Machu Picchu tickets are issued with it.
Photos
Photos: Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0), Philipp Weigell (CC BY 3.0), Dmitry Brant (CC BY-SA 4.0), PA (CC BY-SA 4.0), Olivier Issaly from Paris, France (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons; and our partner in Peru.
Questions
From US$1,800 per person (lower group price), with 4-star hotels, private tours and transfers, the train and the entrance to Machu Picchu. Domestic flights Lima–Cusco–Lima are not included in the price; the round trip can be added for US$275 per person.
Yes: all tours and transfers are private, with an English-speaking guide or a representative, as described in the itinerary.
As soon as possible: the citadel has limited daily capacity, and the circuit and time of your visit are assigned when we buy the tickets. Tickets are non-refundable once issued.
The program follows a set route, but we can add nights, hotels or the domestic flights, and your guide can adapt the order to local conditions. Tell us what you have in mind.
Yes. There are flights between Lima and Quito or Guayaquil, so Peru fits before or after your Galápagos cruise, with nights in Mindo Cloud Forest in between.
Yes: see our 7-day Peru tour, a shorter version without the Sacred Valley nights.
We are the owners of Las Terrazas de Dana
Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa is one of the top-rated lodges in Mindo on Tripadvisor and Booking.com, only two hours from Quito airport, with first-class service. Accommodation, all meals and transfers are included in our programs. Visit the lodge website.
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Tell us your dates and how many people are traveling. We confirm the hotels, the Machu Picchu tickets and the final price, and can add the flights and your Galápagos cruise.
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