Machu Picchu & Galapagos on a Backpacker Budget: Lima to Quito Self-Launched

Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and take the Airport Express Lima bus or a shared airport taxi (~£5-8) to Miraflores or Barranco. Check into a hostel dorm or private budget room in Miraflores, which is safe, walkable and close to the coast. Spend the afternoon on the Malecón clifftop walk to Parque del Amor, then catch sunset and grab a cheap menú del día or street anticuchos in Barranco. Sort your Peru SIM/eSIM and withdraw soles (avoid airport exchange rates).

🚌Airport Express Lima bus or shared taxi from airport (~£5-8)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Miraflores/Barranco (~£12-16)

• →Malecón coastal walk and Parque del Amor
• →Barranco street art and Puente de los Suspiros
• →Budget ceviche dinner

Take a Metropolitano bus or local combi into the Centro Histórico. Join a free/pay-what-you-want walking tour (GuruWalk or Free Walking Tour Lima, tip ~£5-8) covering Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the change of guard at the Government Palace. Pay the small entry to the Cathedral and the San Francisco Monastery catacombs (~£3-4). In the evening try a budget Peruvian cooking class or simply eat your way through a mercado — a paid 2-hour ceviche + pisco class runs ~£20-25 via GetYourGuide.

🚌Metropolitano bus / combi (~£1-2)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Miraflores/Barranco (~£12-16)

• →Free walking tour of Lima's historic centre
• →Cathedral of Lima and San Francisco catacombs entry
• →Optional budget ceviche & pisco class (~£22)

Book a morning budget flight Lima–Cusco on Sky, JetSMART or Latam (~£45-75 one way if booked ahead). On arrival take a shared colectivo or minivan down into the Sacred Valley (Pisac or Ollantaytambo) rather than staying at altitude in Cusco immediately — better for acclimatisation. Drop bags at a valley guesthouse and explore Pisac's handicraft market and the Pisac ruins by local taxi or on foot. Keep the day light: coca tea, early night.

🚌Flight ~£55 + colectivo/minivan to Sacred Valley (~£4-6)

🛏Guesthouse/hostel private room, Pisac or Ollantaytambo (~£10-15)

• →Budget flight Lima–Cusco
• →Pisac handicraft market
• →Pisac archaeological site (partial Boleto Turístico ~£6)

Morning local bus/colectivo to Ollantaytambo. Climb the terraced Inca fortress ruins (~£6 with Boleto Turístico) and wander the original Inca street grid. In the afternoon take a short colectivo to one of the valley's weaving cooperatives (e.g. Awamaki or a community near Chinchero) for a drop-in weaving and dyeing demonstration — much cheaper than a package 'cultural experience'. Optional: Pablo Seminario's ceramic studio near Urubamba is a modest taxi ride if you're into craft. Eat at a local picantería for ~£4-6.

🚌Colectivos within the valley (~£2-4 total)

🛏Guesthouse/hostel private room, Ollantaytambo (~£10-15)

• →Ollantaytambo fortress ruins
• →Community weaving demonstration
• →Optional Pablo Seminario ceramic studio visit

Two options. Budget: take the PeruRail Expedition or Inca Rail train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (~£45-60 one way booked well in advance) the evening before or early this morning, then bus up to Machu Picchu (~£10 return) and enter with your pre-bought timed ticket (S/152, ~£33). Mid-range: book a self-guided 1-day Machu Picchu tour through GetYourGuide or a Cusco agency for ~£100-150 including train, bus and a licensed guide. Book Machu Picchu tickets on the official Ministerio de Cultura site the moment your dates open — they sell out weeks ahead, especially in dry season. Stay overnight in Aguas Calientes (cheaper and lets you go early).

🚌Train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes (~£50) + shuttle bus up (~£10)

🛏Hostel/budget hotel private room, Aguas Calientes (~£15-22)

• →Scenic train through the Urubamba gorge
• →Machu Picchu citadel with pre-booked entry
• →Optional licensed guide (~£25 shared)
• →Optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb (separate ticket, ~£15)

Optional second Machu Picchu entry in the early morning (buy a second ticket in advance if you want sunrise — ~£33) or hike up to the Puente Ruinas / Mandor waterfalls instead. Then take the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and a colectivo or bus on to Cusco (~£3-5). Check into a hostel in San Blas or the historic centre. Evening free to acclimatise — Cusco is at 3,400m so take it easy.

🚌Train back (~£45) + colectivo to Cusco (~£4)

🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Cusco (~£10-16)

• →Optional second Machu Picchu entry at sunrise
• →Mandor waterfall walk
• →San Blas neighbourhood wander

DIY Cusco day. Start at San Pedro Market for a cheap breakfast and juice. Visit Koricancha (Temple of the Sun, ~£4), Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral (~£3). Buy the partial Boleto Turístico (~£20) if you want Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay — walk or take a cheap taxi up to Sacsayhuamán and walk back down through San Blas. Join a late-afternoon free walking tour of San Blas if you want local context (~£6 tip). Eat at a local menu restaurant (~£4-6).

🚌Walking + occasional taxi (~£3)

🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Cusco (~£10-16)

• →San Pedro Market
• →Koricancha Temple and Cusco Cathedral
• →Sacsayhuamán fortress and nearby Inca sites
• →Free walking tour of Cusco (tip-based)

Fly Cusco–Lima–Quito (book a single through-ticket on Latam or separate Sky/JetSMART + Avianca combo, ~£140-200). Note the Ecuador entry requirements for your nationality and have proof of onward travel. Arrive Quito, take an airport taxi or AeroSur shuttle to the New Town (La Mariscal/La Carolina) (~£6-8). Budget guesthouse or hostel. Evening stroll on La Ronda in the Old Town for cheap street food and music.

🚌Flights ~£170 + airport taxi (~£7)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse private room, La Mariscal (~£12-18)

• →Travel day
• →La Ronda street in Quito's Old Town

Morning free walking tour of the Old Town (Plaza Grande, Presidential Palace exterior, La Compañía church gold interior ~£4, San Francisco). Afternoon: take the Metrobus Q or a public bus to Mitad del Mundo (~£3-4 return) — the Intiñan Solar Museum (~£4) is arguably more fun than the official Equator monument, with egg-balancing and water-drain demos. Cable car up Pichincha (~£7) is a great alternative if the weather is clear.

🚌Metrobus/public bus (~£3-4)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse private room, La Mariscal (~£12-18)

• →Free walking tour of Quito's historic centre
• →La Compañía church
• →Mitad del Mundo / Intiñan Equator Museum
• →Optional Teleférico cable car (~£7)

Fly Quito–Baltra (GPS) on Avianca or LATAM (~£330-450 return booked 3-6 months out — this is the single biggest line item). Pay the $20 TCT transit control card at Quito airport and the $200 Galapagos National Park fee on arrival in cash. Shuttle bus + ferry to Santa Cruz, then visit the Highlands giant tortoise reserve in Puerto Ayora (~£20-30 with a shared taxi and entry) before boarding your 4-night economy-class yacht. Book the cruise direct with operators such as a Coral/Galavenos/Samba-class boat or via Liveaboard.com/GalapagosIslands.com — roughly £900-1,400 per person for 4 nights all-inclusive (meals, naturalist guide, snorkel gear).

🚌Flight Quito–Baltra (in return fare) + shuttle/ferry (~£5) + Highlands transfer (~£8)

🛏Cruise yacht, double cabin (all-inclusive)

• →Flight to Baltra and TCT/park fee payments
• →Santa Cruz Highlands tortoise reserve
• →Board Galapagos cruise yacht

Full cruise day on the west islands. Deep-water snorkel in the Bolívar Channel (chance of sea turtles, rays, penguins and even whale sharks in season), dinghy ride along the Isabela coast for flightless cormorants and marine iguanas, and a dry landing on Fernandina for the largest colony of marine iguanas plus sea lions and flightless cormorant nests. Naturalist guide and meals included on board. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a rash vest.

🚌Yacht (included in cruise price)

🛏Cruise yacht, double cabin (all-inclusive)

• →Deep-water snorkelling in Bolívar Channel
• →Dinghy ride along Isabela coast
• →Fernandina dry landing and wildlife walk

Wet landing at Urbina Bay for a snorkel and a walk among uplifted coral reef and giant tortoises, then a dry landing at Tagus Cove. Hike up to Darwin's saltwater crater lake for views over the cove, and take a dinghy ride along the cliffs to spot Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants and blue-footed boobies. All included in the cruise.

🚌Yacht (included)

🛏Cruise yacht, double cabin (all-inclusive)

• →Urbina Bay wet landing and snorkel
• →Tagus Cove hike to Darwin's saltwater lake
• →Dinghy wildlife cruise

Wet landing at Egas Port (Puerto Egas) for a coastal walk over black volcanic rock to fur seal grottoes and tidal pools, then a dry landing at Sullivan's Bay to explore the vast pa-hoehoe lava flows with marine iguanas and shorebirds. Last full day on board — pack tonight and settle your bar tab.

🚌Yacht (included)

🛏Cruise yacht, double cabin (all-inclusive)

• →Egas Port wet landing and coastal hike
• →Sullivan's Bay lava flow walk
• →Snorkelling (weather permitting)

Early morning final landing at Bachas Beach for flamingos, sea turtle nesting sites and a last snorkel. Disembark at Puerto Ayora, transfer to Baltra and fly back to Quito (~£330-450 return was pre-paid in the Day 10 flight estimate). If you have a late flight, a cheap night in a Quito hostel lets you onward-fly the next day, or continue directly to your international departure.

🚌Shuttle/ferry (~£5) + return flight to Quito (pre-paid)

🛏Included in flight home / optional Quito hostel (~£14)

• →Bachas Beach landing and wildlife spotting
• →Disembark and transfer to Baltra airport
• →Flight Baltra–Quito