Peru in 10 Days: Cusco to Machu Picchu

Peru rewards a deeper trip than the typical Machu Picchu day visit. The country has some of the most distinctive food in Latin America, the Inca legacy that still defines the Andean highlands, and three dramatically different ecosystems within a 10-day trip. The order of operations matters — particularly the altitude — and getting it wrong is what produces miserable trips. Here's the route that works.

Days 1–2: Lima. Two days, deliberately at sea level before going to altitude. Peru's capital has emerged as one of South America's culinary destinations — Central, Maido, and Astrid y Gastón are world-ranked restaurants worth booking 2–3 months ahead. Below the elite tier, the cevicherías in Miraflores and Barranco are among the best seafood experiences in the Americas. Visit the Larco Museum (one of the best private archaeological collections in Latin America), walk the cliff-top Malecón, and stay in Miraflores or Barranco for character. Acclimatize lightly here before the altitude.

Day 3: Travel to Cusco. Fly Lima to Cusco (1.5 hours). Cusco sits at 11,150 feet (3,400 meters) and the altitude hits hard if you didn't acclimatize. Plan a slow first day — minimal walking, lots of water, coca tea (provided at every hotel; it helps with mild altitude symptoms), and an early dinner. Skip alcohol the first night. Anti-altitude medication (Diamox) is worth discussing with a travel medicine doctor before the trip.

Days 4–5: Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Day 4 is Cusco itself — the cathedral, the Qorikancha (the Inca sun temple, with Spanish colonial church built directly on top — a literal architectural metaphor for the conquest), the San Pedro Market, and a tour of the surrounding Inca ruins (Sacsayhuamán is the most accessible and most impressive). Day 5: a full day in the Sacred Valley with stops at Pisac (ruins and market), Ollantaytambo (the only Inca town still inhabited continuously since pre-Columbian times, with its ruins overlooking the village), and the salt pans of Maras and the circular agricultural terraces of Moray.

Day 6: Travel to Machu Picchu. Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (1.5 hours, the standard PeruRail or Inca Rail service). Stay overnight in Aguas Calientes — the village is touristy but staying there means you can hit Machu Picchu at dawn before the day-trippers from Cusco arrive. The early morning light is the best photography light, and the site is meaningfully less crowded.

Day 7: Machu Picchu. Take the first bus (5:30 a.m. from Aguas Calientes) to be at the gate when it opens. Tickets are now timed-entry only and sell out months in advance — book before booking flights. The standard ticket gives you access to the main Machu Picchu site; Huayna Picchu (the steep peak in the iconic photo background) is a separate add-on with its own timed-entry ticket and is genuinely demanding. Spend 4–6 hours at the site, then take afternoon train back to Cusco or stay one more night in Aguas Calientes.

Days 8–9: Lake Titicaca or the Amazon. Two options for the back half of the trip. Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world, on the Bolivian border) — fly Cusco to Juliaca and drive to Puno, then visit the Uros floating islands and Taquile Island. Or the Amazon — fly Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (1 hour) for a 2-night jungle lodge stay. The Amazon is the more adventurous option; Lake Titicaca is more cultural. Both work well as the trip's back half. Skip both only if you'd rather extend your time in the Sacred Valley, which is also defensible.

Day 10: Return to Lima. Fly back to Lima for the international departure. If your flight is in the evening, one more lunch at a Lima cevichería; if morning, the airport.

Practical notes: altitude is the most underrated trip-ruiner in Peru. Spend the first 2 days at sea level in Lima before flying to Cusco; the second-day altitude jump is what gets people. Drink water aggressively at altitude, skip alcohol the first 24 hours, and accept that the first day in Cusco will be slow. Tipping: 10% at restaurants if not auto-added; $10–20 per person per day for guides on full-day excursions. Cash is common in rural areas; ATMs in Cusco and Lima dispense soles and US dollars. The dry season (May–October) is the prime trekking and Machu Picchu window; January–March is the rainy season with frequent afternoon storms. Book Machu Picchu tickets and hotel in Aguas Calientes 3–6 months ahead in peak season.