- Tour code
PERADV02
- Start
Lima
- End
Lima
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Classic
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
Seven days is enough to see the heart of Peru if the logistics are handled for you. This trip links Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with flights, a panoramic train and private transfers, so your time goes on the places rather than the planning.
After a night in Lima, fly up to Cusco for a guided look at the cathedral, the Qorikancha temple and the fortress of Sacsayhuamán. In the Sacred Valley, stop at Awana Kancha to meet Andean camelids, then explore Pisac's market, lower Inca quarter and ruins. The next day covers Ollantaytambo and its legends, the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras.
Machu Picchu gets its own day: the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes, then a guided visit of the citadel on two of its official circuits. You finish back in Lima with a city tour from the colonial center to Miraflores before flying home.
Why This Journey
Machu Picchu is the draw, but the Inca story makes more sense when you've seen its setting. Spending two nights in the Sacred Valley, below Cusco's altitude, lets you take in Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and Maras at an easier pace before the big day at the citadel, and gives your body time to adjust to the height.
It's a compact, well-paced trip for first-time visitors to Peru and for anyone short on vacation days: guided where it matters, with a small group of up to 16 travelers and a Soca Islands Host to handle the early starts, the trains and the transfers.
Where You'll Stay
Lima (2 nights, first and last): Hotel B, in Barranco. Cusco (2 nights): Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Sacred Valley (2 nights): Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation. Prices are based on two people sharing a double room with two beds.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Fly into and out of Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Lima; arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Machu Picchu with a Guide
Sacred Valley Markets & Ruins
Guided Walks in Cusco & Lima
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
One farewell group activity when possible
What's excluded
- International flights (travellers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Dinners and meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional activities
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
You're met at Lima's airport by a private transfer and driven to your hotel, where the front desk team will get you checked in.
Take it easy tonight, as tomorrow starts early.
It's an early start: a private transfer runs you back to the airport in Lima for the short flight up to Cusco, at around 3,400 meters. On arrival, you'll be met, helped with your bags and taken to your hotel.
After check-in, a guided city tour covers three essentials: Cusco Cathedral, the Qorikancha temple, where Inca stonework meets colonial architecture, and the hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuamán with its views over the city.
Head into the Sacred Valley, stopping at Awana Kancha, a living museum dedicated to South America's camelids, from llamas and alpacas to vicuñas.
In Pisac, wander the Inca-era lower town and its busy handicraft stalls, then climb to the ruins above before you check in to your hotel in the valley.
A guided tour of Ollantaytambo, a town still laid out on its Inca street plan, brings the site's legends to life.
After that, see Moray, where the Incas carved ring-shaped terraces into the earth, and the salt pans at Maras, thousands of small pools stepping down the hillside. Then it's back to your hotel to get ready for Machu Picchu.
Pack just a small daypack. Your main luggage stays behind while you ride the panoramic Vistadome service down the valley to the town of Aguas Calientes.
A guide meets you there and leads you around the citadel, following two official routes: the Machu Picchu Royalty circuit and the Panoramic circuit. Afterwards, ride the train back to Ollantaytambo and continue by road to Cusco for the night.
Fly back down to the coast today, with a private transfer out to the airport in Cusco. Once you've checked in to your Lima hotel, a guided tour of the historic center shows you the Government Palace, Lima's cathedral and Plaza Mayor, followed by the San Francisco monastery.
The tour finishes in modern Miraflores, including a stop at Huaca Pucllana, an adobe pyramid that predates the Incas.
On your last morning, a private transfer brings you to the airport in Lima to catch your flight home.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Hotel B
A boutique art hotel in a restored early-20th-century mansion in Barranco, Lima's bohemian district, a short walk from the Puente de los Suspiros, the clifftop promenade and the neighborhood's galleries and murals.
Contemporary Peruvian art fills the rooms and public spaces, and the hotel has a restaurant, a bar and a rooftop terrace. Its location puts the Day 2 cooking class and art walk on the doorstep.
Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel
A hotel in a colonial mansion built on Inca foundations, facing the Koricancha temple in Cusco's historic center. The Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and the San Blas quarter are all an easy walk away.
Its courtyards, restaurant and spa with oxygen-enriched rooms help with the altitude after the Sacred Valley.
Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness
A hotel built around a restored 17th-century hacienda on the outskirts of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley, with a colonial chapel, gardens, lagoons and mountain views. Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo station are within easy driving distance.
Its wellness spa, restaurants and spacious grounds make it a restful base for two nights between the Amazon and Machu Picchu.
Rooms
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- Extra cost
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into and out of Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Lima.
Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation: Hotel B in Lima, Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Cusco and Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness in the Sacred Valley.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. Arrival and departure airport transfers in Lima are included, along with the transfers for the Lima–Cusco flights shown in the itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
6 breakfasts and 3 lunches. Dinners and meals not listed are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our Lima & Machu Picchu Adventure trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
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