Self-Launched Peru Explorer: Lima to Lima in 15 Days
15 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £2,350
No-markup version: ~£860 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 15-day "Upgraded Peru Explorer" loop — south coast, Nasca, Arequipa, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca — done on public buses, colectivos, the Vistadome train and hostel/guesthouse stays. Same route, same experiences, but you book each piece yourself via Klook, GetYourGuide or direct: Ballestas Islands boat trip, Tacama pisco tasting, Chauchilla cemetery, an Arequipa cooking class, the Sacred Valley ruins, a guided Machu Picchu circuit and the Uros/Taquile islands. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP per person and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — settle into Miraflores
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez and skip the private transfer: an official taxi or airport bus to Miraflores costs £10-15 (~45-60 min). Check into a Miraflores hostel or budget hotel, then walk the Malecón clifftop walk at sunset and eat ceviche and lomo saltado in a local huarique. Book your airport transfer for tomorrow morning at reception.
🚌Airport taxi to Miraflores ~£12
🛏Miraflores hostel or budget hotel, private room
- →Malecón sunset walk
- →Ceviche dinner in Miraflores
Lima to Paracas by bus
Paracas
Take a Cruz del Sur or Peru Hop bus from Lima to Paracas (4 hrs, ~£10-14). Drop bags, walk the waterfront and the Reserva Nacional de Paracas boardwalk area, and book your Ballestas Islands boat for the first departure tomorrow (arrive at the pier by 8am). Dinner on fresh seafood — Paracas scallops are the local speciality.
🚌Cruz del Sur bus Lima-Paracas ~£12
🛏Paracas hostel or guesthouse
- →Coastal walk and bay sunset
- →Seafood dinner
Ballestas Islands, pisco tasting, Huacachina and on to Nasca
Nasca
Morning shared boat tour to the Ballestas Islands (book via Klook or directly at the pier, ~£17) for sea lions, Humboldt penguins and seabirds. Then a colectivo or shared van to Ica (~£3) and a local taxi to Tacama Winery for a cellar tour and pisco tasting (~£10, book direct online). Spend late afternoon at the Huacachina oasis — dune buggy and sandboarding optional (~£15). Evening bus to Nasca (~£4).
🚌Colectivo to Ica ~£3, taxi to Tacama ~£3, bus Ica-Nasca ~£4
🛏Nasca budget hotel
- →Ballestas Islands boat tour
- →Tacama winery pisco tasting
- →Huacachina oasis
Chauchilla cemetery, pottery studio and Nasca Lines
Nasca
Book a shared half-day tour to the Chauchilla desert cemetery and a local ceramics workshop (~£15, Klook or any Nasca operator). Optionally take a 35-minute light-aircraft flight over the Nasca Lines (~£70-85 — the pricey optional the group tour also doesn't include). In the evening ask your hotel to arrange a pachamanca (earth-oven meal) at a local family restaurant (~£8).
🚌Shared tour vehicle
🛏Nasca budget hotel
- →Chauchilla cemetery and potter's studio tour
- →Nasca Lines overflight (optional)
- →Pachamanca dinner
Long bus day to Arequipa
Arequipa
Ride a daytime Cruz del Sur bus from Nasca to Arequipa (about 9-10 hrs, ~£16-20) along the coast and up into the Andes, or take an overnight bus and free up a day. Settle into a guesthouse in the historic centre near the Plaza de Armas; grab a cheap set lunch (menú del día) and take an evening wander around the floodlit cathedral.
🚌Cruz del Sur bus Nasca-Arequipa ~£18
🛏Arequipa guesthouse, historic centre
- →Plaza de Armas evening walk
Arequipa walking tour and cooking class
Arequipa
Morning self-guided or free walking tour of the white city, then pay the entry (£6) to the Santa Catalina Monastery and give it a couple of hours. Afternoon: book a Peruvian cooking class via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£30-35) — typically a market visit, rocoto relleno and ocopa, with lunch included. Evening free for a café in Yanahuara or a rooftop view of Misti.
🚌Walking, occasional taxi ~£3
🛏Arequipa guesthouse
- →Santa Catalina Monastery
- →Peruvian cooking class with market visit
- →Yanahuara viewpoint
Fly to Cusco and acclimatise
Cusco
Book a Lima-connection-free direct Arequipa–Cusco flight (~£55-75 on LATAM/Sky, book early) or, if budgeting hard, a 10-hour night bus (~£20). The flight saves two days and altitude trouble. Check into a hostel in San Blas, keep the afternoon slow (coca tea, short wander around the Plaza de Armas and Qorikancha from outside), and buy your Boleto Turístico here if you plan multiple Sacred Valley sites.
🚌Domestic flight Arequipa-Cusco ~£65
🛏San Blas hostel or guesthouse
- →Plaza de Armas and San Blas wander
- →Coca tea and acclimatisation
Sacred Valley: Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Take a local bus or colectivo to Pisac (~£1) for the Sunday-style market and the Pisac ruins (Boleto Turístico ~£15). Continue to Urubamba by colectivo for a farm-to-table lunch at a community restaurant — the same idea as Parwa, bookable direct (~£9). Then on to Ollantaytambo to climb the terraces and spend the night in the village so you're at the station at dawn. Ask locally about a Parque de la Papa community visit near Pisac if you want the potato-park experience independently (~£8).
🚌Colectivos Pisac-Urubamba-Ollantaytambo ~£4 total
🛏Ollantaytambo guesthouse
- →Pisac ruins and market
- →Urubamba community lunch
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
Scenic train to Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Ride the PeruRail or Inca Rail Vistadome/Expedition train from Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba gorge (~£55-70, book online weeks ahead — peak season sells out). In Aguas Calientes, buy your Machu Picchu bus ticket and entrance for tomorrow, then soak in the hot springs (£4) or walk to the Mandor waterfall (£5 entry). Pick up your circuit ticket if you haven't pre-booked — book a specific circuit (2 or 3) online before you travel to avoid disappointment.
🚌Vistadome train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes ~£62
🛏Aguas Calientes budget hotel
- →Scenic train ride
- →Hot springs or Mandor waterfall
Machu Picchu guided circuit, back to Cusco
Cusco
Take the 5:30am shuttle bus up (£12, or walk the steps for free), and meet your licensed guide at the gate — book a small-group guided entry via GetYourGuide (~£35 including guide, on top of the £38 site ticket) or hire a licensed guide at the entrance (~£25 for 2 hours). Do your circuit and the Sun Gate viewpoint, then bus down, train to Ollantaytambo (~£40) and colectivo/bus on to Cusco (~£5).
🚌Shuttle bus £12, train £40, colectivo to Cusco £5
🛏San Blas hostel or guesthouse
- →Machu Picchu guided tour
- →Sun Gate viewpoint
- →Return train to Cusco
Free day in Cusco and planetarium
Cusco
Choose your own adventure: whitewater rafting on the Urubamba (~£25-30 via a local agency), mountain biking, a market cooking class (~£25), or the Inka Museum (£2) and San Pedro market. In the evening book the Cusco Planetarium stargazing session directly (~£15) for the Inca astronomy talk and telescope time, weather permitting.
🚌Taxis around town ~£4
🛏San Blas hostel or guesthouse
- →Optional rafting or biking
- →San Pedro market
- →Cusco Planetarium
Cusco to Puno across the Altiplano
Puno
Take the tourist bus (Inka Express style, ~£30, with museum and La Raya pass stops) or a regular Cruz del Sur bus (~£15) east to Puno on Lake Titicaca — 6-10 hrs depending on option. Check into a central hostel, book tomorrow's islands tour, and keep the evening gentle at 3,800m — soup and an early night.
🚌Tourist bus or regular bus Cusco-Puno £15-30
🛏Puno hostel or guesthouse
- →Altiplano scenery and La Raya pass
Uros and Taquile islands boat day
Puno
Shared full-day boat tour to the floating Uros islands and Taquile (~£20-25 direct at the pier or via Klook), including a set lunch with a Taquile family. Alternatively, book a homestay night on Amantaní or Taquile through a local agency (~£30 with meals) for a more meaningful version of the group-tour lunch stop.
🚌Shared tour boat
🛏Puno hostel or homestay on the islands
- →Uros floating islands
- →Taquile Island hike and lunch
Sillustani towers, then night bus to Lima
Puno / en route
Morning trip to the Sillustani burial towers on the lake (~£2 entry plus ~£6 shared transport, or take a local combi to Atuncolla and walk). Afternoon free in Puno, then a comfortable overnight Cruz del Sur bus back to Lima (~£25-30, 20 hrs), saving a hotel night.
🚌Overnight bus Puno-Lima ~£28
🛏Overnight bus
- →Sillustani burial towers
Arrive Lima and depart
Lima
Bus arrives mid-afternoon; take an airport bus or taxi from the terminal. If your flight is later, leave bags at a Miraflores cafe and do a last ceviche and pisco sour before heading to the airport. Allow 2.5-3 hrs before departure for traffic.
🚌Taxi or airport bus to Jorge Chávez ~£12
🛏None (departure day)
- →Last ceviche stop in Lima
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£860 | £2,350 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,490 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.~£860
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 Self-Launched Peru Explorer: Lima to Lima in 15 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £860 per person for 15 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 £2,350 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £860 — a saving of roughly £1,490 (63%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 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, hiking, adventure 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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