Peru: Machu Picchu & the Amazon — Self-Launched Version
10 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £2,700
No-markup version: ~£1,000 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day version of the National Geographic/G Adventures family route from Lima through the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Tambopata rainforest. You book the same kind of hotels and lodges yourself (or cheaper hostel/guesthouse alternatives), take the same tourist buses, colectivos and train, and reserve Machu Picchu entry plus a licensed local guide directly. Realistic budget: roughly £900-1,100 per person excluding international flights — a saving of over 60% versus the guided group price. Costs are approximate and based on backpacker/mid-range rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & Barranco
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez airport and take an airport taxi or the Airport Express Lima bus (~£6) to Miraflores. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Parque Kennedy (dorms from ~£12, private double ~£30). Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop, then eat at a menú del día spot (~£4-6) and try a pisco sour in Barranco. Book your Machu Picchu entry online tonight — dates sell out weeks ahead.
🚌Airport Express Lima bus ~£6 or taxi ~£15
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores (~£25-30 private)
- →Malecón clifftop walk
- →Barranco street art and Puente de los Suspiros
- →Cevecería/craft beer in Barranco
Lima to the Sacred Valley via Piuray Lake
Urubamba / Sacred Valley
Fly Lima–Cusco early (LATAM/Sky, ~£50-70 one-way booked in advance). From Cusco airport take a colectivo or shared van to Urubamba (~£3-4, 1.5 hrs) or a taxi (~£20). Afternoon at Laguna Piuray near Chinchero — reachable by colectivo from Urubamba to Chinchero (~£1) then a short taxi. Rent a kayak or SUP on the lake (~£8-12) or walk the shore free. Stay in a Urubamba guesthouse (private ~£22-28).
🚌Lima–Cusco flight ~£60; airport transfer + shared van to Urubamba ~£5
🛏Guesthouse in Urubamba (~£25 private)
- →Laguna Piuray kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding
- →Shoreline walk at Piuray
- →Chinchero village wander
Sacred Valley communities, Pisac & Maras
Urubamba / Sacred Valley
Take a colectivo to Pisac (~£1, 45 min) for the famous Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday market and the hilltop ruins (entry with Boleto Turístico, ~£14 for the multi-site ticket). In Ccaccaccollo village near Pisac you can visit the women's weaving co-operative independently — ask your guesthouse to arrange, or join a small-group weaving demo (~£8-12). Afternoon: colectivo to Maras and shared taxi to the Maras salt pans (~£3 total) and the Moray terraces. Eat at a community-run restaurant like Parwa in Lamay for a farm-to-table lunch (~£10).
🚌Colectivos and shared taxis across the valley ~£6
🛏Guesthouse in Urubamba (~£25 private)
- →Pisac market and ruins
- →Ccaccaccollo women's weaving co-op
- →Maras salt pans
- →Moray circular terraces
- →Farm-to-table lunch at Parwa community restaurant
Ollantaytambo ruins, train to Aguas Calientes
Ollantaytambo / Aguas Calientes
Morning colectivo to Ollantaytambo (~£1). Explore the fortress ruins (included in the Boleto Turístico) and the original Inca town grid. Optional: Mariposario butterfly farm (~£6) or the Baños hot springs (~£3). Take the afternoon PeruRail or Inca Rail Expedition train to Aguas Calientes (~£45-60 one-way — book 4-6 weeks ahead, prices rise steeply). Check into a basic hostal in Aguas Calientes (~£25-35).
🚌Colectivo ~£1; Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes train ~£50
🛏Hostal in Aguas Calientes (~£30)
- →Ollantaytambo ruins
- →Butterfly farm visit
- →Aguas Calientes hot springs
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes
Early breakfast, then the 5.30am bus up to Machu Picchu (~£10 one-way) or hike the stairs if you're fit. Your timed entry ticket (~£38) plus a licensed guide hired at the gate or pre-booked via GetYourGuide (~£15-25 shared, 2.5 hrs) covers Circuits 1-3 — Circuit 2 is the classic postcard view. Note: Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain need separate tickets booked months ahead. Return to Aguas Calientes by bus, then take the evening train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (~£50) and a shared van to Cusco (~£4).
🚌Bus up/down ~£20; train to Ollantaytambo/Poroy ~£50; shared van to Cusco ~£4
🛏Hostal in Cusco (~£22 private)
- →Machu Picchu Circuit 2 with licensed guide
- →Optional Huayna Picchu hike (pre-booked)
Cusco city, museums and planetarium
Cusco
Self-guided Cusco day. Walk Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha (Inca sun temple, ~£4), San Pedro Market for juice and local food, and the Museo de Machu Picchu in Palacio Machuca (~£8). Optional chocolate-making workshop in the San Blas district (~£10). Late afternoon: shared taxi or tour bus to the Cusco Planetarium (~£10-12 including talk) — or swap for Sacsayhuamán ruins (~£18 with the Boleto Turístico or as part of a city-tour ticket). Budget ~£5 in taxis.
🚌Local taxis and shared vans ~£6
🛏Hostal in Cusco (~£22 private)
- →Cusco Plaza de Armas and Qorikancha
- →San Pedro Market
- →Museo de Machu Picchu
- →Chocolate workshop in San Blas
- →Cusco Planetarium night visit
Cusco to Tambopata National Reserve
Tambopata / Puerto Maldonado
Fly Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (~£55-75, 45 min, LATAM or Sky). Most Tambopata lodges include road + motorised canoe transfer from the airport in their rate — book a 2-night lodge package direct (e.g. via Booking.com, Klook or the lodge's own site; expect £90-130 per person for two nights full board plus excursions). Afternoon canoe ride into the reserve, then a guided night walk to spot insects, frogs and owls.
🚌Cusco–Puerto Maldonado flight ~£65; lodge transfers included
🛏Tambopata jungle lodge (~£55/night full board, included in package)
- →Motorised canoe transfer into Tambopata
- →Guided wildlife night walk
Tambopata: oxbow lakes and caiman-spotting
Tambopata National Reserve
Full day of independent-but-lodge-organised excursions: pre-dawn macaw clay lick or canopy tower, a hike to an oxbow lake for giant river otters and hoatzins, and an afternoon caiman-spotting boat cruise on the Madre de Dios river. All should be included in your lodge package. Bring a headtorch, long sleeves and reef-safe repellent.
🚌Boat and trail transfers included in lodge package
🛏Tambopata jungle lodge (package)
- →Macaw clay lick or canopy tower
- →Oxbow lake hike and boat
- →Caiman-spotting night cruise
Tambopata back to Lima
Puerto Maldonado / Lima
Early canoe out of the reserve to Puerto Maldonado, then fly to Lima (~£60-80). Take the Airport Express or a taxi back to Miraflores. Farewell dinner — try an anticuchos grill or a ceviche restaurant in Miraflores (~£12-15).
🚌Lodge transfer + Puerto Maldonado–Lima flight ~£70; airport bus ~£6
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores (~£25)
- →Sunrise river canoe
- →Farewell ceviche dinner in Miraflores
Depart Lima
Lima
Breakfast, a last walk along the Malecón or a visit to Huaca Pucllana ruins, then the Airport Express bus back to Jorge Chávez for your international flight. If you have a late flight, store bags at the hostel and hit the Museo Larco (~£9).
🚌Airport Express Lima bus ~£6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Huaca Pucllana ruins
- →Museo Larco (optional)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,000 | £2,700 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,700 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,000
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: Machu Picchu & the Amazon — Self-Launched Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,000 per person for 10 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 £2,700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,000 — a saving of roughly £1,700 (63%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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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