Coast, desert, canyon, lake, Andes and jungle, in that order, with nothing skipped. This 19-day Peru tour leaves Lima by road, flies over the Nazca Lines, waits for condors at the Colca Canyon, sleeps a night with a family on Lake Titicaca, enters Machu Picchu with the first buses, climbs Rainbow Mountain and ends with three nights at a lodge on the Amazon. You travel the way the country is laid out, south to north, and every night has a bed.
One 100% Peruvian team based in Cusco books the buses, boats, train, tickets, hotels and lodge, and a local guide meets you at each stage. You carry a passport and a daypack; the planning is ours.
Peru Grand Journey 19 Days: Lima, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu and Amazon - Overview
The Peru Grand Journey 19 Days is the long version of Peru: the trip for travelers who have waited years for this and do not want to come back for the pieces they missed. It moves overland wherever the road is worth it, so the Andes rise gradually under you. Two days in Lima, the Pacific coast and the Nazca desert, then Arequipa at 2,335 m / 7,661 ft as a gentle first step up before the Colca pass, Puno and Cusco. By the time you reach Rainbow Mountain on Day 15 you have lived at altitude for ten days, and the hike feels like what it is: a walk. Then the plane drops you into the rainforest for a slow, green ending.
Two rest days are built in, one in Arequipa and one in Cusco, because nineteen days should feel like a journey, not a race. Hotels, the lodge and the homestay are named before you book, your Machu Picchu ticket and train seats carry your name, and the people who plan this route are the ones who answer your messages.
Tour Highlights:
- The Pacific coast and the desert: sea lions and penguins at the Ballestas Islands, dune buggies at Huacachina and a 30-minute flight over the Nazca Lines.
- Arequipa and the Colca Canyon: a free day in the White City, the Volcanoes Viewpoint at 4,910 m / 16,109 ft and condors at Cruz del Cóndor.
- Lake Titicaca the slow way: the Uros floating islands, a night with a host family on Amantaní and the knitters of Taquile.
- Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu: the Route of the Sun bus, Pisac, Moray and Maras, the Expedition train and 2 to 3 hours inside the citadel with your guide.
- Rainbow Mountain after a rest day: 5,200 m / 17,060 ft on Day 15, with ten days of acclimatization behind you.
- Three nights in the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica, Lake Sandoval, the Canopy Walkway and the forest after dark.
The Tour Day by Day
Day 1: Arrival in Lima - Welcome to Peru
Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. No activities today; land, rest and reset your clock.
Day 2: Lima Gastronomic Tour - Afternoon City Tour
A morning food experience in Lima [TO CONFIRM], then the afternoon city tour: Parque del Amor, Huaca Pucllana, Plaza Mayor and the San Francisco catacombs, with a pisco tasting.
Day 3: Paracas - Ballestas Islands - Ica - Huacachina
Pre-dawn drive south, a boat to the Ballestas Islands, sweets of Ica, a winery tasting, the Huacachina oasis, dune buggies and sandboarding. Night in Ica.
Day 4: Nazca Lines Flight - Overnight Bus to Arequipa
Drive to the Nazca airfield for a 30-minute flight over the lines, a free afternoon and the overnight tourist bus to Arequipa.
Day 5: Arequipa - Free Day in the White City
Early arrival, hotel and a day with no alarm: the Plaza de Armas, the volcanic-stone streets and a long lunch. Arequipa is your first step up in altitude.
Day 6: Arequipa - Volcanoes Viewpoint - Colca Valley
Vicuñas in the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, flamingos at Tocra, the Volcanoes Viewpoint at 4,910 m / 16,109 ft and an afternoon in Chivay, with optional hot springs.
Day 7: Cruz del Cóndor - Colca Canyon - Puno
Yanque, Cruz del Cóndor and Maca in the morning, lunch in Chivay and the long road east across the altiplano to Puno.
Day 8: Lake Titicaca - Uros Floating Islands and Amantaní Homestay
Boat to the Uros islands, then Amantaní: lunch and dinner with your host family and a sunset walk to the Pachatata temple.
Day 9: Amantaní - Taquile Island - Return to Puno
Breakfast with the family, the crossing to Taquile, a walk to the main square, lunch by the lake and the boat back to Puno.
Day 10: Puno to Cusco - Route of the Sun
Tourist bus with guided stops at Pukara, the La Raya pass, Raqchi and Andahuaylillas, with a buffet lunch in Sicuani. Evening arrival in Cusco.
Day 11: Free Morning - Afternoon Cusco City Tour
A slow morning, then Qoricancha, the Twelve-Angled Stone, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
Day 12: Sacred Valley - Pisac, Moray and Maras - Train to Aguas Calientes
Camelids, Pisac and its market, lunch in Urubamba, Moray, the Maras Salt Mines and Ollantaytambo, then dinner and the Expedition train.
Day 13: Machu Picchu Guided Tour - Return to Cusco
One of the first buses up, 2 to 3 hours inside Machu Picchu with your guide, the train to Ollantaytambo and a private transfer to Cusco.
Day 14: Free Day in Cusco
No pickups, no schedule. Sleep in, wander the San Blas neighborhood, book a massage or do nothing at all before the early start tomorrow.
Day 15: Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley - Cusco
A 4:30 a.m. pickup, breakfast on the road, the walk to the Vinicunca viewpoint and the Red Valley when conditions allow, then lunch and the drive back.
Day 16: Flight to Puerto Maldonado - Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica
Fly from the Andes to the rainforest, a 45-minute boat ride on the Madre de Dios River, a first trail walk and a twilight river cruise.
Day 17: Lake Sandoval - Canopy Walkway - Rainforest by Night
A canoe on Lake Sandoval inside the Tambopata National Reserve, suspension bridges in the canopy and a night walk in the forest.
Day 18: Gamitana Creek - Hacienda Concepción - Canoe at Dusk
Forest fruits at the Gamitana farm, a creek of caimans and turtles, a boat upriver to Hacienda Concepción and a quiet canoe trip at dusk.
Day 19: Amazon - Transfer to Puerto Maldonado Airport
A last breakfast to birdsong, the boat back and your transfer to Puerto Maldonado airport, where the TreXperience service ends.
Included
- Pre-trip assistance and local support from Lima to the Amazon
- Lima airport pickup (Day 1) and Puerto Maldonado airport drop-off (Day 19)
- All transfers and ground transport for the included tours
- 2 nights at Casa Andina Standard, Miraflores, Lima, or similar
- 1 night at Hotel Huarango, Ica, or similar
- Overnight tourist bus from Nazca to Arequipa (Day 4)
- 1 night at Casa Andina Standard, Arequipa, or similar
- 1 night at Colca Lodge, Colca Valley, or similar
- 2 nights at Casa Andina Standard, Puno, or similar
- 1 night in a family homestay on Amantaní Island
- 5 nights at San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar
- 1 night at Ferré Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, or similar
- 3 nights at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica, Tambopata
- Breakfast every day from Day 2, except Days 3 and 5
- Lunch on Days 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 18, and on Day 16 depending on your arrival time
- Lunch on Days 6 and 7 in the Colca Valley [TO CONFIRM]
- Dinner on Days 8, 12, 16, 17 and 18
- Lima Gastronomic Tour [TO CONFIRM] and Lima City Tour with entrance tickets and pisco tasting
- Ballestas Islands boat tour, tejas tasting, winery visit, Huacachina dune buggies and sandboarding
- Shared scenic flight over the Nazca Lines, about 30 minutes, with airport taxes [TO CONFIRM]
- Colca Canyon tour from Arequipa to Puno with Cruz del Cóndor and entrance fees
- Lake Titicaca boat tour to the Uros islands, Amantaní and Taquile, with entrance tickets
- Route of the Sun tourist bus from Puno to Cusco with guided stops and buffet lunch
- Cusco City Tour and Sacred Valley tour with all entrance tickets
- Expedition train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and back
- Buses between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu entrance and 2 to 3-hour guided tour (Day 13)
- Private transfer from Ollantaytambo to your Cusco hotel (Day 13)
- Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley tour with entrance tickets
- Amazon program with river transfers, Explorer Guide, excursions and all meals at the lodge
- Professional English-speaking guides on all tours
Not Included
- International flights, the Cusco to Puerto Maldonado flight (Day 16) and your flight out of Puerto Maldonado (Day 19)
- Meals not listed: all meals on Days 1, 3 and 5, lunch on Days 2, 4, 11, 13, 14 and 19, and dinners not listed
- Dinner on Day 6 in the Colca Valley [TO CONFIRM]
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain tickets (US$75 each)
- Horse rental at Rainbow Mountain and thermal baths in the Colca Valley
- Early check-in in Lima and Arequipa, unless confirmed separately
- Train and hotel upgrades
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Personal expenses and tips
Machu Picchu Tickets and Circuits
Your Machu Picchu ticket is issued in your name with a fixed entry time and circuit. We request Circuit 2, the route with the classic upper view and the main temples, whenever it is on sale for your date; if it is not, we book the best circuit available and tell you before the balance is due. More in our Machu Picchu circuits guide and the official circuits and routes.
Extra Hikes at Machu Picchu
- Huayna Picchu Mountain - US$75 per person, about 2 hours round trip, on Day 13 after the guided tour.
- Machu Picchu Mountain - US$75 per person, about 3 hours round trip, on Day 13 after the guided tour.
One mountain per visit. Separate ticket, booked in advance, with a time slot that must match your entry time and your afternoon train.
Optional Upgrades
Private service: your own guide and vehicle on the Lima, coast, Colca, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain days. The Nazca flight, the overnight bus, the lake boats, the Route of the Sun bus, the train and the Amazon excursions are shared services.
Also on request: the Vistadome panoramic train instead of the Expedition, 4-star or 5-star hotels, a hotel night in Puno instead of the Amantaní homestay, and a night in Lima at the end if your international flight leaves from there.
Full Itinerary of the Peru Grand Journey 19 Days
Nineteen days by road, boat, train and one small plane, from the fog of the coast to the humidity of the rainforest. Every pickup time, meal and bed is written here; the only surprises are the ones the country keeps for you.
Day 1: Arrival in Lima - Welcome to Peru
Our representative waits for you at Lima airport with a sign and drives you to Casa Andina Standard in Miraflores, or similar, a few blocks from the ocean. Nothing is scheduled today on purpose: most international flights land late, and the trip ahead is long. Sleep, or walk the boardwalk if you arrive with daylight to spare.
- Meals: not included
- Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Lima, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: none
Tips: Landing after midnight? Standard check-in is in the afternoon, so ask us about early check-in or an extra night before the tour. Coming a day early also gives you a full free day in Lima; contact us and we add the night.
Day 2: Lima Gastronomic Tour - Afternoon City Tour
Lima is the food capital of South America, and today you taste why. The morning is a gastronomic tour with a local guide [TO CONFIRM]: a walk through a neighborhood market to meet fruits, chilies and potatoes you will not find at home, then a hands-on session where you prepare a classic such as ceviche and a pisco sour before sitting down to eat what you made.
Around 2:00 p.m., the city tour. On the ocean side, Parque del Amor on the cliffs of Miraflores and a look at Huaca Pucllana, the adobe pyramid that predates the Incas. Downtown, Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor with the Government Palace and the Cathedral, and the Convent of San Francisco, where you go underground into the catacombs. A pisco tasting on the way, and back at the hotel around 6:00 p.m. Pack tonight: tomorrow starts in the dark.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel; tastings on the gastronomic tour [TO CONFIRM]
- Tours: morning gastronomic tour and afternoon city tour, about 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
- Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Lima, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Comfortable shoes, a light jacket and some soles for the market. Tell us about allergies before the cooking session. More in our Lima travel guide.
Day 3: Paracas - Ballestas Islands - Ica - Huacachina
Pickup between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. for the Pan-American Highway south, with a stop at a bakery around 6:00 a.m. to buy breakfast. At 9:30 a.m., a motorboat leaves Paracas for the Ballestas Islands, passing the Candelabra, a giant figure cut into the hillside nobody has fully explained. On the rocks: sea lions, Humboldt penguins, cormorants, boobies and Inca terns, as the day allows.
Back on land, a tasting of tejas and chocotejas, the sweets of Ica, and lunch on your own. At 2:00 p.m., an artisan winery for wine and pisco tasting, then the Huacachina oasis, a lagoon ringed by palms and dunes. At 3:00 p.m., dune buggies climb the sand and sandboards bring you down. Check-in at Hotel Huarango, or similar, around 4:30 p.m.
- Meals: not included
- Pickup: 4:00 to 5:00 a.m.
- Hotel: Hotel Huarango, Ica, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy to moderate; the buggy ride is bumpy
Tips: Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a windbreaker for the boat, closed shoes and a bandana for the sand. Buggies and sandboarding are not suitable during pregnancy or after spinal surgery. In rough seas the port authority can cancel the boat; the activity is then replaced or refunded.
Day 4: Nazca Lines Flight - Overnight Bus to Arequipa
Continental breakfast at 6:00 a.m. and departure at 6:30 a.m. for the two-hour drive to the Nazca airfield. Passport check, weigh-in and a safety briefing, then about 30 minutes in a small plane over the lines, planned for mid-morning when the light is clear: the hummingbird, the monkey, the spider, the condor, the whale and more, with the pilot banking so both sides of the plane get the view.
The afternoon is free in Nazca, with lunch on your own. In the evening, the overnight tourist bus takes you south to Arequipa, about 10 hours in a reclining seat; we confirm the departure time with your final details.
- Meals: continental breakfast at the hotel
- Flight: shared scenic flight, about 30 minutes, subject to weather
- Night: overnight tourist bus from Nazca to Arequipa
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Original passport for the flight. Eat light beforehand and consider a motion-sickness tablet; the plane turns a lot. For the bus: a warm layer, water, a neck pillow and your valuables on you. More in our Nazca Lines guide.
Day 5: Arequipa - Free Day in the White City
You arrive in Arequipa early in the morning and we take you to Casa Andina Standard, or similar. Rooms are usually ready in the afternoon; the hotel keeps your bags until then. After two early starts, this day is for recovering, and the city is made for it: the Plaza de Armas and its cathedral, streets of white volcanic stone, a long lunch of rocoto relleno or adobo, and three volcanoes on the skyline. At 2,335 m / 7,661 ft, Arequipa is also your first, gentle step up in altitude.
- Meals: not included
- Plan: free day
- Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Arequipa, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Want a room the moment you arrive? Ask us about early check-in. The Santa Catalina Monastery, a small city within the city, is a good two hours if you feel like walking.
Day 6: Arequipa - Volcanoes Viewpoint - Colca Valley
Pickup at 7:30 a.m. for the road to the Colca Valley, past the slopes of the Chachani volcano and into the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, where wild vicuñas graze the high plains. At the Tocra wetlands, your guide points out Andean flamingos and other birds of the altiplano.
The road tops out at the Volcanoes Viewpoint, 4,910 m / 16,109 ft, the highest point of the whole trip, reached by vehicle with a short stop for the view. Then down to Chivay around 1:00 p.m., lunch and your lodge in the valley. The afternoon is free, with thermal baths a few minutes away.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel; lunch [TO CONFIRM]
- Highest point: 4,910 m / 16,109 ft, by vehicle
- Hotel: Colca Lodge, Colca Valley, or similar
- Difficulty: easy, with a long drive at altitude
Tips: Coca tea, water and slow movements at the viewpoint; the stop is short on purpose. Warm layers for the pass and a swimsuit for the hot springs.
Day 7: Cruz del Cóndor - Colca Canyon - Puno
Departure between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. First the village of Yanque, where you may see the Wititi dance in the square, then Cruz del Cóndor, the best-known viewpoint of the canyon. As the morning warms, condors use the thermals to rise along the walls; most days they appear, but no one can promise it.
On the way back, the village of Maca and its colonial church, more viewpoints over the terraces, and lunch in Chivay. Around 1:00 p.m., the road east across the high plateau to Puno, with arrival between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. and transfer to Casa Andina Standard, or similar. A long day, and the one that gets you to the lake without a flight or a detour.
- Meals: breakfast at the lodge; lunch [TO CONFIRM]
- Day: about 13 hours, including the drive to Puno
- Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Puno, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy to moderate, because of the altitude and the long day
Tips: Binoculars for the condors, snacks and water for the road. Puno sits at 3,827 m / 12,556 ft; keep dinner light tonight. See our Puno guide.
Day 8: Lake Titicaca - Uros Floating Islands and Amantaní Homestay
Pickup between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. for the port and a boat onto the highest navigable lake in the world, 3,812 m / 12,507 ft above the sea. Your main suitcase stays at your Puno hotel, where you return tomorrow. First the Uros: families who live on islands they build from totora reed, layer upon layer, and renew from the top. You step onto the springy ground, learn how the islands and the reed boats are made, and hear how life on the water works today. The visit is short and respectful; buying a textile or taking a reed-boat ride is your choice.
Then a longer crossing to Amantaní, a farming island with no cars and no hotels. Your host family meets the boat and walks you to their home for lunch. The rooms are simple and clean, the welcome is real, and you are a guest in a working household, not a spectator. In the late afternoon, a slow walk up to the Pachatata temple, about 4,100 m / 13,450 ft, to watch the sun set over the lake. Dinner is home-cooked. On many evenings the community invites visitors to an informal gathering with music and dancing; it is the family’s invitation, not a show, so it is never guaranteed.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch and dinner with your host family
- Transport: shared boat from the port of Puno
- Accommodation: family homestay on Amantaní Island, basic and clean
- Altitude: 3,812 m / 12,507 ft at the lake, about 4,100 m / 13,450 ft at the temple
- Difficulty: easy to moderate, with an uphill walk at altitude
Tips: Nights are cold and the house has no heating: warm layers to sleep in, a headlamp, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, a power bank and cash in soles. A small practical gift for the family, such as fruit or school supplies, is welcome but optional. More in our Lake Titicaca guide.
Day 9: Amantaní - Taquile Island - Return to Puno
Breakfast with your host family and a goodbye at the dock, then a short crossing to Taquile, a quiet island with no cars, where the men knit and the women weave in a tradition recognized by UNESCO. A steady uphill walk brings you from the dock to the main square, terraces on one side and deep blue water on the other. Your guide explains how the island runs its own tourism and how the textiles tell who is single, married or in charge. Lunch at a local restaurant by the lake.
The boat back reaches Puno around 3:30 p.m. Check in again at Casa Andina Standard, or similar, and enjoy a free evening with a hot shower.
- Meals: breakfast with your host family and lunch on Taquile
- Transport: shared boat
- Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Puno, or similar 3-star hotel
- Altitude: 3,812 m / 12,507 ft, with an uphill walk on Taquile
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
Tips: The sun on the water is intense: hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, plus a windproof layer for the boat. Bring soles for crafts, and ask before you photograph people.
Day 10: Puno to Cusco - Route of the Sun
At 7:00 a.m., the tourist bus leaves Puno with a guide on board. First stop, the Pukara museum and its stone sculptures from one of the oldest cultures of the lake. Then the La Raya pass at 4,335 m / 14,222 ft, the border between the Puno and Cusco regions, with snow peaks in view.
Buffet lunch in Sicuani, then Raqchi and the tall walls of the Temple of Wiracocha, and the church of Andahuaylillas, called the Sistine Chapel of the Andes for its painted ceilings. Arrival in Cusco around 5:30 p.m. and transfer to San Agustín Internacional, or similar, a short walk from the main square.
- Meals: breakfast and buffet lunch
- Bus: about 10 hours, including stops
- Highest point: La Raya pass, 4,335 m / 14,222 ft
- Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Keep a warm jacket, water and your camera at hand; the stops are short. Cusco, at 3,400 m / 11,155 ft, will feel easy after a week at altitude.
Day 11: Free Morning - Afternoon Cusco City Tour
A slow morning in the old Inca capital: breakfast, a coffee on the Plaza de Armas, the San Pedro market or simply a lie-in. Around 1:00 p.m., your guide picks you up. On foot: the Plaza de Armas, the Twelve-Angled Stone and Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun, where Inca walls hold up a colonial convent. Then by vehicle: Sacsayhuaman and its zigzag walls, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, with a stop at Cristo Blanco when time allows.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel
- Tour: half day
- Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy, with walking and stairs at altitude
Tips: Use the morning for laundry and a rest; the next two days are full. Ideas in our Cusco guide.
Day 12: Sacred Valley - Pisac, Moray and Maras - Train to Aguas Calientes
Pickup around 7:00 a.m. for the most scenic day of the Cusco section. A camelid center first, to see llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos side by side, then a viewpoint over the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba River. Pisac follows: terraces and temples above the town and time at the market, known for textiles, ceramics and silver. Lunch at a local restaurant in Urubamba.
In the afternoon, the circular terraces of Moray, the Maras Salt Mines with their thousands of pools still worked by local families, and Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town with water channels running down its streets. Dinner is included tonight, in Ollantaytambo or Aguas Calientes depending on your train time. Then the Expedition train follows the river into the cloud forest, and you check in at Ferré Machu Picchu, or similar. Rest well: tomorrow you are on one of the first buses up.
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Transport: tourist vehicle and Expedition train
- Hotel: Ferré Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, or similar 3-star hotel
- Altitude: Aguas Calientes, 2,040 m / 6,693 ft
- Difficulty: easy to moderate, with walking and stairs at the sites
Tips: Bring a small overnight bag of about 5 kg / 11 lb; train luggage is limited. Leave your main suitcase at your Cusco hotel or in our free storage. More in our Sacred Valley guide.
Day 13: Machu Picchu Guided Tour - Return to Cusco
The day the whole trip builds toward. After an early breakfast, you take one of the first buses up the switchbacks to Machu Picchu; the early light and the quiet of the first hour are worth the alarm. Show your original passport and ticket at the gate, and enter on the route your ticket allows; we request Circuit 2 whenever it is available. For 2 to 3 hours, your guide walks you through the terraces, temples, houses and water channels and explains how and why a city was built up here. There is time for photos. If you booked Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, the hike comes after the tour, according to your ticket time and train.
Bus back down, lunch on your own in Aguas Calientes, then the Expedition train to Ollantaytambo, where our private vehicle takes you to your Cusco hotel. Arrival is usually around 7:30 p.m., depending on the train.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel
- Guided tour: 2 to 3 hours
- Altitude: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
- Return: bus, Expedition train and private transfer to Cusco
- Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: easy to moderate, with stairs and uneven stone paths
Tips: Original passport, small daypack, rain protection, sunscreen, hat, water and some cash. Large bags, drones, tripods and food are not allowed inside. See our Machu Picchu rules guide.
Day 14: Free Day in Cusco
No pickup and no plan, by design. Sleep until you wake, have a long breakfast, wander the steep lanes and workshops of San Blas, visit a museum, book a massage or sit in a café on the square and watch the city go by. Tomorrow is the hardest day of the trip, and a rested body makes it a different experience. If you would rather fill the day, Humantay Lake or a half-day tour can be added.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel
- Plan: free day
- Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: none
Tips: Lay out your warm layers tonight and eat an early dinner; the alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m.
Day 15: Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley - Cusco
Pickup at 4:30 a.m. for a three-hour drive into the Ausangate range, with breakfast at a local restaurant on the way. From the trailhead, a steady walk of about 1.5 to 2 hours brings you to the viewpoint of Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain, at about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft. The stripes are natural minerals; the air is thin, so your guide sets a slow, safe pace and you stop as often as you need. After ten days at altitude, most travelers find it far easier than they feared.
When the weather and your legs agree, continue about 30 minutes to the Red Valley, a quieter landscape of red hills with far fewer people. Then back down, lunch at a local restaurant and the drive to Cusco, arriving around 6:00 p.m. Horses can be rented at the trailhead if you prefer not to walk up.
- Meals: breakfast and lunch at local restaurants
- Hike: about 10 km / 6.2 mi round trip, including the Red Valley
- Highest point: about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft
- Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
- Difficulty: moderate to challenging, because of the altitude
Tips: Warm layers, gloves and a hat for the cold start, sunscreen and sunglasses for the sun, water and snacks. If you feel unwell, tell your guide; the viewpoint is not worth pushing through symptoms. More in our Rainbow Mountain guide.
Day 16: Flight to Puerto Maldonado - Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica
After breakfast, transfer to Cusco airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado (not included; buy it once we confirm the schedule). The lodge team meets you and, after a 45-minute boat ride down the Madre de Dios River, you arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica: from 3,400 m to about 200 m in one morning, and the air feels thick and warm after the Andes.
A short briefing, lunch if you arrive in time, and your cabana. In the afternoon, a first walk on the trail system with your Explorer Guide, then a twilight river cruise to look for nightjars, capybaras and caimans. Dinner at the lodge with a welcome pisco cocktail; your legs will thank you for the hammock.
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch depending on arrival time, and dinner at the lodge
- Not included: flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado
- Lodge: Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Long sleeves, repellent, a headlamp, a rain poncho and a dry bag for your phone. Ask your doctor about the yellow fever vaccine well before you travel.
Day 17: Lake Sandoval - Canopy Walkway - Rainforest by Night
After breakfast, a shaded trail and a wooden canoe take you onto Lake Sandoval, inside the Tambopata National Reserve. Giant river otters, howler monkeys, macaws, turtles and black caimans live here; sightings are never guaranteed, but your guide knows where to look and when to stay quiet.
Lunch at the lodge, then the Canopy Walkway: eight platforms linked by suspension bridges, the first tower 42 m / 138 ft up, with toucans, monkeys and sloths at eye level. After dark, the Rainforest by Night walk, when the forest changes its cast completely. Dinner at the lodge.
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner at the lodge
- Tour: full day
- Lodge: Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica
- Difficulty: easy to moderate, with a forest walk and a canoe
Tips: Binoculars make this day. Closed shoes, repellent before each walk and a dry bag for your camera on the canoe.
Day 18: Gamitana Creek - Hacienda Concepción - Canoe at Dusk
After breakfast, a short boat ride to the Gamitana farm to taste forest fruits in season, then a trail to Gamitana Creek, home to piranhas, caimans and turtles. Lunch at the lodge.
In the afternoon, a boat upriver to Hacienda Concepción, a former cocoa and rubber plantation, and a quiet canoe trip at dusk when the river goes still. Last dinner at the lodge. The three-day program is a suggested itinerary: excursions are chosen at the lodge and may change with weather, river conditions and wildlife.
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner at the lodge
- Tour: full day
- Lodge: Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica
- Difficulty: easy
Tips: Pack tonight and check your flight time. Tips for the lodge staff and guides are optional and always your choice.
Day 19: Amazon - Transfer to Puerto Maldonado Airport
Breakfast and a last morning of birdsong. Check-out is at 10:00 a.m., then the 45-minute boat back and your transfer to Puerto Maldonado airport, where the TreXperience service ends. Nineteen days ago you landed in the fog of Lima; you fly out having flown over the Nazca Lines, watched condors from the rim of the Colca, slept on an island in Lake Titicaca, stood inside Machu Picchu and on Rainbow Mountain, and listened to the rainforest at night.
- Meals: breakfast at the lodge
- Not included: lunch and the flight from Puerto Maldonado
- Tour ends: Puerto Maldonado airport
Flying home from Lima? Most flights from Puerto Maldonado connect through Lima the same day; if yours leaves the next morning, we add a night in Miraflores and the airport transfers. Write to us with your flight.
Peru Grand Journey 19 Days Price and Booking
Prices are per person in US dollars and cover all hotels, the lodge and the homestay, the overnight bus, the Nazca flight, the Expedition train, the Machu Picchu entrance and guided tour, every listed tour and ticket, the Amazon program with meals, local guides and ground transport. International flights and the two Amazon flights are not included.
Small-Group Tour Price
| Traveler Type | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| Adults | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| Students under 25 with a valid university ID | US$30 off the adult price |
| Children under 17 | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
Private Tour Price
Your own guide and vehicle, at your pace, on the Lima, coast, Colca, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain days. Prices depend on group size and availability.
| Number of Travelers | Adults (Per Person) | Students and Children (Per Person) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveler | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 2 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 3 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 4 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 5 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 6 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 7 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 8 to 16 travelers | US$[TO CONFIRM] | US$[TO CONFIRM] |
| 17 or more travelers | Contact us for a group rate | |
Note: Private service covers the guided land tours and transfers. The Nazca flight, the overnight bus, the lake boats, the Route of the Sun bus, the train and the Amazon excursions are shared.
Booking and Payment
- Deposit: US$1,200 per person to secure your Machu Picchu ticket, train seats, the Nazca flight, the Amazon lodge and all hotels. The balance is paid online or at our Cusco office by card, PayPal or wire transfer.
- Send each traveler’s full name, passport number, date of birth, passport expiry and nationality. Machu Picchu tickets and train seats are nominal and can’t be changed or transferred.
- For May to September, book at least three months ahead; Machu Picchu tickets are capped per day and per circuit, and the Amazon lodge fills early. See our Terms and Conditions.
- Tell us about dietary needs, pregnancy or any heart, lung, knee, back or mobility concern, and what this trip means to you. It helps us prepare the right way.
Student and Child Discount
Students under 25 with a valid university ID (name, photo, university and expiry date) get US$30 off the adult price. ISIC cards are not accepted. Children under 17 may qualify for lower official Machu Picchu rates; send the ID or date of birth when booking and we confirm the discount.
Customization and Upgrades
- Private service on all guided land days.
- Vistadome panoramic train instead of the Expedition, one way or both ways.
- Hotel upgrades to 4-star or 5-star in Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco and Aguas Calientes.
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain on Day 13, US$75 per person.
- Hotel night in Puno instead of the Amantaní homestay, on request [TO CONFIRM].
- Extra nights in Lima at the start or end, or in Cusco.
Changes depend on availability and may change the price. Contact us for a quote.
Packing List for the Peru Grand Journey 19 Days
Five climates in one suitcase: the gray, humid coast; the hot desert of Ica and Nazca; the freezing dawns of the Colca pass, Lake Titicaca and Rainbow Mountain; the mild cloud forest of Machu Picchu; and the heat and humidity of the Amazon. The trick is layers, not volume, plus a soft bag for the nights you travel light. More in our Peru Packing List.
Essentials
Original passport (checked for the Nazca flight, the bus, the train, Machu Picchu and your domestic flights), medication, insurance details, your yellow fever certificate if you have one, and cash in soles for meals on your own, crafts and tips.












What to Wear?
Walking shoes with grip and sandals; breathable layers for the coast and the Amazon; a warm jacket, hat and gloves for the Colca pass, the lake nights and Rainbow Mountain; a rain jacket for Machu Picchu and the forest; and long sleeves and light trousers for the jungle.








What to Put in the Daypack?
1.5 liters of water, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, a rain poncho, a warm layer and repellent. The sun is strong on the water, on the dunes and at altitude, and the Amazon needs the repellent before every walk.














What to Pack for the Nights Away from Your Suitcase?
Three nights travel light: the Amantaní homestay (warm sleepwear, headlamp, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, power bank), the night in Aguas Calientes (a bag of about 5 kg / 11 lb; the train limits luggage) and the overnight bus (a warm layer and neck pillow at your seat). Your main suitcase waits at the hotel each time. See our Machu Picchu packing list.
What We Provide
Hotels, the lodge and the homestay, the overnight bus, the Nazca flight, the boats, the train, the Machu Picchu entrance and buses, all listed tickets and guides, rubber boots and life jackets at the Amazon lodge, and a first-aid kit and oxygen on the Rainbow Mountain hike.
Optional Gear and Extra Items
Binoculars (condors, Lake Sandoval and the canopy), trekking poles with rubber tips for Rainbow Mountain, a dry bag for boats and canoes, motion-sickness tablets for the Nazca plane and the buses, a bandana for the dunes, and anything your doctor recommends for altitude.
Travel Information for the Peru Grand Journey 19 Days
The practical side of a long trip: route and flights, altitude, pace, Machu Picchu tickets, where you sleep, luggage, booking and health.
Route, Flights and Overland Legs
The tour starts in Lima and ends at Puerto Maldonado airport. Three flights are not included: your international flights, Cusco to Puerto Maldonado on Day 16 and Puerto Maldonado onward on Day 19, usually to Lima; buy them once we confirm the recommended times. Everything else is overland or by boat: the Pan-American Highway to Ica, the overnight tourist bus from Nazca to Arequipa, the road over the Colca pass to Puno, the Route of the Sun bus to Cusco and the train to Machu Picchu. If your flight home leaves Lima the morning after Day 19, we add a night in Miraflores.
Altitude Profile and Why the Order Works
Days 1 to 4 are at sea level. Arequipa, Day 5, is 2,335 m / 7,661 ft, a first step that most people barely notice. Day 6 crosses the Volcanoes Viewpoint at 4,910 m / 16,109 ft by vehicle, with a short stop, and sleeps in Chivay at about 3,600 m / 11,800 ft. Puno and the lake sit around 3,800 m / 12,500 ft from Day 7, with the Pachatata temple on Amantaní at about 4,100 m / 13,450 ft. Cusco, Day 10, is 3,400 m / 11,155 ft and feels easy after a week higher up; Machu Picchu drops to 2,430 m / 7,972 ft. Rainbow Mountain, about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft on foot, comes on Day 15, after ten days at altitude and a rest day. The Amazon, at about 200 m / 650 ft, ends the trip low and warm. Drink water, eat light, avoid alcohol the first days up, and tell your guide about any symptoms. See our guide to altitude in Cusco.
Pace, Early Starts and Rest Days
This is an active but not athletic trip. The one real hike is Rainbow Mountain on Day 15, about 10 km / 6.2 mi round trip at altitude, with horses for rent. Amantaní and Taquile each have an uphill walk of under an hour, Machu Picchu is 2 to 3 hours on stairs and stone paths, and the Amazon walks are flat and shaded. The demanding part is the schedule: pickups before dawn on Days 3, 4, 7 and 15, an overnight bus on Day 4, and a 13-hour day on Day 7. The free days in Arequipa and Cusco and the slow pace of the Amazon are there to balance it. Your guides set the pace, and oxygen and a first-aid kit travel with you on the hike.
Machu Picchu Tickets and Circuits
Tickets are nominal, with a fixed entry time and circuit. We request Circuit 2, the route with the classic upper view, whenever it is on sale for your date, and we confirm your circuit before the balance is due. Bring the original passport used for the booking. Large bags, drones, tripods and food are not allowed, and the route is one way. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain need a separate ticket booked in advance. See our circuits guide and rules guide.
Hotels, Homestay and Amazon Lodge
Cities: Casa Andina Standard in Lima, Arequipa and Puno, Hotel Huarango in Ica, San Agustín Internacional in Cusco and Ferré Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes, or similar 3-star hotels with private bathroom and breakfast. Colca: a night at Colca Lodge, or similar, in the valley. Amantaní: one night in a family home, with a private room, shared bathroom, no heating and home-cooked meals; it is the simplest night of the trip and, for many travelers, the one they remember most. Amazon: three nights at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica in a private cabana with full board, river transfers and an Explorer Guide for the excursions.
Luggage Across the Trip
Your main suitcase travels with you by vehicle and bus, and waits at the hotel three times: in Puno during the Amantaní night, in Cusco during the Aguas Calientes night (the train allows about 5 kg / 11 lb per person) and, if you prefer, in Cusco during the Amazon, since the lodge recommends a soft bag and our office keeps luggage free of charge. For the Nazca flight, only a small bag goes on board. On domestic flights, standard airline baggage rules apply; check your fare before you pack.
Booking Window, Deposit and Payment
Nineteen days means many reservations with limited seats: Machu Picchu tickets capped per day and per circuit, train seats, the Nazca flight, the lodge and the homestay. For May to September, book at least three months ahead; for other months, as early as you can. The US$1,200 deposit per person, together with your passport details, lets us lock everything in; if your preferred Machu Picchu circuit is sold out, we tell you right away. The balance is paid online or at our Cusco office by card, PayPal or wire transfer, under our Terms and Conditions.
Health, Weather and Best Months
Ask your doctor about the yellow fever vaccine for the Amazon well before departure, and bring repellent and long sleeves. Travel insurance that covers altitude and medical evacuation is strongly recommended. The Andes are driest from April to October and wettest from November to March; the coast is gray from May to October and sunny from December to March; the Amazon is hot and humid all year, with more rain from December to March. Condors, Nazca flights and Rainbow Mountain all favor clear, calm mornings in the dry season, but no month guarantees them. See our Best Time to Visit Machu Picchu guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Peru Grand Journey 19 Days
What travelers ask us before committing to three weeks in Peru, answered plainly.
Who is this 19-day tour for?
For travelers who want to see Peru once and properly: the coast, the desert, the canyon, the lake, Machu Picchu and the rainforest in one trip, without camping. It suits couples, friends, families with teenagers and solo travelers who are comfortable with early starts and long travel days in exchange for not missing anything. If you have ten days or less, our Best of Peru 10 Days covers the Andes and the Colca without the coast and the Amazon.
Is there any trekking, and can I skip Rainbow Mountain?
There is no multi-day trekking and no camping. Rainbow Mountain is the only real hike, and it is optional on the day: tell your guide the night before and stay in Cusco to rest, ride a horse part of the way, or ask us before the trip to replace it with Humantay Lake or a free day. If you would rather walk into Machu Picchu, the one-day Short Inca Trail can replace the train day on a custom version of this route.
What is the Amantaní homestay like, and can I choose a hotel instead?
You sleep in a family home: a private room with blankets, a shared bathroom, no heating and no Wi-Fi, with lunch and dinner cooked by your hosts. It is basic, clean and cold at night, and it is the most personal night of the trip. If that is not for you, we can replace it with a day tour of the islands and a hotel night in Puno; tell us when you book [TO CONFIRM].
What happens if the Nazca flight or the Ballestas boat is cancelled?
Both depend on conditions. The Nazca flight is scheduled for mid-morning, when visibility is usually best, but fog or wind can delay it or, rarely, cancel it; the port authority can also close Paracas in rough seas. In either case the operator reschedules when possible, and if the activity cannot run, it is replaced or refunded. The rest of the day, including the overnight bus, goes ahead as planned.
Which flights do I need to buy, and when?
Three: your international flights into Lima and home, Cusco to Puerto Maldonado on Day 16 and Puerto Maldonado to Lima on Day 19. Wait for our recommended times before buying the domestic ones, so the Amazon arrival matches the lodge boat and your departure matches the 10:00 a.m. check-out. There is no flight between Lima and Cusco on this tour; you travel overland through Arequipa and Puno.
Can I add Huayna Picchu, and which circuit will I get?
We request Circuit 2 whenever it is on sale for your date and confirm your circuit before you pay the balance. Huayna Picchu (about 2 hours round trip) or Machu Picchu Mountain (about 3 hours) can be added on Day 13 for US$75 per person; both sell out early and must fit your entry time and afternoon train, so ask when you book.
What meals are included, and can you handle special diets?
Breakfast at every hotel and the lodge, except on the two early coast days; lunch on the lake days, the bus to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain and in the Amazon; and dinner on Amantaní, before the train and at the lodge. The rest is on your own, and Lima, Arequipa and Cusco are three of the best places in South America to eat. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy requests can usually be arranged if you tell us in advance, including at the homestay and the lodge.
Can I travel solo, book it private or change the order?
Yes. Solo travelers can join a small-group departure or take the private rate for one; the homestay and the lodge both work well for one person. Couples, families and friends can book the whole tour private, with their own guide and vehicle on every guided land day. The order can be reversed or shortened, and nights can be added in any city; ask us for a quote.
