A seven-day journey through Peru, linking Lima and Cusco by domestic flight.
The circuit begins with two nights in Lima, with a city tour of Miraflores, San Isidro and the colonial Plaza de Armas, and a visit to the Gold Museum. It continues in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, with a guided excursion by Expedition-class train to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including lunch in Aguas Calientes. A full day is dedicated to the Rainbow Mountains (Vinicunca), reached after a drive through the Southern Valley and a challenging climb to up to 5,200 m, past glaciers and herds of alpacas and llamas. The programme closes with a final night in Lima. Accommodation is offered in 3-, 4- and 5-star categories, and optional excursions — a Cusco city tour and the Ballestas Islands and Nazca Lines — can be added.
Highlights
Lima city tour with the Gold Museum and the Plaza de Armas
Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, by Expedition-class train
The Rainbow Mountains (Vinicunca), climbing to up to 5,200 m
Lunch at the El Mapi restaurant in Aguas Calientes
Domestic flights Lima – Cusco – Lima
Day-by-day itinerary
Day1
Day 1: Arrival in Lima
Arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima. Meeting and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in Lima.
Day2
Day 2: Lima city tour and the Gold Museum
After breakfast, at 9:00 a.m. departure for a city tour of Lima with a visit to the Gold Museum. The tour begins in Miraflores, with the Park of Love and the Olive Grove Park, and the old colonial estates of the San Isidro district, and a panoramic view of the Huaca Pucllana adobe pyramid. It continues to the Plaza de Armas, with the City Hall, the Government Palace and the Cathedral, which houses the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. Return to the hotel.
Day3
Day 3: Lima – Cusco
After breakfast, private transfer (driver only) to the airport for the flight to Cusco. On arrival, meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Optional panoramic city tour of Cusco, visiting the Sacsayhuamán fortress, the Qenqo temple and the Koricancha, the Temple of Gold. Rest and overnight.
Day4
Day 4: Cusco – Machu Picchu – Cusco
After breakfast, at the scheduled time meet your guide at the hotel and transfer to the railway station. Board the train to Aguas Calientes and continue with the guided excursion to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, built by the emperor Pachacutec at 2,450 m and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch at the El Mapi restaurant, then return by train to Cusco and transfer to the hotel.
Day5
Day 5: Cusco – Rainbow Mountains
Early departure from the hotel, around 4:00 a.m., heading south of Cusco through the Southern Valley. The drive (about 3 hours) passes mountain streams, glaciers and herds of alpacas and llamas. On the way, stop for breakfast in the village of Hapura (included), then continue 15 minutes to the small village of Pitumarca. From here begins the ascent — on foot or by mule (optional) — of about 3 hours, reaching an altitude of 5,000 m; with luck, vicuñas may be spotted. At the summit (up to 5,200 m), enjoy the views of the Rainbow Mountains before returning along the same route: a 3-hour descent to the minivan and a short 15-minute drive to the lunch stop (included). Return to Cusco between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. Lowest point: 4,326 m; highest point: 5,200 m; total distance: 16 km; hiking time: 2–3 hours ascent / 2 hours descent; difficulty level: challenging.
Day6
Day 6: Cusco – Lima
After breakfast, at the scheduled time transfer to the airport and flight to Lima. Accommodation in Lima. Optional full-day excursion to the Ballestas Islands and the Nazca Lines.
Day7
Day 7: Departure from Lima
After breakfast, free time in Lima. Transfer to the airport for your international flight.
What's included
Included: Accommodation in the hotels indicated or similar (6 nights: 3 in Lima, 3 in Cusco)
Included: Airport and hotel transfers as per the programme
Included: Domestic flights Lima – Cusco – Lima
Included: Train ticket to Machu Picchu — Expedition class
Included: Guided excursions as per the programme: Lima city tour with the Gold Museum, Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains
Included: Meals as per the programme: daily breakfast, lunch in Aguas Calientes on the Machu Picchu day, and breakfast and lunch on the Rainbow Mountains day
What's not included
Not included: International airfare (the domestic Lima – Cusco – Lima flights are included)
Not included: Airport and tourism taxes and visa fees
Not included: Excess baggage fees
Not included: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the programme
Not included: Alcoholic and soft drinks
Not included: Tips and gratuities
Not included: Personal expenses and optional excursions
Not included: Travel insurance
Not included: Anything not expressly mentioned as included
Optional services
Optional, at extra cost:
Casa Aliaga — Visit to Casa Aliaga in Lima, built in 1536 on the foundations of an Inca pyramid and home to the descendants of the conquistador Jerónimo de Aliaga, a companion of Francisco Pizarro; the residence preserves historical artefacts of colonial aristocratic life.
Optional, at extra cost:
Panoramic city tour of Cusco — Guided panoramic bus tour of Cusco visiting the Sacsayhuamán fortress, the Qenqo temple carved into the rock, and the Koricancha, the Temple of Gold, over which the Santo Domingo Convent was built.
Optional, at extra cost:
Mule ascent on the Rainbow Mountains climb — Option to make the ascent to the Rainbow Mountains by mule instead of on foot.
Optional, at extra cost:
Ballestas Islands and Nazca Lines — Full-day excursion to the Ballestas Islands and the Nazca Lines, available with a Russian-speaking or an English-speaking guide.