Private Guided Tour — Daily Departures, All Year Long
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Peru Essentials is designed for travelers who want the country’s must-sees without spending three weeks on the road. A day trip from Lima takes you to the Ballestas Islands, the Huacachina Oasis and Nazca, where you fly over the famous lines before returning to the capital. A short flight to Arequipa then saves a long drive, leaving time for the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and the Route of the Sun to Cusco. The journey ends in the Sacred Valley and at Machu Picchu, with guides and transport arranged at every step.
Your Peru Essentials tour at a glance, from the Nazca Lines and the Colca Canyon to Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. Tap any day to see the details.
Every day of your trip, with where you'll spend the night.
Day 1
Your private driver welcomes you in the arrivals hall and escorts you along the coast to your hotel in Miraflores. The rest of the day is yours: stroll the clifftop malecón, watch paragliders drift over the Pacific and enjoy a first taste of the cuisine that has made Lima one of the great food capitals of the world.
Day 2
An early start from Lima takes you down the Pan-American Highway to Paracas, where a boat carries you past the Candelabra geoglyph to the Ballestas Islands and their colonies of sea lions, penguins and seabirds. After lunch, visit the Huacachina Oasis, a green lagoon hidden among enormous sand dunes, then continue across the desert to Nazca.
Day 3
In the morning, board a light aircraft for a flight over the Nazca Lines, the giant hummingbird, monkey, spider and dozens of other figures drawn in the desert some 2,000 years ago and protected by UNESCO. In the afternoon, a comfortable bus takes you back along the coast to Lima (approx. 7–8 hours).
Day 4
Fly south to Arequipa (approx. 1.5 hours) and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in at approx. 2,335 m: stroll around the Plaza de Armas, framed by volcanic-stone arcades and El Misti volcano, visit the Santa Catalina Monastery or try local dishes such as rocoto relleno in a traditional picantería.
Day 5
Cross the high plateau through the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, where wild vicuñas graze, to the Patapampa viewpoint (approx. 4,900 m), surrounded by volcanoes. Descend into the Colca Valley, where communities still farm the terraces carved by their ancestors, and end the day soaking in natural hot springs as the sun sets over the Andes.
Day 6
Wake up early, because the condors don’t wait. Follow the edge of the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, to the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, where Andean condors with wingspans of up to three meters ride the morning thermals. On the way back, visit the colonial churches and villages of Maca and Yanque.
Day 7
A spectacular journey of approximately 300 km across the altiplano. Admire volcanic peaks, high-altitude lagoons and herds of llamas and alpacas grazing on the puna, before arriving in Puno (approx. 3,830 m), the folkloric capital of Peru, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Day 8
Set sail on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. First stop: the Uros Floating Islands, woven entirely from totora reeds by families who still live on them today. Continue to Taquile Island, whose textile art is recognized by UNESCO and where the men are master knitters, for a walk along its stone paths and a lunch of fresh lake trout with views of the Bolivian Andes.
Day 9
Travel from Lake Titicaca to Cusco on a guided tourist bus that turns a long transfer into a day of discoveries. Stop at the Pucará museum, cross La Raya Pass (approx. 4,335 m) among snowy peaks and grazing alpacas, explore the Inca temple of Raqchi and the painted church of Andahuaylillas, with a buffet lunch on the way. Arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon.
Day 10
Head into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, stopping at the terraces and craft market of Pisac and the Inca town and fortress of Ollantaytambo. In the afternoon, the panoramic train follows the Urubamba River down into the cloud forest to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu.
Day 11
Take an early bus up to Machu Picchu and discover the Inca citadel with your private guide: the Main Plaza, the Temple of the Sun and the Intihuatana stone, set between towering green peaks above the Urubamba River. After the tour, return to Aguas Calientes and board the panoramic train back to Cusco.
Day 12
Transfer to Cusco airport for your morning flight to Lima, where you connect with your international flight home. End of services.
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It is enough to see the essentials: the Ballestas Islands and the Nazca Lines on the coast, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. A domestic flight from Lima to Arequipa saves a long day on the road, so no stop feels rushed.
Going back to Lima by bus and flying to Arequipa the next morning replaces the 10-hour overland drive from Nazca to Arequipa. You get a comfortable night in Lima and arrive in Arequipa fresh, with a free afternoon to explore.
The flights Lima – Arequipa and Cusco – Lima are quoted separately, so you can choose airline and schedule. Tell us in the request form and we will add them to your quote.
Altitude is introduced gradually: Arequipa (approx. 2,335 m) and the Colca Valley (approx. 3,600 m) prepare your body before Puno (approx. 3,830 m) and Cusco (approx. 3,400 m). Drink plenty of water, avoid heavy meals on arrival, try coca tea and take the first afternoon at each new altitude slowly. Consult your doctor before travel if you have a medical condition.
The tour runs all year. April to November brings dry, sunny days in the Andes, perfect for Colca, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu; from December to March the highlands are green and showery, while the coast is in its summer season.
The price depends on the hotel category you choose (Essential 2★, Comfort 3★, Superior 4★ or Deluxe 5★) and on the number of travelers. Open the Rates tab for the current price per person, based on double or twin accommodation.