Classic Backpacker Route — Daily Departures, All Year Long
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For decades, travelers arriving in Lima have followed the same irresistible line south: along the desert coast to Paracas and Huacachina, over the Nazca Lines, up to Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, across the altiplano to Lake Titicaca and on to Cusco. Locals named it the Gringo Trail, and it is still the best introduction to Peru. This 15-day version keeps every classic stop, adds the hike to Rainbow Mountain and ends with the panoramic train to Machu Picchu — with guides, transport and hotels already arranged.
Your Classic Gringo Trail at a glance, from Lima’s historic center to Rainbow Mountain 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
Spend the morning in colonial Lima with a local guide: the Plaza Mayor and its Cathedral, the balconied streets around the Government Palace, and the San Francisco Monastery with its painted cloisters and catacombs. In the afternoon, take the coastal road back to Miraflores and Barranco for murals, cafés and a sunset over the Pacific.
Day 3
Leave the capital behind and travel south along the Pacific coast to the bay of Paracas (approx. 3.5 hours). In the afternoon, explore the Paracas National Reserve, where ochre desert cliffs and red-sand beaches meet the ocean, home to sea lions, flamingos and countless seabirds. Settle into your seaside hotel for a relaxed evening by the bay.
Day 4
An early boat leaves Paracas Bay for the Ballestas Islands, passing the mysterious Candelabra carved into the hillside, to see sea lions, penguins and seabirds by the thousand. Back on land, drive to the Huacachina Oasis, a lagoon ringed by palm trees and giant dunes and a favorite stop on the Gringo Trail, then cross the desert to Nazca.
Day 5
A morning in the sky, an afternoon on the road. Your light aircraft circles the hummingbird, the monkey and the other giant figures of the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of archaeology’s greatest unsolved puzzles. Then relax on the scenic journey through desert valleys and along coastal cliffs to Arequipa, Peru’s elegant “White City”.
Day 6
A well-earned pause between the desert and the Andes. Wander the colorful streets of the Santa Catalina Monastery, a city within the city, admire El Misti volcano from the Yanahuara viewpoint, visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos, home of the Inca ice maiden “Juanita”, or simply rest and acclimatize at approx. 2,335 m.
Day 7
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 8
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 9
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 10
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 11
From the shores of Titicaca to the capital of the Incas. Cross La Raya Pass at over 4,300 m, where snow-capped peaks rise above herds of llamas and alpacas, then descend into green Andean valleys. Along the way, discover the monoliths of Pucará, the colossal Inca temple of Raqchi and the golden interior of Andahuaylillas, the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas”.
Day 12
An early departure takes you to the trailhead of Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain. Walk at your own pace through the high Andes as the colors of the land intensify with every step. At the viewpoint, more than 5,000 m above sea level, bands of red, gold and turquoise stretch across the mountainside. Horses are available for part of the way.
Day 13
Follow the Urubamba River into the Sacred Valley of the Incas: the hillside terraces and handicraft market of Pisac, lunch in the valley, and Ollantaytambo, a village still laid out on its original Inca streets beneath a great temple fortress. From Ollantaytambo station, the panoramic train carries you through the canyon to Aguas Calientes.
Day 14
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 15
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 the nickname for the classic route most travelers follow through southern Peru: Lima, Paracas and Huacachina, Nazca, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, Puno and Lake Titicaca, and Cusco with Machu Picchu. This 15-day tour covers the whole trail and adds Rainbow Mountain.
No. The route is the one backpackers made famous, but everything is organized for you: transfers, tours, trains and hotels in the category you choose, from simple 2★ hotels to 5★ properties.
It is a moderate hike of approx. 1.5–2 hours each way at more than 5,000 m. It comes on day 12, after more than a week at altitude in Arequipa, Colca, Puno and Cusco, which helps you acclimatize, and horses can be rented for part of the way.
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.
April to November is the dry season and the best time for Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. The tour runs all year; from December to March expect afternoon showers in the Andes and hot, sunny days on the coast.
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.