Absolute Peru, Self-Launched: Lima to Cusco, the Inca Trail & the Amazon

Fly into Jorge Chávez airport; a taxi or Airport Express bus into Miraflores/Barranco costs roughly £8-10. Stay in a private room in a Miraflores hostel or a simple guesthouse near Parque Kennedy. Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop path, then eat at a local menú del día spot (£4-6). Optional evening: small-group Lima cooking class (ceviche + pisco sour, ~£28 booked via GetYourGuide) — book for day 2 morning instead if jetlagged.

🚌Airport Express bus or taxi from LIM (~£9)

🛏Private room, Miraflores/Barranco hostel or guesthouse (~£16)

• →Malecón coastal walk
• →Parque Kennedy & Miraflores markets
• →Optional: Lima cooking class (~£28)

Take an early Cruz del Sur or Peru Hop bus from Lima to Paracas (roughly 3.5-4 hours, £12-18). Buses are comfortable and bookable online a few days ahead. Afternoon free for the Paracas reserve viewpoint, beach and seafood lunch (£5-7). Pick up supplies as Paracas is small and slightly pricier than Lima.

🚌Cruz del Sur / Peru Hop bus Lima–Paracas (~£15)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Paracas town (~£15)

• →Paracas Bay stroll
• →Optional: kite-surf lesson

Book the Ballestas Islands boat tour directly at the Paracas pier or via GetYourGuide (~£16, 2 hours, first departures around 8am). Then take a short taxi or colectivo to Ica/Huacachina (~£4) for the desert oasis: sandboarding and dune-buggy rides are ~£13-16 booked on arrival. Catch an evening local bus (Cruz del Sur/Soyuz) south to Nazca, around 2.5 hours (~£8). A winery stop in Ica (Tacama/El Catador) is easy to add independently if you have time.

🚌Taxi/colectivo to Huacachina (~£4); bus Ica–Nazca (~£8)

🛏Simple hostel/guesthouse in Nazca (~£13)

• →Ballestas Islands boat tour (~£16)
• →Huacachina oasis + sandboarding & dune buggy (~£15)
• →Optional: Ica winery tasting (~£5)

Book a Nazca Lines overflight with a licensed local operator (~£95-100 for the 30-35 minute flight, morning slots best for light). Afternoon: take a shared taxi or cheap tour to Chauchilla Cemetery's mummies and a local potter's studio (~£10-12, bookable at any agency on the main street) — this replaces the operator's included guided visit. Overnight bus to Arequipa is the efficient move: Cruz del Sur/Oltursa sleeper, around 9-10 hours (£14-20). Alternatively fly Nazca–Arequipa is not direct; bus is the realistic option.

🚌Overnight bus Nazca–Arequipa (~£17)

🛏Overnight reclining bus (included in transport cost) or cheap hostel in Nazca (~£12)

• →Nazca Lines overflight (~£98)
• →Chauchilla Cemetery + potter's studio (~£11)

Arrive early, drop bags and acclimatise (2,335m). Explore the Plaza de Armas, then Santa Catalina Monastery (~£13 entry, allow 2 hours). Pay the Juanita Ice Maiden museum if interested (~£6). Eat rocoto relleno and queso helado, and take a free walking tour if timing works. Book your Colca Canyon two-day tour this evening with a local agency on Calle Jerusalén or via GetYourGuide (~£30-40 with transport and breakfast included).

🚌Walkable centre; airport/taxi transfers not needed

🛏Hostel private room near the centre (~£14)

• →Santa Catalina Monastery (~£13)
• →Juanita Museum (~£6)
• →Free walking tour / food market visit

Join a small-group Colca Canyon tour (booked today for a 3am-4am departure tomorrow, or start today's afternoon leg if your operator runs it that way). Most 2-day tours cover transport through Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, Patapampa viewpoint, Chivay, and the Cruz del Cóndor at dawn. Sort accommodation in Chivay through the tour (~£12-15) or book a basic hostal yourself. Afternoon: La Calera hot springs (~£4 entry, colectivo ~£2).

🚌Shared tour minibus from Arequipa (part of ~£35 tour cost)

🛏Simple hostal in Chivay (~£14)

• →Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve & Patapampa viewpoint
• →Colca Canyon tour (~£35 total, 2 days)
• →La Calera hot springs (~£4)

Early start for Cruz del Cóndor to watch Andean condors on the thermals (best 8-10am). The tour returns you to Arequipa mid-afternoon. From Arequipa take an evening bus to Puno (Cruz del Sur/4M, around 5-6 hours, £12-16) or, if timing is tight, stay one more night in Arequipa and go the next morning. Puno sits at 3,800m — take it easy, drink coca tea, and buy your Lake Titicaca tour for tomorrow.

🚌Tour minibus back to Arequipa; bus Arequipa–Puno (~£14)

🛏Hostel in Puno centro (~£10)

• →Cruz del Cóndor condor viewpoint
• →Optional: Sillustani towers en route

Book a 2-day Lake Titicaca tour with a Puno agency or GetYourGuide (~£35-45, covering boat transport, homestay, meals and guide) — this mirrors the operator's included homestay. Boats visit Taquile or Amantaní and then a Luquina-style community homestay for the night: dinner with a local family, basic but genuinely memorable accommodation, and a chance to learn Quechua/Aymara phrases. Bring warm layers and a headlamp.

🚌Shared boat from Puno port (included in tour)

🛏Community homestay with local family (included in tour ~£40)

• →Taquile/Amantaní island visit
• →Community homestay dinner
• →Optional: Lake Titicaca kayak (~£15)

Second day on the lake: reed-boat ride and visit to the Uros floating islands (tour-run, included). Return to Puno by late afternoon. Book tomorrow's Cusco bus and, if you haven't already, confirm your Inca Trail permit and trek operator today — this is the single most important booking of the trip.

🚌Return boat (included); collectivo/tuk-tuk to hostel (~£1)

🛏Hostel in Puno (~£10)

• →Uros floating islands visit
• →Reed boat ride (~£3)

Take a daytime bus Puno–Cusco with Cruz del Sur, Tica or Inka Express (around 6-7 hours, £13-22) — the Inka Express tourist bus stops at Pukará, La Raya pass and Raqchi for a small premium. Arrive Cusco (3,400m) in the afternoon: check into San Blas or the historic centre, walk slowly, and eat light. Book your Rainbow Mountain day for day 12 if the weather looks good.

🚌Bus Puno–Cusco (~£18)

🛏Hostel/hostal private room in San Blas (~£14)

• →Optional: Raqchi and La Raya stops en route
• →San Blas evening wander

Gentle day at altitude. Buy the Boleto Turístico (~£28, covers Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pucara, Tambomachay and more) and see Sacsayhuamán and Qorikancha, plus San Pedro market for cheap lunches (£3-4). An afternoon cooking class costs ~£12-14 (book direct with a San Blas outfit). Visit the Inka Museum (~£2). Confirm trek briefing time with your Inca Trail operator for tomorrow evening.

🚌Walking; short taxi rides ~£1-2

🛏Hostel/hostal in San Blas (~£14)

• →Boleto Turístico sites incl. Sacsayhuamán (~£28)
• →Qorikancha (~£4)
• →Inka Museum (~£2)
• →Optional: Cusco cooking class (~£13)

Either take a shared tour of the Sacred Valley (~£20-25, Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo) or do it by colectivo: Cusco–Pisac (£1.50), Pisac–Urubamba (£1.50), Urubamba–Ollantaytambo (£1.50). Visit the Ccaccaccollo women's weaving co-operative and a pottery workshop en route (most valley tours include these; low-cost entry donations). Lunch at a community restaurant such as Parwa in Urubamba (~£10). Stay overnight in Ollantaytambo and climb the storehouse ruins (included in Boleto Turístico).

🚌Colectivos through the valley (~£5 total) or shared tour (~£22)

🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (~£14)

• →Pisac ruins & market
• →Ccaccaccollo weaving co-op
• →Parwa community lunch (~£10)
• →Ollantaytambo ruins & storehouse hike

Your licensed Inca Trail operator (booked ~4-6 months ahead, ~£380-450 per person for a 4-day/3-night group trek including porters, cook, meals, permits and guide) picks you up from Ollantaytambo around 5-6am. Start at Piscacucho/Km 82, cross the Urubamba and walk to Llactapata, then climb gently to Wayllabamba camp (3,000m). Porters carry the group gear; you carry a daypack. Rent a sleeping bag locally (~£10) rather than buying one.

🚌Operator transfer Ollantaytambo–Km 82 (included)

🛏Tented camp, Wayllabamba (included in trek cost)

• →Inca Trail hiking
• →Llactapata ruins
• →Optional: rent sleeping bag (~£10) and trekking poles

The hardest day: a steady climb to Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's Pass, 4,215m) with a well-earned rest at the top, then a long descent to Pacaymayo camp. Go slowly, drink water, chew coca leaves. Your cook provides all meals. Trekking poles help enormously on the descent — rent locally if you didn't bring them.

🚌On foot

🛏Tented camp, Pacaymayo (included in trek cost)

• →Dead Woman's Pass (4,215m)
• →Runkurakay ruins en route

A gentler but long day over Runquraqay pass (3,950m) and past Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca, descending into cloud forest and orchids to Wiñay Wayna camp. The terraces at Wiñay Wayna are among the trail's best. Early night — tomorrow's alarm is around 3:30am.

🚌On foot

🛏Tented camp, Wiñay Wayna (included in trek cost)

• →Runquraqay pass
• →Phuyupatamarca
• →Wiñay Wayna ruins

Pre-dawn start to reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) for the first views over Machu Picchu, then a 2-hour guided circuit of the citadel with your trek guide (entry included in the permit). Take the bus down to Aguas Calientes (~£11 one way, or walk) and the PeruRail Expedition class train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo (~£50-60 one way; book on perurail.com the moment your trek dates are confirmed), then a colectivo or bus to Cusco (~£3). Book Circuit 2 at Machu Picchu if you want the classic postcard view.

🚌Bus Machu Picchu–Aguas Calientes (~£11); PeruRail train to Ollantaytambo (~£55); colectivo to Cusco (~£3)

🛏Hostel/hostal in Cusco (~£14)

• →Sun Gate sunrise
• →Machu Picchu guided tour (included in permit)
• →Optional: Huayna Picchu climb (requires separate permit, book early)

Book a Rainbow Mountain full-day trip with a local agency or GetYourGuide (~£25-30 including transport and breakfast; entry ~£6 extra). Pickups are 3:30-4:30am, returning around 5pm. It's a long day at 5,000m — only go if you acclimatised well. Alternatively book the Palccoyo route (quieter, shorter walk) or take a rest day, laundry and a Cusco cooking class.

🚌Shared tour minibus (included in tour)

🛏Hostel/hostal in Cusco (~£14)

• →Rainbow Mountain / Vinicunca hike (~£30)
• →Optional: Palccoyo alternative
• →Optional: Cusco cooking class (~£13)

Fly Cusco–Puerto Maldonado (~£60-90 one way with LATAM/Sky, book 4-8 weeks ahead; there is no practical road option). Book a 2-night all-inclusive jungle lodge such as a mid-range Tambopata ecolodge (~£130-170 per person for 2 nights including transfers, meals and guided excursions) — several lodges offer this exact package direct or via GetYourGuide. Afternoon boat ride upriver, then a guided night walk looking for insects, frogs and tarantulas. Bring long sleeves, dark clothing and a headlamp.

🚌Flight Cusco–Puerto Maldonado (~£75); lodge boat transfer (included)

🛏Tambopata jungle lodge, all-inclusive (~£75/night)

• →Guided wildlife night walk
• →Upriver boat transfer

Full day of lodge excursions: pre-dawn boat to a macaw clay lick or oxbow lake, canopy walkway or trail walks with a naturalist spotting monkeys, toucans and hoatzin, then a night-time caiman-spotting cruise by boat with a spotlight. All included in the lodge package — tipping guides locally is customary (~£10-15 for the stay).

🚌Lodge boats (included)

🛏Tambopata jungle lodge, all-inclusive (~£75)

• →Macaw clay lick / oxbow lake
• →Jungle trail walk
• →Caiman-spotting night cruise

Morning excursion or slow breakfast at the lodge, boat back to Puerto Maldonado, then an afternoon flight to Lima (~£70-100; often routed via Cusco). Check into a Miraflores guesthouse. Last night: ceviche and pisco sours in Barranco or a menu at a local huarique (£10-15), and if it's a weekend, check the Barranco nightlife.

🚌Lodge boat (included); flight Puerto Maldonado–Lima (~£85)

🛏Private room, Miraflores/Barranco hostel or guesthouse (~£16)

• →Barranco evening walk
• →Final dinner out (~£12)

Breakfast, last-minute souvenirs at Miraflores' Indian Market or a coffee in Barranco, then the Airport Express bus or a taxi to Jorge Chávez for your flight home. If your flight is late, the Larco Museum (~£8) is a good final stop.

🚌Airport Express bus or taxi to LIM (~£9)

🛏—

• →Optional: Larco Museum (~£8)