Last Updated on June 28, 2023 by James Bustamante

If you’ve made plans to have 10 days in Peru, then you need to get as much out of your time as possible. There are many destinations in the country. It would be impossible to fit all of them within a 10 day Peru itinerary.

You can always skip ahead and check out all of our fully customizable Peru Tour Packages as well.

It’s always good to have a go-to list of places to visit when your vacation time is somewhat limited. However, there is so much to possibly as far as the culture, the beautiful landscapes, or the warm people that it’s best to narrow down your options.

Since we are always here to help and make travel easier for everyone, we’ve put together a comprehensive “10 days Peru Itinerary” itinerary for you to check out. Who knows? Maybe it’ll save some time and money.

10-Day Peru Itinerary Outline

1. Arrival To Lima and Transfer to Miraflores Hotel.
2. Lima City Tour.
3. Arrival at Cusco and Transfer to Cusco Hotel.
4. Full Day Sacred Valley.
5. Full Day Cusco City Tour.
6. Train to Aguas Calientes Town.
7. Machu Picchu Guided Tour and Return to Cusco.
8. Arrival to Puno – Lake Titicaca – Tour of Sillustani Cemetery.
9. Lake Titicaca and Uros Islands Full Day Excursion.
10. Return to Lima Airport and International Departure.

Travelers’ Tips:

Before we jump into our first few activities, here is our first piece of advice. First, try to fly into Lima on an overnight flight

Catching the red-eye may not be on your list of priorities. However, consider the time and money you’ll save by flying at night and arriving in Lima in the morning instead of maybe losing an entire day trying to come into Lima in the afternoon or evening.

Day 1: Arrival in Lima

We begin our 10 day Peru Itinerary in the capital. Arrival in Lima can be pretty hectic. The airport is on a smaller scale but brings in many travelers each day. Therefore, it would be best to go through the customs section as soon as you arrive, which can take anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes.

Once you exit the arrivals gate, we’ll have one of our drivers waiting with a sign with your group’s name/last name. Then, you’ll head to your hotel in the Miraflores district, right by the Pacific ocean.

As travelers, you probably know that taking it easy on the first day is better, especially if you come from a country with a different time zone. Jet lag can be an annoyance, so try to take it relatively easy on this first day after checking into your hotel.

We’ll provide a PDF of activities you can do on your own, within walking distance near your hotel. There are several good restaurants on almost every corner in this South American city. Peru has won the world culinary destination award eight years in a row. 

Day 2: Lima City Tour

Now let’s get into some of the actual tours you’ll take in Lima, Peru. First, we’ll start things off with the Lima city tour. This full-day excursion of the capital starts with a 9 am pick-up at your hotel.

Explore the city on day one of your ten days in Peru and enjoy the magnificent architecture throughout the city. Some of the structures you’ll see include The La Plaza de Armas, Plaza San Martín, and Chabuca Granda Boulevard.

We end the Lima city tour by returning to your hotel at around 4:30 pm.

Some other notable destinations are: 

• Circuito Mágico de las Aguas. 
• The bohemian district of Barranco.
•  Miraflores Coastline.
• The Larco Museum.
•  A visit to the Pachacamac District.

Day 3: Arrival to Cusco

Our day begins with an excellent final breakfast in Lima before a brief drive to the Jorge Chavez airport. Then, we embark on our way to the beautiful, high-land city of Cusco with a quick 1.5-hour flight.

Upon arriving in Cusco, most travelers might immediately feel the elevation change. This feeling is entirely normal since we just arrived at a city with an elevation of 3,339 meters or 11,152 feet above sea level.

Just like your arrival in Lima, your driver will be waiting for you just outside the airport arrival gate. The airport in Cusco is tiny, so you shouldn’t have any problems navigating through it and meeting with the driver, holding a sign with your name/last name.

Your hotel is near the Cusco “Plaza de Armas” or the main square. Just about anything you might need during your stay in Cusco will be a mere 2-5 minute walking distance.

Drug stores, souvenir shops, restaurants, bakeries, hiking shops, etc., will all be at your disposal thanks to the proximity of your hotel.

Take this first day to adjust to the elevation. It might take more than 24 hours, but eventually, your body will acclimate to Cusco. After checking into your hotel, a “Mate de Coca” might be what you need to relax and see the beautiful surrounding Andean landscapes.

Traveler’s Tips:

The adaptation period to the newly found elevation in Cusco is critical in making sure you don’t suffer from the effects of elevation sickness. Follow the following steps, and in 24 -48 hours, you’ll feel like a local.

Day 4: Sacred Valley Tour

Next on The 10 day Peru Itinerary is a beautiful valley. Get ready for an incredible day in the Sacred Valley of Urubamba. We start the tour by picking you up at your hotel by 9 am. We then drive about 45 minutes until we arrive at the Pisac Market for various handmade clothing.

The locals will happily haggle the prices of their items with travelers but remember. They are seasoned traders who do this for a living so that they might drive a hard bargain.

Their products are handmade for the most part, so regardless of paying $1-$3 more or less, you’ll be taking home something unique while also making the locals’ day. So it’s a win-win for everyone.

We continue with the full day tour and climb to the top of the Ollantaytambo fortress for a fantastic view of the terraced valley. As we continue to move, we gaze at the snow-capped peaks of the Andes’ most sacred mountains. To the locals, the Andes are knowns as the “Apus,” which translates to Mountain spirit. 

At arounYou’ll also enjoy a feast of Peruvian specialties at a buffet-style restaurant in Urubamba at around lunchtime. After that, we’ll have time to rest before we continue with the excursion throughout the Sacred Valley of the Incas

We return to Cusco by 6 pm and recommend getting a good night’s sleep. After a full day at the Sacred Valley and the Cusco tour coming up the next day, you’ll need to recover your energy with a good meal as well.

Day 5: A Tour Around the City of Cusco

Your Cusco city tour starts at 9 am on your ten day Peru itinerary. Like the previous day tours, everything begins with a pick-up at your hotel. Make sure to have a good and filling breakfast to make sure you have enough energy to last through lunch.

We’ll go through the majestic city of Cusco, a significant number of museums, and visit the famous San Pedro Market. Your expert guide will also take you to other important landmarks in the city. These include The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), and the massive ruins of Sacsayhuaman that overlook this entire Andean city.

If you would like to visit on your own here is the Qoricancha Museum website: https://www.museoqorikancha.pe

Here is a brief list of some destinations visited over the Cusco city tour: 

• The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the virgin.
• The Qorikancha Museum.
• Sacsayhuaman Ruins.
• The San Pedro Market.
• The famous San Blas Neighborhood.

We end the Cusco city tour at the main square near your hotel. We suggest visiting one of the local restaurants for a delicious, Andean dinner.

Day 6: The Train to Aguas Calientes

We begin the 6th day of our 10 day Peru Itinerary with a hearty breakfast. Today we are heading to the town of Aguas Calientes, located at the bottom of Machu Picchu. However, we have some traveling to do first to reach the quaint little town.

Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at around 10 am. We then head directly to the town of Ollantaytambo near the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The ride to Ollantaytambo will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how traffic is on the roads.

The drive itself is pretty nice, with the unique Andean settings on both sides of the road. Upon reaching Ollantaytambo, we head to the train station.

While we wait for your train, you can either visit one of the small coffee shops or venture outside the station and visit some of the shops located throughout the small town. Try not to wander too far from the station, trains run pretty accurately to their schedules, and we don’t want to miss the boarding call.

Whether we take the Expedition or Vistadome train car will be entirely up to the traveler. The expedition is the more affordable version which offers beautiful views, comfortable seating, and snacks during your train ride.

The Vistadome car is slightly more expensive, has more comfortable seating, and has a lunch menu. The view, though, is where they set apart. The Vistadome offers a 180-degree vision of the Andean background as we travel through the highlands to the cloud forest where Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are located.

Day 6 Part 2: Arriving at Aguas Calientes

After about 1 hour and 45 minutes – a 2-hour train ride we finally arrive at the town of Aguas Calientes. Your Aguas Calientes guide will be waiting for you at the train station to help you reach your hotel.

Aguas Calientes is a tiny town created to welcome and accommodate all the incoming travelers. Once we leave the train, we check into the hotel, drop off our backpacks, and now it’s time to check out the town.

You will immediately notice the differentiation in weather compared to Cusco. We are at a lower elevation with more humidity. However, the village is still nestled in the mountains.

This area is called the cloud forest since it is still high up but offers more of a rainforest surrounding. Most travelers feel quite a bit of relief from being at a lower elevation to Cusco. The humidity is also quite pleasant compared to how dry Cusco is.

The name “ Aguas Calientes” translates to “hot water” because this town has a natural hot spring. The natural hot spring is no more than a 10-minute walk from anywhere in town, so if you are feeling adventurous, the hot springs are right there waiting for your visit.

The cost to enter is $3 and is definitely worth the 10-minute walk to see them.

The town is full of restaurants and shops so take time out to have a delicious meal and walk around while you haggle with the local store owners. Try not to stay out too late. Tomorrow morning, we head up to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

Day 7: Machu Picchu Guided Tour

We begin the day by getting everyone in the group together by 5:15 am. Yes, this is very early, but we are trying to get that wonderful photograph of the sun rising over the Andes mountains before your Machu Picchu Hike. 

The Cosentur shuttle will be waiting for us by 5:30 am. We then have a brief ride up the winding paths towards the Inca citadel. Finally, 20 minutes later, we arrive at the main entrance and proceed with our tickets.

We’ve finally made it to the most anticipated destination, one of the new wonders of the world: Machu Picchu. Travelers agree, this place is full of energy, breathes history, and emanates culture, truly a fantastic place to admire. 

The Machu Picchu guided tour starts at this point. In total, the time will take around 2 hours, and from that point, you can explore the Inca ruins on your own.

Some of the essential attractions in Machu Picchu that we’ll cover during the tour will be:  

• Intihuatana.
• The temple of the Sun.
• Temple of the Condor.
• Temple of the 3 windows.
• The Moon Temple (Reserved with Huayna Picchu permit).

Additionally, you’ll be able to hike either Mount Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu. These hikes require an additional permit, and each takes around 2.5 hours to complete.

If you want to hike either Mount Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu, make sure the tickets are reserved at least 30 days in advance. Permits to Huayna Picchu are limited to 400/day, and most hikers will want to do this climb.

At around 1 pm we get together once again and take the shuttle back down to the town of Aguas Calientes.

We’ll get our belongings from the hotel and have a final walk around the town. After we finish walking around, we can go ahead and have lunch.

Our train departs at 3 pm en route to the Ollantaytambo station. It will take around 2 hours to reach our next destination

Once we arrive, we exit the train station and board our shuttle, which will take you to Cusco for the final overnight stay in the city.

We recommend getting a good night’s sleep and being well-rested for the next leg of the trip. Then, we begin our adventure in Puno and Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world in terms of elevation.

Day 8: Arrival to Lake Titicaca

Day 8 starts with an early morning pick-up at your hotel. After checking out, we head to the Cusco Velasco Astete airport to fly to the city of Juliaca.

This highland city is the entry point to the majestic Lake Titicaca, which is located in the Puno region of Peru. The flight will take around 1.5 hours to complete, so it’s not a long flight at all.

Once you arrive in Juliaca, you might notice a slight discomfort from the increase in elevation. Yes, Cusco was very high up, but Juliaca is located at over 3,825 meters or 12,549 feet above sea level.

Our destination of Lake Titicaca is also located at a similar elevation, so once again, we try to adapt to the elevation protocol we laid aid for Cusco.

The driver will help you with your luggage at the airport, and then we’re off to your hotel in Lake Titicaca. Depending on traffic, the drive will take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Please sit back and enjoy the landscape Puno has to offer on our way to the lake. Remember, this is, for most travelers, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Once we arrive at the Lake hotel at 1 pm, you will have a chance to check in and drop off your luggage.

Tour of Sillustani

Our first tour is Sillustani. We can find the Sillustani complex on the banks of the Umayo lagoon in the city of Puno. It is an old cemetery where visitors can see a series of large and impressive tombs. These ancient burial sites belonging to the Kolla culture, primarily found in the northern part of the lagoon, in the town known as Hatuncolla.

The tombs, called Chullpas, have the shape of inverted cone trunks, which are also found in smaller numbers in several other places throughout the highlands.

One of the most famous attractions of the Sillustani complex is the “Chullpa del Lagarto,” a funerary tower that represents the highest Chullpa in the complex.

After a long day of traveling and touring Sillustani around the lake’s banks, we return to your hotel. We recommend a good meal in your hotel which will undoubtedly have a fantastic night view of the lake.

Kick back and have a few local snacks and maybe a glass of wine while you listen to the lake’s nighttime noises.

Day 9: Lake Titicaca and Uros Island Tour

Today we’re ready for our final day of touring, and what a majestic excursion we’ve chosen to end the trip. Perfect for enthusiast photographers, your day will be filled with picturesque views of the magnificent Lake Titicaca and glacier-capped mountains that nestle it.

The first stop is the floating islands of Uros, built from thick, hand-woven mats of totora reeds, and Taquile Island, home to a community renowned for its textiles and handicrafts

You will notice the difference in the colors used for clothing and decoration compared to the locals in Cusco. The color schemes seem brighter in this part of the Peruvian highlands.

The next stop is the archaeological site of Taquile, which provides exceptional lakeside views. You must climb 500 stone steps to get there, so make sure you’re ready with plenty of water, sunblock, and very comfortable shoes.

You will be back in Puno by the early evening for your final overnight stay by the lake. Relax at your hotel or take advantage of your last night and head to the city center to enjoy traditional Puno cuisine and drinks at one of the local restaurants.

Day 10: Departure From Peru

On your last morning of this 10 day Peru itinerary, we head to the Juliaca airport around mid-morning for your domestic flight to the capital city of Lima. Your flight back to Jorge Chavez International Airport will take around 1.5 hours.

Over the last 10 days, you’ve traveled from the cosmopolitan city of Lima with its colonial structures and award-winning restaurants. To the Andean city of Cusco, also known as the world’s belly button.

You visited the ancient Inca structures in the city and the beautiful valley of the Inca located next to the Urubamba river. However, the memory of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world, will remain as one of the high points of your trip for sure.

We ended your 10 Peru itinerary with a visit to the highest navigable body of water in the entire world. From sea level to over 3,850 meters (12,580 feet) and plenty of memories in between.

We hope you have enjoyed your stay in all the fantastic locations and that you leave with ten amazing days worth of unforgettable, beautiful memories of touring through Peru. Have a safe flight back home! End of Services.

If you like this itinerary or want to check out the rest of our Peru Tour Packages, let us know with our direct contact form below.

Like The Itinerary? Let us know When You’d like to Travel with The Contact Form Below!

Frequently Asked Questions About The 10 Day Peru Itinerary