The short answer
- Core route
- Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco
- Minimum
- 7 days
- Add ons
- Inca Trail, Titicaca, Colca, Amazon, coast
- Rule we follow
- Sleep low first, then climb
Every Peru trip starts with the same core: Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. What makes it yours is what you add. Use the planner below to try different lengths and extras and see how the route, the altitude and the cost change.
The planner always puts lower places first, so you acclimatise before the highest nights. When you are happy with the route, send it to a local specialist for a free quote, or compare ready made tours of the same length.
Build your route
1. How many days do you have, including travel days?
2. What would you like to add to Cusco and Machu Picchu?
Your 10 day route. We have added 1 spare night where they help most, mostly in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
Where you sleep each night
| Days | Where | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | Arrive; Miraflores clifftops and a ceviche dinner |
| 2 to 3 | Sacred Valley | Pisac, Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo |
| 4 | Aguas Calientes | Machu Picchu early the next morning |
| 5 to 7 | Cusco | The city centre, Qorikancha and Sacsayhuaman |
| 8 to 9 | Puno | Uros and Taquile islands, or an Amantani homestay |
| 10 | Lima | Fly home |
Rough cost on a guided tour
US$1,500 to 3,000
Per person, mid range, without international flights. Based on typical tour prices of US$150 to 300 a day.
Want this exact route?
A local specialist will send a free itinerary and price for your dates.
Or compare ready made tours: 10 day Peru tours →
How the planner decides the order
- Low before high: The Sacred Valley comes before Cusco, and Lake Titicaca after it. Read why in our altitude guide.
- Arequipa first in the south: If you add Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, the route climbs from Arequipa through Colca and Puno to Cusco, the classic way to acclimatise.
- Amazon at the end: A few days at low altitude after the Andes, flying back to Lima from Puerto Maldonado.
- Spare days: Extra days go to Cusco and the Sacred Valley first, where there is most to see.
Rather have a trip to Peru made just for you?
Answer a few quick questions and a local specialist will send you a free, no-obligation itinerary and price.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the cost estimate?
It is a rough guide based on typical mid range tour prices of US$150 to US$300 a day. Live prices for real tours are on our tour pages.
Can I change the route?
Yes. Send it with the quote button and a specialist will adapt it to your dates, budget and pace.
Peru month by month
More Peru guides
Best time to visit Peru: the Andes, coast and Amazon explained
May to September is the dry season in the Andes and the best time for Machu Picchu and treks. April, October and November are quieter shoulder months; the coast is sunniest from December to April.
Updated 15 October 2026
Peru itineraries for 7, 10 and 14 days, with altitude charts
Seven days covers Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Ten adds Lake Titicaca, and fourteen adds Arequipa and the Colca Canyon. Each plan below climbs gradually so altitude is less of a problem.
Updated 15 October 2026
Machu Picchu tickets for 2026 and 2027: circuits, routes and prices explained
Every Machu Picchu ticket is for one circuit, one route and one hourly entry slot. Here is what each route shows you, a quick chooser, prices and the new booking rules from September 2026.
Updated 15 October 2026
How to get to Machu Picchu: trains, buses and the budget route
No road reaches Machu Picchu. Most people take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, then a 25 minute bus up to the gate. Here are the options, times and prices.
Updated 15 October 2026