Lima to Machu Picchu: 5-Day Self-Launched Peru Adventure
5 days · Peru
PVTravels charges £790
No-markup version: ~£490 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
The DIY version of PVTravels' 5-day Lima–Cusco–Machu Picchu package: two nights in Lima's Miraflores, a cheap domestic flight to Cusco, and a self-booked train-and-bus run up to the Machu Picchu citadel. You skip the private guides and executive train carriage, but keep every landmark — Huaca Pucllana, Lima's colonial centre, the Sacred Valley-adjacent train ride, and a full morning at Machu Picchu itself. Costs are per person and approximate; book Machu Picchu entry and train tickets well ahead, as circuits sell out months in advance.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores orientation
Lima
Fly into Lima's Jorge Chávez Airport and take an official taxi or the Airport Express Lima bus (about £4) into Miraflores, the safest and most walkable backpacker base. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Parque Kennedy. Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop path, watch the sunset over the Pacific at Parque del Amor, and eat ceviche at a local market stall rather than a tourist restaurant. Sort out your Machu Picchu entry and train tickets online tonight if you haven't already — circuit 1 or 2 slots go fast.
🚌Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores, ~£4; walking locally
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Miraflores (dorm or private en-suite from £14-22)
- →Malecón cliff walk
- →Parque Kennedy and Parque del Amor
- →Ceviche dinner in Miraflores
Huaca Pucllana and Lima's colonial centre
Lima
Start early at the Huaca Pucllana adobe pyramid in Miraflores — entry is around £3 and guided slots run every 30 minutes. Then take a Metropolitano bus or cheap taxi (£2-3) to the Centro Histórico. Do a self-guided loop of Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace exterior, the Cathedral (small entry fee) and the San Francisco Convent and catacombs (about £3, join the compulsory short tour). Book a free walking tour (tip-based, £5-8 tip) if you want commentary. Finish with dinner at a menu del día spot for £4-6.
🚌Metropolitano bus or local taxi to Centro Histórico, ~£3 return
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Miraflores (dorm or private en-suite from £14-22)
- →Huaca Pucllana pyramid visit
- →Plaza Mayor and Government Palace
- →Lima Cathedral
- →San Francisco Convent and catacombs
- →Optional tip-based walking tour of the historic centre
Fly to Cusco and acclimatise
Cusco
Book a morning low-cost flight Lima–Cusco with Sky Airline, JetSMART or LATAM — roughly £40-70 one way if booked a few weeks out. Take a taxi or the combi from Cusco airport to your guesthouse in San Blas (£3-4). Go slow today: the altitude is 3,400m. Drink coca tea, walk gently to Plaza de Armas, San Blas neighbourhood and the Siete Borreguitos street, and buy your Machu Picchu entrance and train ticket for tomorrow at the official Peru Rail or Inca Rail office in town if not yet booked. Eat a light early dinner and sleep early.
🚌Low-cost domestic flight, ~£40-70; airport taxi ~£4
🛏Guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco (private room from £16-25)
- →Domestic flight Lima to Cusco
- →San Blas neighbourhood wander
- →Plaza de Armas and Siete Borreguitos street
- →Arrange Machu Picchu and train tickets
Train to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Take an early colectivo or taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (£4-6, about 1.5 hours), then board the Peru Rail or Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes — book the cheaper Expedition/Voyager class online, around £50-65 return. From Aguas Calientes station, buy the Consettur shuttle bus ticket up to the citadel (£12 return) or walk the steep 1.5-hour steps for free. Your timed-entry Machu Picchu ticket (about £40, book on the official Ministerio de Cultura site) includes the circuit; hire an official guide at the gate for £20-25 to split with other travellers, or explore independently. Catch an afternoon train back and a colectivo to Cusco.
🚌Colectivo Cusco–Ollantaytambo ~£5, train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes return ~£55, Consettur bus up and down ~£12
🛏Guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco (private room from £16-25)
- →Scenic train through the Urubamba valley
- →Machu Picchu citadel and Circuit 1 or 2
- →Optional shared official guide at the gate
- →Aguas Calientes village stop
Cusco morning and departure
Cusco
Spend the morning exploring on foot before your flight: San Pedro Market for cheap breakfast and souvenirs, the Inca Museum (£3), or Qorikancha if you have time. If your flight is later in the day, a morning shared tour to Sacsayhuamán or Rainbow Mountain is possible but tight. Allow 45 minutes to reach Cusco airport by taxi (£3-4). Note the Cusco–Lima flight and any onward international flights are not covered here — budget separately.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport, ~£4
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Pedro Market
- →Inca Museum or Qorikancha
- →Optional Rainbow Mountain day trip if schedule allows
Self-launched vs. PVTravels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | PVTravels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£490 | £790 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £300 per person (38%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more PVTravels-style trips? Check them out here.~£490
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 Lima to Machu Picchu: 5-Day Self-Launched Peru Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £490 per person for 5 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 PVTravels?+
Yes — PVTravels charges around £790 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £490 — a saving of roughly £300 (38%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 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 culture, adventure, budget 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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