Full Itinerary of the Machu Picchu and Amazon Rainforest Tour 7 Days

This carefully planned journey brings together Peru's history, mountains, culture, and wildlife. The itinerary can also be customized based on your interests, travel style, and preferred level of service.

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco - Afternoon City Tour

Welcome to Cusco, the historic heart of the Andes. Our team will meet you at the airport and take you to your 3-star hotel near the city center. You will have time to check in, rest, and enjoy lunch before the afternoon tour begins at approximately 1:00 p.m.

Start exploring Cusco with your local guide. Walk through the Plaza de Armas area, see the famous Twelve-Angled Stone, and visit Qoricancha, once the most important temple in the Inca Empire.

Continue by tourist vehicle to the archaeological sites above the city. Explore the impressive stone walls of Sacsayhuaman, the ceremonial site of Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and the water temple of Tambomachay. When time allows, stop near Cristo Blanco for a beautiful view over Cusco before returning to your hotel.

• Not Included: Meals
• Duration: Approximately 4 hours
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Cusco - San Agustin or similar

Recommendations: Bring a light jacket, rain gear, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, water, and some extra money for personal expenses.

Day 2: Sacred Valley Tour with Maras and Moray

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 7:30 a.m. and take you into the beautiful Sacred Valley. Begin with a visit to a local alpaca center, followed by a stop at Taray Viewpoint for wide views of the mountains, farmland, and the Urubamba River.

Continue to the archaeological site of Pisac, known for its mountain terraces, temples, and impressive views. After the guided visit, explore the colorful Pisac Market before traveling to Urubamba for a buffet lunch at a selected local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the circular agricultural terraces of Moray, the village of Maras, and the famous Maras Salt Mines. Thousands of small salt pools cover the hillside and are still worked by local families using traditional methods.

Your final visit is Ollantaytambo, one of the best-preserved living Inca towns in Peru. After exploring its temples and terraces, board the Expedition train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, our representative will help you check in at your hotel.

• Not Included: Dinner
• Duration: Full day
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu Ferre or similar

Recommendations: Travel with a small overnight bag containing the clothes and personal items you need for Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. Your main luggage can stay safely at your Cusco hotel or in the TreXperience storage room.

Day 3: Machu Picchu Guided Tour - Return to Cusco

Today you will experience one of the main highlights of the journey: Machu Picchu. After an early breakfast, take the bus from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of the ancient citadel. The journey takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Explore Machu Picchu with an expert local guide for approximately 2 to 3 hours. We request Circuit 2 whenever it is available. Your guide will bring the site to life as you discover its terraces, temples, royal areas, stone houses, water channels, and mountain views.

If you booked Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain in advance, you will complete the additional hike according to your ticket time. These tickets are limited and must be compatible with your Machu Picchu circuit and return train schedule.

After leaving Machu Picchu, take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and enjoy lunch on your own. Collect your overnight bag from the hotel and board the Expedition train to Ollantaytambo. Our private transportation will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, arriving at approximately 7:30 p.m.

• Not Included: Lunch and dinner
• Duration: Full day
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Cusco - San Agustin or similar

Recommendations: Bring your original passport, a small comfortable backpack, rain protection, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, water, and some extra money. Large bags are not allowed inside Machu Picchu.

Day 4: Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley

We will pick you up from your Cusco hotel at approximately 4:30 a.m. and drive for around three hours toward Rainbow Mountain. On the way, stop at a local restaurant for a warm breakfast before continuing to the trailhead.

Begin the steady hike to Vinicunca, better known as Rainbow Mountain. The trail passes through open Andean valleys with views of the Ausangate Mountain Range, local communities, llamas, and alpacas. Walk slowly, enjoy the scenery, and allow your guide to help you manage the high altitude.

At the main viewpoint, learn how the mountain's natural colors formed and enjoy time for photographs. You will then continue for approximately 30 minutes toward Red Valley, a quieter area filled with deep red hills and wide mountain views.

After visiting Red Valley, walk back to the trailhead and travel to a local restaurant for lunch. We then return to Cusco, arriving at approximately 5:30 p.m. Your trekking team provides safety support, trekking poles, first-aid equipment, oxygen, satellite communication, and private portable toilet service.

• Not Included: Dinner
• Duration: Full day
• Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Cusco - San Agustin or similar

Recommendations: Pack warm layers, a waterproof jacket, a beanie, gloves, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, water, and some extra money. You will return to the same hotel, so there is no need to check out before the tour.

Day 5: Cusco to Puerto Maldonado - Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

After breakfast, our team will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Cusco airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. The domestic flight is not included and should only be purchased after our reservations team confirms the recommended schedule.

Upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado, the local Amazon team will welcome you and take you by road to the river pier. Your rainforest adventure begins with a 45-minute ride in a motorized wooden boat along the Madre de Dios River. Watch the city disappear as the river carries you deeper into the forest.

Arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica and receive a short welcome briefing. The lodge team will explain the available excursions so your stay can be adjusted to your interests. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy lunch or settle into your comfortable cabaña and relax in the hammock.

In the afternoon, join your Inkaterra Explorer Guide for a walk along the Trail System. This is a gentle introduction to the rainforest, with towering trees, tropical plants, birds, insects, and the chance to spot monkeys or sloths high in the branches.

As the sun begins to set, take a gentle Twilight River cruise and watch the rainforest change from day to night. Look along the riverbanks for nightjars, owls, capybaras, caimans, and other animals that become active after dark.

Return to the lodge for an Amazon-inspired dinner and a complimentary Pisco cocktail. Later, relax in your cabaña and fall asleep to the sounds of the rainforest.

• Not Included: Flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado
• Duration: Based on the confirmed flight schedule
• Meals: Lunch, depending on arrival time, and dinner
• Accommodation: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Day 6: Lake Sandoval, Canopy Walkway and Rainforest by Night

Start early as the rainforest wakes around you. After breakfast, travel with your Inkaterra Explorer Guide to Lake Sandoval, a peaceful oxbow lake inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve.

Follow a shaded rainforest trail toward the lake, watching for monkeys, butterflies, tropical plants, and colorful birds along the way. Then board a traditional wooden canoe and paddle quietly through a narrow stream before entering the open waters of Lake Sandoval.

The lake is home to many species, including giant river otters, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, side-necked turtles, black caimans, anacondas, and many tropical birds. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but your guide will help you notice the sounds, tracks, and movements that are easy to miss.

Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica in time for lunch. In the afternoon, climb the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway, a safe network of suspension bridges linking eight observation platforms high above the forest floor. The first tower rises 42 meters / 138 feet above the ground, offering a completely different view of the Amazon.

From the treetops, look for toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys, and three-toed sloths. After dark, join the Rainforest by Night excursion with a flashlight and your Explorer Guide. Listen to the forest around you and search for insects, frogs, and other animals that only appear after sunset.

Return to the lodge for dinner. An ENA Spa treatment, sunset drinks from a canopy tower, or a Tree House stay may also be requested at an additional cost.

• Duration: Full day
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Accommodation: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Day 7: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica - Puerto Maldonado Airport

Enjoy breakfast and a final morning surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest. Watch for colorful birds in the trees and small animals moving between the cabañas before preparing for departure.

Check-out is at 10:00 a.m. Depending on your flight time, lunch can be arranged at the lodge for an additional cost. Board the waiting boat for the 45-minute return journey along the Madre de Dios River, followed by your transfer to Puerto Maldonado airport.

• Not Included: Lunch and flight from Puerto Maldonado
• Meals: Breakfast
• Tour Ends: Puerto Maldonado Airport
• Accommodation: Not included

Important: The three-day Inkaterra program is a suggested itinerary. The available excursions are presented at the lodge and may be adjusted according to your interests, flight schedule, weather, river conditions, and wildlife activity.

Machu Picchu and Amazon Tour 7 Days Price and Booking

The following prices are per person. The standard package includes selected 3-star hotels in Cusco and Aguas Calientes, two nights at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, the tours and entrance tickets listed in the itinerary, professional guides, ground transportation, Machu Picchu shuttle buses, and a round-trip Expedition train.

Domestic flights are not included. Final confirmation depends on hotel, train, Machu Picchu ticket, lodge, guide, and service availability for your travel dates.

Group Tour:

Private Tour:

Note: Private service is available for selected parts of the itinerary. Amazon excursions are operated on a shared-service basis.

Booking and Payment

• Deposit: US$600 per person to secure your booking. The remaining balance can be paid online or at our office in Cusco by credit card, PayPal, or wire transfer. Contact us if you need an alternative payment option.
• For each traveler, we require the full name exactly as shown on the passport, passport number, date of birth, passport expiration date, and nationality.

Student and Child Discount

• US$30 off

This discount applies to all travelers under 17 and students under 25 with a valid university ID. To qualify, the ID must include:

• The student’s name, photo, and university name
• A valid expiration date; expired IDs will not be accepted
• ISIC cards are not accepted

The child discount is applied automatically. Students must send a copy of their university ID when booking. If the ID is not accepted, the adult rate will apply.

Customization and Upgrades

• Private service can be arranged for selected parts of the itinerary, subject to availability.
• Hotel upgrades to 4-star, boutique, 5-star, or luxury properties are available on request.
• Vistadome, Vistadome Observatory, and other train upgrades are subject to schedule and availability.
• Extra nights in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes, or the Amazon can be added.
• Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain can be added when tickets and the final schedule allow.
• Optional Inkaterra experiences, including spa treatments, sunset drinks, or a Tree House stay, are available at an additional cost.

Packing List for the Machu Picchu and Amazon Tour 7 Days

This journey takes you through very different environments: cool weather in Cusco, changing conditions in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, cold and wind above 5,000 meters at Rainbow Mountain, and warm, humid weather in the Amazon rainforest. Light layers will help you stay comfortable throughout the trip.

Prepare a small overnight bag for Aguas Calientes because train luggage is limited. A smaller, easy-to-carry bag is also useful for the boat journey to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica. Follow the final luggage instructions provided by the airline, train company, and lodge.

Essentials

Keep your passport, personal medication, travel documents, money, and important items with you. Your original passport is required to enter Machu Picchu and must match the information used for your reservation.

What to Wear?

Dress in layers. Cusco and Rainbow Mountain can be cold, especially early in the morning, while the Amazon is warm and humid. Choose comfortable, quick-dry clothes that are easy to add or remove as the temperature changes.

What to Put in the Daypack?

Use a comfortable daypack for the City Tour, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, and Amazon excursions. Carry only what you need during the day so your bag stays light and easy to manage.

What to Pack for Aguas Calientes and the Amazon Lodge?

For Aguas Calientes, take a small overnight bag with a change of clothes, toiletries, a light jacket, rain protection, medication, a charger, and your Machu Picchu essentials. Your main suitcase can stay at your Cusco hotel or in TreXperience storage.

For Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, pack lightweight long-sleeve shirts, quick-dry trousers, insect repellent, rain gear, closed walking shoes, sandals, a hat, a flashlight or headlamp, and waterproof protection for your electronics.

What We Provide

TreXperience coordinates the transportation, entrance tickets, guides, hotels, trains, Machu Picchu buses, and services described in the itinerary. Trekking poles, first-aid support, oxygen, satellite communication, and portable toilet service are provided for the Rainbow Mountain tour.

Optional Gear and Extra Items

Binoculars are highly recommended for Lake Sandoval and the Canopy Walkway. A compact camera, extra batteries, a waterproof phone case, a reusable water bottle, and a portable power bank are also useful throughout the journey.

For more preparation advice, read our Peru Packing List.

Travel Information for the Machu Picchu and Amazon Tour 7 Days

This section explains the most important details about arrival times, altitude, Machu Picchu tickets, Rainbow Mountain, accommodation, trains, domestic flights, luggage, weather, and the Inkaterra Amazon program.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Machu Picchu and Amazon Tour 7 Days

These answers cover the main questions about hotels, flights, Machu Picchu tickets, Rainbow Mountain, meals, Inkaterra excursions, wildlife, and customization.