Peru Adventure — Self-Launched Lima to Lima (Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu)
8 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£725 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of G Adventures' 8-day "Peru Adventure" (trip code SPEJ): Lima's food scene, the Sacred Valley's Inca sites and community projects, a scenic train to Aguas Calientes and a full day at Machu Picchu, finishing in Cusco. Instead of a CEO-led small group and private vans, you'll use Peru Hop/comfortable public buses, the PeruRail/Inca Rail Vistadome train, colectivos and self-booked day tours via GetYourGuide or locally. You book the same Machu Picchu entry ticket and circuit yourself on the official government site, eat pachamanca at a community restaurant, and stay in well-located guesthouses in Miraflores, Ollantaytambo/Urubamba, Aguas Calientes and Cusco. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & coastal sunset
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM). Skip the private arrival transfer and take an authorised taxi or the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores (~£6–9, 45–60 min depending on traffic). Check into a guesthouse/hostel in Miraflores. Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop path to Parque del Amor and Larcomar for sunset over the Pacific. Evening: ease into Lima's food scene with a ceviche and anticuchos dinner at a local huarique (small family restaurant) — budget ~£8–12. Buy a Claro/Entel SIM or eSIM for data (needed for bus and train bookings).
🚌Airport Express Lima bus or authorised taxi from LIM to Miraflores
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores (private double or dorm)
- →Malecón coastal walk
- →Parque del Amor
- →Larcomar sunset
- →Ceviche dinner in a local huarique
Lima food & history day, overnight bus prep
Lima
Morning: free walking tour of the historic centre (Plaza Mayor, Plaza San Martín) — tip-based, ~£5–8 tip. Optional: visit the Museo Larco (~£8 entry) or the Malecón/Barranco street art on a self-guided wander. Afternoon: join a GetYourGuide or locally booked Lima cooking class (market visit + ceviche and lomo saltado) for ~£30–35 — this replaces the operator's optional cooking class at half the price. Or take a bike ride through Miraflores and Barranco (~£12–15 rental). In the evening, take an overnight bus to Cusco or fly the next morning — note: the original tour includes an internal flight, so a cheap one-way Lima–Cusco flight with Sky/LATAM/JetSMART booked 4–8 weeks out (~£45–70) saves a lot of time. Overnight in Lima if flying tomorrow.
🚌Walking, local buses/Metropolitano, taxis within Lima
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores
- →Tip-based historic centre walking tour
- →Museo Larco (optional)
- →Lima cooking class (self-booked)
- →Barranco street art wander
Fly to Cusco, transfer to the Sacred Valley (Pisac & Parque de la Papa)
Pisac / Urubamba
Early flight Lima–Cusco (~1h20, ~£45–70 one-way). At Cusco airport, take a colectivo or shared van straight down to Pisac in the Sacred Valley (~£6–8, 45 min) rather than spending the day in Cusco — this follows the operator's acclimatisation logic of going lower first. Drop bags at your guesthouse. Visit the Pisac ruins and terraces (ticket via the Boleto Turístico parcial, ~£6). Then head to Parque de la Papa (Potato Park) above Pisac — the same G for Good project the tour visits — book directly by email/phone or via a local agency (~£8–12 entry/guide). Continue by colectivo to Urubamba or Ollantaytambo for the night (~£2). Drink coca tea, go easy on alcohol and get an early night at ~2,800m.
🚌Flight Lima–Cusco; colectivo/shared van Cusco–Pisac–Urubamba
🛏Guesthouse in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo
- →Pisac ruins & terraces
- →Parque de la Papa community visit
- →Boleto Turístico parcial
- →Valley acclimatisation walk
Sacred Valley circuit: Moray, Maras salt pans, Ollantaytambo & pachamanca
Maras / Ollantaytambo
Book a shared Sacred Valley day tour via GetYourGuide or a Cusco agency (~£20–28 including transport and guide) to cover Moray's circular Inca terraces and the Maras pre-Inca salt pans (~£6 entry each). Alternatively, do it independently: colectivo to Maras village then a shared taxi to the salt pans and Moray (~£10–14 total). Lunch at Parwa Community Restaurant in Lamay — the same community-owned G for Good lunch stop — reserve ahead (~£8–10 for the set menu). Afternoon: explore Ollantaytambo's fortress and old town (~£6 with tourist ticket) and pick up supplies. Evening: join a traditional pachamanca dinner cooked in the ground at a valley restaurant or homestay (~£15–20) — many Ollantaytambo guesthouses arrange this on request. Sleep in Ollantaytambo to be near the train.
🚌Shared tour van or colectivos and shared taxis around the valley
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo
- →Moray Inca terraces
- →Maras salt pans
- →Parwa Community Restaurant lunch
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
- →Pachamanca dinner
Scenic train to Aguas Calientes, hot springs & Mandor gardens
Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo)
Book your Inca Rail or PeruRail train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes in advance (~£45–65 one-way for the Vistadome/Expedition-class scenic service; book on perurail.com or incarail.com — official sites only). The 1h30 ride through the Urubamba gorge is the highlight in itself. Arrive, drop bags and buy your Machu Picchu bus ticket for tomorrow morning (~£9 each way, or walk the 1,600 steps for free). Afternoon: visit the Mandor Gardens waterfall trail (~£4) and soak in the Aguas Calientes hot springs (~£4). If you haven't already, buy your Machu Picchu entry ticket on the official Ministerio de Cultura site (machupicchu.gob.pe) — Circuits 1 or 2, morning slot, ~£38. Pick a cheap set-menu dinner and sleep early for a 5am start.
🚌PeruRail/Inca Rail train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes; Consettur bus or on foot to the gate
🛏Budget guesthouse in Aguas Calientes
- →Scenic Vistadome train ride
- →Mandor Gardens
- →Aguas Calientes hot springs
- →Buy Machu Picchu entry ticket
Machu Picchu sunrise — guided tour, then back to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Take the first Consettur bus up (~5:30am) to catch sunrise over the citadel. Join a small-group guided tour of Machu Picchu booked via GetYourGuide (~£25–35 for a 2–2.5h licensed guide in English) — this is the self-bookable equivalent of the operator's included guided visit. Stick to your assigned circuit and don't miss the classic postcard viewpoint from the Guard House. Optional: extra ticket for Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (~£15, book weeks ahead — they sell out). Descend by bus, collect bags, and take the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (~£45–65) then a colectivo or shared van to Cusco (~£4). Check into your Cusco guesthouse in San Blas or the historic centre.
🚌Consettur bus up/down; train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo; colectivo/van to Cusco
🛏Guesthouse in Cusco (San Blas or historic centre)
- →Machu Picchu sunrise
- →Licensed 2h guided tour
- →Huayna Picchu climb (optional)
- →Train and transfer to Cusco
Cusco — Inca history, San Pedro market & food
Cusco
Morning: self-guided or tip-based walking tour of Cusco — Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun, ~£4), Plaza de Armas, San Blas artisan lanes. The Boleto Turístico integral (~£18) covers Sacsayhuamán and nearby Inca sites if you want a half-day hike up from town. Afternoon: wander San Pedro Market for juice, cheese and souvenirs, then take a Cusco cooking class (~£25–30) or visit the Inka Museum (~£2). Evening: rooftop pisco sour and dinner in San Blas (~£10–14).
🚌Walking, short taxis (~£1–2 each)
🛏Guesthouse in Cusco (San Blas or historic centre)
- →Cusco historic centre walk
- →Qorikancha
- →Sacsayhuamán (Boleto Turístico)
- →San Pedro Market
- →Cusco cooking class (optional)
Cusco to Lima and depart
Cusco / Lima
Morning flight Cusco–Lima (~1h20, ~£45–70 one-way, book early for the best fares) or a long overnight bus if budget is tight (~£22–30, 20–22h — not recommended if you're flying home). Leave buffer time at Lima airport for connections. If you have a late flight, drop bags and squeeze in a last ceviche lunch in Miraflores or the Museo Larco before heading to LIM.
🚌Flight Cusco–Lima; taxi or Airport Express to LIM
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional final Lima food stop
- →Departure from Lima
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£725 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £725 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£725
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 Peru Adventure — Self-Launched Lima to Lima (Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £725 per person for 8 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 £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £725 — a saving of roughly £725 (50%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, culture, hiking 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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