Meals: B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner
Upon your arrival in Lima, we will pick you up from the International airport of Lima and we will take you to your hotel located in Miraflores. At 2:00p.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a city tour. During this city tour, we will take you to downtown Lima where you will visit the Cathedral, the main square, the Catacombs, the San Pedro church, and the "Plaza San Martin". This tour will include a visit to the Larco Museum. After enjoying the beautiful architecture and art of downtown Lima and the Museum we will take you to your hotel. You will spend the night at your hotel.
We will take you to the airport in order to take a morning flight to Puno. Upon your arrival to the airport of Juliaca, we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in Puno, where the Lake Titicaca is located. You will have the remainder of the day to relax or walk around. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At 7:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to take a motorboat through different Andean islands located in the Lake Titicaca. Your first stop will be the floating islands of Uros. These islands are made out of totora. After interacting with the locals for about an hour, your motorboat will take you to the natural island of Amantani where you will spend the night with a local family. Your host will provide you lunch and dinner.
At about 7:30a.m., you will say goodbye to your hosting family and then a motorboat will take you to the Taquile Island. At Taquile, you will observe the local customs of the natives and you will eat lunch at a local restaurant. You will be back in Puno at about 5:00p.m. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At 7:00a.m., you will take a tourist bus towards Cusco. This ride will last about 8 hours. Your first stop will be the town of Pukara. At Pukara the Pre-inca culture of the same name ruled prior to when the Incas conquered the area. Your next stop will be the town of Sicuani where you will enjoy a typical buffet style lunch. After lunch, you will visit the ruins of Raqchi where the temple of the Wiracocha deity is located. Your next stop will be the town of Andahuaylillas. At Andahuaylillas, you will visit the church known as the Sistine Chapel of South America. You will arrive in Cusco at about 5:00p.m. Upon arrival, we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in downtown Cusco.
At 2:00p.m., you will start a guided city tour. This tour will include a visit to the Cathedral, the Temple of Qoricancha, and the Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. This tour will let you learn about the Inca culture as well as some aspects of the conquest of the Inca's Empire and the colony. At about 6:00p.m., you will be back at your hotel. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At about 8:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a guided tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This tour will let you observe an amazing view of the Urubamba River and the valley as well as a visit to the ruins of Pisac and the marketplace of the same name. After lunch, which is included on the package, we will take you to the Andean town of Ollantaytambo where you will have a guided tour of the incredible Inca ruins of the town. You will spend the night at this enigmatic town.
At about 8:30a.m., your guide will pick you up from your hotel and at that time you will meet your group for the hike. Once your entire group gets together at the main square of Ollantaytambo you will head to the Km. 82, also called Piscacucho, where you will start the trek. The Inca Trail will take you through beautiful landscapes towards your lunch camp located near to the ruins of Llactapata. After lunch, you will continue your hike towards your first campsite located at Huayllabamba located about 10,160 feet above sea level. Once at your campsite you will eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 5 hours.
After breakfast you will start the most difficult day of the trek. You will hike at a constant incline until you reach the pass known as Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman's Pass located about 13,770 feet above sea level. The views at this point are incredible. After resting, you will start going down towards your campsite named Pacaymayo. At Pacaymayo you will enjoy lunch and dinner. If it is not cloudy at night, the sky will provide you an incredible sky full of stars. Today you will hike for about 6 or 7 hours.
After breakfast you will start the most beautiful day of the trek. Your first stop will be the ruins of Runkurakay and then the second pass of the trek named after the ruins. Your next stop will be the ruins of Sayacmarca. After a short tour at Sayacmarca, you will eat lunch and then you will start hiking again. On the way to your last campsite at Wiñaywayna you will stop at the ruins of Phuyupatamarca. At the camp you will be able to take a hot shower and then eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 7 hours.
You will eat a very early breakfast around 4:30a.m. and then you will start your hike towards the gate of the sun or Intipunku. If it is not cloudy, you will have an amazing view of Machu Picchu. Once at the Citadel, you will have a guided tour of about two hours. After that you will have time to wander around or climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain. Around midday, you will meet with the rest of the group to take a bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, you will take a train towards Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival to the Ollantaytambo train station, transfer to your hotel in Cusco will be provided. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Today, we will pick you up from your hotel and we will drive you to the airport of Cusco in order to take a plane to Lima. End of our services.
Note: Porters will carry the heavy gear; you will hike carrying only your personal pack, sleeping bag and pad. If you are considering bringing some photography equipment or other heavy accessories, or just simply don't want to carry anything, please request the services of an additional porter to carry your personal belongings; this way you will freely enjoy the hike. (This is highly recommended if you have never hiked over 10,000 feet). Cooks handle all the kitchen chores.
| ACCOMMODATION | Price per traveler (USD) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option | LIMA | PUNO | CUSCO | OLLANTAYTAMBO | DOUBLE | SINGLE |
| Tourist | La Castelllana (Lima) | Intiqa (Puno) | Antawasi (Cusco) | Ollantaytambo Lodge (Ollantaytambo) | $1,845 | $2,035 |
| Superior | La Hacienda (Lima) | Casa Andina (Puno) | Tierra Viva Plaza (Cusco) | Pakaritampu (Ollantaytambo) | $2,019 | $2,419 |
| Premium | BTH Lima Golf (Lima) | Sonesta Posadas del Inca (Puno) | Casa Andina Premium (Cusco) | Casa Andina Premium (Ollantaytambo) | $2,315 | $2,999 |
| Deluxe | Casa Andina Premium (Lima) | Casa Andina Premium (Puno) | Palacio del Inka (Cusco) | Tambo del Inka (Ollantaytambo) | $2,885 | $4,155 |
NOTE: We book the hotels listed in the itinerary whenever possible. During busy seasons or when booked within 90 days of the tour date, we may need to substitute hotels of equal or higher category.
+ Vistadome train upgrade Aguas Calientes to Poroy: USD $95.00
Staying with an Amantani family is one of the most authentic cultural experiences available in Peru. Your host family provides a simple but comfortable room, traditional Andean meals, and warm hospitality. Many families dress guests in traditional clothing for the evening celebration. There is no electricity in most homes, so bring a headlamp. This overnight stay goes directly to supporting the local community.
The Uros Islands are man-made islands constructed entirely from totora reeds that grow abundantly in Lake Titicaca. The islands float because the dense root mat of the reeds provides buoyancy, and new layers of reeds are added regularly as lower layers decay. The Uro people have lived on these islands for centuries and still maintain traditional crafts and customs. Your boat tour includes landing on one of the islands and meeting the islanders.
Lake Titicaca sits at 3,812 m (12,507 ft), slightly higher than Cusco. You fly to Juliaca airport (3,825 m) and transfer to Puno. Some travellers feel mild altitude effects — shortness of breath, mild headache — especially on the first day. Moving slowly, drinking lots of water, and avoiding heavy meals and alcohol helps. The Puno days before Cusco actually help acclimatize you for the Inca Trail.
Yes — we use a comfortable tourist bus (not the regular public bus) with reclining seats, air conditioning, and an onboard guide for commentary at the stops. The journey takes approximately 8 hours with several interesting stops including the Pukara ruins, a buffet lunch in Sicuani, the Raqchi temple ruins, and the colonial church of Andahuaylillas. It is a full and rewarding day of sightseeing.
This 12-day itinerary provides excellent acclimatization. After arriving in Puno (Day 2), you spend 3 days at Lake Titicaca altitude (3,812 m). The bus to Cusco on Day 5 gradually exposes you to varying altitudes. You then have 2 full days in Cusco (3,400 m) before starting the Inca Trail on Day 8. This progressive exposure significantly reduces the risk of altitude sickness on the trail.
The tour includes a motorboat from Puno to the Uros floating islands (approximately 40 minutes), a guided visit on the islands, then a 3-hour boat ride to Amantani Island including your overnight stay with a local family and all meals on the island. The following morning you continue to Taquile Island, famous for its UNESCO-recognised weaving tradition, including lunch at a local restaurant, before returning to Puno by boat.
Yes. The package includes domestic flights on two legs: Lima to Juliaca (Puno's airport) on Day 2, and Cusco to Lima on the final day. These are booked on your behalf and cover the main transit points. The overland bus Puno to Cusco is included as a sightseeing tour, not just transport.
You need good overall fitness for the Inca Trail portion (Days 8–11), which is moderate to challenging with 6–8 hours of hiking daily and a high-altitude mountain pass. The Lake Titicaca days are leisurely with no hiking required. If you have any heart or respiratory conditions, consult your doctor before booking — the sustained high altitude throughout this itinerary (mostly above 3,400 m) requires a healthy cardiorespiratory system.
Puno has a high-altitude climate that is cold and dry most of the year. Days are typically sunny with temperatures of 10–18°C, but nights drop to near freezing, even in summer. The rainy season (December–March) brings afternoon showers and some chilly, overcast days. Pack layers regardless of season — the lake wind can be bitter. The dry season (May–October) is the best time to visit.
This 12-day journey through Lima, Puno, Cusco and the Inca Trail was the holiday of a lifetime. The night on Amantani Island with the family was unexpectedly moving — sharing a meal by candlelight on a floating island in the highest navigable lake in the world. The guides on the Lake Titicaca section and the Inca Trail were both superb.
The progression from Lima to Puno to Cusco meant we were properly acclimatized by the time we started the trail. I was initially worried about 12 days being too long, but the pace was ideal — I never felt rushed or bored. The Puno-to-Cusco bus day with all the stops was one of my favourite days of the whole trip.
The Taquile Island weavers were extraordinary — the complexity of their textiles and the cultural pride they carry is remarkable. Then to go from that serenity into the physical challenge of the Inca Trail was the perfect contrast. Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate at sunrise after 4 days of walking through ancient landscapes was indescribably beautiful.
An excellent, comprehensive tour that covers the best of Peru. The acclimatization at Titicaca altitude before the Inca Trail was genuinely effective — I had no issues at Dead Woman's Pass. The Amantani family stay was simple but real. The Inca Trail camp food was, bizarrely, some of the best food I had on the entire trip.
I did this tour after recovering from a knee injury and was nervous, but the pace throughout was manageable and the guides were attentive. The 12-day structure with Lake Titicaca before the trail was the smartest way to build up to the Inca Trail. I cried at the Sun Gate — in the best possible way. Worth every step.
The logistical coordination across multiple cities and travel modes was seamless. Every transfer, ticket, and hotel was exactly as described. Lake Titicaca at dawn before the boats departed, with the reed islands glowing in the early light, is an image I cannot shake. Machu Picchu completed a truly remarkable journey.
Secure your spot with a deposit starting from US$ 250. Permits are limited and popular dates sell out months in advance.