🛫 The Ultimate Peru Travel Guide: 7-Day Itinerary, Packing List & Free Maps

Peru is a country that offers the perfect mix of adventure, history, culture, and vibrant nightlife. From the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu (Cusco) to the colorful streets of Miraflores, Lima, this itinerary captures an authentic Peruvian experience in just over a week. Along the way, we had unforgettable moments, breathtaking landscapes and heartwarming interactions with locals.

Day 1: Arrival in Peru – A Day of Rest

Since our journey started with a long flight, we took it easy on the first day to rest and prepare for the days ahead.

✅ Check into our hotel and get settled

✅ Rest and recover from the flight

✅ Enjoy a relaxing evening

📌 Tip: If you have extra energy, explore a nearby area for some light sightseeing or a nice dinner. Otherwise, take it easy, you’ll need it for the days ahead!

➡ Book Hotel Here: Casa Andina Standard Benavidas

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Day 2: Swimming with Sea Lions & Flying to Cusco

Palomino Island Excursion

In the morning we kicked off our adventure with a thrilling speedboat ride from Callao to Palomino Island; home to a huge sea lion colony and even some tropical penguins!

🦦 Swimming with sea lions was an experience I’ll never forget! As soon as we jumped in, the icy water made our legs feel numb, giving them a tingling sensation! However, despite the cold the experience was too incredible to give up.

The sea lions were hilarious and playful, jumping around us, making loud noises, and even biting each other while playing. It was surreal to be surrounded by these creatures in their natural habitat.

📌 Tips:

✅ Bring a wetsuit or wear layers, the water is freezing!

✅ Bring sunblock

✅ Pack a GoPro or underwater camera, you’ll want to capture this experience.

✅ Be prepared for motion sickness, the boat ride can get rough.

➡ Book Tour Here: Mar Adentro Excursiones

Flying to Cusco & Acclimating to the Altitude

To get to Machu Picchu as early as possible, we took an evening flight after the sea lion excursion from Lima to Cusco.

As soon as we landed, we could feel the altitude difference, Cusco sits at 3,400m (11,200ft) above sea level. Remember to give yourself some time to adjust to this change.

We spent the rest of the evening walking through Cusco’s historic streets and had dinner at Casa de Marcerados; where we had some of our first authentic Peruvian dishes

📌 Tip:

✅ Try coca tea, it’s a natural remedy for altitude sickness!

✅ It can get chilly, so don't forget to bring something to cover up.

➡ Book Flight from Lima to Cusco: https://www.skyairline.com/en/unitedstates

➡ Book Hotel Here: https://g.co/kgs/uosD5q5

📍Restaurant Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4Fxcer1AUJFArPeRA

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Day 3: Machu Picchu – The Lost City of the Incas

⏰ Early morning start (4:50 AM)!

To reach Machu Picchu before the crowds, we followed this route:

1️⃣ Bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (Included with Inca Trail train ticket) (~2-hour drive)

2️⃣ Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Village (~1.5 hours)

3️⃣ Bus from Machu Picchu Village to the entrance (~20 minutes)

🎟 Make sure to buy your bus ticket in advance! It costs $24 per person round-trip.

➡ Book Train Ticket Here: Inca Trail train ticket

➡ Book Bus Ticket Here: https://comprar.consettur.com/

➡ Book Entrance Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu, (Panoramico View) 

The Journey to Machu Picchu

When we arrived in Ollantaytambo, we were greeted by local performers dancing and showcasing their culture, it made the wait for the train feel like a mini parade.

🚂 We took the bimodal train, which had huge windows so we could admire the stunning rivers, waterfalls, and towering mountains on the way to Machu Picchu. Inside the train, they even gave a short history lesson about the ancient city, which made us even more excited for what was ahead!

Exploring Machu Picchu

Once we arrived, we met our amazing guide, Nishinga! This was the best decision ever! He:

✅ Shared interesting history about the ruins

✅ Showed us the best photo spots

✅ Helped us with creative poses for pictures

📌 Tips:

🚫 No selfie sticks, stabilizers, or drones are allowed in Machu Picchu!

🚌 The bus ride up is rough, take motion sickness medication if needed.

📸 Bring a high-quality camera, this place is magical!

Tour Guide Information: Nishinga Rimachi (+51 933 388 863), (+51 930 702 736)

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Day 4: Rainbow Mountain/ Vinicunca

⏰ Early morning start 4:00 AM!

We started our day by taking a bus with "Machu Picchu Expedition Tours". The package included transportation to Rainbow Mountain, breakfast before the hike, lunch after the hike, and walking sticks. (~3.5 Hours)

➡ Book Tour Here: Rainbow Mountain Tour

🏔 Hiking to Rainbow Mountain

We started walking, but within 15–20 minutes, we were dead tired. The altitude made breathing difficult, and we decided to take horses the rest of the way up.

Riding the horses gave me a whole new respect for these animals and, especially for the locals who walk up and down the mountains daily to guide travelers. They work incredibly hard, and it was humbling to see.

The cost for a horse to get you up the mountain is around 40 - 80 Soles per person one way!

MAKE SURE TO BRING CASH.

📌 Tips:

✅ Bring cash to pay for horses or ATV

✅ Drink coca tea beforehand for energy

✅ Bring Tylenol for possible headache

✅ Wear warm clothes, it gets freezing up there!

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Day 5: Humantay Lake – A Hidden Gem

⏰ Another early morning (3:30 AM)!

We started our day by taking a bus with "Willka Travel Cusco Tours". The package included transportation to Humantay Lake, breakfast before the hike, lunch after the hike, and walking sticks. (~3.5 Hours)

➡ Book Tour Here: Rainbow Mountain Tour

🐴 Learning from our previous excursion, we decided to take horses because we already knew what to expect. This time, the horses had to go through rivers, over rocks, and along steep cliffs; it was a bit scary but definitely worth it!

🏔 The lake was breathtaking! A turquoise-blue gem surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

The Best Meal in Peru

After the hike at Humantay Lake, we passed by locals cooking food along the hiking trail. It Was full of flavor and by far the best food we had in Peru! At night, despite the rain, we explored Cusco’s street food scene and tried alpaca, beef, and chicken from a local vendor. The food was incredible, and the lady who made it was so kind.

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Day 6: Travel to Lima & Exploring Cusco Before Our Flight

Exploring Cusco

Before leaving Cusco, we visited Mercado de San Pedro, where locals sell food, drinks, and handmade goods. Cusco is beautiful but also humbling. Seeing how hard people work here was emotional.

📍Location: Mercado de San Pedro

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Day 7: Salsa, Churros & Cuban Vibes in Miraflores

💃 Salsa Class with Alberto (Bachata Studio)

In the afternoon we took a salsa lesson with our instructor Alberto. He was amazing! He taught us movements we didn’t know, making the class fun and engaging.

➡ Book Salsa Lessons Here: Bachata Studio

🍩 Cooking Peruvian Churros

We made churros with blueberries, chocolate, and other local flavors! We were even able to take home the recipe to recreate them later!

➡ Book Cooking Experience Here: Haku Tours

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Day 8: Departure

✈️ Back to the airport for our flight home.

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Places to Consider If You Have More Time in Peru

• Aguas Turquesas de Millpu; A stunning series of turquoise-colored natural pools hidden in the Andes. Perfect for nature lovers looking for a less touristy gem.

• Lake Titicaca; The highest navigable lake in the world, home to the famous floating Uros Islands, where indigenous communities live on handmade reed islands.

• Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado) – Includes:

  - Moray Inca Ruins; Circular terraces used by the Incas for agricultural experiments.

  - Salineras de Maras; A breathtaking collection of thousands of salt pools carved into the mountains.

• Q'eswachaka; The Last Incan Rope Bridge; A handwoven rope bridge suspended over a canyon, still rebuilt every year by local communities using traditional Inca techniques.

These locations require extra travel time, so if you can extend your trip by 2-3 days, they are well worth visiting!

Additional Peru Travel Tips

Before traveling to Peru, here are some essential things to keep in mind:

💰Peru is very affordable: Even Uber rides are cheap, so there's no need to rent a car. Public transport and taxis are widely available.

💵 Cash is necessary in remote areas: While cards are accepted in most restaurants and stores, you should always carry cash in Soles if you plan to visit mountainous areas like Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, or Humantay Lake. There is no phone reception in some places, so card machines may not work.

🍽 Street food vendors only accept cash: If you plan to try local street food, keep small bills or coins on hand.

🧥 Pack for all kinds of weather: Peru's climate varies greatly depending on the region. It can be chilly in the mountains, so bring a jacket or sweater. Also, carry a rain cover in case of sudden downpours.

🛣 Roads can be bumpy: If you're sensitive and get motion sickness, bring Dramamine or other medications; especially for the bus ride to Machu Picchu and drive through the Andes.

🗣 Spanish & Quechua are widely spoken: While many people in Lima and Cusco speak English, locals in smaller towns and remote areas mostly speak Spanish or Quechua. Learning a few basic Spanish phrases can be helpful!

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VINICUNCA

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