Self-Launched Machu Picchu Adventure: Lima to Lima
8 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £1,176
No-markup version: ~£625 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Discover the wonders of the Inca world on your own terms — no group tour markup required. This self-launched version of G Adventures' classic Machu Picchu Adventure follows the same Lima–Cusco–Sacred Valley–Aguas Calientes–Machu Picchu–Lima route, swapping guided group transport and hotel packages for local buses, trains, hostels, and self-bookable tours. You'll visit the same iconic sites, eat at the same community restaurants, and experience just as much magic — at a fraction of the cost. All cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Lima
Lima
Fly into Jorge Chávez International Airport and make your way to your hostel in the Miraflores or Barranco district — both are safe, well-connected, and lively. Take the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores (around £3). Spend the afternoon wandering the clifftop Malecón, grab ceviche at a local mercado, and get an early night ahead of your flight to Cusco tomorrow. No pre-booking is needed for Lima beyond your accommodation.
🚌Airport Express Lima bus from airport to Miraflores (~£3)
🛏Hostel in Miraflores or Barranco — e.g. Lighthouse Hostel Lima or Kokopelli Miraflores (~£12-18/night dorm)
- →Explore Miraflores clifftop Malecón and Larcomar
- →Try fresh ceviche at Mercado de Surquillo
- →Stroll the bohemian streets of Barranco
Lima to Cusco — Arrive and Acclimatise
Cusco
Take an early morning domestic flight from Lima to Cusco (Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport). Flights with LATAM or Sky Airline typically cost £50–80 booked in advance. On arrival at 3,400m, take it slow — altitude sickness is real. Check into your hostel in the San Blas or Plaza de Armas area. Spend the afternoon acclimatising with a gentle walk around the Plaza de Armas, visit the free exterior of the Cusco Cathedral, and explore the San Pedro Market. Optionally, book a Cusco cooking class independently via GetYourGuide (~£30–40).
🚌Domestic flight Lima–Cusco (~£55-80). Airport to centro by taxi (~£3-5)
🛏Hostel in Cusco centro — e.g. Pariwana Cusco or Loki Cusco (~£10-15/night dorm)
- →Fly Lima to Cusco (LATAM or Sky Airline, ~£55-80)
- →Explore Plaza de Armas and Cusco Cathedral exterior
- →Browse San Pedro Market for local snacks and produce
- →Optional: Book a Cusco cooking class via GetYourGuide (~£30-40)
Sacred Valley Full-Day Tour
Sacred Valley
Book a shared Sacred Valley day tour from Cusco via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£20–30 per person). These tours depart from Cusco each morning and typically include Pisac ruins and market, Ollantaytambo ruins, and a lunch stop. Make a point of visiting the Ccaccaccollo Women's Weaving Co-op — some tours include this, or you can ask your guide to stop there. For lunch, head to the Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosco, a farm-to-table community enterprise — confirm in advance whether your tour stops here or visit independently. After lunch, explore Ollantaytambo's cobblestone streets and optionally hike up to the storehouses above the ruins (included in site entry ~£12).
🚌Shared tour minivan from Cusco included in day tour cost
🛏Hostel in Cusco or overnight in Ollantaytambo — e.g. Apu Lodge (~£10-14/night dorm)
- →Shared Sacred Valley day tour from Cusco via GetYourGuide (~£20-30)
- →Visit Ccaccaccollo Women's Weaving Co-op
- →Lunch at Parwa Community Restaurant, Huchuy Qosco
- →Explore Ollantaytambo ruins and hike to storehouses (~£12 entry)
- →Wander Ollantaytambo's cobblestone streets and visit a local chicheria
Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes by Train
Aguas Calientes
Make your way to Ollantaytambo station and board the PeruRail or Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes (officially Machu Picchu Pueblo). The Expedition service costs around £35–55 one way — book well in advance at perurail.com or incarail.com. The 1.5-hour train journey through the Sacred Valley cloudforest is spectacular in itself. Check into your hostel in Aguas Calientes, then spend the afternoon soaking in the natural thermal baths (baños termales, ~£5) or exploring the colourful town market. Get an early night — tomorrow is Machu Picchu day.
🚌Train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes via PeruRail or Inca Rail (~£35-55)
🛏Hostel in Aguas Calientes — e.g. Supertramp Hostel or Gringo Bill's budget room (~£12-18/night)
- →PeruRail or Inca Rail train: Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (~£35-55)
- →Soak in Aguas Calientes thermal baths (~£5)
- →Explore Aguas Calientes market and riverside streets
Machu Picchu Guided Tour
Machu Picchu
Rise early and take the first bus up to Machu Picchu (buses depart from 5:30am, ~£25 return). Entry tickets must be booked in advance at machupicchu.gob.pe — choose your circuit and time slot (typically ~£35-45). Hire a licensed local guide at the gate (~£15-20 for 2 hours) or pre-book a guided tour via GetYourGuide for a similar price. Spend 3–4 hours exploring the citadel, then descend back to Aguas Calientes for lunch before taking the afternoon or evening train back to Ollantaytambo or Cusco.
🚌Bus Aguas Calientes–Machu Picchu gate and return (~£25). Train back to Ollantaytambo/Cusco (~£40-55)
🛏Return to Cusco hostel — e.g. Pariwana Cusco (~£10-15/night dorm)
- →Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu gate (~£25 return)
- →Machu Picchu circuit entry ticket — pre-book at machupicchu.gob.pe (~£35-45)
- →Hire a licensed guide at the gate or pre-book via GetYourGuide (~£15-20)
- →Explore Machu Picchu citadel for 3-4 hours
- →Return train to Cusco (Inca Rail or PeruRail, ~£40-55)
Free Day in Cusco — Ruins and Culture
Cusco
Use this day to explore Cusco more deeply at your own pace. Buy the Boleto Turístico del Cusco (~£35), which grants access to 16 sites including Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay ruins on the outskirts of the city — all walkable or a short taxi ride away. Explore the bohemian San Blas neighbourhood with its artisan workshops, or browse the Mercado San Pedro. In the evening, try a classic Peruvian pisco sour at a local bar and dine on lomo saltado from a menu del día (~£4–6).
🚌Walking and local taxis within Cusco (~£3-5)
🛏Hostel in Cusco centro (~£10-15/night dorm)
- →Purchase Boleto Turístico del Cusco (~£35) for 16 sites
- →Visit Sacsayhuamán fortress ruins above the city
- →Explore San Blas artisan neighbourhood and workshops
- →Dinner and pisco sour in Cusco centro
Final Day in Cusco — Museums and Markets
Cusco
Spend your last full day visiting the Museo Larco Cusco or the Museo Inka (entry ~£5–8) to dive deeper into Inca history. Pick up handmade textiles and gifts from the artisan markets around Plaza Regocijo. Enjoy a final Peruvian meal — try alpaca steak or quinoa soup at a local restaurant. Pack your bags for an early departure tomorrow.
🚌Walking and local taxis within Cusco (~£2-4)
🛏Hostel in Cusco centro (~£10-15/night dorm)
- →Visit Museo Inka or Museo Larco Cusco (~£5-8)
- →Browse artisan markets at Plaza Regocijo for souvenirs
- →Final Peruvian dinner — alpaca steak or quinoa soup
Cusco to Lima — Depart
Lima
Take a taxi or shared transfer to Cusco airport for your return domestic flight to Lima (£50–80). Depending on your international departure time, you may have a few hours in Lima — head back to Miraflores for a final meal with an ocean view, or browse the Larco Museum (£10) if time allows. Transfer to Jorge Chávez International Airport for your onward flight home.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport (~£4-6). Domestic flight Cusco–Lima (~£50-80). Airport Express Lima bus (~£3)
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Domestic flight Cusco–Lima (~£50-80)
- →Optional: Visit Museo Larco in Lima (~£10)
- →Final meal in Miraflores with ocean views
- →Transfer to Jorge Chávez International Airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£625 | £1,176 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £551 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£625
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Machu Picchu Adventure: Lima to Lima cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £625 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 £1,176 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £625 — a saving of roughly £551 (47%) 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.