Inca Discovery Plus — Self-Launched
9 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,325
No-markup version: ~£795 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 9-day "Inca Discovery Plus": Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, a self-arranged 4-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, then flight back to Lima. The big saving comes from booking the Inca Trail through a licensed local operator (with cooks/porters included) rather than through an international group tour, flying low-cost domestic carriers, and staying in hostels/guesthouses instead of hotels. Note: Inca Trail permits sell out months ahead and must be booked with your passport number — book 4-6 months in advance (closed in February; Lares Trek is the standard alternative). Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & coastal food
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and take an official taxi or airport bus to Miraflores or Barranco (S/60-80 / ~£13-17 for a taxi; Airport Express Lima bus ~£7). Settle in, then walk the Malecón clifftop path at sunset. For dinner, try a casual cevichería in Miraflores or the Mercado de Surquillo food stalls (~£8-10). If you want a guided intro, book a Miraflores/Barranco street-food walk on GetYourGuide (~£30) or a group Lima city tour (~£35).
🚌Airport taxi or Airport Express bus to Miraflores (~£7-17)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse dorm/private in Miraflores or Barranco (~£14-20)
- →Malecón sunset walk
- →Ceviche and market food crawl (self-guided)
- →Optional: GetYourGuide Lima street-food tour ~£30
Fly to Cusco — acclimatise and explore
Cusco
Book a morning low-cost flight Lima–Cusco with Sky Airline, JetSmart or LATAM (roughly £45-80 one-way if booked early; LATAM/Sky are the most reliable for luggage). Take it easy on arrival day at 3,400m — no strenuous activity. Wander Plaza de Armas, San Blas artisan streets and the San Pedro market for a cheap lunch (menú del día ~£3-4). Optional: Cusco Cathedral or Qorikancha entry (~£3-5), or pre-book a Cusco cooking class (~£35-40 via GetYourGuide) for the evening. Buy a Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico, ~£30) here if you plan on multiple Sacred Valley sites.
🚌Flight Lima–Cusco ~£45-80; airport taxi to centre ~£4
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in San Blas or historic centre (~£15-20)
- →Plaza de Armas and San Blas wander
- →San Pedro Market lunch
- →Optional: Cusco cooking class ~£35
- →Optional: Qorikancha / cathedral entry ~£3-5
Sacred Valley — Pisac, weaving co-op, Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo / Sacred Valley
Do the Sacred Valley independently using colectivos (shared vans) or a cheap full-day group tour booked on GetYourGuide/Viator (~£25-35 including entries). Route: colectivo Cusco→Pisac (~£2), Pisac ruins and Sunday-style market, then Pisac→Urubamba (~£2). Stop at the Ccaccaccollo women's weaving co-op (reachable by colectivo or as a tour stop; purchases support local weavers) and have lunch at a community restaurant in Lamay/Huchuy Qosqo area (~£8) if you're on a tour that includes it. Continue to Ollantaytambo (~£2) — climb the storehouse ruins for valley views (~£12 entry with Tourist Ticket) and finish with chicha at a local chichería. Sleep in Ollantaytambo to be near the trailhead and attend your 6-7pm Inca Trail briefing.
🚌Colectivos Cusco–Pisac–Urubamba–Ollantaytambo (~£6 total) or shared tour van
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo (~£14-18)
- →Pisac ruins and market
- →Ccaccaccollo weaving co-op visit
- →Ollantaytambo storehouse hike
- →Chichería visit
Inca Trail Day 1 — Km 82 to Wayllabamba
Inca Trail
Your licensed local trek operator (e.g. Alpaca Expeditions, SAS Travel, Peru Treks — book direct, ~£380-480pp for a 4-day/3-night group trek with guide, cook, porters, meals and permits) picks you up from Ollantaytambo around 5-6am and vans you to Km 82 (Piscacucho). Easy first day: ~12km, 6-7 hours, gentle climbs past Patallacta ruins with Andean valley views to the Wayllabamba camp (3,000m). Tents and hot meals are provided; rent a sleeping bag and walking poles if needed (~£10-15).
🚌Operator van Ollantaytambo–Km 82 (included in trek price); hiking
🛏Camping on trail (tent, sleeping bag for hire ~£8-10)
- →Inca Trail trekking Day 1
- →Patallacta ruins
- →Guided ruins commentary
Inca Trail Day 2 — Dead Woman's Pass
Inca Trail
Early start for the toughest day: a long, steep climb to Warmiwañusca / Dead Woman's Pass at 4,198m, the highest point of the trek, then a steep descent to Pacaymayo camp. Roughly 11km, 7-8 hours. Go slow, drink water, coca tea at breakfast. Most hikers are in camp by early afternoon to rest. Everything is organised by your trek crew — this is the day the operator's logistics are really worth having.
🚌Hiking (all meals and porter support included in trek price)
🛏Camping at Pacaymayo
- →Dead Woman's Pass summit (4,198m)
- →Andean high-altitude trekking
Inca Trail Day 3 — Two passes and cloud forest
Inca Trail
Cross Runkurakay pass (3,950m) with Cordillera Vilcabamba views, then descend through cloud forest over the second pass (3,700m) to the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, the 'town above the clouds'. Continue ~1.5 hours down original Inca stone steps to Wiñay Wayna (2,650m) camp — the most spectacular campsite on the trail, with terraces cascading into the Urubamba valley. About 10km, 6-7 hours.
🚌Hiking (included in trek price)
🛏Camping at Wiñay Wayna
- →Runkurakay and Phuyupatamarca ruins
- →Wiñay Wayna terraces
- →Cloud forest descent
Sun Gate sunrise, Machu Picchu & train to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Pre-dawn start to reach Inti Punku (Sun Gate) for first light over Machu Picchu, then walk down for a 2-hour guided tour of the ruins (Circuit 3 for 4-day trekkers; permits arranged by your operator). Take the bus down to Aguas Calientes (~£10 one-way) for lunch, then the PeruRail/Inca Rail Expedition train to Ollantaytambo (~£45-60) and a colectivo or bus on to Cusco (~£3). Book the train the same day you book your trek permits. Alternative if you skip the trek: train from Ollantaytambo and one night in Aguas Calientes.
🚌Machu Picchu–Aguas Calientes bus ~£10; train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo ~£45-60; colectivo to Cusco ~£3
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Cusco (~£15-20)
- →Sun Gate sunrise
- →Guided Machu Picchu tour
- →Aguas Calientes hot springs (optional ~£4)
Cusco free day, fly to Lima
Cusco / Lima
Morning in Cusco: San Blas cafés, the Inka Museum (~£2), Sacsayhuamán above the city (Tourist Ticket), or a last market shop. Take an afternoon/evening flight Cusco–Lima (~£45-80). Stay near Miraflores again for a final night out — Barranco's bars and ceviche spots are a good send-off.
🚌Flight Cusco–Lima ~£45-80; airport taxi ~£5
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Miraflores or Barranco (~£14-20)
- →Inka Museum
- →Sacsayhuamán
- →Barranco evening wander
Lima — depart
Lima
Breakfast, a final walk on the Malecón, and transfer to the airport for your international flight. If you have a late flight, the Larco Museum (~£8) or a surf lesson at Punta Hermosa are good fillers, and the Airport Express bus runs back from Miraflores (~£7).
🚌Airport Express bus or taxi to airport (~£7-17)
🛏—
- →Optional: Larco Museum ~£8
- →Optional: Miraflores surf lesson ~£25
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£795 | £1,325 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £530 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£795
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Inca Discovery Plus — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £795 per person for 9 days in Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,325 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £795 — a saving of roughly £530 (40%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, culture trip through Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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