Peru is a beautiful country, full of colorful culture, a rich history, and some of the most stunning landscapes on the planet. There’s a LOT to do here, but, luckily, you can pack in a bunch of adventures, even if you just have a short period of time. Here’s the ultimate 10 day Peru itinerary to make the most of your time in this dynamic country. 

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Before we dive into this Peru itinerary, it’s worth flagging that the country covers almost 500,000 square miles, so you’re definitely not going to be able to see all of the country in just 10 days. My husband, Justin, and I explored Peru for almost two months and barely scratched the surface of this magical country! 

We PACKED this itinerary with must-see highlights that showcase a mixture of Peru’s ancient Inca history, rich Indigenous culture, epic landscapes, and abundant wildlife. That being said, if you REALLY want to dive deep into Peru, you’ll have to plan on coming back for Round 2 (….and probably Round 3—Peru’s got a LOT of cool stuff!). 

Throughout this post, we’ll provide alternatives for some of the activities or destinations listed—for example, if you’re not super into trekking or want to skip the Amazon—so you can put together the Peru itinerary of your dreams! 

10 day Peru Itinerary

Day 1: Lima

If you’re flying to Peru, you’ll need to stop in the capital city of Lima in order to catch a connecting flight to Cusco, a colonial town that’s located high in the Andes Mountains and recognized as the gateway city to explore Machu Picchu. 

Many visitors connect directly through Cusco from Lima and don’t bother to even leave the airport, but I think this is a HUGE oversight, as Lima is a stunning city, with vibrant neighborhoods and an incredible food scene.

Depending on where you’re coming from, you may only have a half a day or so in Lima, but here’s how I’d spend a whole day in the city.

Spend the morning exploring the Miraflores neighborhood 

Miraflores is a cosmopolitan neighborhood that’s known for its buzzing food and drink scene and stunning coastal views. Here’s some of our favorite things to do in Miraflores:

• Walk along the Malecón de Miraflores, from the Navy Lighthouse to Parque del Amor
• Watch the surfers—or even take a private surf lesson yourself, like this option—at Playa Makana
• Hang out in Kennedy Park, which is home to over 200 super chill (and adorable!) kitties. While you’re here, pick up some picarones (a Peruvian donut made from squash and sweet potatoes) from the Picarone Mary food cart, which was featured in Netflix’s Street Food: Latin America.  
• Explore Museo de Sitio Pucllana, the ruins of a pyramid that was used by the Lima civilization from 200-700 AD (i.e., which predated the start of the Inca civilization by about 1,000 years!). 

Get ceviche for lunch

Ceviche, a Peruvian dish that’s traditionally made with fresh raw fish and marinated red onion, chili, and cilantro, is widely considered to be the country’s national dish. In fact, its cultural significance is recognized by UNESCO as having an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (which, I’m not totally sure what that means, but definitely sounds impressive!). And, with Lima’s location perched on a cliffside overlooking the coastline, it’s the perfect place to give it a try! 

I’d suggest heading to Cevichería Barra Maretazo, which uses incredibly fresh ingredients, has tons of fun Peruvian drinks on the menu, like pisco sours and chicha (a spiced beverage made from purple corn), AND even offers mushroom ceviche options for vegetarians! 

Spend the afternoon exploring the Barranco neighborhood

Barranco is right next to Miraflores and is kind of like its more funky, artsy sister, with lots of colorful murals interspersed with 19th century colonial mansions. 

I’d suggest walking along the Malecón from Miraflores to Barranco, so you can enjoy the oceanside views along the way—Justin and I spent a whole day moseying from Miraflores to Barranco and it was a great way to get to know Lima.

Here’s some of the best things to do in Barranco:

•  Walk across the Bridge of Sighs. This long has been known as a meeting place for lovers and local lure holds that, if you can hold your breath as you walk across the bridge, your wish will come true. Even if this legend doesn’t hold true, there’s colorful murals and usually several street vendors nearby, selling arts and handicrafts, especially on weekends. 
• Wander around Iglesia La Ermita, just a few steps from the Bridge of Sighs, which was once used as a chapel for fishermen in the 18th century. The church’s facade is a photographer’s dream, with a cheerful yellow coat of paint juxtaposed with a crumbling roof. 
• Hit one of the art museums, like the Jade Rivera Museum or Museo de Arte Contemporáneo

Grab dinner

If you have, like, a LOT of money to spend on dinner, try to snag a reservation at Central, which has recently been ranked the best restaurant in the world and was featured in the Netflix series, Chef’s Table. The restaurant focuses on using locally sourced ingredients to craft 32 dishes that tell the story of Peru’s dynamic landscape.  

If you don’t want to spend $1,000+ USD on one dinner, try any of the other fantastic restaurants in Lima that highlight Peruvian food, like Limaná or Mangos Restaurante, the latter of which has stunning views of the Pacific coastline. 

Where to stay in Lima

Generally, I’d suggest staying in the Miraflores neighborhood, which is super walkable and has tons of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. Hotel Antigua Miraflores and Ikonik Miraflores are both conveniently located in the heart of the neighborhood AND offer a nice complimentary breakfast before your flight to Cusco the next morning.

If you have an early morning flight, I’d suggest staying by the airport, as it’s almost an hour away from the Miraflores neighborhood, like the Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport or, if you’re on a tighter budget, Hospedaje d Franciso (psssst… most hotels around Lima are nice about holding your luggage, so, if you stay near the airport, you may want to consider dropping your bags off at your hotel when you first land before heading off to explore Lima).  

Day 2: Fly to and explore Cusco

Catch a flight to Cusco

As mentioned above, the colonial city of Cusco is almost certainly the most popular destination in Peru. While the city is worth visiting in its own right, most people flock here as the springboard to explore Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. 

Cusco is almost 700 miles from Lima along windy mountain roads, so the best way to get there is to fly. Luckily, there’s about 40 direct daily flights from Lima to Cusco.

Just be prepared to take it relatively easy today. Cusco sits at over 11,000 feet above sea level, which may cause you to experience headaches, nausea, or other symptoms of altitude sickness. Be sure to drink lots of water and coca tea (which Peruvians believe alleviates altitude sickness) and take it easy on the booze! 

Grab lunch in Cusco

Head to the Mercado San Blas, a market in the bohemian neighborhood of San Blad, to grab lunch. The market has dozens of food stalls, most of which offer a menu del dia (or menu of the day), that consists of soup, an entree, and dessert for less than 10 Peruvian soles ($2.50 USD). 

Some of my favorite stalls are Anita Cleo, who makes KILLER sandwiches, and Green Falafel, which offers organic and vegetarian dishes. Try to hunt down some lucuma (a caramel-y and creamy fruit) juice while you’re here—you won’t regret it! 

Go on a walking tour

Cusco has an incredibly rich history—it was once the capital of the Inca empire until the Spanish invaded in the early 16th century. Now, the city offers a unique mix of the impressive stonework and engineering techniques, like drainage canals, of the Incas, with the intricate colonial architecture of the Spanish. 

There’s SO much to see and learn about this city, so going on a walking tour with a local guide, like this option or this option, is a great way to get to know Cusco. We did this our first day in town and LOVED how much deeper we understood the city and its history, plus we got to try some yummy foods along the way, like uchuva (golden berries) or pan chuta (a wood-fired bread with anise). 

Wander through the San Blas neighborhood to one of the city’s lookouts

The San Blas neighborhood is SO cute with cobblestone streets, lined with colorful flowerpots and clay roof buildings. It also sits on a hillside, offering some of the best views of the city and the surrounding Andes Mountains. 

Mosey through the neighborhood on your way to Mirador de Sán Cristobal or, if you’re feeling up to walking a few hundred steep steps, to Cristo Blanco, an enormous statue of Jesus Christ on top of one of the highest hills in the city.  On your way back down, keep your eye out for signs for happy hour specials at the many bars that line the neighborhood’s streets—there’s no better way to watch the sunset than at one of the terraces, pisco sour in hand.

Grab dinner

One of my favorite parts of dining out in Cusco is that you can have some REALLY nice dining experiences at a fraction of the cost you would in the United States or Canada. Morena Peruvian Kitchen or KUSYKAY Peruvian Craft Food both offer incredible and modern takes on Peruvian cuisine (be sure to make a reservation!).

Where to stay in Cusco

During your stay in Cusco, I’d suggest staying in the Centro Historico district or the San Blas neighborhood, due to their central location and proximity to restaurants, bars, and shopping. 

Check out Casa Cavassa Centro Histórico Cusco, which is a cozy hotel, located in the heart of the historic center. It offers rooms with balconies (which is a rarity in Cusco!), comfy beds, and two friendly resident kitties. Alternatively, Palacio del Inka is a more luxurious option that’s designed to immerse its guests into the unique culture of the Andes mountains, from live music performed by Indigenous artists to pisco tastings and even the ability to snuggle with a llama.  

Day 3: Sacred Valley

Explore the Sacred Valley

There are dozens of Inca ruin sites that are spread throughout Sacred Valley, the region of land that spreads from Cusco to Machu Picchu and beyond that once served as the heart of the Inca empire. Beyond just being fascinating from a historical perspective, these sites are BEAUTIFUL—impressive structures of stonework, set in a lush green valley that are surrounded by towering glaciated mountains. 

There are a ton of tours from Cusco that will provide transportation to some of the best Sacred Valley sites, as well as a guide that’s knowledgeable about Inca history. 

For example, this small group tour heads to some of the most beautiful sites in the area, like Moray, with its iconic circular agricultural terraces; Maras, with thousands of salt ponds that are carved into a mountain slope; and the ruins of Ollantaytambo. It also includes a stop in the beautiful town of Chincherro to a local farm, where you get to help feed the guinea pigs and alpacas!

Alternatively, this tour stops at Moray, Ollantaytambo, and my FAVORITE Inca ruin site, Pisac. Pisac is an absolutely stunning place, with a twisty maze of buildings constructed high on a hillside, overlooking dozens of agricultural terraces and the surrounding Andes Mountains. 

If you’re not into going on tours, you can look into hiring a private driver. This is also a great option if there are certain ruins you want to hit that you can’t find a prearranged tour for. This is what we did, as we wanted to hit Tipon, an underrated gem that’s renowned for its impressive water irrigation systems. Our driver was recommended to us from another traveler on our walking tour, but you could also ask your hotel for a recommendation.

Regardless of how you get around, be sure to bring plenty of Peruvian soles to the Sacred Valley. Most tours do not include entrance fees to the various sites, which can cost around 100 Peruvian soles per person. And, while they usually include meals of some kind, you’ll almost certainly want to buy some snacks, like choclo con queso (boiled corn served with homemade Andean cheese), that are sold by the abundant food vendors outside each of the sites. 

Grab dinner

You’ll likely be out exploring the Sacred Valley all day and will return to Cusco in the early evening. 

Head back to your hotel to freshen up and then grab dinner out. One of our favorite options is Green Point, a restaurant that dishes up vegetarian versions of Peruvian cuisine and is housed in a courtyard that’s dripping with plants. We also loved the margherita pizza at El Pisonay or if you want a more local and authentic experience, head to Samaritano, which offers a set menu of a drink, soup, and entree for just 6 soles (i.e., less than $2 USD). 

Day 4: Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Today is the day that most visitors have been waiting for—Machu Picchu! 

If you can swing it, I’d HIGHLY recommend hiking a portion of the Inca Trail to reach it. Not only will you get to explore Inca ruins along the trail that few other travelers get to see, you’ll also be able to enter Machu Picchu through the Sungate, an entrypoint, high up on a mountain, that overlooks the rest of the site below and was once used by the ancient Incas as a control point as to who was permitted to enter this sacred city. 

We hiked the four day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but, since your time in Peru is limited, I’d suggest, instead, hiking the shorter two day version instead. 

On this route, you’ll be picked up from Cusco in the early morning and taken to a trailhead to join up with the classic Inca Trail. From here, you’ll hike around 12 km (about 7.5 miles) along the trail, passing ancient Inca sites along the way, like Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna (which is recognized as one of the best preserved Inca sites AND is home to several adorable llamas),. 

You’ll end your trek at the Sungate, with the ancient city of Machu Picchu sprawling at your feet, and then climb down to the iconic overlook, with the postcard-worthy view of the ruins below. In the evening, you’ll head to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes to spend the night and rest up for touring around Machu Picchu the following day. 

You’ll need to go with a tour operator to hike the Inca Trail, as you’re required to snag a VERY competitive permit and to have a certified guide with you. I’d recommend going with TreXperience, which is a locally owned company that has a reputation for treating its porters and guides well. This tour is all-inclusive, meaning all your transportation, meals, guides, accommodations in Aguas Calientes, and entrance to Machu Picchu is included.

Just be sure to book this WAY in advance (like, a year would be preferable), as Inca Trail permits are incredibly limited. We booked ours about 14 months in advance and our tour operator still wasn’t able to snag permits on the exact dates we requested. 

Don’t want to hike to Machu Picchu? 

If you’re not up to hiking 12 km along the Inca Trail, you can alternatively spend the day in Cusco (and head to Machu Picchu on a day trip tomorrow!). 

There are TONS of incredible things to do in Cusco, but here’s how I’d recommend spending a day there. 

• Grab coffee at Florencia y Fortunata Café, which is a women-owned cafe that focuses on supporting and empowering women coffee producers in Peru
• Visit one of the museums that you haven’t hit yet, like the Inka Museum, which has one of the most impressive collections of Inca artifacts; the ChcoMuseo, where you can get hands-on experience (and lots of fun tasting opportunities!) with chocolate production; or the Qorikancha, which is recognized as the most important temple in all the Inca civilization. 
• Head to the Mercado Central to do some souvenir shopping and grab some local, authentic lunch.
• Explore Saqsaywaman, an Inca fortress that was built high in the hilltops of Cusco to protect the city. It’s believed that Cusco was intentionally built in the shape of a puma by the Inca, with Saqsaywaman serving as its head. Alternatively, Templo de la Luna (Temple of the Moon) is a more off-the-beaten-path option that’s actually believed to predate the Incas, which you can walk to from the town center. 
• Join a Peruvian cooking class, where you’ll head to a market to pick up ingredients and then learn how to prepare three local dishes and two cocktails that you can enjoy as your dinner

Day 5: Machu Picchu

Explore Machu Picchu

Today is the day you get to explore Peru’s Wonder of the World! Considered to be one of the best preserved Inca ruin sites, with over 150 buildings, Machu Picchu is now the most visited site in South America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

If you’re visiting as part of the two day Inca Trail

As mentioned above, your tour operator will coordinate everything for you, from transportation from Aguas Calientes, your tickets into Machu Picchu, a guide, your breakfast, and transportation back to Cusco. 

If you’re doing a day tour to Machu Picchu

You’d think that getting to Machu Picchu was pretty straightforward, but it’s honestly a bit confusing. 

We wrote a whole article about how to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu, with all the nitty gritty details, but, in short, you’ll need to get a shuttle to the town of Ollantaytambo, then get a train to Aguas Calientes, and, finally, take a bus up to Machu Picchu. In total, it usually takes about five hours to take all the various forms of transportation to get from Cusco up to the entrance gates of Machu Picchu. 

You’ll also need to purchase timed entry tickets online for one of ten circuits in Machu Picchu, which are basically designated routes that cover different areas of the ancient city. 

You can absolutely do all of this on your own, but I’d strongly recommend visiting Machu Picchu with a guide. There are no informational signs in the ruins and, while they’re impressive to see in their own right, you’ll definitely have a deeper appreciation if you have a knowledgeable guide with you to provide context as to the various rock structures you’re looking at. 

I’d generally recommend joining a tour from Cusco, who will coordinate all of the transportation to and from Machu Picchu, your entry tickets, and your guide, like this private option or this small group option.

Alternatively, if you’re on a tighter budget or want to see a particular circuit in the ruins, you can book your own transportation and Machu Picchu tickets and simply meet a guide at the site itself, like this option or this option. 

If you purchase tickets for your transportation and entry to Machu Picchu on your own, I’d just encourage you to book online at least a few months in advance—tickets, especially for popular options, like trains in the early morning or Circuit 2 in Machu Picchu, sell out well in advance.  

Stay at in a glass capsule on an Andean cliffside

No matter how you get to Machu Picchu, you’ll need to transit through the town of Ollantaytambo on the way back towards Cusco. 

If you love quirky adventures and unique stays as much as we do, you’ll be happy to hear that Ollantaytambo is the only place in the WORLD where there are hotels that offer glass capsules, bolted to a cliffside, thousands of feet above the canyon floor below—namely, Sky Lodge, Star Lodge, and Vertical Sky Suites.

Beyond just the unique sleeping accommodations, you’ll also need to reach your glass capsule for the night with a via ferrata along the cliffside (i.e., a mix of hiking and rock climbing, where you clip into fixed cables). Definitely an epic way to cap off your visit to Machu Picchu! 

It’s the perfect mix of adventure and luxury—for example, Star Lodge has three wood-fired hot tubs, whereas Vertical Sky Suites have a private jacuzzi in every capsule! 

Justin and I chose to stay at Vertical Sky Suites and had an ABSOLUTE blast—we watched the sunset from the comfort of our own private jacuzzi, spent the night gazing at the thousands of twinkling stars above from our bed, and woke up by sipping coffee and watching the sunrise over the Veronica glacier. It was such a fun way to celebrate completing the Inca Trail!

If sleeping in glass capsules isn’t your thing, head all the way back to Cusco and grab dinner at one of the restaurants suggested above. 

Day 6: Explore Cusco and the surrounding area

If you spent the night at one of the glass capsule hotels

Enjoy your morning watching sunrise over the Sacred Valley and having a delicious breakfast at the hotel. 

Eventually, you’ll make your way back to Cusco, which will vary depending on where you stayed the night. Star Lodge and Sky Lodge offer free transport services to and from Cusco—so, yahtzee, no thinking on your part! Alternatively, Vertical Sky Suites offers a free transport service back to the main square of Ollantaytambo. 

If you haven’t explored the ruins of Ollantaytambo yet, they’re definitely worth visiting while you’re here, as well as hiking up to Pinkuylluna, granaries that were built by the ancient Incas high up into the mountain slopes. From here, make your way back to Cusco, either by grabbing a colectivo from the train station or with a pre-arranged transfer, like this option or this option. 

Once you’re back in Cusco, I’d suggest spending your afternoon doing one of the activities suggested for Day 4 and grabbing dinner at one of the restaurants suggested above that you haven’t hit yet.

If you spent the night in Cusco

This is your last day in this area, so I’d suggest heading out on any of the incredible day trips from Cusco. 

For example, if you’re up for hiking through the Andes Mountains, some of the most popular options are:

• Humantay Lake hike: A trail that follows along a portion of the popular Salkantay Trek, weaving through grassy meadows up to a turquoise lake that sits in the shadow of the Humantay Glacier
• Rainbow Mountain hike: The most Instagram-famous trail around Cusco, which leads to Vinicunca, a mountain with colorful striations
• 7 Lakes hike: A trail that follows along part of the iconic Ausangate Trek and, true to its name, passes 7 alpine lakes (plus LOTS of alpacas!)

If you aren’t up to trekking, head to one of the Sacred Valley sites you haven’t hit yet, like Tipon, Pisac, and Pikillacta. Additionally, the town of Chincherro is an awesome place to explore and soak up the culture of the Quechua people (i.e., the modern day descendants of the Inca), with an incredible market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; weaving demonstrations; and ruins at the Chinchero Archaeological Park.

After your day exploring the Andes Mountains or the Sacred Valley, grab dinner at one of the restaurants suggested above that you haven’t tried yet.

Day 7: Iquitos

Fly to Iquitos

Besides the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, visiting the Amazon is one of the most popular things to do in Peru. 

There are a couple of cities in Peru from which you can enter the Amazon. I’d personally recommend heading to Iquitos, which is both on the Amazon River and in the Amazon rainforest, as compared to the other major option, Puerto Maldonado, which is not actually on the river itself. Accordingly, Iquitos allows you to spot unique marine life that you cannot see in Puerto Maldonado, like the endangered pink river dolphins. Plus, it holds a pretty unique designation—Iquitos is the largest city in the world that’s only accessible via boat or plane. 

The only city that regularly has flights to Iquitos is Lima. Accordingly from Cusco, you’ll need to grab a flight to Iquitos that connects through Lima.

Get lunch at the Belén Market

One of the best things to do—and one of the best places to get lunch—in Iquitos is the Belén Market. There’s all kinds of unique fruits, vegetables, and other dishes that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world. 

Just be prepared to have a bit of culture shock, though—this is definitely a more local market, so you’ll likely encounter lots of sights, sounds, and smells (in addition to witnessing extreme poverty) that you may not generally be accustomed to. 

If you’re not in the mood for an assault on your senses, consider checking out a regular ol’ restaurant, like Siete Puertas Restaurante or Yakamuma, the latter of which is right on the Amazon.

Explore Iquitos

In the afternoon, I’d suggest moseying around Iquitos.

The city has some really beautiful colonial architecture and has some interesting cultural sites, like: 

• Indigenous Culture Museum, where you can learn more about the different Indigenous tribes of the Amazon
• Museo Amazónico (right next to the Indigenous Culture Museum), which has a small collection of statues and artwork about local Indigenous people. There aren’t really any informational signs here, so, if you want to learn more, there are unofficial guides at the entrance that you can hire to show you around (just be aware that you will most definitely be expected to tip!). 
• The Barco Museo, which preserves the first steamboat that was used on the Amazon and provides interesting information about the controversial rubber industry.
• The Galería de Arte Amazónico, which highlights local artists and artwork that promotes the conservation of the Amazon rainforest

Grab dinner

For a unique dinner experience, head to Al Frio y Al Fuego, which bills itself as the only floating restaurant in the Amazon (you literally have to take a boat there!). Beyond the incredible views of the river, they serve up a unique fusion of Peruvian and Italian cuisine that showcase local ingredients. 

Try to snag a reservation at sunset and head to the second floor—you’ll get to experience one of the best sunsets in the Amazon! 

Where to stay in Iquitos

Stay at Casa Moray, housed in a stunning colonial mansion that was once home to a rubber baron. There’s a nice pool to cool off in, a delicious complimentary breakfast, and spacious rooms (with air conditioning, which is not a guarantee around these parts!). 

Days 8-10: 3 day/2 day Amazon tour

Head to a lodge in the Amazon

To really experience the Amazon, get away from Iquitos and, instead, stay at one of the many lodges that are along the river and deep in the rainforest. These lodge tours, like this option, this option, or this option, are AWESOME (it’s how we explored the Amazon!)—they’re all-inclusive, so all of your transportation to and from Iquitos (by motorized canoe!), tours through the Amazon, and food/drink (excluding alcohol) are usually all included. 

During your stay at the lodge, you’ll go on multiple excursions. These can range from boat rides, where you’ll try to spot marine life, like manatees or giant river otters; jungle walks to see wildlife, like anacondas and any of the 19 species of monkeys that live here; or visits to Indigenous tribes, where you can meet the local people and learn about their culture and how they’ve lived and thrived in the Amazon rainforest for thousands and thousands of years. 

Just be aware that you’re heading deep in the Amazon rainforest, so most of the lodges really aren’t on the luxurious side—it’s highly unlikely you’ll have air conditioning and even amenities, like electricity and Wifi, are typically only offered a few hours a day. So be sure to have your out of office autoreply up and running, so you can fully immerse yourself in this incredible nd unique part of the planet. 

Fly home

On Day 10, head to the Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport and say your last goodbyes to this beautiful country. 

Alternatives to the Amazon during Days 7-10

If you’ve already been to the Amazon in another country or just aren’t interested in experiencing that side of Peru, here’s a couple alternatives you can consider for your last leg of the trip:

Arequipa and the Colca Canyon

In this option, you’ll head to our favorite city in all of Peru, Arequipa, which has a stunning historic center with white colonial buildings, plus get to hike into the second deepest canyon in the world! 

On the night of Day 6 in Cusco, you’ll need to catch an overnight bus to the beautiful city of Arequipa.

Day 7: Arequipa

Explore the colonial city of Arequipa, like moseying around its picturesque Plaza de Armes, taking in the artwork at the Convent of Santa Teresa, or touring the Sillar Route, which produces the white volcanic stone that’s used in the famed architectural construction in the city (you’ll seriously feel like you’re in Indiana Jones!).

In the evening, catch a bus to the nearby city of Cabanaconde, where you’ll be starting your trek into the Colca Canyon tomorrow. Stay at the Hotel Kuntur Wasi, where you’ll get a good night’s rest before your trek and a hearty breakfast to fuel your hike. 

Day 8-10: Hike the Colca Canyon Trek

Complete the three day Colca Canyon Trek, where you’ll descend into the second deepest canyon in the world, hike through tiny Quechua villages, and spot Andean condors (the largest bird of prey on the planet!) soar overhead. 

We wrote a whole guide with everything you need to know about hiking the Colca Canyon Trek. It’s pretty straightforward to plan the hike yourself, but, if you don’t want to worry about handling the logistics, there’s several tours that you can take from Arequipa that will do all the heavy lifting for you, like this two day option or this three day option.

On Day 10, you’ll return to Arequipa and fly home. 

Paracas and Huacachina 

Alternatively, if you want to see a totally different side of Peru, consider this alternative for your last leg of your trip. You’ll head to the coastal city of Paracas, which is famous for being home to the Ballestas Islands, otherwise known as “Poor Man’s Galapagos”, and Huacachina, an oasis town that’s renowned for its enormous sand dunes. 

Day 7: Travel from Cusco to Paracas

This will mostly be a travel day, as you fly from Cusco to Lima and then grab a four hour bus from Lima to Paracas. 

I’d suggest staying at a hotel along the beach, like Hotel Paracas, so you can get some much needed relaxation time after a jam-packed week. There are also four restaurants onsite, so, after a long day of traveling around, you don’t even have to leave the property. 

Day 8: Paracas

Spend the morning taking a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, like this option, where you can spot Humboldt penguins, sea lions, fur seals, blue-footed boobies, and countless other species of wildlife. 

In the afternoon, head to the Paracas National Reserve, which protects a unique landscape of red sand beaches, rugged desert scenery, and the turquoise waters of the Pacific. To get around the reserve, you can either rent scooters or bicycles (Hotel Paracas actually offers complimentary bikes or you can rent them in town).

Day 9: Huacachina

Grab a one and a half hour bus from Paracas to Huacachina. This desert town is absolutely wild looking, with HUGE sand dunes (up to 1,600 feet tall!) that surrounds a small emerald green oasis and the teeny town that’s built around it. 

Most of the activities in Huacachina revolve around the sand dunes, like dune bashing and sandboarding. Whatever you do, just be sure that you can enjoy the sunset from the top of one of the dunes—watching the sun sink below the layers and layers of sand dunes is absolutely unreal! 

A lot of the accommodations around here have a young backpacker vibe, so, if you’re looking for something more chill, I’d recommend booking a stay at the Senoma Hotel, which has a fantastic pool (with CRAZY views of the surrounding sand dunes) and a lovely terrace where you can enjoy the beautiful night sky here. 

Day 10: Head back to Lima and fly home

Grab a morning bus from Huacachina to Lima, which takes about four hours and then fly on home. 

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I hoped this 10 day Peru itinerary helped you plan out your travels to this incredible country a bit better! Do you have any questions about exploring Peru (we lived here for two months—we picked up LOTS of tips and tricks about visiting!)? Let us know in the comments below!