Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley: Best Itinerary Ideas

How many days do you need in Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley?

• Most travelers spend 9-10 days in Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley combined
• Visiting Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley in 8 days is possible, but it will feel rushed
• With 11 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
• The most common extensions are the Amazon and Amantani Island

How Many Days to Spend in Lima
How Many Days to Spend at Machu Picchu

Recommended Itineraries for Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley

Recommended Itinerary for 9 Days

Explore Peru's cities, Machu Picchu, and the largest lake in South America on this nine-day exploration of local Peruvian culture. Start in metropolitan Lima and explore the vibrant food scene and history. Continue to Cusco, the capital of the Inca empire, and visit ancient ruins and colorful textile markets. Next, spend a day visiting the iconic Machu Picchu ruins. Finally, venture to Lake Titicaca to see its floating islands and native culture. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 10 Days

This 10-day itinerary brings you to Peru's most iconic landscapes. Explore the metropolitan city of Lima, and delve into the culture and history at Lake Titicaca. Next, head to the Inca capital of Cusco, explore the colorful textile markets and small towns of the Sacred Valley, and cap it off with a visit to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Read more

Extended Itineraries

10-Day Itinerary Including the Amazon

From Cusco to the Amazon rainforest, this grand Peru tour is ideal for adventurous travelers, nature lovers, and history buffs. The highlights are many: explore Indigenous/colonial Cusco, visit the Uros floating islands, and witness the majesty of Machu Picchu. Then travel south to Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon, where you'll stay in a rainforest lodge and embark on nature tours to spot exotic wildlife. Read more

16-Day Itinerary Including the Amazon & Amantani Island

Experience the best of Peru with this comprehensive tour. Spend three days at an ecolodge in the Amazon rainforest, where you'll view wildlife like the giant river otter and multiple parrot species. Next, travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley to learn about its ancient ruins and take short treks to Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. End your trip at Lake Titicaca, immersing in the culture of this region's famous Islands. Read more

How to travel between Lima, Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley

How to get to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu needs little introduction—it's South America's most famous and most visited travel destination. Getting to this complex of Inca ruins, as almost every Peru-bound traveler wishes to do, always involves first traveling to Cusco. Read more

How to get to Puno
Puno sits along the shores of Peru's Lake Titicaca, the high-altitude freshwater lake known as a cultural treasure for its long-inhabited islands. Read more

How to get to the Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is the name given to the valley of the Río Urubamba and the pretty tradition-rich towns and villages that cling to its sides amid a clutch of Inca ruins. The valley begins twists and turns beneath steep mountainsides north of Cusco. Cusco is the only real access point to the Sacred Valley because it acts as one of Peru's biggest transport hubs. All travel to the Sacred Valley, therefore, first necessitates a journey to Cusco. Read more

How to get from Lima to Cusco
The most popular place to head from Lima is Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca and the jumping-off point for Machu Picchu. For those with limited time, the easiest means of getting there is to fly. Flight prices per person are still not that much more expensive than heading overland by bus and cheaper than heading overland by private transfer. It's not recommended to drive yourself due to road conditions and other dangers. Read more