How many days in Peru? 10 days: Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lake Titicaca
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
A first trip to Peru is shaped by two things: Machu Picchu tickets and altitude. Cusco is at 3,400 metres, so the smart route is to fly in from Lima and go straight down to the lower Sacred Valley (about 2,800 metres), see Machu Picchu, and only then sleep in Cusco and climb higher. Ten days gives you Lima's food, the Inca heartland and Lake Titicaca without racing.
Short answer
Seven days covers Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. Ten days adds a high-altitude day trip and Lake Titicaca.
The 10-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Lima: Miraflores and Barranco
Morning. Walk the Malecón clifftop parks in Miraflores, past the Parque del Amor, and visit Huaca Pucllana (about S/ 20), a pre-Inca adobe pyramid among the apartment blocks.
Afternoon. Eat ceviche at lunch, as Limeños do, at a cevichería (S/ 35-70). Then take a taxi 15 minutes to Barranco for the Puente de los Suspiros and street art.
Evening. Dine at one of Lima's famous restaurants (book weeks ahead), or try anticuchos (grilled beef heart) from a street stall for S/ 10-15.
Lima's sky is grey from June to November (the garúa mist); it is warm and sunny from December to April.
Day 2: Fly to Cusco, down to Pisac
Morning. Take an early flight to Cusco (about 1h20). Go straight down to the Sacred Valley by taxi or transfer (about 1h-1h30, S/ 100-150).
Afternoon. Climb the Pisac ruins above the village, with Inca terraces and temples on the ridge, then browse the Pisac market, largest on Sundays.
Evening. Stay in Urubamba or Pisac, eat lightly and drink coca tea to adjust to the altitude.
The boleto turístico (about S/ 130, valid 10 days) covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and the Cusco ruins.
Day 3: Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo
Morning. Visit Moray, circular Inca terraces that may have been an agricultural laboratory, and the Maras salt pans (about S/ 20), some 3,000 white pools on a hillside.
Afternoon. Drive to Ollantaytambo and climb its fortress terraces, the site of an Inca victory over the Spanish in 1537. The village still uses Inca water channels.
Evening. Stay in Ollantaytambo for the early train to Machu Picchu.
Book a taxi for a half-day circuit (about S/ 150-200) rather than a big group tour.
Day 4: Train to Machu Picchu
Morning. Take the PeruRail or Inca Rail train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (about 1h30-2h; roughly US$70-150 one way) along the Urubamba gorge.
Afternoon. Take the Consettur bus up (about 25 minutes, around US$12 each way) and enter Machu Picchu on your timed circuit. Tickets cost about S/ 150-200 for foreigners and sell out weeks ahead.
Evening. Sleep in Aguas Calientes and soak in the hot springs that gave the town its name (about S/ 20).
Buy tickets only on the official Machu Picchu website or from licensed agents; choose your circuit in advance.
Day 5: Huayna Picchu, then to Cusco
Morning. Return early for a second visit, or climb Huayna Picchu (steep steps, 2 hours) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3 hours); both need separate tickets booked months ahead.
Afternoon. Take the train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy and a transfer to Cusco (3.5-4 hours in total).
Evening. Have dinner near the Plaza de Armas; try alpaca steak or cuy (guinea pig), an Andean speciality.
Arrive at the Huayna Picchu gate early; latecomers can be refused.
Day 6: Cusco: Inca stones and colonial churches
Morning. Visit the Qorikancha (about S/ 15-20), the Inca sun temple on which the Spanish built the church of Santo Domingo. Walk Hatun Rumiyoc street to see the 12-angled stone.
Afternoon. Climb 20-30 minutes to Sacsayhuamán, the zigzag fortress walls of blocks weighing up to 100 tonnes, with a view over Cusco.
Evening. Explore San Blas, the artisans' quarter on a steep hill, then eat at the San Pedro Market stalls or a picantería.
Cusco's cathedral and the Qorikancha are not covered by the boleto turístico; buy separate tickets.
Day 7: Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake
Morning. Leave at about 4:00 for Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain), whose striped red, yellow and green slopes peak at about 5,000 metres. The walk is about 2 hours up from the car park.
Afternoon. Return to Cusco by 15:00-16:00. Day tours cost about S/ 100-180 with breakfast and lunch, plus an entry fee of about S/ 25.
Evening. Rest; it is a hard day. Alternatively, Humantay Lake, a turquoise glacial lake at 4,200 metres, is a slightly easier day.
Only do this after several days at altitude; horses can be hired for most of the climb.
Day 8: Cusco to Puno
Morning. Take a tourist bus from Cusco to Puno (about 10 hours with stops; US$50-70), or a regular bus (7 hours).
Afternoon. The tourist route stops at Andahuaylillas church, the Raqchi temple and the La Raya pass at 4,335 metres.
Evening. Arrive in Puno at about 17:00. Dress warmly; the town is at 3,830 metres and nights are freezing.
If time is short, fly instead from Cusco to Juliaca (about 1 hour), 45 minutes from Puno.
Day 9: Lake Titicaca
Morning. Take a boat to the Uros floating islands, made of reeds by the Uros people, a 30-minute ride from Puno.
Afternoon. Continue to Taquile island (about 2.5 hours from Uros), famous for textiles knitted by men, with a lunch of fresh trout. Full-day tours cost about S/ 80-150.
Evening. Stay in Puno, or spend a night with a family on Amantaní island on a homestay tour.
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,812 metres; bring sunscreen, as UV is intense.
Day 10: Back to Lima
Morning. Transfer to Juliaca airport and fly to Lima (about 1h40).
Afternoon. Visit the Larco Museum (about S/ 40), with pre-Columbian gold, pottery and its gallery of erotic ceramics, in a garden mansion in Pueblo Libre.
Evening. Have a final dinner in Lima, then fly home from Jorge Chávez International Airport.
Allow at least 3 hours before an international flight; Lima's traffic is slow.
Only have 7 days?
With 7 days, do Days 1 to 6 and fly home from Cusco via Lima on Day 7. You lose Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca.
Got extra days?
Extra days fit Arequipa and the Colca Canyon for condors, the Inca Trail (4 days, permits months ahead), the Nazca Lines, or the Amazon from Puerto Maldonado.
Where to stay in Peru
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Cusco San Blas / Lima Miraflores hostels | Cheap rooms near plazas and transport. | S/ 80-150 |
| Mid-range | Lima Miraflores | Safe, walkable, by the sea and the best restaurants. | S/ 250-450 |
| Mid-range | Cusco historic centre | Colonial houses a few minutes from the Plaza de Armas. | S/ 250-450 |
| Comfort | Sacred Valley lodges | Lodges among farmland and mountains, lower and warmer than Cusco. | S/ 900-2,500 |
Getting around
Fly between Lima, Cusco and Juliaca with LATAM, Sky or JetSMART; Lima to Cusco takes about 1h20 and fares start around S/ 200 booked early. Trains from Ollantaytambo or Poroy are the only way to Aguas Calientes apart from walking the Inca Trail. In Lima, use Uber or Cabify (Miraflores to the historic centre about S/ 20-30, 30-45 minutes). In Cusco, the centre is walkable and official taxis cost S/ 8-15. Long-distance buses with Cruz del Sur or Oltursa have reclining seats and are safer than cheap companies.
What to eat in Peru
Lima is one of the great food cities of the Americas. Eat ceviche (raw fish cured in lime with chilli and red onion) at lunchtime only, lomo saltado (stir-fried beef with chips, a Chinese-Peruvian classic), ají de gallina (creamy chilli chicken) and causa (layered potato terrine). Chinese-Peruvian chifa restaurants are everywhere. In the Andes, try alpaca steak, cuy (roast guinea pig), sopa de quinua and Lake Titicaca trout. Set lunches (menú) cost S/ 12-25 with soup, main and drink. Drink pisco sour, purple-corn chicha morada and the bright yellow Inca Kola.
Best time to visit
May to September is the Andean dry season, with sunny days and freezing nights; June to August is busiest. April and October are quieter. January to March is the rainy season, and the Inca Trail closes in February.
Month-by-month weather for Peru →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | S/ 50 | S/ 140 | S/ 400 |
| Food & drink | S/ 45 | S/ 100 | S/ 220 |
| Sights & tickets | S/ 40 | S/ 120 | S/ 250 |
| Local transport | S/ 15 | S/ 40 | S/ 100 |
| Total per person, per day | about S/ 150 | about S/ 400 | about S/ 970 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Peruvian soles (about S/ 3.7 = US$1), not including flights or the Machu Picchu train; foreign tourists are exempt from the 18% IGV hotel tax if they show their passport and entry record.
Before you go
Common questions
How far in advance should I book Machu Picchu?
For June to August, book entry tickets 1-3 months ahead, and Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain 3-6 months ahead. Train tickets also sell out. Tickets are sold by circuit and time slot on the official government website, and you must enter with a licensed guide on most circuits.
How do I avoid altitude sickness?
Go to the Sacred Valley first, take the first day very slowly, drink water and coca tea, and avoid alcohol for the first night or two. Many travellers take acetazolamide after talking to a doctor. Save Rainbow Mountain for the end. If symptoms are severe, go to a lower altitude.
Is Peru safe for tourists?
The tourist route is generally safe. In Lima, stay in Miraflores, Barranco and San Isidro and use app taxis at night. Pickpockets work in markets and bus stations. Protests and road blockades sometimes affect Cusco and Puno, so follow local news and stay flexible.
Should I do the Inca Trail?
If you are fit and plan ahead, yes. The classic 4-day trail ends at the Sun Gate with the first view of Machu Picchu. Permits are limited to about 500 people a day, including porters, and sell out months ahead. A 1-day short Inca Trail is an alternative.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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