WhyYou’ll Love This Tour
The Full Peruvian Story
Lima, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca, Peru’s culture, history, and landscape in one seamless journey.
Deep Cultural Roots
A Pachamanca feast, the floating Uros Islands, and the Sacred Valley paths where Inca farmers once worked.
Comfort Every Step of the Way
Private transfers, English-speaking guides, and hand-picked restaurants, so you can focus entirely on Peru.
Overview
Discover the full sweep of Peru on our signature 10-day Peru cultural tour, a private journey that takes you from the Pacific coastline of Lima through the ancient villages and Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley, to the legendary citadel of Machu Picchu and the vast, otherworldly shores of Lake Titicaca. This 10-day Peru itinerary is built for travelers who want more than highlights, every stop connects to the landscape, the people, and the living culture behind it. Among our Peru cultural tour packages, this itinerary offers one of the most complete introductions to the country’s history, traditions, gastronomy, and iconic landscapes. Backed by 1,500+ five-star reviews and our core philosophy of “German precision, Peruvian passion,” every transfer, guide, and meal is handled so you can simply be present.
Lima: South America’s Culinary Capital
Your 10-day Peru tour begins in Lima, where two days give this remarkable city the attention it deserves. A guided tour of the historic city center – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – walks you through the grand Plaza Mayor, the ornate Cathedral, and the baroque architecture of the old colonial quarter. The afternoon shifts into Lima’s true identity: the kitchen of South America. A guided culinary tour through local markets, street food stalls, and celebrated restaurants introduces you to Peruvian cuisine – from ceviche and causa to pisco sour – in a way that sets the tone for the entire journey ahead.
Sacred Valley: Living Culture in the Inca Heartland
From Cusco, your journey descends into the Sacred Valley of the Incas – lower in altitude and perfect for acclimatization. A stop at the Pisac market and ruins or a visit to Awanakancha, a working alpaca farm with master weavers, eases you gently into Andean life. The following day takes the cultural immersion deeper: the circular terraces of Moray – the Inca’s open-air agricultural laboratory – and the surreal landscape of the Maras salt mines, worked by the same families since pre-Inca times, frame an afternoon with a local Andean community where traditional weaving and farming techniques are still practiced as they always have been.
Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca & Machu Picchu
The heart of any Peru cultural itinerary lies here. Ollantaytambo – the most intact example of Inca urban planning still standing – opens the day with its dramatic fortress terraces and original stone streets. A traditional Pachamancafeast follows: meats and vegetables slow-cooked underground on heated volcanic stones, exactly as Andean communities have done for over 1,000 years. A scenic train ride through the narrowing valley delivers you to Aguas Calientes for an early night before the main event. An early ascent to Machu Picchu puts you at the citadel in the morning mist, ahead of the crowds, with a licensed guide who brings the architecture, astronomy, and Inca history fully to life.
Cusco: Where Two Civilizations Meet
Back in Cusco, a full guided day explores one of the world’s most extraordinary cities. Koricancha – the Inca Temple of the Sun – reveals its perfectly fitted stonework still visible beneath a Spanish colonial church built directly on top of it. The Plaza de Armas, the monumental ruins of Sacsayhuaman, and the craft-filled streets of San Blas complete a day that makes Cusco feel less like a tourist stop and more like a living history lesson.
Lake Titicaca: The Roof of the Americas
The final chapter of your 10-day Peru itinerary takes you across the vast, open grasslands of the Altiplano to Puno and the shores of Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable lake on Earth at 12,565 ft. A full day on the water visits the Uros floating islands – entirely man-made platforms constructed from totora reeds, where the Uros people have maintained their unique way of life for generations – before continuing to Taquile Island, whose weaving traditions are recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. A hilltop lunch with panoramic views over an impossibly blue lake brings this remarkable journey to a close.Explore our 10-day Peru tour packages to discover more carefully crafted itineraries that combine Peru’s cultural treasures with authentic local experiences and seamless travel planning.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1 : Arrival in Lima & Relax
- Day 2 : Lima City & Culinary Tour
- Day 3 : Flight to Cusco & Transfer to the Sacred Valley
- Day 4 : Moray, Maras Salt Mines & Local Community Visit
- Day 5 : Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Feast & Train to Aguas Calientes
- Day 6 : Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco
- Day 7 : Cusco City Tour
- Day 8 : Journey to Puno & Lake Titicaca
- Day 9 : Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island
- Day 10 : Farewell
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival in Lima & Relax
Today’s Highlight: Touch down in Peru and settle into one of Lima’s most vibrant neighborhoods, ready for the adventure ahead.
Welcome to Peru. Upon arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport, our team will be waiting to greet you and transfer you comfortably to your hotel in Miraflores or Barranco, two of Lima’s most lively and walkable districts. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, take a first stroll along the Pacific cliffs, and begin to feel the pulse of South America’s culinary capital.
Overnight in Lima
Optional: Add our Lima half-day city tour and explore the city’s beautiful neighborhoods, local markets and more.
Day 2 : Lima City & Culinary Tour
Today’s Highlight: Discover why Lima has become one of the world’s great food cities, with a guided tour that blends colonial history and unforgettable flavors.
Start your morning with a guided city tour through Lima’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the grand Plaza Mayor, visit the ornate Cathedral, and explore the baroque architecture of the old colonial quarter.
In the afternoon, the city shifts into its true identity: the kitchen of South America. Your culinary tour takes you through local markets, past street food stalls, and into one of Lima’s celebrated restaurants, where Peruvian cuisine, from ceviche to causa to pisco sour, reveals its extraordinary depth.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Lima
Day 3 : Flight to Cusco & Transfer to the Sacred Valley
Today’s Highlight: Trade the Pacific coast for the Andean highlands and ease into Inca culture with a stop at Pisac or Awanakancha.
An early flight brings you to Cusco (11,150 ft.). Rather than heading into the city straight away, we transfer you directly to the Sacred Valley, lower in altitude and perfect for acclimatization.
Along the way, stop at the colorful Pisac market and ruins, or visit Awanakancha, a working alpaca farm where you can meet the animals and watch master weavers at work before settling into your valley hotel.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Sacred Valley
Day 4 : Moray, Maras Salt Mines & Local Community Visit
Today’s Highlight: Ancient engineering, a surreal salt landscape, and an afternoon with an Andean family who still lives by the old ways.
Visit Moray, the Inca’s remarkable circular agricultural terraces, designed as an open-air laboratory using altitude to create different micro-climates. Continue to the Maras salt mines, where thousands of terraced pools have been harvesting mineral-rich spring water since pre-Inca times.
The afternoon takes you into a local Andean community to learn traditional weaving and farming techniques, before sitting down to a delicious lunch in the valley.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Sacred Valley
Day 5 : Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Feast & Train to Aguas Calientes
Today’s Highlight: The Inca’s best-preserved town, a feast cooked underground, and an evening train ride into the mountains.
Explore Ollantaytambo, the most intact example of Inca urban planning still standing, with dramatic fortress terraces and original stone streets.
Then experience a traditional Pachamanca feast: marinated meats and vegetables slow-cooked in an earth oven with hot volcanic stones, just as Andean communities have done for over 1,000 years.
In the late afternoon, board the scenic train to Aguas Calientes as the valley narrows and the mountains rise around you.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Day 6 : Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco
Today’s Highlight: Machu Picchu at its most peaceful early entry, expert guiding, and the citadel before the crowds arrive.
Rise early for a reason. Arriving at Machu Picchu before the day-trippers transforms the experience, morning mist, golden light, and the ruins almost to yourself. Your licensed guide will connect the architecture, astronomy, and Inca history in a tour that makes the site feel alive.
After time to explore at your own pace, descend to Aguas Calientes and board the train back to Cusco for the night.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Cusco
Day 7 : Cusco City Tour
Today’s Highlight: Two civilizations layered on top of each other and the extraordinary story of how they coexist.
Cusco is a living museum. Your guided tour takes in Koricancha the Inca Temple of the Sun, with its perfectly fitted stonework still visible beneath a Spanish colonial church, the vibrant Plaza de Armas, and the monumental ruins of Sacsayhuamán overlooking the city.
Between sites, Cusco’s streets offer excellent craft markets and some of Peru’s best coffee. The afternoon is free to explore on your own.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Cusco
Day 8 : Journey to Puno & Lake Titicaca
Today’s Highlight: Cross the vast Altiplano and arrive at the world’s highest navigable lake as the sun sets over the water.
Travel from Cusco to Puno (12,565 ft.) by scenic train or private transfer, passing through the open grasslands and volcanic peaks of the high Altiplano one of the most otherworldly stretches of landscape in South America.
Arrive in Puno in the late afternoon, check into your hotel overlooking the lake, and prepare for a remarkable day on the water tomorrow.
Breakfast included.
Overnight in Puno
Day 9 : Uros Floating Islands & Taquile Island
Today’s Highlight: Walk on islands made of reeds, meet the families who built them, and climb to a hilltop view over an impossibly blue lake.
Board a boat for the Uros Islands entirely man-made floating platforms constructed from totora reeds, where the Uros people have maintained their unique way of life for generations. Spend time with local families, learn how the islands are built and maintained, then continue to Taquile Island.
This UNESCO-recognized community has preserved its textile traditions so completely that their weaving techniques are listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Hike to the hilltop plaza for panoramic lake views and enjoy a traditional lunch before heading back to Puno.
Breakfast & Lunch included.
Overnight in Puno
Day 10 : Farewell
Today’s Highlight: A final Peruvian breakfast before the journey home.
Enjoy a last breakfast before our private driver transfers you to Juliaca Airport for your onward flight. You leave with new perspectives, full memories, and likely, plans to come back.
Breakfast included.
- Included
- Airport transfers with our staff accompanying you
- All tours stated in the itinerary with fluent English speaking licensed local guides
- Tours with all entrance tickets
- Private Machu Picchu tour with entrance tickets, train tickets and shuttle bus
- Hotels if selected
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary above (vegan and vegetarian options available). We eat in some of the best restaurants in the area.
- Trekking pole, first aid kit and oxygen for the hikes
- Welcome kit and virtual support during your trip
- Not Included
- Domestic and international flights (domestic flights will be added in the quote if desired)
Prices
Based on double/triple occupancy and the hotels mentioned below or similar ones in the same category.
- Service
- Comfortable 3-start hotels
- Standard train to Machu Picchu
- Shared/private transfers
- Daily breakfast
- Service
- Upgraded 4-start hotels
- Vistadome train to Machu Picchu
- More comfortable transport
- Restaurant upgrades
- Service
- Luxury 5-start hotels
- Hiram Bingham train (optional)
- VIP private transfers
- Exclusive experiences
Hotels
JW Marriott
- 250 m from the oceanfront
JW Marriott Miraflores offers ocean-view rooms, excellent dining, and a well-equipped gym, in a prime waterfront location beside Larcomar for an upscale stay.
Souma Miraflores
- 650 m from Parque Kennedy
Souma Miraflores offers modern comfort near Parque Kennedy and Larcomar, with air-conditioned rooms, outdoor pool, fitness center, rooftop terrace, restaurant, and convenient access to Lima’s highlights.
Lima 18 Boutique Hotel
- Steps from Huaca Pucllana
Lima 18 Boutique offers charming, intimate accommodation in the heart of Miraflores, with just 11 air-conditioned rooms featuring curated artwork and modern touches, a serene garden terrace, complimentary à la carte breakfast, and attentive personalized service — all within walking distance of Parque Kennedy, Huaca Pucllana, and Larcomar.
Tambo Del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
- Next to Urubamba River
Tambo del Inka is a luxury Sacred Valley resort with a private train station to Machu Picchu, elegant rooms with local details, a spa, pool, and stunning mountain views.
Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado
- 11 km from Ollantaytambo
Casa Andina Premium Sacred Valley offers mountain views near Ollantaytambo, with a spa, outdoor activities, gardens, playgrounds, and an observatory for relaxed stargazing.
Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado
- 11 km to Ollantaytambo
This hotel offers 36 spacious rooms with warm wood and stone accents, lush gardens, Andean mountain views, and an on-site sauna for a relaxing retreat.
Palacio del Inka Luxury Collection
- 500 m from Plaza de Armas (main square)
Palacio del Inka, beside the Koricancha Temple, is a luxury hotel built on original Inca foundations, featuring stunning colonial architecture and guided historical tours.
Novotel
- 350 m from Plaza de Armas (main Square)
Novotel Cusco, set in a restored 16th-century building just three blocks from the main square, offers modern comfort, local charm, and a heated courtyard for relaxing.
Rumi Punku
- 300 m away from Plaza de Armas (main square)
Hotel Rumi Punku is a charming 3-star stay just 300m from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, offering cozy rooms with private bathrooms and cable TV, free WiFi, and a traditional courtyard garden.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
- 250 m from the oceanfront
Inkaterra El Pueblo sits at the foot of Machu Picchu near the train station, offering upscale comfort, lush nature, and an immersive stay for your visit.
Casa del Sol Machu Picchu
- Next to train station
Casa del Sol Machu Picchu is a luxury retreat near the train station, with elegant rooms, modern comforts, private bathrooms, mini-bars, satellite TV, luggage storage, and attentive concierge service.
Jaya Suite
- 250 m from bus station
Jaya Suite Machupicchu is just a 10-minute walk from the hot springs, offering convenient access, an on-site restaurant, and a bar/lounge to relax before your Machu Picchu visit.
Titilaka - Relais & Châteaux
- Next to Titicaca Lake
Titilaka is a stylish lakeside retreat on Lake Titicaca, offering stunning lake-view rooms, regional cuisine, private bathrooms, mini-bars, and thoughtful comforts for a serene stay.
GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca
- Located on the shores of Lake Titicaca
GHL Titicaca sits on Lake Titicaca’s shore, offering comfortable rooms, excellent service, modern facilities, and stunning lake views for an immersive Puno experience.
Casa Andina Standard Puno
- 450 m from city center
Casa Andina Standard Puno offers comfortable rooms with modern amenities, located near Puno Cathedral and Lake Titicaca, making it a convenient base for exploring the area.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 10-day Peru cultural tour cover?
This tour connects Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca in a single 10-day itinerary. Beyond the iconic sites, the tour includes a Pachamanca feast, a local Andean community visit, the Uros floating islands, and Taquile Island, giving cultural depth to every destination along the way.
Is this 10-day Peru itinerary suitable for first-time visitors?
Yes, this is one of our most popular itineraries for first-time visitors to Peru. It covers the country’s greatest cultural highlights in a logical, well-paced sequence, with acclimatization built in and private guides handling every detail. No prior travel experience in Peru is needed.
How does the tour handle altitude acclimatization?
Rather than arriving directly in Cusco (3,400m / 11,150ft), we transfer you straight to the Sacred Valley on Day 3, which sits at a lower altitude and allows your body to adjust gradually over two nights before heading higher. Oxygen, first aid kits, and coca tea are available throughout the tour, and our guides monitor the group at all times.
What is a Pachamanca feast and when does it happen?
Pachamanca is a traditional Andean cooking method where marinated meats and vegetables are slow-cooked in an earth oven lined with hot volcanic stones. It has been practiced in the Andes for over 1,000 years and is one of the most memorable meals on any Peru cultural tour. It takes place on Day 5 in Ollantaytambo, before your train to Aguas Calientes.
How physically demanding is this 10-day Peru cultural tour?
This tour is designed for active travelers but does not require a high fitness level. The Maras, Uros, and Taquile days involve moderate walking, and the Inca Trail day (Day 5) covers approximately 12km over 8 hours. The highest point reached is Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca at around 3,950m. Anyone in reasonable health who can walk several hours comfortably will be well-suited to this itinerary.
