Home > Build your trip > Peru & Bolivia itineraries > Piscos and posadas in the Andes
Machu Picchu holiday - Peru party time

Piscos and posadas in the Andes


Route: Lima - Arequipa - Colca canyon - Arequipa - Puno - Lake Titicaca - Puno - Cuzco - Ollantaytambo - Arguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cuzco - Lima

This Machu Picchu holiday is one of our more luxurious Peru trips with an emphasis on comfort and style. After acclimatising in your colonial villa in Lima, you'll fly on to the sunny city of Arequipa and travel on by private car with driver to the Colca Valley where you'll stay in a riverside eco lodge with its very own hot springs. 

During this Machu Picchu holiday, you'll take a boat trip to the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca and travel by comfortable coach to the lively town of Cuzco. Your itinerary ends with a three day tour through the Sacred Valley, with a visit to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu as the grand finale.

If this Machu Picchu holiday doesn't take your fancy, take a look at our Peru holidays for more inspiration. Looking to build your own trip to Machu Picchu? Take a look at our selection of Machu Picchu holidays which you can piece together with our Peru tours to create your own itinerary.
Duration 15 days / 14 nights

Accommodation

14 nights including breakfast. Comfort level 3 and 4 (see accommodation)

Price

£1265 per person - based on 2 people sharing

Includes

All transport and accommodation as described; excursions: starter tour Lima, Colca Canyon by private 4x4 with driver, Lake Titicaca with lunch and guide, Sacred Valley.

Transport

All connections between cities by bus, train or private car. Transfers: see detailed itinerary.

Excludes

International flight; entrance fees: Cruz del Condor (US$13 p.p.), Machu Picchu (US$ 35 p.p.) and Sacred Valley; airport taxes and small transfers.

Day 1: Lima - arrival

At the end of your long flight, you'll be welcomed in the arrivals hall at Lima airport by our representative and transferred directly to your hotel for the start of your Machu Picchu holiday. Most of our travellers choose to stay in Miraflores, about 30 minutes' drive from the airport. Miraflores is a leafy cosmopolitan suburb on the coast with several hotels, bars and restaurants and a couple of busy shopping streets. It's a nice place to spend the first day or two of your Peru Machu Picchu holiday.

In Miraflores you'll be staying in one of our posadas, which we've selected based on atmosphere and location: posadas are small-scale traditional Peruvian guesthouses with a garden, patio and breakfast room.
Machu Picchu holiday - Bienvenidos a Peru!
Machu Picchu holiday - Relaxing in Lima
The dark wooden interior of this hotel is really charming. The lounge with its glitzy chandelier is a nice place to relax (or use the internet) and there's a small patio with lots of plants and flowers and a garden. Your comfortable room has a shower, toilet, phone, fridge and fan. The excellent breakfast is included.

In the evening, head to one of the nearby restaurants for the first Peruvian dinner of your Machu Picchu holiday. Las Tejas is just a short walk from the hotel. Even though it's quite safe in this area, in the evenings the restaurant staff obviously prefer to be safe than sorry - there was a bit of eye-brow raising on our part when they chained our bags to the chair. The ceviche, a delicious traditional Peruvian dish of marinated raw fish costs around 28 sol.

Day 2: Lima

Around 9.30am, you'll be picked up by taxi and (Spanish-speaking) driver. It's not a real guided tour, your driver will simply hand you a printed route and description of the various places you'll be visiting.

We don’t want to show you just the touristy highlights of Lima, but also the areas that most visitors don’t get to see. That way you’ll get to see a very authentic side of the city and learn what it’s like to live here. The driver will take you to the harbour district Callao, the nightlife area Barranco and one of the old working class districts of the city. The tour also includes the major highlights of the city like the Museo Nacional de Antropolgia y Arquelogia and the new Museo de la Nacion. Everything you see in the museum will come back at some point on your Machu Picchu holiday and will give you a much better understanding of the many ruins and cultural relics you’ll see on the way.
Machu Picchu holiday - Colonial Lima
Machu Picchu holiday - Catacomb
Finally the tour will take you across the Plaza de Armas, where you'll find the presidential palace and the city hall, to the Monasterio de San Francisco where the tour ends. The underground catacombs house the remains of 25.000 people, mainly monks, priests and nuns that lived in the monastery. The bones have been sorted and neatly rearranged in a circular pattern. The monastery has now been converted into a museum with some impressive works including a Rubens.

If you’re feeling peckish, there are plenty of little local restaurants around the museum where you can grab a “jamon morteno” sandwich and decide on how you’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon on your Machu Picchu holiday. At the end of the day, take a taxi back to Miraflores or Barranco where a fine choice of international restaurants and lively bars beckon...

Day 3: Lima - Arequipa

On day three of your Machu Picchu holiday, you'll be flying on to Arequipa, just a short one-hour flight from Lima. This friendly Peruvian city lies at an altitude of 2300m and, with an average temperature of 20-25C and sunshine all year round, it’s a lovely place to spend a couple of days adjusting to the altitude.

The Plaza de Armas is reputedly one of the most beautiful public squares in Peru. The city is full of beautiful Spanish colonial buildings and churches, but the main attraction is the Santa Catalina monastery.
Machu Picchu holiday - Arriving Arequipa
Machu Picchu holiday - Santa Catalina
Arequipa is surrounded by several volcanoes and has a wonderful relaxed atmosphere.The best way to get around the city is by taxi. They’re dirt cheap so venturing out of the city to explore the surrounding area on your Machu Picchu holiday won’t cost you much.

On arrival at the airport, you’ll be picked up by your driver and transferred to your hotel. You'' stay in a pretty colonial posada, with classic iron wrought gates and a courtyard filled with flowers. The light and airy rooms have TV, phone and mini bar and tasteful colonial-style furniture and very comfy beds. The posada, run by a very friendly family, is just minutes away from the Santa Catalina and the Plaza de Armas. From the patio, there's a lovely view across the monastery and the Misti on the horizon.

Towards the end of the afternoon, as the sun begins to set, head to the Santa Catalina monastery. As you pass through the gateway, it’s like stepping into another world. Hidden behind the walls lies a labyrinth of narrow winding alleyways between high red and blue painted walls. To the left and right, small secluded courtyards decorated with flowerpots and jugs, prayer rooms with dark crannies, stairways leading nowhere and pretty flower gardens lovingly tended by the nuns living in the monastery. It’s a magical place, especially at this time of day when the glow of the setting sun makes the colours pop out and there are virtually no tourists around. Keep an eye on the closing time though, it’s easy to get lost here.

Day 4: Arequipa

You can ease into Day 4 of your Machu Picchu holiday with a cup of coffee on a balcony cafe overlooking the Plaza de Armas, the central square of Arequipa.

From the Plaza de Armas, walk through the historic centre and take a look inside one of the many churches and cathedrals, visit the Santuarios Museum to see the frozen mummy girl Juanita, or take a taxi to one of the suburbs of Arequipa, like Tingo or Yanahuara for a spicy Arequipeño lunch in one of the traditional restaurants with views of the volcanoes surrounding the city.

In the afternoon of day 4 of your Machu Picchu holiday, you can visit the foot of the Misti or a traditional stone mill at Sabandia. Alternatively, stay in Arequipa to wander around the hidden districts of the city and chill out in the warm sunshine. It's all up to you.
Machu Picchu holiday - Relaxing in Arequipa
Machu Picchu holiday - Misti
For a bit of outdoor adventure, there are several hair-raising downhill mountain bike trips available through the many travel agents in the centre. Check whether they have good bikes with helmets and an English speaking guide before you book though.

In the evening, it can get quite chilly so bring a warm sweater if you're planning on hitting the town. In the city centre you’ll find lots of little restaurants that serve Peruvian and international dishes.

Are Quepay on Calle Jerusalen is a beautiful restaurant in a colonial building with a real tropical atmosphere; lots of plants and flowers, waterfalls, low lighting and ‘musica folklorica’. For a spiritual dining experience head to Govinda on Calle Santa Catalina. It’s run by Hare Krishna and has a very unusual, but very nutritious, menu.

Day 5: Arequipa - Colca Valley

Around 8am your 4x4 and personal driver will pull up in front of your hotel in Arequipa. Climb aboard and make your way to the Colca Canyon for the next stop of your Machu Picchu holiday. The road out of Arequipa quickly starts to climb steeply up into the mountains and you’ll see some amazing views across the peaks of the Andes including the Misti volcano. As you drive across the Salina y Aguada Blanca nature reserve, you’ll be able to spot llamas, alpacas and Andean foxes and perhaps even the rare vicuñas. If you feel like it, you can stop off for a short walk and take in the vast expanse of the plains.

Today you’ll climb to an altitude of 4800m, then downhill again to the valley at 3500m. Because you’ve spent a couple of days in Arequipa at 2300m you should already be used to the altitude.
Machu Picchu holiday - llamas in the valley
Machu Picchu holiday - Colca Valley
Early afternoon you’ll arrive in the small town of Chivay where you can grab some lunch in one of the local restaurants. The Colca Valley stretched out in front of you is over 100km long and deeper than its famous counterpart, the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t the Incas, but the Colluhuas, a civilization dating back another 1000 years that built the steep cliff faces into the stepped terraces for use as farmland. It’s mind-boggling how these terraces could ever have been made by human hands.

Driving through the valley, you can’t help but gasp at the never ending views here. Ask the driver to stop if you want to take pictures or to take a closer look at the terraces or even just to sit down on a rock and take in the breathtaking scenery. Around 3pm, you’ll arrive at the lodge for this night of your Machu Picchu holiday. You'll have plenty of time left to take a dip in the hot springs or go for a stroll around the area.
The lodge is nestled in an idyllic, almost magical, spot by the river deep in the Colca Valley and has its own hot springs. The spacious, stylish rooms have private bathroom, king-size beds and a private balcony or terrace with views of the river and the valley. The lodge isn't far from Chivay with its many restaurants, but you could also spend the evening curled up by the fireplace in the lounge or at the bar at the lodge. This accommodation is a real highlight of your Machu Picchu holiday. 

The hot springs here are an absolute luxury. We can’t think of a better way to soothe your aching muscles at the end of a long, tiring hike, as you listen to the sound of the Colca river and gaze out at the towering cliff faces and the clear, starry sky above you. It certainly beats the bath tub at home…

Tip: Why not indulge yourself and book an extra night here as part of your Machu Picchu holiday. Go horse-riding through the valley or take a canoe trip down the river. A bit of exercise makes your dip in the hot springs all the more rewarding.
Machu Picchu holiday - Hot springs
Machu Picchu holiday - Condors in Colca Canyon

Day 6: Colca - Cruz del Condor - Arequipa

On day 6 of your Machu Picchu holiday, you’ll set off around 7am after an early breakfast, to drive deeper into the valley. The lodge is located at the 'top' of the valley which is rarely visited by tourists. You'll drive through several rural villages and across a bridge to the nearby town of Yanque, following the road along the 'bottom' of the canyon to the Cruz del Condor viewpoint where you'll arrive around 8.30am.

Cruz del Condor is the only place in Peru where you can see the condors up close. Between 8am – 10am as the sun begins to heat the air deep in the canyon. The condors love to glide up on these warm thermal currents and if you sit still they’ll swoop right over your head. Be patient, find a comfortable rock in the sun and keep your binoculars handy.
Around 9.30am you'll climb back into your 4x4 and continue your Colca Canyon trip, via the same road back to Chivay. Though, with the ever changing views you'd never know you've driven the same road twice. On the way back, you’ll make a few stops, including the viewpoints at Huayra Punko and Antahuilque for some final sweeping views across the stepped terraces of the Colca Valley. You’ll also make a stop in the villages of Maca and Yanque where you can get a good idea of rural life in Peru. Yanque has one of the most beautiful churches in the Colca Valley.

Around lunch time, you’ll arrive back in Chivay where you can enjoy some lunch at one of the restaurants around the central square, before continuing on to Arequipa where you’ll arrive back at the hotel around 4.30pm, marking the end of your Colca Canyon trip. If you’d prefer to head back to the hotel after seeing the condors you can spend the rest of the morning relaxing and enjoying the facilities of the Colca lodge before making your way to Chivay for a short lunch stop. From Chivay it’s another 5 hours to Arequipa, where you’ll be spending another night of your Machu Picchu holiday in the hotel.
Machu Picchu holiday - Church
Machu Picchu holiday - Bus to Puno

Day 7: Arequipa - Puno overland

This morning make your own way (by Daewoo taxi) to Terrapuerto bus station where you can buy a cup of coffee and some snacks before boarding the 8:30am Royal Class bus to Puno, the next stop on your Machu Picchu holiday. The double decker bus has soft leather seats, on-board toilet and hot drinks and snacks are available.

The bus simply glides along the brand new road, making the 6 hour journey incredibly comfortable. Just sit back and look out the window. The best views are around halfway on the trip. When you arrive in Puno, the fresh atmosphere hits you immediately. Driving into the city, you’ll have some amazing views across the 175km long, 45km wide Lake Titicaca.
Puno is a popular university town with lots of festivals, markets, restaurants and bars, but it’s also incredibly cosy. Instead of cars, you’ll see mainly horse carts and rickshaws that would look more at home in Asia instead of a high-altitude Peruvian student town.

On the Plaza de Armas, you'll see street performers doing tricks, cheered on by a large crowd and the local football team. They’re always top of the league; their opponents get out of breath too quickly at this altitude!

If you're also feeling tired then take a rickshaw from the bus terminal to your hotel and you'll immediately get a feel of the town centre. You'll be staying in a small family guesthouse for this evening of your Machu Picchu holiday. It's in a peaceful district, about 10 minutes' walk from the shopping street and just a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

The guesthouse has been lovingly decorated by the Peruvian owner with lots of wood carvings and traditional details. Rooms have a private bathroom, phone and TV and central heating.
Machu Picchu holiday - Puno rickshaw
Machu Picchu holiday - Lake Titicaca

Day 8: Lake Titicaca excursion

In the morning of day 8 of your Machu Picchu holiday, you’ll be picked up at your hotel for the short drive to the busy harbour of Puno. Around 8am, you’ll board the boat with your fellow passengers and sail out onto the wide, open lake. You’ll need to wear a life jacket – well, at least until you’re out of sight of the harbour… The boat goes quite fast so it can get quite chilly in the wind even though it’s nice and sunny, so bring a hat and gloves if you have them.

According to local legend, Lake Titicaca was the location of the lost city of Atlantis, the birthplace of our civilization. As you sail across the lake and see the mountains and sky reflecting in the deep blue water, you can understand why.
After about an hour, the boat will moor at the floating reed islands of Uros, and the next stop on your Machu Picchu holiday. The islands are very popular with day trippers, but thanks to their location and layout the islands have managed to maintain their unique atmosphere. As you set foot on the reed you’ll notice the buoyancy under your feet. It’s a really weird feeling walking across the floating floor of the island. A local island family will show you around and explain how the islands were built and tell you about their way of life.

The Indian population are very photogenic and also very commercial. You’ll be offered a short tour on their traditional reed boats to some of the other islands but don’t feel pressured. Instead, you can just lie back in the sun and doze off to the gentle rocking of the reed and the faint murmur of people in the background.
Machu Picchu holiday - Uros
Machu Picchu holiday - Lake Titicaca locals
An hour later the boat will set off to the island of Taquile. It’s another 2 hours’ sailing, so you might want to bring a couple of snacks. On Taquile, it’s quite a long climb up to the village square, so it’s better to have a quick snack beforehand.

You’ll arrive at the village on Taquile around lunch time on day 8 of your Machu Picchu holiday. As you tuck in to your lunch of fresh fish from the lake, your guide will fill you in on the ‘rules’ on Taquile. The original character of the island must be maintained as much as possible and it’s forbidden to build hotels on the island. Tourism seems to have had very little effect on the Taquilans with their unique features and traditional dress, and it certainly (and rightly so) hasn't influenced their way of life. Despite the many visitors they’re incredibly friendly and welcoming.
You can’t help but notice, it’s mainly men hanging round on the village square, dressed in white blouses with a coloured sash and, it appears, all knitting woolly hats. The shape and colour of the hat tells you whether someone’s married, single or a prominent person in the village. It certainly makes it a lot easier for the ladies to pick their partner.

Around 2pm you’ll follow the long flight of steps back down to the jetty where you’ll board the boat and sail back to Puno, another 3 hours’ sailing. The sun’s already beginning to set as you sail into Puno, so once you’re back on land you can round off day 8 of your Machu Picchu holiday with a traditional dinner of pollo a la plancha. You can find small chicken restaurants on every street corner here and, for a couple of dollars, you can eat and drink to your hearts content. Contrary to what you might expect from a student town, the nightlife in Puno is pretty quiet but, after a day on the water, you’ll probably be feeling pretty tired anyway.
Machu Picchu holiday - Taquilans
Machu Picchu holiday - Cuzco

Day 9: Puno - Cuzco

After a good night's sleep and a substantial breakfast, you'll make your own way to the bus station to catch the 9am express bus to Cuzco and the next stop on your Machu Picchu holiday.

The trip takes about 6 hours, a lot quicker than the more expensive tourist bus, which makes several stops on the way where people will try to sell you local souvenirs. You'll arrive in Cuzco around 3pm where you can take a taxi to your hotel for around 4 sol.

You'll be staying in one of our selected hotels in the authentic San Blas district just outside the tourist centre, or close to the Plaza de Armas.
Your posada is in the heart of San Blas, about 10 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi uphill from the Plaza de Armas. It's a small mid-class guesthouse with a garden, several patios and a cosy breakfast room. Your modern room is squeaky clean and has a private bathroom with shower and toilet. We've selected this hotel for your Machu Picchu holiday, primarily for its great atmosphere. 

San Blas is more residential and authentic than the touristy centre. From the narrow streets that barely fit a small Daewoo taxi you can get a wonderful view across the city and the surrounding mountains. You’ll find lots of bars and restaurants in the area and because the streets are so tiny you won’t be bothered by roaring traffic.
Machu Picchu holiday - Cuzco accommodation
Machu Picchu holiday - Jamming in Cuzco

Day 10: Cuzco

The beating heart of Cuzco is Plaza de Armas, reputedly one of the prettiest squares in Peru. The square is a 15 minute walk downhill from your posada. The little streets around the square are full of interesting shops and restaurants, with the quintessentially Latino pan pipe players (now say that quickly). If you want to book a day trip for this part of your Machu Picchu holiday, there are several tour operators located around the Plaza de Armas. They are not all equally reliable, though, so ask at your hotel reception for a recommendation.

Besides the many historic churches and cathedrals, Cuzco boasts some of the most perfectly preserved Inca walls in Calle Loreto and the Calle Hatun Rumiyoc. The Arte Religioso Museum and the Inca Museum are both very interesting.
Cuzco also has several monasteries open to the public, one of which has been converted into the most expensive boutique hotel in Cuzco.

A night in this beautiful Monasterio will set you back £180 a night. For a cheaper option, just stay for lunch (£15). At least you’ll be able to get to see the ground floor filled with relics, historic paintings and antique furniture. 

To get back to your hotel, save yourself the steep walk uphill and just take a taxi. Remember, Cuzco is at 3300m altitude!
Machu Picchu holiday - Cuzco monastery
Machu Picchu holiday - Pisac market

Day 11: Cuzco - Pisac - Ollantaytambo

In the morning, you’ll be picked up at your hotel by minibus and accompanied by your English-speaking guide, make your way to the Sacred Valley. The valley gets its name from the many sacred Inca sites found in the area. On the way, you’ll make a short stop at a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the valley before travelling on to the small village of Pisac and the next stop on your Machu Picchu holiday.

Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays are busy market days in Pisac, when people flock here from all over the valley to trade their goods in the market square. In olden times it was mainly fruit and vegetables, but these days you can wander among the stalls selling all kinds of beautiful crafts like hand-woven rugs, pottery and jewellery. Haggling is all part of the game here.
The ruins of Pisac are just outside the village. When you’re done shopping at the market, discuss with your guide whether there’s time left to take a taxi yourself to the ruins and walk up to the Sun Temple (1 hour). From the top of the hill, there’s a spectacular view across the mountain ridge in between two valleys. The terraces lie clinging to the mountain side as far as the eye can see. If you’re staying in the village, enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the restaurants in the market square. Later in the afternoon, you’ll continue further into the Valley past the small villages of Yucay and Urubamba.

The road follows the fast-flowing bendy Urubamba river. On the way, you’ll catch a glimpse of the Las Salinas salt terraces, literally thousands of basins carved into the steep slopes that have been used for salt extraction since the ancient Inca times. Tomorrow on your Machu Picchu holiday, you’ll be taking a closer look at the terraces.
Machu Picchu holiday - Pisac views
Machu Picchu holiday - Ollantyambo locals
Around 2.30pm, you'll arrive at Ollanta(ytambo), a small village on the railway from Cuzco to Machu Picchu, and the next stop on your Machu Picchu holiday. Here, you'll visit the ancient fortress above the village where the Incas managed to hold off the Spaniards, by riddling them with arrows from behind the thick rock walls. The huge rocks that form the impenetrable walls of the fortress weighed over 50 tonnes and were transported here down the river. The rocks then had to be hauled up to the top of the hill using ropes, sticks, horses and whatever else was at hand. The blocks are still there, intact and perfectly interlocked, no small feat for the Incas in their time. After you've visited the fort, it's time to say goodbye to your fellow travellers and you'll be dropped off at your hotel for tonight; a small authentic posada close to the rail tracks.

Even though it might take a while before you can effortlessly pronounce the name of this village, before you know it, you'll be captured by the relaxed atmosphere, friendly locals and charming accommodation of this little hideaway in the valley.

Day 12: Ollanta

You're free to do as you please on day 12 of your Machu Picchu holiday. Your ticket for the fort is still valid and, if you’re up early, it’s worth climbing up there around 7am. Perched high above the village, you can watch the sun come up and watch as the cockerel crows and the village slowly wakes up.

There are a couple of restaurants and cafes in the villages as well as a small museum and a local market. Ollanta is a small place with just over 2000 inhabitants so there’s not much going on. However, life here trundles along and, after the lively Cuzco, the peace and quiet is actually very pleasant.  The countryside around Ollanta is very lush and green. One of the best ways to see the valley is on horseback, slowly clip-clopping through the countryside surrounded by the rural sounds of birds singing in the trees, the rush of the river and donkeys heehawing in a nearby field. Don't worry if you're not an experienced rider, the horses are very tame and know their way around.
Machu Picchu holiday - horse riding
Machu Picchu holiday - salt pans
If you're interested in going horse-riding as part of your Machu Picchu holiday, please ask at hotel reception when you check in. The horses might be grazing in a field far up in the valley so it takes some time to collect them. You'll almost certainly have good weather on your horse ride; the valley is sheltered from wind and rain from the towering peaks of the Andes mountains.

If horse-riding isn't your cup of tea, you could always take a collectivo to Urubamba (1 Sol), a small village 30 minutes drive away. From here, you can take another taxi to the Las Salinas salt pans and from here, you can follow the trail downhill to the Urubamba-Ollanta road (2 hours' walk).

Day 13: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes

From the hotel, take a taxi to the tiny station at Ollantaytambo where your train leaves at 9.30am. After chugging up the mountains for 1 ½ hours, the train pulls into Aguas Calientes. This small but lively village is the gateway to Machu Picchu. Everyone on their way to or from the ruins passes through here, so there’s a constant flow of travellers, buses and trains.

It’s a somewhat chaotic scene when you arrive, so you’ll be met at the train by someone from your hotel. Once you’ve checked in, you can spend the rest of the day getting to know the village. Instead of having a main square, the centre of Aguas Calientes is actually based along the rail tracks which run straight through the village. There are over 50 restaurants and cafes along the tracks, so you won’t have any trouble finding a place to eat. In the afternoon of your Machu Picchu holiday, take a dip in the hot springs (where the village gets its name from) or go on a hike through the surrounding hills to one of the nearby waterfalls.
Machu Picchu holiday - Ollanta train station
Machu Picchu holiday - Machu Picchu

Day 14: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cuzco

You’ll need to be up at the crack of dawn to catch one of the first buses at 6.30am up to the entrance of Machu Picchu - the real highlight of your Macchu Picchu holiday. Buses back down depart from the entrance from 7.30am hourly. It’s about 20 minutes by bus up a steep sandy road. You could walk, but it means you won’t get there until late morning. Arriving early in the day means you can explore the ruins in relative quiet before the crowds of day-trippers from Cuzco start arriving around 10.30am.

Besides, the ruins are at their most magical at dawn, as the sun slowly creeps up behind the mountains and the veil of mist lifts to reveal the ancient Inca city in all its glory. Only when the mist has lifted can you begin to grasp the sheer size of the complex.
You’ll visit the ruins without a guide on day 14 of your Machu Picchu holiday. The history, the purpose and even the decline of this Inca city still remains a mystery, so no guide would be able to tell you exactly what happened here. Wandering among the temples, houses and corridors you can decide on your own theory. If you’d like to have an English-speaking guide anyway, you can book one at the entrance.

One fact that has been proven is that the Incas managed to keep Machu Picchu hidden from the Spaniards and it wasn't until 1911 when an American archaeologist discovered the overgrown and deserted ruins by accident that Machu Picchu was finally revealed to the outside world.
Machu Picchu holiday - Machu Picchu views
Machu Picchu holiday - Train journey
Having explored the ruins for a few hours, you might be feeling a little peckish, so it's time for lunch. There's a restaurant at the entrance (busy and touristy) or you could take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and find a spot at one of the railside cafes. There's time for a final stroll along the souvenir stalls before picking up your bags at the hotel and boarding the 3.30pm train to Cuzco.

You'll be travelling backpacker class which means you’ll be joined by lots of fellow tourists. You can swap  trekking stories and relive the experiences you've had on your Machu Picchu holiday so far. You'll arrive in Cuzco around 7.30pm so simply take a taxi from the station back to your hotel.  

Day 15: Cuzco - Lima - End of itinerary

On the last day of your Machu Picchu holiday, hail a taxi (shouldn't be too hard) and make your way to Cuzco airport. The flight to Lima takes just 1 hour and you'll probably have a long stopover before your flight back to the UK. If you'd rather see a bit more of Lima rather than hanging around at the airport all day, we can arrange a Lima trip for you. Please contact us for more details.

You'll be picked up at the airport and taken to one of the best arts and crafts markets in Lima where you can wander among the stalls filled with ceramic pots and bowls, hand-woven blankets, lama slippers, tacky fridge magnets and whatever else takes your fancy. At the end of the day you'll be picked up again at Larcomar, a large modern shopping mall directly on the beach. Enjoy the last Pisco sour and Peruvian sunset of your Machu Picchu holiday, before it's time to say adios Peru and board the plane back home.
Machu Picchu holiday - Adios Peru

Machu Picchu holiday - Accommodation (Click to enlarge)

Click here for the quote request form

Build your own trip with our bite-sized
Peru tours

 



Follow Rickshaw Travel and be inspired...Follow us on Twitter  Like us on Facebook