9-Day Lima, Coastal Desert & Inca Empire: The Grand Peruvian Odyssey

Your journey begins the moment you clear customs at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Lima. Our professional logistics team will be waiting at the arrivals gate with a personalized sign to escort you through the bustling city in comfortable, air-conditioned transport to your selected partner hotel in Miraflores, Lima’s safest and most vibrant coastal district.

Since Lima sits right at sea level, no altitude acclimatization is required today. Spend your evening taking a relaxing stroll along the cliffside Malecón overlooking the Pacific Ocean, breathing in the coastal breeze, and sampling your first taste of world-renowned Peruvian gastronomy in one of Miraflores’ top-rated restaurants.

After a relaxed breakfast, we embark on a guided exploration of Lima’s UNESCO-protected Historic Center. We leave the modern oceanfront districts behind to enter the colonial “City of Kings.” We will stand in the majestic Plaza Mayor, surrounded by the Government Palace, the Municipal Palace, and the Cathedral of Lima. We then visit the 17th-century San Francisco Monastery, descending into its intriguing subterranean catacombs that served as the city’s primary burial ground during the colonial era.

On our return route through Miraflores, we stop to view the Huaca Pucllana, a massive pre-Inca ceremonial adobe pyramid standing right in the middle of the modern city. In the evening, we offer an optional visit to the Magic Water Circuit at Parque de la Reserva, a Guinness World Record-holding park where 13 interactive fountains combine light, music, and laser projections into a spectacular show.

We depart early at 4:30 AM in comfortable ground transport, driving south along the Pan-American Highway parallel to the Pacific Ocean. Arriving at the coastal bay of Paracas, we board a high-speed motorboat to the Ballestas Islands, often called the “Galapagos of Peru.” Along the way, we observe the mysterious Candelabro, a giant geoglyph carved into the desert hillside. At the islands, you will witness hundreds of sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and sea birds thriving in their natural habitat.

After lunch, we continue south into the Ica desert to reach the stunning Huacachina Oasis, the only natural desert oasis in South America surrounded by towering golden sand dunes. Here, you will jump aboard powerful 4×4 sand buggies for an exhilarating ride over the massive dunes and try your hand at sandboarding down the slopes before returning comfortably to Lima in the late evening.

Today, we transfer you to Lima Airport for a short, scenic 1.5-hour domestic flight over the snow-capped Andes to Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport (CUZ) in Cusco. Our local Andean team will meet you at the arrivals gate and drive you directly to your hotel in the historic center.

Because you are making a sudden transition from sea level to an elevation of 11,152 ft (3,400 m), today is strictly reserved for physiological acclimatization. Altitude sickness (Soroche) requires slow travel: hydrate constantly with bottled water, drink traditional Coca tea offered in your hotel lobby, and avoid heavy meals or physical exertion. In the late afternoon, take a gentle walk around the cobblestone streets surrounding the Plaza de Armas.

Now properly acclimatized, we begin a half-day Cusco City Tour in a small-group setting. We start right in the historic center at the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), the spiritual heart of the Inca Empire where polished stone walls were historically lined with thick sheets of solid gold leaf before Spanish construction built the Santo Domingo Convent overhead.

Next, we drive into the surrounding hills to explore the megalithic fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Standing beside these 100-ton limestone boulders, carved and fitted together with mortarless precision, offers an unforgettable perspective on ancient Incan engineering. We will also visit the subterranean labyrinth of Qenqo, the military outpost of Puca Pucara, and the ceremonial water fountains of Tambomachay, returning to your hotel by midday for a free afternoon.

We depart Cusco at 7:30 AM, descending into the breathtaking, warmer Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first major stop is the ridge archaeological site of Pisac, famous for its sweeping agricultural terraces cascading down the mountainside like giant green staircases, followed by a visit to the lively Pisac Artisan Market in the village square below.

After enjoying a local buffet lunch featuring Andean ingredients in Urubamba (included), we drive to the living Incan town of Ollantaytambo to climb its monumental sun terraces. Late in the afternoon, we board our scenic train to Aguas Calientes (schedules subject to availability upon booking), watching the dry Andean peaks shift into lush cloud forests at the base of Machu Picchu.

This is the pinnacle morning of your journey. We wake up early to take the short Consettur shuttle bus up the winding Hiram Bingham road to the sanctuary gates. Your university-licensed guide will lead a detailed 2 to 2.5-hour tour through the citadel, explaining the stone quarries, agricultural sectors, the Temple of the Sun, and the Intihuatana sundial.

Note: Specific entry circuits (Circuit 1, 2, or 3) and entry time slots depend strictly on official government availability at the exact time of reservation. Following the tour, take the shuttle bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding your return train to the Sacred Valley, where our private transport will be waiting to transfer you comfortably back to your Cusco hotel.

With your body fully adapted to high elevation, Day 8 allows you to customize your final Andean adventure. When booking, select one of the following three options:

Option A: Rainbow Mountain Trek (Vinicunca). A challenging high-altitude trek departing Cusco at 4:30 AM. Ascend to 16,500 ft (5,036 m) to witness the world-famous multicolored mineral ridges facing Mount Ausangate. Includes breakfast, lunch, oxygen tanks, and hiking poles. Return to Cusco around 4:30 PM.

Option B: Humantay Lake Trek. A glacier hike departing at 4:30 AM to Soraypampa. Hike up to 13,779 ft (4,200 m) to discover the turquoise glacial lake beneath Mount Salkantay. Includes breakfast, lunch, oxygen tanks, and hiking poles. Return to Cusco around 5:00 PM.

Option C: Maras Salt Mines & Moray (Half-Day). A lower-impact option departing at 8:00 AM. Explore Moray’s circular agricultural terraces and the 3,000 ancient salt evaporating pans of Maras. Return to Cusco by 2:00 PM for a free afternoon.

Enjoy your final breakfast at the hotel. Depending on your flight departure time, take a final stroll through Cusco’s historic cobblestone neighborhoods or pick up silver artisan souvenirs near the main square. At the coordinated time, our driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby and transfer you to Cusco Airport (CUZ) for your flight back to Lima and onward connection home.