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. Return to Cusco in the evening.
At about 6:30a.m., we will take you to the train station in order to take the Expedition train to Aguas Calientes. Upon your arrival in Aguas Calientes, we will take you to your hotel in order to check-in. Then you can go to have lunch in town. In the afternoon you might enjoy the hot springs of the town. You will spend the night at your hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Early in the morning you will take a bus to Machu Picchu where you will have a 2 hour guided tour of the most important rooms and temples. After the tour, you will be free to wander around. In the afternoon, you will take the train to 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.
| ACCOMMODATION | Price per traveler (USD) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option | LIMA | PUNO | CUSCO | AGUAS CALIENTES | DOUBLE | SINGLE |
| Tourist | La Castellana (Lima) | Intiqa (Puno) | Antawasi (Cusco) | Wiracocha Inn (Aguas Calientes) | $1,629 | $1,855 |
| Superior | La Hacienda (Lima) | Casa Andina (Puno) | Tierra Viva Plaza (Cusco) | Santuario (Aguas Calientes) | $1,815 | $2,255 |
| Premium | BTH Lima Golf (Lima) | Sonesta Posadas del Inca (Puno) | Casa Andina Premium (Cusco) | El Mapi (Aguas Calientes) | $2,195 | $3,009 |
| Deluxe | Casa Andina Premium (Lima) | Casa Andina Premium (Puno) | Palacio del Inka (Cusco) | Sumaq (Aguas Calientes) | $2,845 | $4,205 |
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: USD $90.00
Just as in our trekking tours, you stay overnight with a local Amantani family — one of the most genuine cultural experiences in South America. Your host provides a simple room, traditional Andean meals (quinoa soup, potatoes, natural herbal tea), and warm hospitality. Many families invite guests to wear traditional clothing and join an evening celebration. No hiking is involved — the island community is accessed entirely by boat.
The day is structured to contrast two very different island experiences. The Uros floating islands are a unique artificial environment — man-made totora reed platforms where a small community maintains traditional crafts and customs. Amantani, reached after a 3-hour boat ride, is a natural high-altitude island with farming communities who rarely see mass tourism. Staying overnight on Amantani gives you a real connection that a day trip cannot provide.
Lake Titicaca sits at 3,812 m (12,507 ft). You may feel mild altitude symptoms — headache, shortness of breath, slight fatigue — especially on Day 2 when you arrive from Lima (sea level) via Juliaca airport. Move slowly, drink plenty of water, and avoid heavy meals and alcohol. The altitude here is part of the cultural experience. By the time you reach Cusco on Day 5, your body is already adapted.
Taquile Island is renowned for its weaving tradition — the island's textile art was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The island has no cars and the community maintains traditional clothing, social structure, and customs. You walk through the hilltop community (some gentle uphill paths) and have lunch at a local restaurant with lake views before the boat returns to Puno. The weavings sold on Taquile are genuine handicrafts of exceptional quality.
We use a comfortable tourist bus with reclining seats, large windows, and an onboard guide. Stops include: the Pukara pre-Inca ruins, a traditional buffet lunch in Sicuani, the spectacular Wiracocha temple ruins at Raqchi, and the ornate colonial church at Andahuaylillas (called the "Sistine Chapel of South America"). The 8-hour journey is a tour in itself and a much more interesting alternative to flying.
The bus route with its stops is included in the package as a sightseeing day. If you strongly prefer to fly (approximately 1 hour), a domestic flight between Juliaca and Cusco can be arranged as an upgrade — contact us for pricing. Note that flying means missing the Raqchi ruins and Andahuaylillas church, which are among the most underrated sites in Peru. We recommend the bus for first-time visitors.
Yes. The Machu Picchu entrance fee is included in the package, along with train tickets (Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo) and bus tickets (Aguas Calientes–Machu Picchu–Aguas Calientes). The guided 2-hour tour of the citadel is also included. The only things you pay separately are personal spending, meals not specified, and any optional add-ons like Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain permits.
The dry season (May–September) is ideal for both Titicaca (calm lake, clear skies) and Machu Picchu (more reliable weather, great photography light). However, unlike the Inca Trail, there are no capacity limits on this tour so you can book at any time of year. November–March brings more rain but also the beautiful green season at Machu Picchu and fewer crowds. The Peruvian festival calendar (Inti Raymi in June, Inti Punchay in November) can add colourful cultural experiences.
The Amantani family stay was not something I expected to be the highlight of my Peru trip — but it was. Eating dinner by candlelight with a family who speaks no English but communicates through warmth and generosity was profound. Lake Titicaca at sunrise the next morning, then Machu Picchu three days later. This tour holds the two most moving experiences of my life.
The Puno-to-Cusco bus day deserves its own review. The stops at Raqchi and Andahuaylillas were completely unexpected treasures — sites I had never heard of that turned out to be extraordinary. The Taquile Island weavers were extraordinary too. The tour covers so much more than just Machu Picchu; it is a genuine introduction to Peru's diverse cultures and landscapes.
Excellent organisation and a very well-paced 10-day itinerary that flows naturally from Lima's coast to Titicaca's highlands to Machu Picchu's jungle-mountain drama. The Uros islands could feel touristy but our guide provided real context that made it meaningful. The night in Aguas Calientes and early-morning Machu Picchu visit was the perfect finale.
The altitude progression from Lima to Puno to Cusco was genius planning — I had not thought of it as acclimatization but by the time we reached Cusco, any altitude symptoms I had had in Puno had already resolved. Machu Picchu was the crescendo of a very well-composed journey. Everything ran exactly as described. A flawless tour company.
I had been postponing this trip for 15 years and I am so glad I finally did it. The 10-day non-trekking format was ideal for me at 58. The family night on Amantani was genuine, moving, and humbling. The Machu Picchu guide was exceptional — one of those rare guides who gives you a sense of the people who built these places, not just the architecture. A life-changing trip.
Secure your spot with a deposit starting from US$ 250. Permits are limited and popular dates sell out months in advance.