win a trip to peru

Win a $5K Guided Trip for 2 in Peru

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About the Contest:

We've teamed up with Osprey , Huckberry , InsideHook , and Flashpacker Connect  to give 1 winner and a +1 an unforgettable guided adventure in Peru! 

On this 9 day trip, you'll explore the Cordillera Huayhuash, which is arguably one of the best alpine treks on the Planet. The vast landscapes, jagged peaks, turquoise lakes, and cascading river are what make this region so incredible!

Giveaway ends Sunday, September 22nd at 11:59pm PDT. Don't miss out!

Prize Includes:

Guided trip for two on Flashpacker Connect's  9-day Huayhuash Circuit Trek  ($3,100 value).* 

*Airfare to and from the start of this Peru adventure is not included in the giveaway.

$1,000+ of backpacking and travel gear from Osprey

(2)  Manta 34 (men's) or Mira 32 (women's) hiking packs

(2) Transporter Wheeled Duffle ( 90L or 120L )

(2)  Ultralight Packing Cube Set and Ultralight Zip Sack Set

Adventure travel necessities from Huckberry ($1,000 USD gift card)

$500 USD travel money from InsideHook

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Win a 12-Day Tour of Peru for 2

Tim Winship

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Enter the LATAM Airlines “Textures of Time” sweepstakes by November 4, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a 12-day trip for two to Peru, including air, tour package, accommodations, some meals, travel apparel, and a $500 gift card.

To enter, provide the requested contact information (name, email, etc.) on the sweepstakes landing page and press “Submit.” Done! Time required to participate: less than 30 seconds.

NOTE: As is often the case with online sweepstakes, by entering you are agreeing to receive email marketing messages from the sponsors. You can easily opt out at any time.

The Fine Print

• Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the United States, including the District of Columbia but excluding Alaska and Hawaii, who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry.
• Limit: one entry per person.
• Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the grand prize: $13,178.

Somebody has to win this trip, right? Might as well be you.

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Passport to Peru

A celebration of san francisco’s peruvian restaurants.

Passport to Peru: A Celebration of San Francisco’s Peruvian Restaurants is a 10-day program that spotlights the rich culinary and cultural heritage of Peru while showcasing the vibrant Peruvian restaurant scene in San Francisco. This program will run from Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 28, which marks Peru’s Independence Day.

To enter to win a trip for 2 to Lima, Peru: 

- From July 19-28, visit these participating restaurants: La Mar, Chotto Matte, Bocado, Mariposas, Lomo Libre, and Puerto 27. Enjoy a designated menu item at each location to receive a stamp on your custom passport. Passports may be picked up at the first restaurant you visit. Make sure to bring the same passport with you to every restaurant! 

- Collect stamps from all six restaurants and submit your completed passport at La Mar on July 28 during our Peruvian Independence Day event. ⁠(Must visit a minimum of 3 participating restaurants to enter in drawing)⁠⁠

*The grand prize includes a trip to Lima, Peru for 2, with round-trip tickets, a four-night hotel stay, and a 10-course dinner at Astrid y Gaston. Winner will be announced and contacted directly on July 29⁠.

Don't miss out on this exciting chance to win big and celebrate the rich heritage of Peru! ⁠#PassportToPeru 

RESERVE BELOW :

La Mar Lomo Libre

Chotto Matte Mariposas Puerto 27

Michael W Travels…

Keeping you informed about most things travel, win a 12 day trip to peru.

Kim and I visited Peru around 8 years back and it’s probably one of our favorite countries in South America.

There is currently an opportunity to win a trip for two to Peru from LATAM Airlines !

One winner will win the prize which includes airfare, a 12 day G Adventures trip, $1,000 in ExOfficio gear and more.

The Prize:  A Trip for 2 to Peru

Prize Includes :

• Two tickets to Peru in economy class on LATAM Airlines
• 12- day”Amazon to Andes” Trip with G Adventures. Trip includes lodging and some meals
• Ex Officio apparel worth $1,000
• $500 worth of gear from The Clymb
• $500 gift card from Smarter Travel
• Winner and guest will receive a pair of Bendetti sunglasses from Adventure.Travel
• Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and DC
• Must legal age of majority in their state and/or district of residence (and at least 18 years old as of the date of entry)
• Trip must be booked before January 31, 2017 and must depart before July 31, 2017.

Enter by November 4, 2016 at 11:59 pm EST.

Have you visited Peru? It’s been a while since I last visited and I’d definitely love to go again to see more of this amazing country.

Find out more and enter for your chance to win a trip for 2 to Peru here .

7 thoughts on “ Win A 12 Day Trip to Peru! ”

I got in, Thanks! Good luck all!

D. Wins- I tested the link and it worked for me. Not sure what else to tell ya.

Link is not fixed. I tried multiple times.

MSer- I don’t know about you, but we have a hard time picking favorites. However, we did love Peru.

cliffordbarnabus & sherry trujillo boyer- Link is fixed. Sorry for the error!

The link sends the user to another blog not to the contest entry form. Can you provide the link?

the “here” link doesn’t work.

Peru is probably one of your favorite countries in SA? Faint praise indeed. Don’t oversell it…

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How I won a free trip to Peru

It was one of those emails that ignites an immediate sense of excitement.

Subject: Some news from G Adventures “Hi Ashlea, Thanks for stopping by our stand at the weekend at the Adventure Travel Expo! We have some good news for you – are you able to let me know your telephone number so I can give you a call?”

My stomach seemingly filled with fireworks as I thought about what this phone call could possibly be about. I tried not to get too excited as I replied with my mobile number and stared at my phone in anticipation.

The next morning, it finally came though.

“Ashlea, G Adventures here. You’re the winner of a 7-day Inca Trail tour in Peru!”

Holy shamole, I jumped up from my desk and started dancing around my Sydney apartment. I could hardly believe I’d won something. I’d actually won something !

I immediately called my husband and we started excitedly planning how to fit Peru into our half-planned honeymoon to Central America. And now, 8 months later, I’ve redeemed my prize and gained one incredible life experience.

Was it just pure luck, you ask?

Whenever we enter a competition, there’s usually a less-than-minuscule chance of winning, but in this circumstance I’d actually used a few tricks to twist the odds in my favour. Here’s how I did it, and how you can increase your chances of winning travel too!

Choose your competitions wisely.

First up, we need to realise that there are some competitions that you’re more likely to win than others.

For example, a competition that comes up in your Facebook feed for a $20k travel voucher that only requires you to type in your name and email is super easy to enter, meaning everyone who sees it is going to type in their details. Your chances are slim at best.

But a competition that requires a little effort or skill such as entering a killer photo of you next to some mountain scenery, or writing a few lines on why you are obviously the best choice for a winner? These kinds of competitions will eliminate a bunch of lazy people entering.

Even with slightly less entries, these competitions that circulate the internet are still entered by thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of people, so in order to increase my chances I cleverly took it one step further.

Attend travel expos.

There are competitions offered by travel companies that aren’t circulated on the internet. As an ex travel agent, I was aware that at travel expos some companies will offer a prize as an incentive to sign up to their mailing list.

As travel expos only last a few days (usually a weekend), only a few thousand people attend, and not all of them enter their details for the competitions, my chances were more like one in a few hundred.

With this in mind, I discovered when the travel expos would be via social media. In Australia the major travel agencies often hold expos, so by following STA Travel and Flight Centre I found out when and where the travel expos would be held.

I attended the STA travel expo in Sydney, which was held over two days. At the expo, I expertly made the rounds and signed up to every competition offered by the attending travel companies. From memory, there were about 4 in total. I also got Robert to enter all the competitions to double our chances.

It was only a few days later that I found out the awesome news and hence started planning our trip to Peru!

Travel expos are held all over the world. Some of the bigger ones are:

• World Travel Market in London
• New York Times Travel Show in NYC
• Travel Adventure Show in various US cities
• Flight Centre Travel Expo in various Australian cities

There are tons of smaller shows that might be closer to where you live – to find them, do a Google search for ‘Travel Show in (your nearest city)’ and see what comes up.

A few things to be aware of:

Many of the prizes offered are only for one passenger

This means if you’re travelling with someone, they might have to pay their own way. We paid full price for Robert’s spot on the tour, so it was actually like getting both of our tours half price.

Sometimes the prizes have set dates

Mine was restricted to depart before 30th June 2015, and we only just made it in with our departure on 27th June. It was lucky that we hadn’t booked anything for the second half of our trip, otherwise we might not have been able to take the prize.

You might be able to exchange the prize

If you can’t take the prize, you may be able to exchange it for another product of equal value, but not always. If you’re not interested in the destination or can’t make the dates, it’s probably not worth entering the competition. If you win it and don’t take the prize, the company probably won’t offer it to someone else. You’d just be stopping someone being able to accept the prize!

Related posts

10 reasons why Bolivia should be next on your list

Interesting stats from my 6 weeks in Latin America

How hard is the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu? FAQs for travellers

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10 comments

Ted’s Dad is obsessed with entering contests. He stalks the rules (like how many times you can enter) and knows all the in’s and outs. He’s won a huge flat screen TV, tickets to big sports games and such, pretty cool! Good tip on applying at travel expos where there’s way less people! 🙂

It really is an art form! I’m not really one for obsessing over contests, but I’ve heard of people going all for it and knowing all the intricate details of competitions and the best ways to win them!

Congratulations! Must have been such an exciting phone call to receive! I’m forever entering travel competitions / contests etc, but so far no luck. But surely the odds are I’ll have to win something one day, right…?

Massively looking forward to hearing more about your Peru trip, though. It’s up there on my list, so looking for some expert advice on visiting. And photos are always lovely to dream away in front of, too 🙂

Thanks Katie! It was very exciting, and a great prize. Keep on trying, I’m sure something will come about for you one day. Gotta be in it to win it!

I’ve got a few more posts on Peru coming up. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see as much of the country as I would like, but it’s a great excuse to come back someday!

Ah congrats! One time when I was 7 I won tickets to an amusement park on the lid of a yoghurt. I remember that definitely being one of the best days of my life! But your prize tops it all, and I’m so happy for you that you got an amazing adventure out of it 😀

ExploresMore.com

That’s a super cool prize for a 7-year-old! The competitions on food packaging seem to be fairly good chances for winning – one of the people on my Inca Trail trek said she once won a trip for 4 to Mexico by entering a competition on an M&Ms packet!

What an amazing experience, congrats! Your photos are breath taking, sounds like an incredible adventure 🙂

http://www.mintnotion.com

Thanks Eden! It was a fantastic adventure, I’d definitely recommend the trek to anyone thinking of heading to Machu Picchu!

Awesome! That is a very cool prize to win. Looking forward to see more photos and video of your trek!

I won a trip to Fiji a few years ago through a photography competition with a radio station here in NZ. The trip was a bit of a fail, it was for a beach party trip and they kept changing the dates – it eventually ended up being on dates we couldn’t go. They still honoured the flights and accommodation (a crappy backpackers in Nadi) so we paid out of our own pockets to get different accommodation, but it was a rather average experience. Still, it was a cheap trip to Fiji so we can’t complain too much! http://www.theglobalcouple.com/fiji-budget-hit-miss/

Wow, great prize (except for the muck around with dates, of course) but sounds like you guys had a similar experience in Fiji to ours – expensive, crappy food, not a lot of culture, and average beaches. I wouldn’t go back 😛

The Ultimate Peru Itinerary: From One Week to One Month of Travel

By Author Arakita Rimbayana

Posted on Last updated: 6th October 2023

Home to an abundance of cultural and archaeological sites, many of which are surrounded by breathtaking nature, Peru is guaranteed to exceed your expectations. And then there’s the local cuisine: many agree Peru’s culinary scene is one of the best in the world.

Whether you’ve got a week or two weeks in Peru (or perhaps even more), there’s plenty of time to explore the country’s famed archeological sites, hit the beach, or head into the jungle, all the while treating yourself to the country’s unique offering of traditional coastal and Andean dishes.

Machu Picchu is on everyone’s list when it comes to a vacation in Peru, and it’s to understand why. In fact, all of our four Peru travel itineraries include a visit to what is by far the country’s premier tourist attraction. But there’s plenty more to add to your Peru vacation itinerary.

Often forgotten, northern Peru also offers big adventure, from surfing to archeological sites that are significantly older – and perhaps more impressive – than better-known Machu Picchu.

Luckily, these different Peru itineraries can help you explore the country’s most acclaimed destinations and get you off the beaten trail.

Click to navigate this article:

What should you consider before planning your itinerary?

• Altitude sickness is no joke in Peru , especially if you plan to hike or trek. Our itinerary focuses on helping you adjust to the altitude slowly while exploring the best of Peru. Generally, your body needs two weeks to get used to it completely. However, a couple of days of adjustment is better than nothing. Drinking plenty of water and having enough sleep usually help with altitude sickness. You can also consume coca leaf tea and apply herbal oil made for this type of sickness; both are available in most local markets in Peru. Alternatively, consult your doctor before departing your home country as they can prescribe you medication, such as acetazolamide, to ease symptoms of altitude sickness. It’s worth noting that eating spicy, sour, and greasy seafood combined with alcohol can exacerbate the symptoms of altitude sickness. Drinking a cup of coca or muña tea in the morning and after a big meal is one of the known remedies for stomach discomfort.
• Instead of doing both the Colca Canyon hike and the Inca Trail, it’s best to choose only one, no matter how long your itinerary is. There are so many cool things to do in Peru other than just trekking, and it would be a loss to miss them while you’re here. Besides, both trails are strenuous – especially considering the altitude – and you may end up spending the rest of your vacation recovering – rather than enjoying Peru.
• Different regions in Peru usually have different weather conditions. For example, Arequipa is a high-altitude desert where the sun is quite intense, yet Lima and its shores have their own microclimate where winter days are mostly cloudy, but it almost never rains. With that in mind, before you finalize your itinerary, it’s worth reading our article on the best time to go to Peru to learn when’s the best time of the year to travel there.
• Peru is an affordable destination. Dining at a fancy restaurant generally costs less than $50 USD for two, even in the capital city, Lima, while you can expect to spend around $70 USD per night for a decent mid-range hotel, or around $15 USD per night for a bed in a dorm room. Transportation is also very affordable: flights between Lima and Cusco can cost as little as $100 USD one-way, while a bus covering this route can cost as little as $45 USD. As a result, you can cover a lot of distance during even a shorter trip. Read out complete guide to how much it costs to travel in Peru for more information.
• There are only a few direct domestic flights within Peru that don’t travel through Lima . Most flights have at least one stop in the capital city. There are plentiful bus routes throughout the country, although many routes wind through the mountains and it’s wise to always pay for a more expensive bus company, as cheaper operators can be dangerous; we recommend using companies such as Cruz del Sur , Oltursa , TEPSA , Movil and Civa for their higher safety credentials. Bus Bud is a great site for finding bus tickets before you travel, but they are often cheaper bought at the bus station directly. If you have significant issues with motion sickness, do bring medication.
• Public transport in Peru is accessible and affordable. Bus routes pass each city’s popular places, while taxis are cheap, too. A one-kilometer trip usually costs around S/4 ($1 USD) or less. Note that most taxis are unmetered, so it’s best to agree upon the fare before you get into one.
• Packing for your trip to Peru depends a lot on what you plan on doing. To visit Machu Picchu, pack light and comfortable clothing, alongside a waterproof jacket as there’s a high chance of rain. Medication to help you deal with altitude sickness (and motion sickness if you plan on taking long bus rides) is always helpful. Sunblock is very important, particularly in high-altitude destinations such as Cusco where the sun is more powerful. Packing a wide-brim hat is also useful. Check out our complete South America packing list for more details.

Planning Your Trip to Peru?

Save time, stress & money with a customized travel itinerary planned for you by a Peru expert

One week in Peru

Overview of this one-week Peru itinerary:

• Days one and two: Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Days three and four: Machu Picchu

Day five: cusco, days six and seven: lima.

One week in Peru is enough to explore Machu Picchu and the former capital of the Inca, the historic city of Cusco before heading back to Lima for a final few days on the coast.

Day one: Cusco

Instead of Lima, make Cusco your first stop in Peru. Landing here only requires a further one-and-a-half-hour flight from the capital – and which is definitely the best way to get from Lima to Cusco. And it’s worth the chance to dive into the cultural highlights right away. Cusco also offers some of the best tour companies for Machu Picchu.

Spend your first day in Cusco taking things nice and easy; at 3,400 meters (around 11,000 feet) above sea level, this city can leave you feeling breathless. Adjust to the altitude and the low oxygen levels by exploring the old town – the focal point of this city – on foot.

Head to the Museo Inka (Inca Museum) to explore over 10,000 Inca artifacts including mummies and gold figurines, as well as the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Museum of Precolombian Art) to admire gold and silver ornaments, some of which date as far back as 1250 BC.

End your walking tour with a visit to the cathedral , where you can find painter Marcos Zapata’s famous rendition of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, just this time featuring a guinea pig as part of the feast.

If you’re still feeling good, take the 15-minute walk uphill to the Sacsayhuaman site , a walled complex that served as both a temple and fortress for the Inca and has fantastic views of the city. An easier alternative is a taxi ride from the city; expect to pay around S/10-25 ($2.5-6.3 USD), although the exact fare depends on which road is accessible on that day.

Where to stay in Cusco: Promising affordable comfort in a charming setting,  El Mercado  ($210 USD double) is a perfect getaway in the city center. The 32 bedrooms are decorated with modern furnishings and artwork, adding a modern twist to a historic  casona . 

Where to stay in Cusco on a budget: Few places offer the degree of comfort and affordability as  MOAF Boutique Hotel  ($80 USD). The rooms are bright thanks to plenty of natural light and have modern furnishings and pleasant neutral decoration. This helps to enhance the rooftop views available in some bedrooms, as well as in various communal areas.

Day two: The Sacred Valley

On your second day, it is time to explore the different attractions of the Sacred Valley , where the Urubamba River brings life to otherwise barren land. Take a colectivo (a public van), bus, or taxi from Cusco to the Sacred Valley and the town of Pisac . The former is the cheapest and easiest option; you’ll find they leave every ten minutes or so from Puputi Street, and cost between S/4-10 ($1-2.5 USD).

Pisac is a peaceful little town where you can hike (or take a taxi) to a magnificent Inca fortress that sits in the hills above. The views of the Sacred Valley from the site are mesmerizing. Located only an hour away from Cusco and also home to a busy daily market (although it’s best visited on a Sunday), Pisac is one of the best day trips from Cusco.

Other great options in the Sacred Valley are Moray , a series of concentric circular stone terraces that were used for testing out growing crops in different conditions, as well as the Salinas de Maras (Maras salt pans), where local people have panned for salt for hundreds of years. You can take local transportation to get to them, or book this tour that’ll take you to each.

From Pisac in the Sacred Valley, you can return to Cusco or continue downriver to Ollantaytambo , another picturesque town home to further archeological sites, as well as horseback riding, rafting and hiking tours. The train to Machu Picchu is available from both.

Where to stay in Ollantaytambo: Right next to the train station, but home to a lush garden and suntrap terrace, El Albergue ($142 USD double) is a tranquil place to while away the evening. They also have a fantastic on-site restaurant that cooks up ingredients from the hotel’s organic vegetable garden.

Where to stay in Ollantaytambo on a budget: Rustic but clean bedrooms are the norm at the affordable Picaflor Tambo Guest House ($42 USD double) run by owners who will ensure you have the most comfortable stay possible.

Head northeast along the train to reach Aguas Calientes , a small town at the base of Machu Picchu and which is filled with bars, restaurants, and markets. The train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes takes four to five hours, while the one from Ollantaytambo only takes one and a half hours.

If you choose the latter option, you can spend your morning visiting Ollantaytambo’s archaeological sites before departing and the afternoon in Aguas Calientes relaxing in your hotel, soaking in the thermal baths that give the town its name, or even checking out the local butterfly sanctuary .

The next day, get up bright and early to board the earliest bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu – at 5:30 am. By doing this, you can expect to be one of the first to arrive at the site. What a treat: there’s nothing like enjoying your first view of the ruins accompanied by little else than the sound of birdsong.

For the best weather – and for a clear, unobstructed view of the site’s magnificent stonework – read our guide to the best time to visit Machu Picchu and Peru in general.

Feeling adventurous? Eschew the bus and instead hike from Aguas Calientes up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

However, depending on your fitness level, the hike can take between one and two hours – so start early if you want to see the site at its quietest.

Be aware when planning your trip to Machu Picchu that you must book tickets well in advance as there is a limit on the number of people who can enter the site per day. Your ticket gives you four hours within the grounds, and it generally takes around two hours to explore Machu Picchu.

Note that it’s now mandatory to visit with a guide, which you can hire at the entrance to the site, although you’ll have more control over the language they speak if you book with a tourism agency in Cusco.

It’s another couple of hours to your visit if you plan to hike up Huayna Picchu, too (just note you’ll need to buy a ticket with permission to visit Huayna Picchu in order to do this). This hike is strenuous, but the views across the entire site are a highlight of any trip to Machu Picchu.

It can be pricey visiting Machu Picchu, so make sure to read about how much it costs to visit the Inca citadel before planning your trip.

Return to Cusco in the evening by train.

Spend one last day exploring historic sites, as well as enjoying the city’s culinary traditions. Explore the imposing buildings of the formerly impressive Inca temple of Q’orikancha, join tourists and locals alike for locally-brewed beer in Cholos, head to the ChocoMuseo for a workshop on chocolate-making and spend an evening sampling heady pisco cocktails and listening to lively local music at the Museo del Pisco .

Wrap up your Cusco itinerary by visiting the Mercado San Pedro (San Pedro market), where you’ll find sweaters, bags, and knick-knacks made from Alpaca wool. While these are also available in other markets around the city, you’ll find them for the best prices in San Pedro.

Head back via plane to the capital city, Lima . Two days in Lima is just the right amount of time in order to get a glimpse of life in this dynamic city. Head to the trendy Barranco neighborhood , home to uber-chic cafes and chic bars in restored mansions, with all of this just a few steps away from the beach.

For an insight into the grittier side of Lima, head by taxi to the Callao neighborhood where Lima’s former shipping district and one of its most dangerous places has been transformed through street art and shops selling local arts and crafts – just don’t stray far aware from local hub Callao Monumental as the area remains dangerous for visitors.

Don’t miss the city’s renowned dining scene. For haute cuisine, head to Barranco and the world-famous Central , or dine on Nikkei (a Peruvian take on sushi) at Maido in Miraflores.

Any visitor to the city can’t miss the quintessential Peruvian dish: ceviche , so head to La Mar or Punta Azul in Miraflores to sample your newest favorite dish – washed down with a crisp glass of white or a pisco sour. After all, Peru is the best country in South America for affordable yet outstanding dining .

Spend your last days here museum-hopping (the Museo Larco is one not to miss), exploring the old town around the Plaza Mayor , or up the ante by testing the waves of the Pacific Ocean on a surfboard.

Where to stay in Lima: The Barranco neighborhood is known as a place of poets, artists and creatives, so there’s nowhere better to stay than in Second Home ($135 USD double), a grand, eight-room guesthouse in the former home of Peruvian sculptor Victor Delfin, who you might even spot pottering around the house if you’re lucky.

Where to stay in Lima on a budget: One of our favorite places to stay when we’re in Lima, the Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast ($40 USD double) is run by a Peruvian-British couple and offers a handful of doubles with private bathrooms in a pleasant residential area in Miraflores. The terrace out the back where breakfast is served is a gorgeous place to while away the day.

Where to stay in Lima on a budget: Located in Miraflores and offering a youthful, friendly guide Selina Lima ($53 USD double) is our budget pick. (read our comprehensive Selina Lima review ) . Even though it’s a hostel, comfortable and stylishly presented private rooms with private bathrooms are available.

Got more time to spend in Cusco? Read our Cusco itineraries article for trips from three to ten days in length.

10 days in Peru

Overview of this 10-day Peru trip planner:

• Days one through three: Cusco and the Sacred Valley
• Days four through seven: The Inca Trail

Day eight: Machu Picchu

Days nine and ten: lima.

10 days in Peru is the perfect length of a trip that allows you to add the Inca Trail to your Machu Picchu trip. Follow the itinerary above but, instead of taking the train straight to Aguas Calientes on day three of the itinerary above, take a hiking tour of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu .

Days four through seven: Inca Trail

The trails built by the Inca throughout the Andes were used to connect what was once a vast empire to its territories across Peru and into neighboring Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile.

Known as the Qhapaq Ñan (Royal Road), many of these paths remain today and can be explored on foot – much the same way as they would have been used by the Inca royalty and pilgrims.

Hiking to Machu Picchu on the 40-kilometer (25-mile) Inca Trail generally takes four days and joining a guided tour is required. If you see three-day Machu Picchu tour operators, it is likely only for the fittest travelers, or the tour only includes part of the trail.

We recommend reading our extensive guide on what you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail before signing up for any tour and reading our comparison of the Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek (another popular trek to Machu Picchu) to understand our options.

This hike is strenuous and can be dangerous in some parts. Even for experienced hikers, it’s challenging, so listen to your body, take your time, and pause if you need to.

The good news is you don’t need to pack food or a tent as those will be provided by the tour company. Some companies even offer a porter service, so you don’t need to carry anything during the entire hike!

The Inca Trail leads directly to Machu Picchu through what is known as the Sun Gate – named as such because the sun’s rays pass through here on the summer solstice. The view from here is also legendary and a privilege only to those who reach the site from the Inca Trail.

Once you’ve explored this magnificent stone fortress, descend to Aguas Calientes via the path or take one of the public buses from the gate of Machu Picchu.

Depending on what time you get to town and your train schedule, you can either spend the night in Aguas Calientes or go directly to Cusco, where you’ll find flights to Lima.

As per the previous itinerary, spend the last two out of your ten days in Peru tasting local dishes, visiting museums, or simply relaxing on the beaches of Lima.

Two weeks in Peru

Overview of this two-week Peru vacation itinerary:

Days one and two: Lima

Day three: pisco and ballestas islands, day four: nazca, days five to eight: arequipa and the colca canyon, days nine and ten: cusco and the sacred valley.

• Days eleven and twelve: Machu Picchu
• Day thirteen: Cusco
• Day fourteen: Lima

With two weeks in Peru, you can explore four main destinations – Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, and Machu Picchu – and famous attractions near to these main draws.

Instead of going straight from Lima to Machu Picchu, spend two days exploring Lima as you would on the last days of the previous itineraries, and then take a day trip from Lima to the Ballestas Islands and Nazca.

Take the bus four hours south to Pisco , one of the most popular towns within striking distance of the city because of – well, you can guess from its name – Pisco, the famous Peruvian spirit. In this town, tourists can visit vineyards and sample their products.

However, if you’re short on time, head directly for Paracas , one of the most popular destinations to visit in Peru . This is where the boat trip to Ballestas Islands, aka the Peruvian Galapagos, starts.

While they’re certainly not as impressive as their Ecuadorian namesake, the Ballestas Islands are still full of a rabble of wildlife, that can include everything from Humboldt penguins to sea lions and pelicans.

Since the entire archipelago is a national reserve, you’re not allowed to swim or disembark on any of the islands, but your two-hour boat tour will give you front-row seats to the raucous melee of sea life that lives upon them.

Book with a local tour company on the day or in advance here .

Stay overnight in Paracas, ready for an early bus the next morning.

Where to stay in Paracas: Located just meters from the beach, the chic Casa Paracas ($108 USD double) will make you wish you had more time to hang here and soak up the sunshine. All rooms have their own private balconies, as well as much-appreciated air conditioning.

Where to stay in Paracas on a budget: Basic but budget-friendly, Atenas Backpacker Hospedaje ($18 USD double) is an extremely cozy home-away-from-home, with plenty of communal spaces and an extremely welcoming atmosphere.

Your next stop is Nazca , a four-hour bus journey from Paracas. This is where you’ll find the massive geoglyphs, the Nazca Lines , whose origins – and purpose – remain one of the greatest mysteries in the world.

For the best views of these remarkable lines, which are in the form of hummingbirds, spiders and bold geometric patterns, take a flight over the desert from the airport in Nazca.

There’s not much to do in Nazca besides wandering around the Plaza de Armas, so get an early night ready for tomorrow.

Where to stay in Nazca: It’s no looker, but Nasca Travel One Hostel ($22 USD) has everything you need for a comfortable one-night stay and is extremely clean and comfortable, particularly as it’s a little away from the town center meaning you’re guaranteed a peaceful night’s sleep.

A six-hour bus journey from Nazca brings you to the White City, Arequipa . Situated in the volcano-studded highlands of southern Peru at 2,335 meters above sea level, Arequipa is your first introduction to altitude, so take it easy once you get off the bus.

Arequipa is a striking place: Volcán Misti stands tall above the city, and the buildings around the center are built using dazzlingly white volcanic stone.

Spend the remaining part of the day exploring Arequipa’s old town – the Monasterio de Santa Catalina , a vast and beautiful nunnery, and the seventeenth-century cathedral are two not to miss – before an evening tasting the lip-smacking rocoto relleno (stuffed spicy pepper), a traditional Arequipan dish.

For more highlights of the city, read this article about things to do in Arequipa and our guide to the best places to stay in Arequipa .

On the afternoon of day six, hop on a minivan to Chivay (3.5 hours) and then onto Cabanaconde (1.5 hours) and spend the night there in preparation for the Colca Canyon trek .

The next day, embark on the two-day Colca Canyon trek , which starts from Cabanaconde and heads down into the bottom of the canyon.

Unlike the Inca Trail where you sleep in tents, you will be spending nights within rustic lodgings inside Sangalle, the oasis town at the bottom of the canyon, offering you a soft bed and a pleasant night’s sleep. But don’t be fooled: this hike is challenging.

After a day hiking into the canyon the only way back out is up – a climb of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) over a five-kilometer (three-mile) stretch.

Return to Arequipa by bus for an overnight bus to Cusco or for a final night in the city before a bus the next morning.

Where to stay in Arequipa: Set in a charming old house with a gorgeous courtyard for a leisurely cup of coffee or cold beer, La Hostería Boutique Hotel ($72 USD) double) is one of Arequipa’s (and Peru’s) most luxurious hotels . A pool, sun terrace and spa facilities are just some of the highlights here.

Where to stay in Arequipa on a budget: The family-run La Casa de Margott ($30 USD double) has clean and spacious rooms, as well as a pleasant roof terrace for lounging in.

It’s a fair distance from Arequipa to Cusco, so you can expect a ten-hour bus journey to get you from the coastal highlands and up into the Andes.

Unlike flying, which can lead to altitude sickness due to the rapid change in altitude, taking a bus to Cusco is a much gentler form of transport and gives you the opportunity to view some of the country’s incredible mountain landscapes.

Finish your itinerary by following the one-week in Peru itinerary, just shaving off a day in Lima at the very end.

Adapting this itinerary: Want to hike the Inca Trail instead? Spend days fix and six in Arequipa, then head to Cusco for the Inca trail for days seven through ten, with day eleven at Machu Picchu. Spend days twelve and thirteen in Cusco, before heading back to Lima on day fourteen.

One month in Peru

Overview of this one-month Peru backpacking itinerary:

Days three and four: Trujillo and Huanchaco

• Days six and seven: Cajamarca
• Days eight to ten: Chachapoyas

Day eleven: Lima

• Day twelve: Pisco and the Ballestas Islands
• Days thirteen: Nazca

Days fourteen to seventeen: Arequipa and the Colca Canyon

• Days eighteen to nineteen: Puno and Lake Titicaca
• Days twenty to twenty-one: Cusco and Sacred Valley
• Days twenty-two to twenty-five: The Inca Trail

Day twenty-six: Machu Picchu

• Day twenty-seven: Cusco
• Days twenty-eight to thirty: Puerto Maldonado

Do you have one whole month to spend exploring Peru? Lucky you: you’ve got time to add northern Peru to your itinerary. In addition, a slower pace of travel means your body will have the time to adjust to the altitude changes well.

One month in Peru is also plenty of time for seeing the most unmissable destinations in Peru: going to the north but without excluding Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail, as well as stopping in Pisco and the Ballestas Islands and Arequipa, plus a trip into the jungle in Puerto Maldonado.

Touch down in Peru’s lively capital city, Lima . While it might be packed with traffic and a little rough around the edges, this city is a place you’ll soon fall in love with.

Spend your days museum-hopping (the Museo Larco is one not to miss), exploring the old town around the Plaza Mayor , or up the ante by testing the waves of the Pacific Ocean on a surfboard.

You can also head to the trendy Barranco neighborhood , home to uber-chic cafes and chic bars in restored mansions, with all of this just a few steps away from the beach.

Any visitor to the city can’t miss ceviche, so head to La Mar or Punta Azul in Miraflores to sample your newest favorite dish – washed down with a crisp glass of white or a pisco sour.

From Lima, it’s a grueling nine-hour bus journey to reach Trujillo .

A better alternative is to take one of the multiple one-hour, forty-minute flights from Lima to the airport in Trujillo, which is an easy taxi ride into the city.

Trujillo is a city on few travelers’ bucket lists – but the intrepid who make it here are in for a treat. Many are unaware of the civilizations that predate the Inca Empire, but the archeological sites they left behind are often just as remarkable as Machu Picchu – made more so by the relative lack of visitors at these destinations.

Spend half a day learning about Peru’s remarkable past by taking a bus to Chan Chan , an archeological site just five kilometers away from the city of Trujillo.

Chan Chan was once the capital of the Chimú Empire and is the largest adobe brick city discovered anywhere on earth, having been home to 60,000 people at its apogee around 850 AD.

At the heart of this city was a fortress where temples once paneled with gold, and courtyards and walls decorated with finely carved fish and other symbols of the sea can still be explored.

Another unmissable site to explore in the region is that of the Huacas de Moche . The two pyramids known as the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna date from 500 AD and are adorned with polychrome friezes, which have been remarkably well preserved and depict the sacrificial rituals with which the Mochica civilization has become associated.

Best explored by a tour from Trujillo, they’re an easy half-day trip from the city.

Alternatively, spend a day on a tour of the Complejo Archeólogico El Brujo (The El Brujo Archeological Complex), a series of small pyramids in which the mummified remains of the Señora de Cao, a shamanic leader, were discovered.

Her body – bearing tattoos of fish, snakes, and spiders – as well as gold and silver artifacts found within her tomb, are on display in the on-site museum.

For a relaxing afternoon, consider dropping into Huanchaco , a beachside village a 45-minute bus journey north of Trujillo. Oozing buena onda (good vibes), it’s a great place to swim or surf. Read more about this Peruvian beach town in our complete guide to Huanchaco .

Where to stay in Trujillo: Located not far from the Plaza de Armas, Tierra Viva Trujillo ($100 USD double) might be located within a soulless tower block, but the hotel’s design and clean but chic bedrooms make up for this fact.

Where to stay in Huanchaco: Accommodation options abound, including the glorious tranquil yoga hostel,  ATMA  $7 USD dorm, $21 USD double), with cozy rooms and a very chilled vibe.

Days five and six: Cajamarca

Your next stop is Cajamarca , an historic Andean town sitting 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) above sea level and a six-hour bus journey east of Trujillo. Home to beautiful buildings constructed during the Spanish conquest, the city’s roots go much deeper.

Head to the El Cuarto del Rescato , the only remaining Inca building in the city and where the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, was captured and later executed by the Spanish and follow this with a trip to the Casa Museo Nicolás Puga, a privately owned museum showcasing 2,000-year-old textiles and other incredible pre-Hispanic treasures.

Adapting this itinerary: Want a more relaxing few days? Head north along the coast (10 hours by bus from Trujillo) for a few days of glorious beach time in Máncora, where the sun shines all year long, and the turquoise water temperature is pleasant for swimming and a popular destination to learn surfing or kitesurfing. A favorite among backpackers thanks to its wild nightlife, Máncora can be replaced with the neighboring surf enclave of Lobitos (1.5 hours south) or the tranquil – and pricey – luxury resorts of remote Las Pocitas. Try the truly remote bungalows at  Yemaya  ($126 USD double), which are right on the beach.

Spend a day outside of the city by taking a bus to the Ventanillas de Otuzco , a pre-Inca necropolis where the Cajamarca people were buried in holes cut into the volcanic rock. On your way back, visit the Baños del Inca, the Inca thermal baths that are still in use today for a relaxing soak.

Bear in mind that the bus ride up the mountains is a rough drive, and you might prefer to fly instead – although it won’t save you a huge amount of time. All flights go via Lima (1.5 hours) before heading to Cajamara (1 hour 15 minutes).

Where to stay in Cajamarca: Just off the Plaza de Armas and with a beautiful, flower-filled courtyard, El Cabildo Hostal ($35 USD double) promises comfortable, if somewhat old-fashioned, accommodation.

Where to stay in Cajamarca on a budget: Extremely comfortable and with a location good for both the Plaza de Armas and the bus station, the family-run Chakra Runa Backpacker ($12 USD double) is guaranteed to offer a warm welcome.

Days eight, nine and ten: Chachapoyas

Deeper into the Andes is the market town of Chachapoyas . Getting here isn’t easy: the most direct route is a ten-hour minibus journey, through damp cloud forest and alongside steep mountainsides. Though surrounded by spectacular views, this route is not for the fainthearted.

With that said, Chachapoyas is worth visiting for one particular reason: Kuélap. This site is known as the Machu Picchu of Northern Peru thanks to its mountain-top location – accessible only via cable car, minibus, or a grueling four-hour hike – and the fact it’s the largest ancient stone structure in Peru. It also pre-dates Machu Picchu.

Read more about this magnificent fortress city in our guide to visiting the fortress of Kuélap , which is worthy of a full-day tour from Chachapoyas.

Spend the next few days exploring other key archeological sites, such as the row of ancient sarcophagi located on a wall at Karajía or dropping in at the Museo de Leymabamba , where 219 mummies from the Chachapoya people are on display.

Alternatively, take a bus to Cocachimba and hike to some of the tallest one-drop falls in the world, the dazzling Cataratas de Gocta (Gocta Waterfall).

Where to stay in Chachapoyas: The most luxurious lodgings in Chachapoyas are  La Xalca Hotel  ($100 USD), another colonial mansion with large, antique-furniture decorated bedrooms, some of which have pretty balconies overlooking the central courtyard and an extensive breakfast buffet. If you’re visiting in winter, ask for a room with carpet, not tiles.

Where to stay in Chachapoyas on a budget: The best budget option in town is  Chachapoyas Backpackers Hostal ($22 USD), which has well-sized rooms, all with a private bathroom.

Take a flight with ATSA Airlines (only Monday, Thursday and Saturday; 1.5 hours) from Chachapoyas airport, or a minibus to Jaén (four hours) and a flight from there to Lima (1.5 hours).

Spend the afternoon relaxing or catching up on any museums or restaurants you didn’t get a chance to visit on your first stay here.  

Day Twelve: Pisco and Ballestas Islands

Stay overnight in Paracas, ready for an early bus the next morning.  

Day thirteen: Nazca

Spend the remaining part of the day exploring Arequipa’s old town – the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a vast and beautiful nunnery, and the seventeenth-century cathedral are two not to miss – before an evening tasting the lip-smacking rocoto relleno (stuffed spicy pepper), a traditional Arequipan dish.

For more highlights of the city, read this article about things to do in Arequipa and find out where you should stay in the White City .

On the afternoon of day six, hop on a minivan to Chivay (3.5 hours) and then onto Cabanaconde (1.5 hours) and spend the night there in preparation for the Colca Canyon trek.

The next day, it’s time to embark upon the two-day Colca Canyon trek , which starts from Cabanaconde and heads down into the bottom of the canyon.

Return to Arequipa for a final night in the city before a bus to Puno the next morning.

Day eighteen and nineteen: Puno and Lake Titicaca

Hop on a six-hour bus that’ll promise fantastic views, especially when navigating the Salinas y Aguada Blanca Reserva Nacional, as it climbs further up into the Andes Mountains to arrive at what can seem to be the very top of the world.

At this high altitude of 3,800 meters (12,507 feet) lies Lago Titicaca, a vast lake covering more than 8,000 square kilometers and spit by the border between Peru and Bolivia. It’s Peru’s most impressive body of water – and one of the most scenic lakes in the whole of South America .

You’ll arrive in Puno , the gateway for all destinations in the Lake Titicaca area. Though small, this city houses accommodations catering to travellers.

Several options for day trips from Puno are available, but the one to Uros Islands is a must. Comprising over 120 islands, this man-made archipelago is the focal point of Lake Titicaca. Also known as the Floating Islands, each of the islands is made of totora or reeds woven by hand.

You can now stay in a reed guesthouse on the islands – just bear in mind that your money won’t necessarily go to the families themselves. All Ways Travel is the only company I know who pay the communities directly and equitably.

Besides Uros, there are two main destinations on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca: Taquile and Amantani. Both are reachable by sailboat and have been inhabited for thousands of years.

Nowadays, they’re best known for their striking textile weaving and you can even spend a night here staying with a local family.

If you can, go further across to the Bolivian side to the Isla del Sol (Sun Island), which is crisscrossed with Inca archeological sites and promises, from every point on the island, spectacular views of Lake Titicaca.

Take your time exploring Lake Titicaca’s secluded corners before you move on to Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Where to stay in Puno: With a flower-filled courtyard and bedrooms tastefully decorated with art, you’ll feel a world away from the bustle of the city at Casa Panqarani  ($40 USD double). It even has an excellent on-site restaurant.

Days twenty and twenty-one: Cusco and the Sacred Valley

You should be nice and acclimatized to altitude by now, but it’s still worth taking things easy by exploring the old town – the focal point of this city – on foot. Head to the Museo Inka (Inca Museum) to explore over 10,000 Inca artifacts including mummies and gold figurines, as well as the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Museum of Precolombian Art) to admire gold and silver ornaments, some of which date as far back as 1250 BC.

If you’re still feeling good, take the 15-minute walk uphill to the Sacsayhuaman site , a walled complex that served as both a temple and fortress for the Inca and has fantastic views of the city.

An easier alternative is a taxi ride from the city; expect to pay around S/10-25 ($2.5-6.3 USD), although the exact fare depends on which road is accessible on that day.

On your second day, it is time to explore the Sacred Valley , where the Urubamba River brings life to otherwise barren land. Take a colectivo (a public van), bus, or taxi from Cusco to the town of Pisac. The former is the cheapest and easiest option; you’ll find they leave every ten minutes or so from Puputi Street, and cost between S/4-10 ($1-2.5 USD).

Pisac is a peaceful little town where you can hike (or take a taxi) to a magnificent Inca fortress that sits in the hills above. The views of the Sacred Valley from the site are mesmerizing.

Located only an hour away from Cusco and also home to a busy daily market (although it’s best visited on a Sunday), Pisac is one of the best day trips from Cusco.

Other great options in the Sacred Valley are Moray , a series of concentric circular stone terraces that were used for testing out growing crops in different conditions, as well as the Salinas de Maras (Maras salt pans), where local people have panned for salt for hundreds of years. You can take local transportation to get there, or book this tour that’ll take you to each.

Day twenty-two to twenty-five: The Inca Trail

The trails built by the Inca throughout the Andes were used to connect what was once a vast Empire to its territories across Peru and into neighboring Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile.

Hiking to Machu Picchu on this 40-kilometre (25-mile) trail generally takes four days and joining a guided tour is required. If you see three-day Machu Picchu tour operators, it is likely only for the fittest travellers, or the tour only includes part of the trail.

We recommend reading our extensive guide on what you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail before signing up for any tour; alternatively, if you want even more of a challenge, consider hiking the Salkantay trek instead .

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Depending on what time you get to town and your train schedule, you can either spend the night in Aguas Calientes or go directly back to Cusco.

Day twenty-seven to thirty: Puerto Maldonado

From Cusco, it’s a 45-minute flight to Puerto Maldonado , the last stop on your adventurous month in Peru.

Located at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers, Puerto Maldonado is unlike all the other regions you have explored so far: here we’re deep into the tropical rainforest, a place renowned for its rich, untouched wildlife and extremely comfortable eco-lodges, many of which are accessed solely by boat.

Book a three-night stay in an eco-lodge located in the hard-to-reach and strictly protected Reserva de la Biosfera del Manu (the Manu Biosphere Reserve) or in one of the cheaper lodges located in the Reserva Nacional Tambopata (TambopataNational Reserve) Wherever you stay, you can expect to spot numerous species of monkeys, caiman, capybara and, if you’re extremely lucky, giant otters.  

At the end of your stay, return to Lima by plane (1.5 hours) and onto your flight back home.

Where to stay in and around Puerto Maldonado: Located in the Tambopata National Reserve, the fantastic  Tambopata Research Center  ($236 USD double) is the ultimate place to stay for piranha fishing, nocturnal hiking, birdwatching, ayahuasca rituals, and more.

FAQs about planning a Peru itinerary

How much does a trip to peru cost.

Excluding your flights in and out of Peru, budget travelers can keep their daily travel here below $30 USD per person. But if you plan on staying at hotels and eating at more expensive restaurants, you should budget around $50 USD per person per day. If you’re staying for two weeks in Peru, you’ll need at least $350 USD spending money for expenses outside of tickets and souvenirs.

What should you take to Peru?

Climates and weather conditions vary considerably across Peru, so your packing list will reflect this. Make sure you have light and comfortable hiking clothing, alongside a waterproof jacket for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.

Bring medication to help you deal with altitude sickness (and motion sickness if you plan on taking long bus rides), as well as sunblock and a wide-brim hat.

Comfortable hiking shoes, plus a pair of trainers for inside cities, are invaluable, while plenty of layers should keep you warm as you travel from the hot, humid coast up into the mountains. For more detailed information, check out our complete South America packing list .

How far is Lima from Machu Picchu?

Technically, it’s only around 500 kilometers away. But if you plan on getting to Machu Picchu from Lima by car or bus, the distance covers more than 1,000 kilometers, and it will take more than a day in a bus. The best way to reach Machu Picchu from Lima is by flying to Cusco and taking a train to Aguas Calientes.

How can you plan a trip to Machu Picchu?

Planning a trip to Machu Picchu depends on how you want to see this archeological site. If you’re wanting to hike the Inca Trail, you’ll need to book with a tour operator based in Cusco, who will organize your permits for food, porters, accommodation, meals, transportation to and from Cusco and permits for entry to Machu Picchu.

If you want to visit independently, you will need to purchase your own tickets for Machu Picchu via the government’s website . Note that you will need to decide at the point of purchase if you want to include Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu mountain and the Museo de Sitio Manuel Chavez Ballon (an informative museum about the site located in Aguas Calientes, not Machu Picchu).

You will also need to book your own transportation to and from the site (either via train or minivan), as well as your overnight accommodation in Aguas Calientes. We recommend arriving the day before you visit Machu Picchu but booking an afternoon ticket; by 2pm, the skies should be clear if they’re cloudy in the morning, and most day trippers and Inca Trail hikers will have left by this point, leaving the site must quieter to explore.

What souvenirs should you bring back from Peru?

Peru offers many kinds of souvenirs. We recommend buying handmade Alpaca wool products, such as sweaters and hats. They are available at most local markets, but the best and cheapest ones are available at San Pedro Market, Cusco.

Thursday 28th of December 2023

Great itineraries! Curious what your suggestions would be for 3 weeks in Peru with kids ages 8-14? Any places that would *not* be good with kids? Thinking we'd just take the MP train and not the Inca trail. But would Puerto Maldonado be okay? Tour to Kuelap? Thanks!

Steph Dyson

Sunday 14th of January 2024

Hi Scott, I don't think any of those places wouldn't be good with kids. They're all interesting places to visit and I can't see why it would be an issue. Steph

World Travel Explorers

Sunday 12th of February 2023

Thanks for such a detailed guide and interesting itinerary. We're looking to go to Peru later this year and Cusco in particular sounds amazing.

Wednesday 8th of March 2023

Great - have a brilliant trip! Steph

• Post published: October 13, 2023
• Post category: South America

The Ultimate 7 Day Peru Itinerary for Adventure-Lovers

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Are you planning a trip to Peru and need help building the perfect 7 day Peru itinerary? You’ve come to the right place! I spent 7 days in Peru and it was absolutely incredible. I did a ton of research before my trip to plan out the best Peru Itinerary for 7 days, and I’ll give you our exact itinerary in this blog post so you can use it too!

Now, Peru is a big country. You definitely can’t see all of it with just 7 days in Peru. If you’re a first-timer to Peru, I recommend sticking to Southern Peru to see Machu Picchu as well as many other epic nature spots. My itinerary is perfect for adventure-lovers and it is JAM PACKED. If you can add a few days to your trip to incorporate some rest days into your Peru itinerary, that would be ideal! Not gonna lie – this trip was epic but exhausting (but so worth it). Keep reading for my full Peru itinerary for 7 days!

SEE ALSO: Cusco to Machu Picchu in One Day: Everything You Need to Know

7 Day Peru Itinerary: Trip Overview

• PTO/Vacation Days Needed: 6-7
• Currency: Sole
• Language: Spanish
• Time Zone: Central Time

7 Day Peru Itinerary Overview:

• Day 1: Ollantaytambo

Day 2: Day Trip to Machu Picchu

• Day 3: Sacred Valley to Cusco
• Day 4: 7 Lakes of Ausangate Hike
• Day 5: Rainbow Mountain

Day 6: Cusco to Lima

• Day 7: Huacachina Day Trip

I planned this 7-Day Peru itinerary in this exact order to give time to acclimate to the elevation. The town of Ollantaytambo is lower elevation than Cusco (8K feet vs 11K ft) and is closer to Machu Picchu, so it makes the most sense to start your trip there!

Note: You can also check out videos from my Peru trip saved on my Instagram Highlights !

How to Get to Peru

The biggest airport in Peru is in the capital city of Lima (LIM). There are direct flights to Lima from LAX and several other US airports. For this itinerary, I recommend picking a flight that lands in the morning in Lima, and then taking a connecting 1-hour flight from there to Cusco to start your trip!

Pro Tip : I highly recommend using Taxidatum throughout your Peru trip to pre-book private transfers in advance (for instance, from the Cusco airport to Ollantaytambo, from Ollantaytamnbo to Cusco). Their website makes it super easy to request the exact type of ride you are looking for. They are super responsive – once you submit a request, you’ll receive an email from them in just a few minutes. You can also request to pay in advance if you want to use your credit card instead of cash.

Renting a Car

I don’t recommend renting a car, because you can get along just fine without it by hiring a driver + going on guided tours. BUT if you are the kind of person that likes to drive yourself, you can rent one from the Cusco airport or from the Lima airport for about $40/day. If you do want to go this route, I recommend using DiscoverCars . They have the best selection for international car rentals!

Best Time to Visit Peru

The best time to visit Peru is in their dry season: May – October. I visited in late September and had perfect weather! It’s always a good idea to pack a rain jacket (even in the dry season) as it can rain on a moment’s notice.

Peru Packing List

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• Travel Backpack (this is the one I have and I love it!)
• Packing Cubes
• Reusable water bottle
• Portable charger
• USB charger cord (this is something I wish I packed! We found ourselves needing it quite often, in some of the car rides, on the LATAM plane ride, on the PeruHop Bus, etc)
• Rain Jacket (this is the one I have!)
• Hiking Boots (these are the ones I have, but make sure you try some on & pick the ones that feel the best for you!)
• Hiking Socks (these are my fave)
• Sunscreen (this is my fave, and it’s travel sized!)
• Noise Cancelling Headphones (I use these on every single flight)
• Activated Charcoal (I bring these on every international trip, in case something I eat starts to hurt my stomach)
• Hydration Powder (this one has clean ingredients! I made sure to drink one every morning while I was there)

7 Day Peru Itinerary

Day 1: land in cusco, head to ollantaytambo & settle in.

The first day of your 7 days in Peru is a big travel day. Once you land in Lima, you’ll need to then take a connecting 1.5-hour flight to Cusco. I recommend giving yourself at least a 2-hour buffer for the layover, just in case there are long lines for customs.

Once you land in Cusco, take a private transfer or taxi 2 hours to the town of Ollantaytambo. I highly recommend booking a private transfer beforehand via Taxidatum . It makes it super easy! It’s also very affordable – our two-hour ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo only cost $34 USD.

Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, the adventure begins!

What to Do on Day 1 in Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is a small town in the Sacred Valley of Peru. It’s very picturesque, with cobblestone streets, historical buildings, and some awesome Inca ruins right in the heart of town. I highly recommend staying here for the first two nights of your 7 days in Peru instead of Cusco. The town itself is such a good vibe, but also this way you can acclimate to the elevation (Ollantaytambo is 9K feet vs 11k ft in Cusco) AND you are closer to Machu Picchu than you would be if you were in Cusco (1.5 hours vs 3 hours away).

Get Some Food in Town

Once you get checked in, grab some food in town. I highly recommend:

• Sunshine Café : casual café for breakfast or lunch that has a balcony with a view!
• Uchucuta Cafe : has a great “American Breakfast” where they bring you out a full platter of bread with homemade jam, eggs, avocado, and fresh squeezed juice.
• Apu Veronica : One of my favorite meals I had the whole trip! I had the Pollo Saltado

Check out the Ollantaytambo Ruins

Afterwards, take a quick walk over to the Ollantaytambo Ruins, which are super impressive Inca ruins that are literally right on the outskirts of town. The ruins are comprised of many agricultural terraces, and the view from the top is amazing!

You have to buy a ticket to enter (boleta turistico). You can either buy the full boleta tursitico ($38, includes a ton of other sites), or the partial turistico ($21, includes the Sacred Valley ruins). We went with the partial ticket. Make sure you save it, as you’ll need it again for Day 3 of your 7 day Peru itinerary to get access to Moray and Pisac.

There are locals standing out front selling their services as a guide to come with you through the ruins. We opted out of this and just walked around it ourselves, however if you are really interested in the history and facts about this special spot, then hire one of the guides!

The views from up here looking down below at the town and the ruins are incredible. If you’re lucky, you might even see some wild Alpacas grazing.

Best Places to Stay in Ollantaytambo

There are quite a few great options of places to stay in Ollantaytambo! A few I recommend:

• Apu Lodge : located off a quiet side street just a few minutes walk from the heart of town. This spot has great reviews and beautiful views!
• Kamma Guest House : great reviews, conveniently-located, and awesome view from their rooftop
• Sky Lodge : if you’re looking for a unique lodging in Peru (and aren’t scared of heights!) – it would be so cool to stay here for a night or two! It’s about 30 minutes from Ollantaytambo, but they have a restaurant on site and the views (and overall experience) looks incredible. You’re literally hanging off the side of a mountain!

The second day of your 7 day Peru itinerary is an exciting one – you’ll get to see Machu Picchu, which is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world! I’m sure, like most people, that Machu Picchu was one of the main catalysts to inspire you to plan a trip to Peru ( I know it was for me!). Let me just tell you, it definitely lives up to the hype. Seeing it in person is just as epic as the pictures!

Booking Tickets for Machu Picchu

This is important!! You need to book your entry ticket to Machu Picchu ahead of time (I recommend at least two months ahead of time). It can sell out. Entry costs about $40-$60 depending on if you book direct through the government site (which can be a little hard to navigate) or if you want the easier experience booking through GetYourGuide (linked above). You select a ticket based not only of the date you are going, but also the one-hour time slot of when you can enter. Once you enter, you can stay as long as you like, but you HAVE to enter within the time frame of your ticket. They are strict about this. For instance, we booked a ticket for 11:00-12:00 entry, got up there at 10:55, and they made us wait 5 minutes before we could enter.

Note: On your 7 day Peru itinerary, I recommend avoiding Sunday as your Machu Picchu day. On Sundays, locals get in for free, so it can be even more crowded.

For more details on how to plan your day trip from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, check out my other blog post: How to Plan a Day Trip to Machu Picchu .

If you have more than 7 days in Peru and want to do the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, you’ll want to go on a guided Inca Trail trip like this one . It looks amazing, if you have the time to do it!

What to Do at Machu Picchu

You’ll take the train 1.5 hours from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu), and then take a short 20-minute bus ride up to the top. Once you’re up there, you’ll see the entrance, as well as a restaurant and a little bar/cafe just outside of the entrance.

Enter Machu Picchu during the time slot you have allotted on your ticket, and get ready for some jaw-dropping views of this iconic landmark! Follow the signs for Circuit 1 & 2, which will lead you to the epic picture spot that you see all over social media. It’s even more breathtaking in person than it is in pictures!

We spent about 1.5 hours there, walking around, exploring and taking pictures. I would plan to spend around that (or more).

Afterwards, get back down to town and catch your train back to Ollantaytambo for the night!

Day 3: Ollantaytambo – Sacred Valley Tour – Cusco

On your third day of your 7-day Peru itinerary, it’s time to say goodbye to the cute town of Ollantaytambo and head to Cusco! The drive straight from Ollantaytambo to Cusco is about 2 hours, but I recommend making some stops in the Sacred Valley on the way.

The Sacred Valley is the area from Pisac (about 20 minutes from Cusco) to Machu Picchu, about 62-miles long, and is filled with Incan history and ruins. Ollantaytambo is part of the Sacred Valley.

You can, once again, book your private driver ahead of time via Taxidatum . Book your ride from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, but in the customize box, include a note that you want to stop at Moray, Maras Salt Mines, and Pisac on the way there. Ours ended up being around $60.

First Stop: Moray

The first stop on your way from Ollantaytambo to Cusco is Moray. It’s about 1 hour from Ollantaytambo. Moray is a spot with some interesting Inca ruins that almost look like a circular amphitheater set at the top of a hill. Your driver brings you right to the top at the parking lot/entrance where you can walk around and check it out. The most interesting thing about these ruins is that no one knows why they were created or what they were used for. There are a few theories (that it was used for farming/agriculture, an entertainment/amphitheater space, OR an alien landing!)

Second Stop: Maras Salt Mines

This next stop is just a 15-minute drive from Moray. The Maras Salt Mines are super cool. No one has exact info on how/when/why it was created, but apparently there’s a natural salt spring running through the area. The Incas cleverly created these different square pools and diverted the stream so that it runs into each of them. Currently, each square salt pool is owned by a different local family and they work to harvest it and turn it into salt. You can buy some of the salt here too – it’s really good!

Third Stop: Pisac (either the Pisac Market or the Pisac Ruins)

Pisac is about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from the Maras Salt Mines.

When I was doing research for this trip, everyone said to check out Pisac Market. I added it to my Peru itinerary but honestly, I wish I would have seen the Pisac Ruins instead of going to the Pisac Market.

The Pisac Market was cool – but I didn’t think it was anything special. The vendors are selling the same things that you can get at other street vendors in Ollantaytambo and Cusco. I will say though, this was the most peaceful market I’ve ever been to. I fully expected to be overwhelmed with people trying to get us to go to their stalls and buy something, but it was the complete opposite experience! Everyone was super nice and not pushy at all.

My friend and I each bought an Alpaca sweater and a hat. But then when we got to Cusco, we saw plenty of other sweaters (and the exact same hat).

The Pisac Ruins, however, look awesome. I recommend choosing the ruins over the market (or if you have time, you could do both!)

Next Stop: Cusco!

Cusco is a 50 minute drive from Pisac. It’s an amazing city full of old colonial architecture and is known as the main launching point to several different treks, day trips, and hikes. It

Once you arrive, check in and get some food!

Best Place to Stay in Cusco:

There are plenty of great options of places to stay in the historic city of Cusco!

Best Budget Option : Viajero Kokopelli Hostel

We stayed in a private room at Viajero Kokopelli Hostel and loved it! It was super nice and clean, in a GREAT location very close to the main square (Plaza de Armas), and there is a nice bar in the hostel that has a pool table and a lounge.

Best Mid-Range Option : Antigua Casona San Blas . This hotel is in the cute hipster neighborhood of San Blas. It’s an uphill walk to get to this neighborhood, but it’s worth it! It reminds me of streets/areas I’ve walked around in Italy or Greece. Very picturesque. This hotel has great reviews and is in an awesome location.

Best Luxury Option : Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa . This hotel is actually a UNESO world heritage site! It’s a beautifully-restored antique home turned into a hotel right in the heart of the city.

Best Restaurants in Cusco

There are a ton of good restaurants in Cusco, but here are a few of our favorites that we tried!

• Organika : Organic farm-to-table restaurant. They had amazing Osso Bucco, homemade pasta, and sourdough pizza
• Morena Peruvian Kitchen : This is one of the best Peruvian restaurants in Cusco. It’s a nice slightly-upscale restaurant, and you’ll likely need a reservation. We walked up around 8pm on a Tuesday and had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table.
• La Bodega 138 : If you need a break from Peruvian food and are craving some pizza or pasta, this is a good spot
• Qura : Great breakfast or lunch spot with smoothies, avocado toast, and other health options!

Go to bed early if you can, tomorrow is a big day!

Day 4: Hike the 7 Lakes of Ausangate (Day Trip from Cusco)

The 7 Lakes of Ausangate hike was the highlight of our trip! The hike starts in a small remote village and weaves through the mountains, ending at 7 different alpine lakes. It’s absolutely incredible and I highly recommend including it on your 7 day Peru itinerary.

We did this hike with Salkantay Trekking , and the experience was great. It’s a group tour, but we ended up being the only two on it! This is a lesser-known day trip so it’s a great way to beat the crowds and be immersed in a peaceful mountain setting. We basically had the place to ourselves all day. The tour costs $100 per person, and is SO worth it.

PRO TIP : to help with the elevation, I recommend taking the following supplements leading up to your trip and during your trip (I’m not a doctor, but did a lot of research before my trip and this is what helped me):

• Ginkgo Balboa

What to Expect on the 7 Lakes of Ausangate Day Trip

Your guide will pick you up in a sprinter-type van around 4:30am and drive you 3 hours to Pacchanta, a tiny remote village at the base of these Andes Mountains. The town is super scenic, with snowcapped mountains in the background and natural hot springs that you can soak in after the hike. You’ll have breakfast in town (included in the price) before starting your hike!

The hike is about 6 miles round trip. It starts out pretty flat, but then has a steady incline. It normally wouldn’t be too hard of a hike, except for the fact that you’re at elevation! The hike starts out at 13.8K feet and goes up to about 15.6K feet.

Our guide, Fredy, was super helpful the whole time. He constantly checked in with us to make sure we were feeling ok with the elevation, and gave us Coca Leaves to chew on. Coca Leaves are a natural Peruvian remedy that helps with altitude sickness. It’s the same plant that cocaine is made from, but without the active properties of cocaine. You roll up some leaves, stick them in the side of your mouth, and chew on them for awhile.

You’ll see wild Alpacas on this hike, along with some cute dogs (that will hike with you sometimes), flowing streams, snowcapped mountains, and 7 awesome and unique alpine lakes. It’s truly amazing. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves here!

After you finish the hike, you eat lunch in town (the best quinoa soup!!) and then have the opportunity to soak in the natural hot spring pools (so make sure you pack a swimsuit!). It costs 10 soles (about $2.50 USD) per person. It was a great way to cap off the day!

Then you’ll make your 3-hour van ride back to Cusco. Yes, it’s a lot of car time, but don’t let that deter you. It’s very much worth it!

Day 5: Rainbow Mountain (Day Trip from Cusco)

Ok, I will admit – this is an aggressive stretch of the 7 day Peru itinerary with two back-to-back day trips with 4am wake-ups… but if you can handle it, it was worth it! You can’t come all the way to Peru and not see Rainbow Mountain, right??

Which Rainbow Mountain Tour Should I Book?

I’m sure you’ve seen the iconic picture of Rainbow Mountain on Instagram before. It’s definitely a popular day trip (read: crowded) from Cusco. Rainbow Mountain is actually the second-most visited landmark in Peru, after Machu Picchu. If you want to experience Rainbow Mountain the right way by beating the crowds, you need to book a private tour instead of one of the group tours.

We picked this private tour from Airbnb Experiences with Coco. It was incredible and I’m SO glad we did it this way! He picked us up at 4am and we drove straight to Rainbow Mountain (about a 2-ish hour drive) and had blankets and pillows for us in the back seat so we could sleep. Since he is in a personal mini-van type of car, he was able to drive a bit faster than the big group tour busses heading to the same place. We passed about 20 tour busses on the way up. When we got to the parking lot, we were the FIRST ONES THERE! Incredible.

What to Expect on the Rainbow Mountain Hike

There are three bathrooms here – one in the parking lot, and two more along the trail. It costs 3 soles per person to use the bathroom, so make sure you bring some cash.

The hike itself is fairly short but what makes it a bit challenging is the elevation. At the top, it’s 5,036 M (16,522 feet), which is HIGH! For reference, this is about 2,000 feet higher than Mt Whitney, which is the highest peak in the United States. I do not recommend doing this hike if you have not acclimated to the elevation yet. But if you are following my same itinerary, at this point in the trip you should be fine! Especially since you will have done the 7 Lakes of Ausangate hike the day prior.

If you aren’t feeling up for the hike, you have the option to pay to ride a horse up 90% of the way (you still have to hike the last 10%) for about 60 Soles.

Once you’re at the top, the views are incredible and colorful. There are alpacas at the top and you can pay a donation to have them in your picture with you. Keep hiking up the last bit to get an even higher view of Rainbow Mountain (worth it). There are several different viewpoints (and photo-ops) here!

Coco was such an amazing and friendly guide. He had Coca Leaves for us and told us some interesting facts about the area. After the hike, he brings you to a beautiful breakfast/lunch spot out of someone’s house, about halfway back to Cusco. It was such a peaceful setting!

If you do this private day trip, you can expect to get back to Cusco by about 1 or 2 pm, so you’ll have some time to explore around the city.

Get a Massage in Cusco

One of the best ways to unwind after two back-to-back hiking days is to get a massage! You will find a lot of people in Plaza de Armas advertising their massages for about 20 soles. We opted to read some reviews online first and went with “Best Massage Cusco”, which is off a side street near the main square. It was amazing! We both got the “Inka Massage” which was about $45 for one hour. It’s basically a mix of a deep-tissue + shiatsu + hot stone massage, and a foot bath. It was so relaxing and just what we needed!

Explore the San Blas Neighborhood

One of the best things to do in Cusco is to explore the cute little vibey, picturesque, hipster neighborhood of San Blas. If you walk past the square and up the hill, you’ll get there! Walking up the hills of this neighborhood will leave you out of breath, but it’s worth it.

San Blas Viewpoint

First stop should be the San Blas viewpoint for a great view of the city of Cusco down below!

San Blas Rooftop Bar

There are quite a few rooftop bars and restaurants in San Blas with an amazing view looking down into Cusco. We went to ViewHouse and had a beer, and the views were amazing! I’ve heard that this bar brings a young, lively crowd at night, but we were there too early to experience any of that. Another popular option is Limbus Restobar .

Afterwards, get some dinner and drinks in Cusco!

We’re nearing the end of your 7 day Peru itinerary! The next and final stop is Lima. We opted for a 1pm flight to have some time to walk around Cusco in the morning and get some breakfast before saying goodbye to this picturesque, historic city. The airport is only a 20-minute drive from the heart of town. The reception at our hostel called a taxi for us, and it cost 12 Soles.

Best Place to Stay in Lima

There are two main neighborhood options that visitors choose from in Lima: Miraflores or Barranco. Miraflores is more city-like, with high rises along the coast. Barranco has more of a hipster, artsy-feel to it. They are only about 10-15 minutes apart from each other, so no matter which one you choose – you could still explore both areas.

We chose to stay in Barranco, and I’m so glad we did! I loved the vibe there.

Best Places to Stay in Barranco, Lima

• We stayed at Viajero Kokopelli Barranco hostel, and loved it. It’s set in the most amazing historic building and is walking distance to several awesome restaurants (and bars).
• Mid-Tier : Villa Barranco looks beautiful, great location, and amazing reviews!

If you’re staying in Barranco, after you check in to your hotel, spend some time walking around and exploring! Check out the famous Bridge of Sighs in the heart of the Barranco neighborhood. Legend has it – if you hold your breath while walking across this wooden bridge – all your wishes will come true. Follow the path under the bridge to the ocean/beach overlook for some coastal scenery!

Dinner in Lima

Lima is known for their food scene. In fact, the #1 ranked best restaurant in the world is in Lima! There are several ranked or Michelin Star restaurants to choose from.

If you want to go to the #1 restaurant in the world ( Central ), you’ll need to book at least 2-3 months in advance. It’s a prix fixe 12-course meal and is a high price point.

We opted for Isolina for dinner, which was amazing. It’s ranked #12 best restaurant in Latin America! They serve elevated Peruvian comfort in a cool colonial-style building. And to top it all off, it’s located in Barranco just a quick walk from where we were staying.

Some other restaurant options that I researched (but didn’t have time to go to) are:

Day 7: Paracas and Huacachina (day trip from Lima)

Your 7 day Peru itinerary is coming to a close with this epic day trip! Huacacina is an amazing, tiny town with a lake in the middle of desert sand dunes. It feels like a literal oasis! The surrounding sand dunes are incredible, and make for an exciting day of sandboarding, ATV’ing, and soaking in some sunset sand dune views. Here’s the deets:

Which Huacachina Day Trip to Choose From

I don’t recommend going to Huacachina on your own, as that would involve renting a car and driving 4.5 hours. Taking a day trip tour makes it super easy. You can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the day! However, if you are the kind of person who wants to drive yourself and be on your own time schedule, check out renting a car in Lima through DiscoverCars . It’s about $40/day.

There are a few tour companies to choose from. This is the exact tour we went on through Peru Hop and it was great! I highly recommend doing this group tour with them. It costs $139/person for this full-day experience.

They pick you up around 6am with a big coach bus. The seats are comfortable, and they have a USB charging port if you need to charge your phone.

What to Expect at the Stop in Paracas

The tour makes a stop on the way to Huacacina to spend a few hours in the beach town of Paracas, which is a 3-hour drive from Lima. Once you get off the bus in Paracas, the tour then takes you on a boat ride around the Ballestas Islands, which are a group of small islands off the coast. I’ve heard these islands nicknamed as “the poor man’s Galapagos Islands”. They’re known for being home to over 1,500 species of birds, as well as a ton of sea lions. If you’re excited about marine wildlife, then this 2-hour boat tour (which is included in the price of your Huacachina day trip) will be great!

If you would rather skip the boat tour, I recommend heading over to the luxury Hotel Paracas instead! You can pay $55 for a day pass and lay by the pool overlooking the ocean. The day pass also includes a non-alcoholic drink + a snack. This is what we did, and it was amazing! Such a relaxing little 2-hour break for the last day of our 7 day Peru itinerary.

You’ll then meet back up with the rest of your group around 12:30 for lunch in town before boarding the bus and heading an hour to Huacachina.

What to Expect at Huacachina

Once you arrive at Huacachina, you have about an hour or so of free time. Walk around the lake at the center of town and soak in the views of this unique desert oasis! Or, grab a snack or a beer at one of the many restaurants overlooking the lake.

Next up is the exciting part – the ATV ride + sandboarding on the huge dunes!

Should I Rent a Sandboard?

The “sandboard” included in the price of the tour is actually a sled. It does look super fun to just sled down the dunes, but if you ski or snowboard back home and want to try it out here on the sand, you’ll need to rent a board or skis in town. This is what we did! There are several places to rent from. It only costs about $12 USD for the 2 hours.

Exploring the Dunes of Huacachina

The ATV/dune buggy ride along the sand dunes is absolutely incredible, and thrilling! It feels like a rollercoaster at times, with your driver going up and down STEEP sand dunes. Note that you aren’t able to drive your own ATV, which I learned is a rule across the whole town there (and after riding in the ATV I can see why!).

You’ll make 4 stops on the ATV sand dune tour. The first stop is a lookout point. The second stop is where everyone can sled, ski, or snowboard down 3 different sand dunes (going from small, medium, to large & steep!). The third stop is for sunset, where you can watch the sun drop down below the dunes (so magical!). And the final stop is to see the iconic viewpoint of the town of Huacachina from above on top of the sand dunes.

The experience is absolutely incredible!

Afterwards, you’ve got about a 4.5 hour ride back to Lima. They make it very comfortable, though! They play a movie, (they played Mrs. Doubtfire on ours), turn the lights off, and pass out popcorn. You’ll be back in Lima before you know it!

Departure Day of Your 7 Day Peru Itinerary

The next day, wake up and head to the Lima airport! Note that Lima is known for having bad traffic. It took us about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the airport from the Barranco district. Give yourself enough time to get through the security and international check points!

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This post has 31 comments.

Fantastic. Thank you for this. Will plan our trip based on.

Your 7 day itinerary in Peru sounds like the kind of trip my husband and I like to take. He does likes to drive, but it sounds like it is best to take day tours to the different sights. We like to hike and the 7 Lakes of Ausangate Hike and Rainbow Mountain looked great! We are thinking of doing the One day Inca Trail tour with Machu Picchu in the afternoon. I will be looking into Taxidatum and see if Salkantay Trekking has day trips to some other spots we might want to explore. Thanks for all your information! Phyllis in Pennsylvania

Amazing! I normally am not the kind of traveler that likes to take organized “day trips” and prefer to just rent a car and go places on my own… BUT in Peru I feel like it makes the most sense to do it this way. Especially when you are on narrow, winding, mountain roads to get to the trailhead! You will absolutely love the 7 Lakes of Ausangate hike. It’s so unique, and also very remote and uncrowded. Such a hidden gem of a hike! I hope you have the best time!

Hi Lauren….this is so useful. I literally just booked an entire trip with my wife & kid following your blog! A question….on the supplements that you took for the altitude management….did you have all 3 of them a few days ahead of the travel (or when did you actually start having them)? Is there any other altitude sickness type pill that you took along? Thanks again

that’s so great to hear! Yes, I started taking them about 3 days before I left. I didn’t take any other type of altitude sickness pill (I know some people get a prescription for Diamox, but I wanted to go the natural/supplement route). I just made sure to drink a lot of water. I brought some electrolyte powder with me as well, and drank that in my water every morning. I hope you have an amazing trip!

Hi, I was wondering how much your trip cost you in total? And what was the cheapest this itinerary could be done for (plane tickets excluded)? Thanks!

I just checked my Splitwise, and it looks like the total cost ended up being about $1,800/person (not including flights) for the week-long trip. You can definitely do it cheaper, though. We ate at some nice restaurants and took private transfers, etc. The day visiting Machu Picchu is probably one of the most expensive, having to buy the train ticket + the entrance ticket. But of course, you can’t go to Peru and NOT see that! I bet a budget traveler could do the trip for $900-$1,000.

Hi, as per planning all this, did you pre-book all these activities before your flight online or did you pay in person in peru? how much to have on me per day $$? Did you mostly use cash, can we even use credit or card? also how did you navigate around? did you have a phone plan w data or buy a phone in peru>?

Hi! I booked pretty much everything ahead of time. The 7 Lakes of Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain day trips I booked just a few days before, but Machu Picchu is one that you need to book tickets for further in advance (at least a month or two) since it sells out. You will need cash on hand to tip for any day trips you book, and if you want to buy souvenirs. I was able to use credit card at most restaurants. I have T-Mobile which includes free international data, so I just used my normal phone plan, but prioritized using Wi-Fi when possible. I used Google Maps to get around! You can download the map ahead of time so that you can navigate even without cell service. Hope this helps! Have fun!

Hi! How and where did you book your train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes? Also, will be using your itinerary for my upcoming trip!

I booked the train through Peru Rail. I meant to write another blog post with more details on the full day trip from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, but then lost track of time and forgot to write it :) I will do so soon! I hope you have an amazing trip, and glad my itinerary was helpful!

Hi Lauren, can you please share the link for your post: How to Plan a Day Trip to Machu Picchu?

Ah, thanks for the reminder. when I wrote this blog post I meant to write the “How to Plan a Day Trip to Machu Picchu” shortly after, but then time escaped me! I will respond here once I write it :)

Update: I just finished writing that blog post. Here it is: How to Plan a Day Trip to Machu Picchu

Hello! I loved this layout. Your’s is one of a kind! I am doing a month trip in November doing Mexico and Argentina. We wanted to add another country, and we were deciding between Brazil or Peru. After seeing this itinerary, I have to choose peru!

Our trip is as follows:

One week in Aguascalientes, Mexico One week in Peru (Following this itinerary) Two weeks in Argentina ( 4 cities: Rosario, Leones, Alberdi, and Buenos aires)

Hi! Could I ask what time of the year did you go?

I went in late September! The weather was perfect.

Hi, I’m looking to plan a trip to Peru following your amazing blog! I was wondering, though, if you wished you had taken one more day to acclimatize to the altitude before going to Machu Picchu? With our potential flight plan, we wouldn’t be getting into Ollantaytambo until close to 7 PM and would leave the next AM for Machu Picchu. Just don’t want to get stuck with nasty altitude sickness! Thanks for your words of wisdom!

Love hearing that my blog is helpful in planning your trip! :) Honestly, I think you’ll be fine. Machu Picchu is only 8K elevation. If you were flying in and going straight to Cusco (11K elevation) and doing the high-elevation hikes around there, I would say that you would want an extra day to acclimate. But for Machu Picchu – you should be ok! I do recommend taking the supplements I recommended, starting a few days before you leave, which will help too. And drink lots of water!

Hi ! We are going to Peru next week and I literally want to do all activities you did!!! Looks incredible! My only thing is- we have a 9 year old- do you think it’s too hard for an active 9 year old to do 7 lakes and the rainbow mountain ? Was thinking to do the horse option for the rainbow mountain . Also how cold is it up there , I’m reading bring gloves and hats especially since hikes start early morning… thank you so much!!

hi! love to hear that! It’s hard to say without knowing how capable your 9-year old is. Does he/she have experience hiking? Rainbow Mountain is a shorter/easier hike than 7 lakes, but what makes it hard is the elevation. The option for the horse on that hike is good to have just in case! For 7 Lakes – there are some tours that take horses on the trail instead of hiking, so maybe you could look into that as an option as well! The 7 Lakes hike was SUCH a highlight for me, so I hope that you guys do it! :)

I didn’t bring gloves, (I just put my hands in my pockets if I’m cold) but I did bring a beanie and a down jacket. Definitely helps for the early morning hiking when it’s chilly!

This itinerary is excellent! Wow so helpful….exactly how I will be planning my trip.

So glad to hear that! I hope you have an amazing trip! :)

Hi Lauren, thank you for posting such a detailed itinerary, the level of detail in this is SUPER helpful!! I will definitely follow it for my next trip! Was it relatively warm while you were there? It seems like you wore a tank top and leggings for the majority of the trip! For the sand boarding, did you rent the snowboards and boots the day before the tour and brought them with you on the tour? Also, how long did it take for you to check in to your flight and get through customs/security at the Peru airport?

Hi Ashley – so glad to hear my itinerary was helpful! :) Yes, we had great weather! I was about 60-70 degrees F when I was there in September. I brought a puffer jacket on the high elevation day hikes because it can get chilly, especially with the early morning start. For sandboarding – we did that day trip through Peru Hop. When you get to Huacachina, you have about an hour or so of free time before the ATV tour starts. During this time, you can walk to the nearby sandboard rental place and rent the sandboard + boots (and just bring them back right after). For the airport, the customs line was nothing crazy that I remember. For reference, our flight landed in Lima at 7:30am and our flight from Lima to Cusco was at 9:40am, which gave us enough time. Hope this helps! Enjoy!!

Hi, November is a good time to visit Peru? What time did you visit Peru?

Yes, November would be a good time! It’s the last part of the dry season. I went in September!

Hi Lauren can you share me the link of Rainbow Mountain Private tour in Air Bnb Experience? I couldnt find it.

Sure! Here it is: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/1191155

I am so grateful for this itinerary! I’ve always dreamt of going to Peru but felt unsure about how to begin planning a trip around it. I came across your itinerary one day and I was like I HAVE to do this trip! So I am making it happen and I am so excited!! I credit you fully for making this happen in my life, because I would not be going on this trip this year if I hadn’t stumbled across your itinerary in the first place. I am also someone who loves putting together travel itineraries, so I have a lot of respect for your work! I’ll be going to Cusco and Ollantaytambo and doing excursions to Rainbow Mountain, Lake Humantay, Lakes of Ausangate, the Sacred Valley (Moray, Salt Mines, Pisac Ruins, and Pisac marketplace), and of course Machu Picchu. Can’t wait for this trip! You are amazing for putting this fabulous itinerary together!!

this comment just made my day! So happy that my itinerary gave you the push you needed to make this trip happen. Peru is amazing. I hope you have the best time!!

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10 things to know before traveling to Peru

Nov 26, 2023 • 6 min read

Aim to visit Cuzco during the shoulder months, just before or at the tail end of the rainy season © andresr / Getty Images

Peru is a megadiverse country, offering countless adventures and cultural experiences for the intrepid – as well as potentially endless head-scratching and headache-inducing occurrences for the uninformed traveler.

Whether you plan to stay put in the capital or venture on a circuit through each geographical region , it’s always advantageous to have local insight. Here are some of the top things to know before traveling to Peru .

1. Peru’s only international airport is in Lima

Until the Chinchero Airport (a 45-minute drive from Cuzco ) is finished, all international air passengers to Peru will first touch land in the metropolitan area of Lima , via the Jorge Chávez International Airport.

From the airport to San Isidro, Miraflores or Barranco – neighboring districts of Lima that make up the capital’s tourist-friendly trifecta – it's usually a 40-minute taxi ride outside of rush hour.

Don’t try to pick up a taxi outside of arrivals nor from the chaotic street just beyond the airport limit; instead, choose from any of the authorized companies represented just after customs. For travelers on a budget , the safest option is the Airport Express Lima bus (with transfers to and from Miraflores only).

2. The shoulder months are the best time to visit Cuzco

The Cuzco region has two marked seasons: the rainy season (November to April) and the dry (May to October). When the rain is in full effect, areas like the idyllic Sacred Valley turn lush with native crops and tourism is comparatively low.

That said, the wet climate makes the period between January and March especially difficult (and even dangerous, in some cases) for epic hikes.

The dry months are ideal for trekking and most adventure sports – though as a direct correlation, tourism is at its highest then. The best time to visit Cuzco? Aim for the shoulder months , just before the rain (October) or at its tail end (May).

3. Book well in advance for Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and the Inca Trail

Is it possible to snag last-minute entry tickets to Machu Picchu ? Sure, it can happen – but as Peru’s most popular tourist attraction, it doesn't make sense to risk it.

Purchase your entry ticket at least one month in advance, especially if planning to visit the Unesco World Heritage Site between June and August (the busiest months for international visitors).

While you're at it, consider adding on the entry to Huayna Picchu, the tall peak that appears behind the citadel in classic Machu Picchu photos. Only 200 visitors a day are able to make the steep, hour-long ascent that leads to a privileged bird’s eye view of the archaeological site.

Cuzco's dry months are also the high season for one of Peru’s most epic hikes , the Inca Trail. This trek requires a permit that can only be purchased through an organized tour. Keep in mind the trail closes every February for maintenance.

4. In Peru, just one cheek kiss will do to say hello or goodbye

For some travelers, Peru’s salutation may seem too close for comfort, while others – we're looking at you, Italians – will see it as half-finished.

When meeting or greeting someone of the opposite sex or in the case of two women, Peruvians will offer an air kiss on one side of the face. Call it a lingering effect of machismo culture, but men typically greet each other with a simple handshake and hug.

Don't try to enter or leave a party without greeting everyone, be it with a hug or air kiss, as that will appear disrespectful.

5. Keep soles and centimos on hand, especially outside of major tourist zones

Credit card acceptance and even payment applications are commonplace in bustling cities, like Lima and Cuzco, though you will want to keep local currency (sol) on hand at all times.

You can’t miss a visit to open-air markets, such as those in Lima's Surquillo neighborhood and the San Pedro market in Cuzco, where vendors prefer cash. While at the market, pick up a small coin purse as public transportation and restrooms run on pocket change.

And for towns outside of the typical tourist circuit – think Tumbes in the north or Ayacucho in south-central Peru – cash on hand is a must.

6. Tipping may not be a local custom, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t

When it comes to dining out in Peru, there is no standard for tipping. That said, Peru’s tipping culture (or lack thereof) should be an exception to the rule of “do as the locals do.” As a visitor, go ahead and leave your waiter, barista or hostess a tip that seems appropriate to you.

7. No, your watch doesn’t need to be reset, it’s just the "hora Peruana"

La hora Peruana (Peruvian time) refers to the stereotype of Peruvians showing up late – not just 15 minutes late but upwards of an hour late.

The phrase is tossed around amongst Peruvians and expats alike, as we’ve all struggled with that landlord, friend or coworker who says they’ll be there in the morning and are a no-show until after lunch.

Of course, la hora Peruana is a generalization, but it’s best to be mentally prepared in case someone you made plans with doesn’t show up on the dot...or anywhere close to it.

8. Keep spare toilet paper in your pocket – but never flush it!

Public restrooms in Peru are infamous with international travelers. From seatless toilets to humble holes in the ground, we’ve seen it all, but those squeamish moments are nothing you can’t survive.

Follow bathroom etiquette and toss toilet paper in the wastebasket rather than flush it. Public restrooms usually aren’t stocked with toilet paper, so keep a travel-size roll in your day bag, or be prepared to pay 50 cents for a few squares upon entry.

9. Eat and drink with your gut health in mind

Let’s be honest, Peru likely became your destination of choice partly because of the reputation and recognition of its gastronomic scene .

Your senses will be tantalized by the unique kick of ají pepper in a ceviche, the sounds of sizzling suri (palm-weevil larvae) or the pink froth topping a glass of frutillada (traditional chicha , or fermented corn beer, blended with strawberries) – classic street-food items, depending on which region of Peru you’re visiting.

When it comes to street food – and especially drinks, as Peru does not have clean tap water – there’s always a risk for “travelers’ stomach.” If you have any doubt, play it safe and wait until you get to a recommended restaurant to try that dish you’ve been eyeing.

10. Take a full day (if not two) to acclimate before any high-altitude activity

No matter how much physical training you've accomplished at sea level prior to your trip, arriving at high-altitude destinations like Cuzco – 3399m (11,152ft) above sea level – can be brutal.

And what could be worse than dizziness, nausea and other symptoms of soroche (altitude sickness) keeping you from bucket-list hikes, such as Vinicunca, better known as Rainbow Mountain, 5200m (17,060ft) above sea level?

When planning your trip, include a day or two to acclimate before starting any physically demanding activity. Stay hydrated and avoid heavy food and alcohol. And whether or not you decide to take altitude pills, consider local remedies, such as muña tea and coca leaves.

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The Ultimate 3 Week Peru Itinerary – How to Plan a Trip to Peru

Peru is one of the most visited countries in South America. In this guide we’ve put together the perfect 3 week Peru itinerary including beautiful cities such as Lima and Arequipa , crazy adventures like sandboarding in Huacachina , wildlife spotting in Paracas , hiking iconic trails such as the Salkantay Trek and of course visiting one of the new Seven Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu.

Peru is one of the most diverse countries we’ve ever visited. One day you could be in a desert oasis and the next you’ll be surrounded by the Amazon Jungle or the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. There’s something for everyone in Peru whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, history lover or passionate foodie. We hope that our 3 week Peru itinerary will help you to plan your unforgettable adventure.

We also documented all of our adventures on YouTube where you can now watch the entire Peru Series for some visual inspiration.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something. Clicking these links won’t cost you anything, but it will help us to keep this site up and running! Learn more about our affiliate policy.

Table of Contents

How to Start Planning Your 3 Week Peru Itinerary

We totally appreciate that Peru is a huge and very diverse country, filled with endless places to visit. So, if you have a short amount of time, it can be tricky to cram everything in.

Below we’ve highlighted a few points that you should consider as you’re planning your trip:

Step 1: Entry and Exit Points in Peru

The way we suggest starting to plan your 3 week Peru itinerary is to know your entry and exit points from the country. Are you only visiting Peru and flying in and out of Lima ? Or are you on a backpacking trip across South America? This means you might be crossing the land borders from Ecuador or Bolivia. If so, your itinerary might be slightly different and you could start from one end of the country and exit at the other.

Step 2: Your Personal Interests

It’s also important to think about your interests. We’re pretty sure that one of the reasons for your visit is to see Machu Picchu . Did you know that there are MANY ways you can reach Machu Picchu ? So, the question you need to ask yourself is: would you want to complete a trek, a shorter hike or are you not a keen hiker at all and would prefer to visit with a day trip from Cusco ?

The same method can be applied to other places in Peru too. For example, would you want to visit the Amazon Jungle or complete other treks in Huaraz ? If so, then you need to calculate how many days you’d need in total.

Once you know the answer to these questions, then you’ll know how many days they would take up from your 3 week Peru itinerary.

In case you have a very limited time in Peru, we recommend joining some organised multi-day tours. That way you won’t have to worry about planning, and you can fully enjoy your time in this incredible country.

Step 3: Acclimatisation Time in Peru

Once you have your number of multi-day adventures finalized, see how many days you’re left to play with. We’d also like to emphasize that you should take into consideration some acclimatisation time.

Places like Arequipa , Cusco , Puno and Huaraz are located at high altitude. Therefore, it’s important that you acclimatise before completing any high-altitude hikes and day trips like the Colca Canyon , Inca Trail, Salkantay Trek or the Rainbow Mountain day hike.

Trust us, you don’t want to feel ill during your time in Peru.

Step 4: Method of Transport in Peru

Lastly, don’t forget that Peru is huge. This means that travel distances are much greater than anywhere in Europe for example.

It’s good to decide how you’d like to get from A to B and check what viable options there are.

Flying to certain places in Peru is definitely the fastest method. However, it is way more expensive and there are many popular places that don’t even have an airport. So you’d have to take another method of transport to get there.

Whilst driving gives you more freedom and also allows you to access some off-the-beaten path places, driving in Peru looked pretty frantic. The distances are long and the narrow mountain roads can be dangerous.  Renting a car   might be a great option for short trips, but we personally wouldn’t choose to travel across the country in a hire car.

There are a few trains across Peru, which could be a great novelty experience. So we recommend checking out your options. Train travel will still be more expensive though, and again, you can only access a handful of places. Check trains with PeruRail .

Without doubt, travelling by bus will be your go-to method of transport in Peru. Buses are the cheapest and best way to get around the country.

Read Next: A Guide to Bus Travel Around Peru.

3 Week Peru Itinerary: A Complete Guide

Note that this 3 week Peru itinerary is fully customisable. You can add or skip a destination depending on your interests. We’re big hikers, so we were automatically drawn to places around the Andes. However, if you enjoy other types of destinations such as beaches, then definitely add those to your own itinerary.

We have many detailed guides for each location too, which go in-depth on how much time you ideally need in each place. So, make sure to check them out whilst you’re planning.

Day 1-3: Lima (Explore the Capital City of Peru)

If you’re heading to Peru, then visiting its capital city, Lima, is a must. You can spend as little or as long as you wish there, but about 3 days in Lima would give you the greatest chance to see the best of the city.

Lima is a city that’s got just about everything for an unforgettable city break. Do you want to learn about history? There’s plenty in the Historic Centre , not to mention the ancient pyramid in the middle of the upscale Miraflores District . Fancy seeing some murals and street art? Lima’s Barranco District has got you covered.

Do you want to relax in parks and enjoy some nature in a busy city? There are plenty of unique parks in Lima, some where you can even play with cats.

Is finding great restaurants and cafes with good food your priority. Well, there’s no shortage of places in Miraflores or Barranco. Perhaps shopping is your weakness? Then head to a unique shopping mall built into the side of the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Are you in a hurry? – Then you can just spend 2 days in Lima and head to Paracas on your third day.

Lima Blog Posts You May Like:

• A Complete Guide to Lima, Peru – Travel Tips and 3 Day Lima Itinerary
• Best Things to Do in the Miraflores District of Lima, Peru
• Best Things to Do in the Barranco District of Lima, Peru
• Things to Do in Lima’s Historic Centre, Peru

Day 4: Paracas (Visit the ‘Poor Man’s Galapagos’)

Paracas is a small port town located in the Ica Region, about 260 km (160 miles) south of Lima. 

Over the years Paracas has become a well-known beach resort and is favoured by both Limeños and tourists. Whilst the beach itself isn’t one to write home about, there are a few top sights that are well-worth stopping for, such as the Islas Ballestas and Paracas National Reserve. Plus, it’s a great sunny getaway before you head to the mountainous regions in Peru.

Are you in a hurry? – We recommend staying for at least one night, but if you’re only interested in visiting one attraction then you can head to Huacachina in the afternoon.

Click here to read our detailed Paracas guide.

Day 5-6: Huacachina (See the Biggest Sand Dunes in South America)

Huacachina is a tiny, natural desert oasis surrounded by some of the biggest sand dunes in South America . A place where thousands of adventure lovers and thrill-seekers come every year to do some crazy activities such as dune buggying and sandboarding.

You’ll probably need to spend at least one night in Huacachina. You can go for a sunset dune buggy ride and sandboarding experience upon arrival. Then the next morning you can hike the sand dunes for some incredible views. After that you can join a Pisco and Tejas tour before heading to Nazca.

Click here to read our detailed Huacachina guide.

Day 6: Nazca (Fly Over the Mysterious Nazca Lines)

Many visitors add a visit to the Nazca Lines in Peru to their 3 week itinerary. Whether you’re planning on flying over the lines or just enjoying the views from the Observation Tower, Nazca is definitely a worthwhile stop.

Are you in a hurry? – If you can’t fit in one night in Nazca, then you can just enjoy the Nazca Lines from the Observation Tower, have dinner in the city and hop on an overnight bus to Arequipa.

Do you have time to spare? – If so, we recommend booking at least one night in Nazca. Surprisingly, there are many interesting and unusual sites surrounding the city other than the Nazca lines. Therefore, if you have time, make sure to stay a bit longer.

Click here to read our detailed Nazca guide.

Day 7-8: Arequipa (Explore the White City of Peru)

Located in the south of Peru, in the Chili River Valley, is Arequipa. It is the second most populated city in Peru after  Lima.  The city is situated about 2,300m (7,550 feet) above sea level and at the foot of three massive volcanoes: Misti, Chachani and Pichupichu.

The city is referred to as the ‘White City’ ( La Ciudad Blanca  ) because of the white walls of many of its colonial buildings. The walls are made of  sillar  which is a local white volcanic stone.

Arequipa is one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in the world. So, it’s no wonder that just like  Lima’s Centro Historico , Arequipa’s historical centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you’re short on time , then you can just wonder around its Historic Centre on the day you arrive from your night bus.

Do you have a bit longer? – Then about 2 days will be enough to see the city’s highlights in a less-rushed way.

Arequipa Blog Posts You May Like:

• 10 Best Things to Do in Arequipa
• 6 Day and Multi-Day Trips from Arequipa, Peru

Day 9-10: Colca Canyon (Hike in One of the World’s Deepest Canyons)

Located about 160km northwest of Arequipa is the magnificent Colca Canyon (Cañon de Colca). Situated in the Colca Valley in the Andes Mountains, the Colca Canyon was formed by a seismic fault between the volcanoes of Coropuna and Ampato.

The nearly 100 km (70 mi) long canyon is also one of the world’s deepest canyons. Its deepest point is approximately 3,400m which makes it twice as deep as the well-known Grand Canyon in the US.

You can visit the canyon in two main ways: via a tour or a trek. Now, a tour will normally include little to no hiking whereas a trek will take you down and then back up the canyon.

Depending on how much time you have and whether you enjoy hiking or not, you can join a day tour , multi-day tour or a multi-day trek. The most popular multi-day trek is a 2-day one, although you can also complete a longer trek if you have extra time.

Top Tip – Make sure to allow for some acclimatisation time in Arequipa if you’re planning on trekking in the Colca Canyon.

Colca Canyon Blog Posts You May Like:

• Colca Canyon Trek or Tour? – How to Prepare for Your Visit
• 3-Day Colca Canyon Trek via Llahuar, Peru – A Complete Hiking Guide

Day 11-12: Puno and Lake Titicaca (Visit the Highest Navigable Body of Water in the World)

Located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, about 3,830 m (12,556 ft) above sea level in south-eastern Peru, is the city of Puno.

Many probably don’t know but Puno is known as the folklore capital of Peru. There are over 300 different local dances that represent old traditions inherited from the Incas and the Spanish colony.

However, the city is a popular stop on many people’s Peru itinerary because of Lake Titicaca. Straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia and covering 3,200 square miles, it is one of South America’s largest lakes. Sitting at 3,810 m above sea level, Lake Titicaca is also considered the highest navigable body of water in the world.

Are you in a hurry? – If you don’t have much time, but still want to see Lake Titicaca, then you can arrive to Puno in the morning, go on  a short Lake Titicaca tour  which visits the Uros Islands and then head to your next stop on a night bus. This way you don’t even have to spend a night in Puno.

Do you have a bit longer? – If so, then you should stay at least a night in Puno. That way, you can have a wander around the city and also spend  a full day on Lake Titicaca.  If you can stay for two nights, you can even go on a  two-day tour on Lake Titicaca  and spend a night with a local family.

Top Tip – If you’re backpacking across South America, then you can leave Puno as your last destination and travel to Bolivia from there.

Click here to read our detailed Puno and Lake Titicaca guide.

Day 13-14: Cusco (Explore the Tourist Capital of Peru)

Located at 3,400m (11,154 ft) above sea level, Cusco is situated in the heart of one of the world’s most beautiful mountainous regions. Due to its close proximity to  Machu Picchu , Cusco is one of the most visited  cities in Peru .

The city is packed with places to visit and you could easily spend days exploring its attractions. There are many beautiful Inca Ruins, viewpoints, museums, and markets in Cusco to check out. Therefore, we recommend spending  at least 2 full days in the city.

How long to spend in Cusco? – If you’re doing the Inca Trail or  Salkantay Trek ,  you’ll normally have a briefing the evening before, so you won’t have much time to sightsee if you’re only there for a night.

If you’re not going on a multi-day trek to visit Machu Picchu and have already spent some time in higher altitudes, then you can just spend one full day in Cusco and head to Machu Picchu the next day. Alternatively, you can also spend at least a day visiting other sites in the Sacred Valley. In case you only have a few days to see the best of Cusco, then check out this 5-day tour that includes the top destinations in the area.

Cusco Blog Posts You May Like:

• 20 Things to Do in Cusco, Peru – A Complete Guide
• A Guide to Cusco’s Boleto Turistico (Tourist Ticket)
• 10 Best Day Trips from Cusco
• Vinicunca or Palccoyo? – Which Rainbow Mountain to Visit in Peru
• 2-Day Ausangate Trek to Rainbow Mountain, Peru – A Complete Hiking Guide

Day 15: The Sacred Valley (Visit the Most Beautiful Inca Sites)

The  Sacred Valley of the Incas  is located northwest of the  city of Cusco.  Formed by the Urubamba River, the valley stretches between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo.

This jaw-dropping part of Peru is filled with beautiful Inca Ruins such as  Ollantaytambo, Maras Salt Mines, Moray Ruins  and  Pisac. You can visit them as part of a tour or independently depending on how much time you have.

Sacred Valley Blog Posts You May Like:

• Hiking in the Sacred Valley Without a Guide or Tour (Ollantaytambo, Maras, Moray and Pisac)
• A Guide to Visiting Pisac Ruins
• A Guide to Visiting the Ollantaytambo Ruins
• How to Visit Maras and Moray (Salt Mines and Ruins)

Day 16-19: Salkantay Trek (Hike One of the Most Beautiful Treks in the World)

If you love hiking and trekking then you should add the Salkantay Trek to your 3 week Peru itinerary. It is a 75km (46 mi) long trek through the Peruvian Andes and is one of the most popular  ways to get to Machu Picchu.

The Salkantay Trek is still less popular or as famous as the Inca Trail. However, many consider it to be just as beautiful, if not more so. National Geographic Adventure Magazine even listed the Salkantay Trek as one of the best 25 treks in the world.

The trek is named after the Salkantay Mountain which reaches an altitude of 6,271 m (20,574 ft). It takes you through the Vilcabamba mountain range, where you’ll see glaciers and lagoons, before descending down into the Andean Jungle. During your hike you’ll also pass over the Salkantay Pass which is the highest point along the entire trek at 4,630 m (15,190 ft).

The Classis Salkantay Trek is 5 days long, however you can also complete a shorter version of this trek. Alternatively, you can also pick another iconic trek such as the Inca Trail or Jungle Trek.

Don’t like hiking? – Then skip the trek and visit Machu Picchu another way as detailed in this blog post. That way you’ll also save about 4 days which you can then fill up by visiting another location in Peru such as the Amazon Jungle.

Salkantay Trek Blog Posts You May Like:

• All You Need to Know Before Hiking the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
• Hiking the Salkantay Trek – A Day by Day Itinerary

Day 20: Machu Picchu (Visit One of the New Seven Wonders of the World)

Tucked away to the northwest of Cusco, Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Machu Picchu is without doubt on everyone’s itinerary when visiting Peru. It’s also considered one of the most visited places in the world.

According to historians, Machu Picchu was built by the Inca. The site consists of more than 150 buildings including houses, temples, sanctuaries and baths.

Whilst it was built in the 15th century nobody really knew about the site until Hiram Bingham found it in 1911. Whilst he might not have been the first one to discover it, he was vocal about his discovery and wrote a book called  ‘The Lost City of the Incas’  that gained a lot of attention and started bringing in visitors.

Many believe that Machu Picchu was a royal estate and a sacred site for the Inca nobles. Based on the stunning landscape surrounding the site, we can totally see why Inca leaders would pick this spot for their estate.

Machu Picchu Blog Posts You May Like:

• A First Timer’s Guide to Visiting Machu Picchu, Peru
• 10 Best Ways to Get to Machu Picchu

Day 21: Cusco to Lima (Saying Goodbye to Peru)

If you’re leaving the country from Lima, then from Cusco you can just fly back to Lima and connect with your international flight out of the country.

In case you’re on a backpacking trip and heading to Bolivia, then we suggest visiting Cusco first and ending your trip in Puno. From there you can take an international bus across the border to Bolivia.

If you’re heading north towards Ecuador , then we suggest starting your trip in Puno and making your way up to Lima and further north.

Additional Places to Add to Your 3 Week Peru Itinerary

Below are some popular areas in Peru that you might also want to visit. If you carefully plan your days, and perhaps use our tips to shorten the time spent in each location, you can easily add some extra destinations to your 3 week Peru itinerary.

Do you have 4 weeks to spend in Peru? If so, then you can also just add these places for a longer stay in the country.

Huaraz (Visit the Hiking Capital of Peru)

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast like us, then you can consider adding Huaraz to your 3 week Peru itinerary. Located about 420 km north of  Lima , Huaraz is the capital of the Ancash Region. The city sits around 3,050 m (10,013 ft) above sea level in the middle of the Callejon de Huaylas valley.

The valley stretches for about 150km and it divides two mountain ranges, the Cordillera Blanca (‘White Mountains’) to the east, and the Cordillera Negra (‘Black Mountains’) to the west.

Many visitors from all over the world arrive in the city to go hiking, climbing, mountain biking or just to visit the mountains and glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range within Huascaran National Park.

• A Complete Guide to the Best Things to Do in Huaraz
• A Guide to Hiking Laguna 69 in Huaraz, Peru
• A Guide to Visiting Pastoruri Glacier in Huaraz
• A Guide to Visiting Laguna Paron in Huaraz
• A Guide to Hiking Laguna Wilcacocha in Huaraz

Iquitos Amazon Jungle (The Ultimate Wildlife Experience)

Covering a staggering 5.5 million sq km across South America, the Amazon Jungle makes up over half of the world’s remaining rainforest. It is home to thousands of different species, from snakes and spiders, to monkeys and even dolphins.

The jungle stretches across nine countries on the continent, with Peru containing the second largest amount of rainforest after Brazil.

The Peruvian Amazonia itself comprises around 60% of the country. Deep inside the rainforest is the city of Iquitos, which is the largest metropolis in the Peruvian Amazon. From Iquitos you can take a boat deep into the heart of the Peruvian jungle to spend a few nights in a rustic lodge whilst exploring a tiny section of this incredible rainforest.

Mancora and Huanchacho (Peru’s Beach Destinations)

Let’s be honest, when someone mentions Peru, beaches aren’t the first things that come to mind. However, if you have extra time or you’re backpacking across the entire country, then you might want to stop in Mancora and Huanchacho.

This part of Peru is known to be the go-to place for surfing and other water activities. Mancora is also a great place for nightlife and filled with bars and restaurants. It’s definitely a more relaxed destination at lower altitude and with warmer temperatures that can be very tempting after spending a long time in the cold mountains.

Final Thoughts on Our 3 Week Peru Itinerary

We hope that you found this 3 week Peru itinerary useful when planning your adventures. The country is definitely filled with a huge variety of attractions, so we appreciate that it can be pretty difficult to fit everything in.

Our best advice is to be realistic with your time and interests and try to plan your trip around those. You’ll have a much better time if you just focus on visiting the places you really want to see rather than trying to jam-pack everything in.

We are incredibly grateful that we could spend not just 3 weeks but nearly 3 months in Peru. During this time, we took things slowly and stayed at places much longer than most people usually can. However, even spending that long in the country still didn’t allow us to see everything that we initially pinned on our map. Don’t forget, you can always return to a country and visit another part of it on a separate trip.

Have you ever been to Peru before? If so, how long did you visit for? What was your favourite place? If not, how long would you like to spend in the country? Let us know in the comments below.

Now, let your adventure begin,

Our Top Travel Resources

Accommodation:  For hotels we always use  Booking.com  and  Hostelworld  for hostels. We also book longer stays on Airbnb or  Vrbo.

Flights:  To find the best flight prices we always check  Skyscanner ,  Google Flights  or  WayAway.  Then we also check the airlines’ websites too for comparison.

Car Rentals:  We use  Discover Cars  when we want to rent a car as it compares local, national and international companies.

Activities:  If we book organised tours we always check either  GetYourGuide  or  Viator.

Foreign Currency:  Whenever we can we prefer to pay in local currency and for that we always use our  Wise card.   We can easily withdraw money from the ATM or pay by card at most shops and restaurants.

Travel Insurance: We never go anywhere without travel insurance. You never know what will happen on your trip, so good travel insurance like SafetyWing can protect you in case of injury, illness, theft and cancellations.

eSIM and VPN: To get data abroad we use  Airalo which is an app that allows you to download a prepaid eSIM to your phone in over 190 countries. Make sure to have a VPN to avoid hackers accessing your personal data when using public WIFI. We use  Surfshark  which is the only VPN that offers one account on unlimited devices. 

Remember…It all starts with a Pin…

Similar Posts

Colca Canyon Trek or Tour? – How to Prepare for Your Visit

12 Things to Do in Puno and Lake Titicaca, Peru

Best Things to Do in Lima’s Historic Centre, Peru

A Guide to Bus Travel Around Peru

A Guide to Visiting Pastoruri Glacier in Huaraz Peru

A Complete Guide to Lima, Peru – Travel Tips and 3 Day Lima Itinerary

It has all you need! Thanks for a really useful guide 😍

Thank you Karan, we glad you found this itinerary useful 🙂

As always you deliver such in-depth itineraries on your blog. I loved reading this listicle of the top things to do in Peru and I’ll be saving this for a future trip. By the way, I love your photos they’re absolutely stunning! Thanks for sharing this Kitti!

Thank you so much Kelly, your positive feedback means a lot! Hope you can visit Peru soon.

What a wonderful and detailed post about Peru. I’m jealous just reading about this amazing, and long, adventure. Looks like so much fun. The photography is great!

Thank you Sarah, we’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed reading our guide.

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"Follow in the path of the Incas, witness ancient rituals and mysterious geoglyphs, see the birthplace of the sun... Peru is a place that totally captures your imagination."

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Visit a local market in Lima

Known as the culinary capital of South America, Lima’s markets are filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood. We’ll introduce you to Chef Ignacio Barrios, who will show you around a local market in Lima, then take you to his cooking school to prepare some of Peru’s favorite dishes.

Board a Vistadome train for an epic journey to Machu Picchu

We’ll take you to the Inca stronghold of Ollantaytambo, where you’ll board the Vistadome train and ascend to the Lost City in the Clouds. Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and you’ll delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization with our Local Specialists.

Meet a master Quechua weaver

The Quechua people of Peru are known for their colorful handicrafts, and you’ll learn about the tradition of weaving from Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, a local Quechua scholar. We’ll take you to Awakancha to see how the fine llama, alpaca and vicuña wool is sourced, then discover the ancient Andean weaving techniques.

See the Magic Circuit of the Water

Our Peru vacation packages take you to the Magic Circuit of the Water, the largest fountain complex in the world. The interactive fountains shoot water to a height of more than 80 meters and you’ll marvel at the mesmerizing lights, lasers and water swaying with the music.

Attend a workshop at the Peruvian Choco Museum

Visit the Peruvian Choco Museum in Cusco, where you’ll discover how Peruvian chocolate is made, from the cacao bean to the chocolate bar. The museum’s chocolate makers will share their secrets and you’ll participate in the chocolate making process, with plenty of opportunity to sample the sweet delicacies.

Our top 5 things to do in Peru

Our Peru guided tours will reveal the best of Peru, from the mysteries of Machu Picchu to ancient Andean weaving and vibrant local markets.

Larco Museum

Located in an 18th-century vice-royal building in Lima, the Larco Museum houses an excellent collection of pre-Columbian artefacts. You’ll take a journey through Peru’s history, with chronological galleries that display 5,000 years of pre-Columbian history, including ceramics, jewellery, crowns, masks, garments and gold vases.

One of the top museums on the continent, Museo Inka is an incredible showcase of the Inca Empire. You can spend hours immersing yourself in the world of the Incas, with rooms full of crockery, textiles, jewellery, goldwork, models, ancient mummies and the world’s largest collection of queros (ceremonial wooden drinking vessels).

Gold Museum of Peru

The Gold Museum of Peru is a fantastic display of Peruvian gold craftsmanship. There are thousands of items from centuries of Peruvian history, including the earflaps and bracelets of the Vicus, the belts and earrings of the Frias, the masks and wristbands of the Nazca and the crowns of the Chancay.

Best museums in Peru

Our guided trips to Peru will reveal the country’s rich history through the top museums, from ancient Peruvian goldwork to the wondrous world of the Inca Empire.

Chifa is a Peruvian word used to describe a Chinese and Peruvian fusion style of cooking. Influenced by a wave of Chinese immigration in the late 19th century, chifa is now one of the most popular types of food in Peru. We recommend trying Pato Cuarto Tiempos and Arroz Chaufa.

Anticuchos can be traced all the way back to the Inca Empire, and today they’re one of the most beloved dishes found in street stalls and restaurants all over Peru. They’re a tasty meat skewer usually made with beef, and they’re served with bread or boiled potato on the end of the skewer.

Causa Rellena

A traditional potato dish of Peru, causa rellena is made from layers of spiced yellow mashed potatoes, tuna, chicken, avocado, black olives, mayonnaise and hard-boiled egg. This delicious dish was first made by women for the soldiers during the Pacific War in 1879, when food was hard to come by.

Best food in Peru

Peruvian cuisine is wonderfully diverse and our Local Specialists will show you the best places to try everything from traditional meat skewers to Chinese style chifa.

What to pack for Peru

Spanish phrasebook

Spanish is the national language of Peru, and learning a few Spanish phrases is highly appreciated and will make it easier to connect with the locals.

Versatile clothing

Peru’s climate is wildly diverse, with 28 of the 32 world climates, and you’ll need versatile clothing to take you from the cool Andes mountains to the steamy jungle.

Comfortable shoes

Whether you plan to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, or explore the markets of Lima, you’ll need a comfortable pair of walking shoes.

Adaptor plug

In Peru the standard voltage is 220 V and the power plugs and sockets are of type A and C. The standard frequency is 60 Hz.

Bring a camera to capture Peru’s beautiful scenery, bright buildings, adorable llamas and Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most extraordinary wonders.

Pack for sustainable travel

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and refillable toiletry bottles.

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Want to uncover the secret to cooking Peruvian cuisine?

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WINNING FAMILY TRAVEL COMPETITIONS!

INSIDE: Roam the Gnome’s  Ultimate Guide on How to Win Family Travel Competitions. Updated 2024.

Want to Win a FREE holiday?

Hoping to win a trip to New York?

Are you desperate to win a trip to Italy to see long-lost family?

Or are you hoping to score the ultimate prize and win a trip to EUROPE for 6 weeks, all expenses paid? 

Triple your chances to win a vacation by entering MORE competitions .

A year or so ago, we won TWO trips in less than three months!

It’s POSSIBLE. 

Our experiences are proof.

There’s definitely luck involved, but winning a family holiday is also about:

• serendipity, AND
• being in the know.

Take a look at our competitions guide with tips on how to win FREE trips! 

Disclosure: This article, written by a human (me) , without AI input, may contain affiliate links . If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at NO COST to you. For our Disclosure and Disclaimer statements, and an explanation of our Advertising policy please  click here

We took our cousins along to enjoy the Hydro Majestic High Tea for four prize. The Blue Mountains, Australia.

Table of Contents

WIN TRAVEL COMPETITIONS AND WIN FREE STUFF! 

Correct at time of publication on Roam the Gnome . Please check with venue for updates. We apologise in advance if there have been any changes we are unaware of. All prices in AUD dollars, unless otherwise stated

The first thing is to FIND a stack of family travel competitions (or competitions where you can win things of value that you can then sell to fund a family vacation!).

This is where many people trip up.

It’s easy to enter holiday competitions that come our way without any effort.

These are the competitions:

• we see pop up in our facebook feed
• or a sponsored giveaway hosted by someone we follow on Instagram.

But the trick to winning competitions is to think like a ‘comper’ and enter the obscure competitions.

Compers, those mystical people whose favorite hobby is to enter competitions, know THIS is the secret to winning good things, often. 

OBSCURE COMPETITIONS on smaller, less public blogs and websites mean less entries, simply because their audience is smaller, or their target market is harder to reach.

You might not win a holiday to Europe straight away, but you do have more of a chance to win:

• a self-drive weekend getaway
• flights to a local city combined with a fun hotel stay, or
• a package of free entry to a bunch of local attractions.

Even better for those who truly want to win, MOST of these competitions have few barriers to entry.

RELATED: How to win 25 Words or Less Competitions

Image credit: Start up stock photos via Pexels   CC0 BY-1.0

Book mark your favourite competition websites

Winning contests is a numbers game

Bookmark your favourite websites  from the lists below, and check in once a week to see if they’ve uploaded any new travel competitions to enter

Sooner or later, depending on skill or luck, that super exciting email will slide on into your account (or you’ll take a random phone call) and you’ll join the ranks of prizewinners too.

It’s a NUMBERS GAME when you enter contests to win trips.

The most important thing to remember is that IT IS competition time, somewhere, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

One lucky person will win, that’s for certain.

The more competitions you enter, the better the chances it will be your turn. 

Hot tip: Enter more competitions, rather than one competition lots of times. 

Rotorua Duck Tours, the best tours attraction tickets we’ve ever won!

Enter Competitions to Win Competitions! 

That is our motto.

Be IN IT to win it.

If you want to know how to win travel competitions, it’s that simple. 

There’s nothing to lose except a few minutes of your time (time you’d probably waste on social media in any case) so make your time work for you.

There’s lots to win, including:

• luxury holidays with return airfares
• 5 night holidays
• grand prize trips with business class travel included
• bike competitions to win cruiser bikes, win mountain bikes, & kids bikes you can use on travel adventures
• cash prize competitions you can use for spending money

Follow our steps and become a winner too!

Types of Holiday Travel Competitions to Win a Vacation

Here’s a list of the best types of contests to win stuff. 

We’ve listed ALL the different types of competitions you can find.

Work out what you like best, and find MORE of those. 

Image credit: PeakPx via CC0 BY-1.0

FREE COMPETITIONS GUIDE

Where to find family holiday competitions to enter .

This is the fun part.

Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and come with me on a little adventure.

Hot tip: Keep in touch with your top competition websites by liking their facebook pages to find all their free travel competitions.  

Image credit: Artem Beliaikin via Pexels   CC0 BY-1.0

No.1: Win a Trip Competition Websites

The most obvious place to start is at competition directory such as:

• a sweepstakes directory in the USA
• a contest directory in Canada or the UK, or
• the best Australian competitions and giveaways websites

These websites gather a huge list of current competitions in one place.

Bookmark these pages. 

It’s a good place to try and win a trip to Bali, or win a trip to Singapore. 

The problem with giveaway directories is that lazy compers head straight to these big mainstream sites, and enter competition, after competition, after competition. 

That means there’s more challengers in the count, the main reason we don’t just rely upon these sites to find new competitions going live.

But they do find some competition sources (or are alerted by the giveaway host) that you might not find so easily on your own hunts, so they are worth a quick look each week.

These catalog sites also categorise competitions:

• by vacation (eg Win a Trip to the USA, or Win a Trip to Peru)
• by cash prizes
• by tickets or gift vouchers etc

There are a LOT of travel competitions to win hotel accommodation, flights, & complimentary meals in these listings. 

Hot tip: Find the prizes you really, REALLY want, and enter those contests as your first priority. 

If you want to know where to find Holiday Competitions to enter, start here. 

American Sweepstakes Directories

• Sweepstakes Lovers (USA) 
• Contest Girl (USA)
• Giveaway Frenzy (USA)
• Online Sweepstakes.com

Canada Contest Websites 

• All Canada Contests
• Contest Canada 

UK Contest Websites 

• My UK Competitions
• Money Saving Expert (Contest Forum)
• All UK Competitions 
• Competitors Companion
• Rosemary and Pork Belly Travel competitions

Hot tip: Remember to google these phrases or similar too:

• UK competitions ending soon
• Canada competitions ending soon
• USA sweepstakes ending soon

Online Travel Competitions Australia

Australian competition directories.

This is a collection of the top 11 places to find free online competitions in Australia to places like Australia Zoo, the Gold Coast theme parks, hotel stays and more.

Take a look:  Best Aussie Comps directories round up

Image credit: Jim Bahn via Flickr CC BY-2.0

Hot tip: Stay in the Game!

We LOVE winning tickets to events, to the cinema, to sports games, and especially VIP experiences.

These are easy quick wins, especially if you enter local comps on the radio or in your local newspaper.

These small wins keep us in the game, trying for the big ticket wins. 

We also save the money we would have spent if we were going to buy tickets to the event or show in any case.

These savings go straight into our Bucket List travel fund. 

We know people who enter all the competitions, then sell their prizes to FUND more of their dream travel too.

It’s another option!

Image credit: Jacob Morch via Pexels   CC0 BY-1.0

No.2: Win a Car Competition Websites

Another good way to fund a vacation is by winning a car, and then selling it. 

The odds are better than winning the lottery or lotto , but it’s not a foolproof way of saving!

Still, can’t hurt to enter.

Here’s a few sites to start you off:

Win a Car USA

• Ultra competitions  (USA)
• OMAZE (USA) – ticket purchase required
• The Balance Everyday  (USA)

Win a Car UK

• Autotrader – keep a look out for their annual survey to enter  (UK)
• The Prize Finder Win a Car (UK)
• SuperLucky Me Win a Car (UK)

Image credit: Jose A. Perez  via Flickr CC BY-2.0

No.3 Win a Cruise Sweepstakes

Win a cruise america .

Click here to find a round up of the best cruise competitions in America.

Keep an eye on the Disney Cruise Line facebook page for newest cruise sweepstakes too!

Win a Cruise UK

Click here to find a collection of cruise contests in the UK. 

World of Cruises UK also has cruise giveaways from time to time. 

And don’t miss these Family Cruise competitions either. 

No. 4: Win Disney Contests

• Disney channel contests
• Sweepstakes Fanatics Disney contests
• Visit Orlando contests
• Disney Parks blog contests
• DisneyEveryday contests
• Disney Food Blog contests
• Inside the Magic giveaways

You may also find other well known companies and hotel brands giving away Disney vacations & Disney trips. 

Just in the past year, these well known brands have held a Disney contest with Disney vacations first prize:

• Joffrey’s
• Babybel cheese
• Ziploc 
• Best Western
• Woolworths Supermarkets Australia

Image credit: Rennett Stowe via Flickr CC BY-2.0

Win a Disney Cruise Sweepstakes 

• Disney Cruise line sweepstakes
• Disney Cruise Line blog sweepstakes 
• Inside the Magic cruise sweepstakes (search the list) 

Image credit: Hubert Yu via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

FREE Tickets for Disney musicals, Disney on Ice, Disney film releases

Hot tip: When Disney on Ice show, or a Disney Musical such as Frozen the Musical or the Aladdin musical comes to town, keep an eye on the popular local bloggers websites.

These local bloggers will often have low entry Disney on Ice competitions and the like, where you can win a family pass to enjoy all the fun and adventure! 

Same goes for NEWDisney movie releases. 

Google these phrases (and their variations) too:

• “Disney World competition” or “Disney World sweepstakes” or “Win a Disney World vacation” 
• “Disneyland competition” (and as above) 
• “Disney contests and giveaways 2020”
• “Disney World contests and sweepstakes”
• “Disney contests Canada” (or your country) 
• “Disney on Ice competition”, “Disney on Ice giveaway”,  “Disney on Ice contest” or “Disney on Ice sweepstakes” 

RELATED: Everything you need to know guides –  Disney World & Disneyland California

This is us at Hells Gate Geothermal Park in Rotorua New Zealand, one of our prizes. 

No.5: Win on Instagram 

Follow your favourite family travel influencers as they partner with brands and regularly offer chances to win the same experiences they’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.

It’s how we won our trip to Rotorua through Travel Mad Mum!

• Travel Mad Mum
• MumPackTravel
• Y Travel Blog
• Travel Babbo
• FamilyTravel.com.au
• The Blonde Nomads

Competition hashtags

Also, search these hashtags: 

#competition

#tagcontest

#followcontest

#travelcontest

#luckywinner

#sweepstakes

Influencer Instagram Competitions

You can also do a Hashtag Search for “Travel” related feeds and follow the best Family Travel influencers . 

Hot tip: Be discriminate.

Take a quick look at their feeds to determine if they post sponsored content and giveaways before you press Follow.

NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE COMPETITIONS

Local newspaper competitions .

Newspapers, both online and in hard copy, often have travel competitions to enter. 

They often feature prizes like overnight rail journeys across country, weekend pamper sessions at upmarket hotel and spas, and accommodation packages tied to new shows coming to town.

Bookmark the papers you like, and check in weekly.

American Newspaper giveaways & contests

Google to find competitions in these newspapers: 

• The New York Times
• The New York Post
• Los Angeles Times
• The Washington Post
• Star Tribune
• Chicago Tribune
• The Boston Globe

Search for other local newspapers in America here. 

Newspaper Competitions UK

• Guardian Newspaper competitions
• The Sun competitions
• Mirror competitions 
• The Telegraph Competitions
• The Independent competitions
• Metro UK competitions
• Express competitions

Best Magazine Competitions

There are tonnes of mainstream and niche magazines with holiday competitions to enter.

Check out your local newsagent or library, and read the index page to see if they have a WIN page on their website.

If they do, take note and bookmark it. 

USA magazine contests 

Check out Good Housekeeping contests. 

There are good prizes here, including regular opportunities to WIN A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD! 

Magazine competitions UK

These free online competitions have a huge range of prizes up for grabs! 

• Woman Magazine competitions
• Women’s Own magazine competitions
• Woman & Home magazine competitions
• Good to know magazine competitions
• OK Magazine competitions
• Grazia magazine competitions
• Quilt Now magazine competitions
• Celebs Now magazine competitions

Supermarket Magazine Competitions

Pick up your local grocery store magazine and scan it for competitions.

This is LOW HANGING FRUIT!

Enter them all.  

Supermarket Magazines UK

• Sainsburys competitions
• Tesco competitions
• Waitrose competitions

LOCAL RADIO STATION GIVEAWAYS AND COMPETITIONS 

You can also listen out for local radio contests & check out the websites of local radio stations too.  

This is where you’ll definitely find chances to win tickets to:

• upcoming local events
• theme parks
• entry to one-off themed events during special holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween,
• and more. 

Radio station contests may also feature prizes like two nights mid-week accommodation as part of a marketing campaign for one of their advertisers.

These competitions have much less competition than national newspapers or nationally syndicated radio, and more chances to win!

These kinds of prizes let you explore your own city.

That’s as good as a holiday too!

USA radio contests

• I Heart Radio Contests 
• 997.now contests (San Francisco) 
• AMP radio contests (Los Angeles)
• 93.1 Jack FM contests (Los Angeles) 
• WGN radio contests (Chicago)

UK Radio competitions

Check out these UK radio station contests. 

Radio station competitions are no longer limited to phoning in at the right time either. The station may accept entries by email, text, tweets on Twitter, or through their website. 

Hip radio stations may ask you to share a pic on Instagram, complete with hashtags! 

• Heart Radio competitions 
• Heart FM competitions in London
•   TalkSport competitions
• 95.8 Capital FM competitions
• Smooth Radio competitions
• Absolute radio competitions
• Kiss radio competitions .
• Virgin radio competitions
• Radio X competitions

How to win radio contests

We’ve won quite a few radio contests of late, including:

• tickets for a seafood buffet lunch on a boat cruise, and
• family pass tickets to see a sports game with free cotton candy and BBQ dinner too. 

Click the blue link for our hot tips on how to win radio tickets on the radio

TV Contests and Giveaways

Looking for TV contests and giveaways? Here’s a start.

These TV station contests offer a range of prizes from well known brands including Disney Parks. 

The best place to try is Breakfast TV contests in particular. 

America TV stations competitions

• We are TV competitions
• FOX8 Tv competitions
• Food Network sweepstakes & giveaways
• ABC 7 competitions (San Francisco)
• ABC Action News (Tampa Bay)
• FOX 13 TV contests (Tampa Bay)
• ABC 10 News (San Diego)
• KOMO TV competitions (Seattle)

UK TV competitions

• What’s On TV competitions
• ITV free competitions
• ITV competitions

Canada TV contests

• CTV Vancouver contests 

OTHER WEBSITE CONTESTS 

No.1: blog contests & giveaways .

Blog competitions are DEFINITELY the easiest way to win tickets for local events and entry to attractions across Australia.

Lots of companies and brands approach medium and big bloggers, invite them to launch events, and then partner with them so the bloggers showcase the event or attraction to their readers. This is very good news for us.

Enter ALL the blog competitions you can find.

I KNOW for a fact that lots of bloggers (even BIG bloggers) are having a harder and harder time attracting entries for their competitions, even when the prizes are worth hundreds of dollars.

People are busy, and unlike 5 or 10 years ago, rarely comment on blogs, or have a spare minute to do the thing the blogger requires you do to enter.

Get on it quick smart for quick wins.

Here’s a list of blog giveaways, including:

• low entry blog giveaways (our favorite kind) and
• low entry rafflecopter giveaways.  

Best American Mom Blogger Giveaways

• Contest Girl blog giveaways
• Mom Bloggers Club
• Mommy Shorts contests
• Thrifty Nifty Mommy

Best UK Mum Bloggers Giveaways

Follow these top Mum Blogs on their facebook pages and Instagram to keep in the loop.

• Honest Mum competitions
• What Katy Said
• Not Another Mummy Blog

If you don’t already, follow your favourite bloggers on Instagram, and Facebook (and think about joining their groups too).

No.2: Best Family Travel Websites for Competitions

Sign up to their newsletters to find out about upcoming competitions.

Some of them require you to book an overnight stay at a hotel brand chain or , or visit somewhere to be in the running, but many don’t. 

UK Family Travel Websites

• Family Traveller competitions
• Rosemary and Pork Belly
• The Luxury Travel Expert UK
• Travel Weekly

USA Family Travel Websites

• The Luxury Travel Expert  (USA)
• Beats of Hawaii
• Visit Orlando

No.3: Parenting Websites (Kids Competitions)

When you are planning a holiday to a new destination, look up their local kids magazines and websites in your destination city, and enter all the comps offering free entry to local attractions.

There’s also usually kids competitions too. 

A win gives you a few more dollars for souvenirs!

No.4: Travel Magazines

All these travel magazines host regular monthly competitions, both in the published edition from the newsstand, and via their website. 

Best American Travel Magazines

• Budget Travel
• Travel and Leisure
• Conde Nast Traveler 
• Cruise Travel
• Caribbean Travel and Life
• Destinations
• Pathfinders Travel
• American Road
• Time Out 

Best UK Travel Magazines

• National Geographic Traveller
• Discover Britain
• Practical Motorhome
• Lonely Planet Traveller
• Time Out UK

Don’t forget to check your favorite inflight travel magazines for competitions too!

Image credit: Ed G via Flickr  CCBY-ND 2.0

No.5: Win a Trip Overseas through Airline Sweepstakes

Sign up for their newsletters, and google their Inflight Magazines to find current comps too.

Some of our favourites airlines include:

• Cathay Pacific
• Singapore Air
• Virgin Airlines
• British Airways
• Hawaiian airlines
• Air New Zealand
• Ethihad Airways

No.6: Travel Agency Competitions & Brand Competitions

Sign up to for your favourite travel company newsletters, booking operators such as Booking.com or TripAdvisor, or Wotif newsletters, and Travel insurance company newsletters for a chance to win big epic prizes in their travel contests.

Who else has a vested interest in travelling, flying, and road trips?

Subscribe to their newsletters too. 

• travel insurance companies
• money exchange companies
• travel agencies
• cruise agencies

No.7: Best Hotels & Resorts around the world 

Individual hotel chains and boutique hotels usually have an email list you can subscribe to. 

They host really great competitions from time to time for their subscribers.

Note that you may need to sign up to the correct newsletter for your country, state or region. 

• Wyndham Vacations Hotel Group
• Loews Hotels
• Universal Hotels 
• Marriott International
• Hard Rock Hotels
• Intercontinental
• Four Seasons
• Accor Group
• Conrad Hotels
• Starwood Hotels and Resorts
• Ritz Carlton
• Radisson Hotels
• Mantra Hotels
• QT Hotels (Australia)

Portofino Hotel Universal Studios Orlando – Image credit: Osse0us via Flickr CC BY- 2.0

No.8: Best Family Hotels in America

Plus sign up to the newsletters of all your favourite family hotel destinations..

And then enter ALL the competitions! 

• Disney’s Deluxe Resort Hotels (Disney World)
• Disneyland Hotels
• Disney Aulani in Hawaii
• Universal Studios Hotels
• Legoland Hotels  USA (Can also subscribe to Legoland Hotels around the world – UK, Malaysia, Denmark, Germany)
• Great Wolf Lodge
• Kalahari Resorts

The Ploughmans lunch at the Gallery Cafe, part of the prize we won thanks to Blue Mountains Attractions Group

No.9: Destination Marketing Competitions & Local Tourism Board Competitions

Our last competition success prize included:

• two nights accommodation at Jungle Lodge in the Blue Mountains Botanical Gardens in Australia (sleeping up to 10 people, so we took Grandma, Aunty Patty, Cousin Brooke, and cousins Imy and Holly with us) 
• $120 to spend on lunch at the Blue Mountains Art Gallery
• two annual family passes to the National Trust, and
• tickets for 4 adults to enjoy High Tea at the iconic Hydro-Majestic hotel.

A win valued at over $1500, courtesy of  Blue Mountains Attraction Group via a 25 words or less competition.

Read all about it here. ( Coming soon )

RELATED: Helpful Guide on How to Win 25 Words or Less Competitions 

Our Jungle Lodge accommodation in the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden 

Subscribe to Destination Marketing newsletters

We strongly encourage you to sign up for emails from:

• Local Destination Marketing Organisations in your local city 
• State Tourism Marketing Boards 
• Tourism marketing bodies in the cities and countries you plan to visit (Visit Japan, Visit Thailand)
• Local travel guides and operators in your city, and in your next holiday destination too  
• Small accommodation providers who join forces to create a tourism collaboration group
• Visitor Information Centres
• Airport Newsletters (Changi is a must!)
• Airport transportation newsletters (eg Airtrain) 
• Large Shopping Malls & well known Department stores 
• Combined Tourism Operators in the city (eg when tourism operators join forces and make an over-arching body to keep everyone in the loop)  
• Travel Expos – Visit these in person to find more competitions to enter, & sign up to hear about Industry Nights

Once you’ve found your favourite Destination Marketing organisations (above), LIKE their FB pages too.

No.10: Win Travel Goods

Don’t forget the Travel Goods store newsletters too.

They run comps for travel goods regularly, plus offer the odd trip.

• American Tourister
• Other favourite suitcase brands
• Pacsafe smart travel gear
• Trunki children’s suitcases
• Container Store
• Eagle Creek 
• Montblanc 

No.11: Big Company Brand Competitions

Check out the big companies we all know and love.

The ones you hear advertised on the radio or in full page ads in the paper.

Be sure to throw your net wide and take a look at all kinds of businesses for travel competitions , not just the obvious ones with connection to travel. 

• Telecommunications companies (A T&T, Verizon, Comcast) 
• Electric Companies
• Famous furniture stores like IKEA and MUJI and Freedom Furniture 
• Fox sports, Channel Nine, ABC, SBS
• Florists (eg  honeymoon competitions)
• Travel Expos, Travel Conventions and Travel Trade shows 

TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITIONS

Last but not least, you can try to win a trip by entering Travel writing competitions to win a free holiday in Australia, or perhaps win a trip overseas.

This is one competition where talent overrides luck.

If writing is your thing, join the fun!

• Lonely Planet
• Australian Writers Centre

LOOKING FOR MORE FUN CITIES TO VISIT WITH KIDS?

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• Destinations
• Competitions

The Kvarner Riviera: Croatia’s Coastal Secret

Bulgaria’s black sea resorts, a montenegro road trip, le mans 24 hours – then and now, travel competitions, win a holiday.

Enter our Travel Competitions for a Chance to Win Unforgettable Holidays and Prizes!

Discover enticing giveaways from leading names in the world of travel. Whether you crave family getaways, city escapades, thrilling adventures, or serene spa retreats, we have the perfect prize for you.

Weekly, we curate the finest holiday competitions available online. Please check individual competition terms and conditions for entry details.

Best of luck and remember “You gotta be in it to win it”.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Win a trip to switzerland with ricola sweets.

Win a holiday to Switzerland worth £1,300, plus a year’s supply of Ricola sweets. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win an Amazing Trip to California with Monster Energy

Win four nights in California including a wellness, surf, and ski or snowboard experience. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a 7 Night Ski Holiday to Canada

Win a dream 7 night ski holiday to Canada with Panorama Ski Resort and Air Canada. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a Flights to Hong Kong With Brightsun and Cathay Pacific

Win two flight tickets to Hong Kong flying on Cathay Pacific courtesy of Brightsun. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a Holiday to the Italian Dolomites

How about winning 3 night short break to italy with flights from SkyAlps. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a £1000 Holiday Voucher from Bournemouth Airport

Enter here to win a £1,000 holiday voucher courtesy of Fred Olsen Travel, Bournemouth Airport and Jet2Holidays. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a Holiday to Qatar & Thailand

Win a fabulous holiday to Qatar and Thailand with Qatar Airways T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win a Holiday to Cyprus with Kuoni

Kuoni and The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival bring you the chance to win a luxury stay in Cyprus T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

OCTOBER 2024

Win a holiday to st lucia with country and townhouse magazine.

Fancy winning a Caribbean Holiday? Here is your chance! T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 1st October 2024.

Win a Holiday to Whistler with Whistler Tourism

Win a Summer break to the Canadian resort of Whistler T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 3rd October 2024.

Win a Holiday to Mauritius with The Mirror Newspaper

Win an all inclusive 10-night stay at the luxurious 5* Le Méridien Ile Maurice Hotel on the Indian ocean island of Mauritius. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 3rd October 2024.

Win a Parisien Break with with The Hummingbird Bakery and The Phantom of the Opera

Worth up to £1000 how about this prize of a break to Paris in France. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 15th October 2024.

Fancy a Winter Break to Bolzano in the Italian Dolomites?

Courtesy of Escapism magazine and SkyAlps new service from Gatwick to Bolzano you could win flights to this fabulous town that I enjoyed last year. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 15th October 2024.

Win a Short Break to Rome in Italy

Win a short break to Rome with the Metro and Mail Online. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 24th October 2024.

Win a Moroccan Beach Escape with Family Traveller

Win an amazing 7-night all-inclusive stay for a family of four to the Robinson Agadir in Morocco. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 25th October 2024.

Win a Short Break to Marrakech in Morocco

This prize from SL.Man and Izza gives you the chance to discover the incredible city of Marrakech in Morocco. I love it there so get your entries in ! T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 28th October 2024.

Win a Maldives Holiday with County Wedding Magazine

Win 5 nights for two people in the Maldives T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 31st October 2024.

NOVEMBER 2024

Win an antarctic cruise.

Win a 12 night Antarctic Cruise with Cruise Collective and HX Hurtigruten Expeditions T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th November 2024.

DECEMBER 2024

Win a trip across utah in a motorhome.

The Utah Office of Tourism, the North America Travel Service, Cruise America and Weird Fish is giving you the chance to win an self drive holiday in Utah USA. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 31st December 2024.

JANUARY 2025

Win a holiday to crete with neutradol.

Win a holiday to the fabulous island of Crete in 2025 T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 10th January 2025.

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How to Win Travel Competitions & Get a Free Holiday!

If you know what to look for to win a free trip, and which ones to enter, you stand a much better chance of winning the thing. Here are my top tips for how to win travel competitions, and bag a free trip.

There are certain rules to winning holiday competitions, which I’ll go through below. There’s a knack. 

I want to tell you how to win a travel competition , or at least, how I did.

Five times.

When I first started travel blogging, back in 2011, I’d do anything to travel more. I was earning £19k a year, living in London and going out every weekend. I didn’t have the money to spend on all the trips I wanted to go on, and I needed new material to write about.

How to win free trips

I decided to start entering free holiday competitions. Part of my job at the travel company I worked at was coming up with ideas for competitions to win holidays, and making them stand out so people wanted to enter them.

This meant that researching what other travel companies were doing for holiday comps was all in a day’s work. I needed to look at their methods of entry, what kind of holiday giveaways they were doing and who won them.

Every week I spent more time than I probably should of some time attempting to win the travel competitions I found. Well,  seeing as I was already on the page I might as well. 

And then I started winning holidays.

Trigger warning: might make you jealous so just scroll down to the ‘how to win holiday competitions’ bit. 

Travel competitions I’ve won

1. g adventures trip from zanzibar to nairobi.

It was some sort of anniversary for the Queen at the time, back in 2012, so the travel company G Adventures asked their Facebook audience to dress up as a King or Queen, send in a pic, and the winner would win the trip.

I dressed up as Martin Luther King, in a suit and ‘tasche, and only went on to win the blummin thing. Shame I can’t find the photo now, probably for the best.

I can vividly remember running on the treadmill at the gym at Swiss Cottage, thinking about how much I wanted the G Adventures trip. I remember saying to myself that if I won, I was really going to make a go of this travel blogging malarkey. And I did. So here I am , four years later and loving the travel blogger life.

And that trip to Zanzibar and Nairobi was awesome .

Winning travel competitions

That trip was the first of a glorious winning streak for me. Over the next two years I went on to win:

2. – Trip for two to Sharm el Sheikh

3. – Two flights to Amsterdam

4. – Trip for two to Cuba

5. – £300 to spend on a trip to Rhodes

6. – A GoPro HERO4

I’ve just found a new site for all my travel competition wants, where it’s  possible to win a holiday with Daymade  by entering their weekly draws. Check it out!

Holiday competitions on my blog

I make it a point to show off competitions for travel on my blog. Why? Because it’s where I began.

There’s no way I would’ve been able to afford those holidays back in the day.

If I hadn’t have entered that first holiday competition to win the trip from Zanzibar to Nairobi, I wouldn’t have had the confidence in myself that I’d done something cool. Something cool enough to write about and to kick start my travel blog into action.

How to win travel competitions

1. The more obscure the entry method to the travel competition, the more chance you have to win.

If you need to make a video, a poem or send some sort of photo to enter the competition then less people will be bothered to enter, and the more reason for you to do so.

The harder is, the less people will enter and the more chance you have. You’re looking for low entry competitions, ok? 

Here are the methods of entry for the travel comps I won…

– Trip for two to Sharm el Sheikh  – my business card was pulled out the jar at a blogger meet up.

– Two flights to Amsterdam – I entered by Retweeting on Twitter.

– Trip for two to Cuba  – I just signed up to a newsletter with my email address, not my vickyflipfloptravels.com one, my personal one (just in case you wondered). 

– £300 to spend on a trip to Rhodes  – another email sign up. 

– A GoPro HERO4  – this was actually a second prize, I had to say why I’d be a good person to win a trip to Papua New Guinea. 

Amazingly, you can see that they were actually all pretty simple methods. Although, I’m sure having a travel blog helped me to win some of them, so really, they were quite difficult as I’d spent so long working on this to make me a worthy winner.

But when I say enter the more difficult ones, with higher barriers to entry, it’s that safari trip I’m thinking of. And that’s an awesome prize to win. You just need to go the extra mile – it’s less crowded there! 

2. Free competitions to win holidays

You should always enter the free travel competitions you see, you never know what might happen. I know for a fact and from experience that many of the ones put on by travel companies have a lot less entries than you might think. You do have a chance.

This one time, I told Kara from heelsinmybackpack.com about all the travel competitions I enter, and that she should too, and a few weeks later she went on to win a trip to Bali for two.

When I worked at gapyear.com, we had a travel competition to win a trip for two to the Cook Islands. Seriously, we had about ten entries because the method of entry was a video. And people can’t be bothered to make videos. 

The harder the travel comp is, the less people enter, the more chance you have. 

1. Do you know about Tweetdeck? Well basically it’s a tool that makes Twitter easier to use and follow, and you can set up feeds to follow certain hashtags. At one time I had it set up to follow hashtags like #competition and #win. That way I was seeing every competition that came through.

You can also just log on to Twitter and do this too.

2. Keep your online eyes peeled for holiday competitions that don’t seem to be very well advertised. One of the best ways of doing this is following your favourite companies on Facebook . Always think of creative answers for competitions to be in with the best chance. There’s genuinely no point in entering if you don’t at least try a little bit. 

3. Look at the ending date, if it’s in anything more than a month the competition you’re looking at is probably a scam to just collect email addresses with no intention of ever having any winners.

4. Is it relatively difficult to enter? Then do it now. The more barriers to entry there are, the less entrants there’ll be, and the more chance you have. As I’ve said before. 

5. Does the competition owner do competitions all the time?  If so then it’s less likely you’ll win. You’ll have seen magazines that do competitions every week, and will have a few hundred or thousand comp queens who enter every time. That’s not the kind of competition you’re looking for.

Holiday competitions to enter 

Kinda, but it’s not just luck. You got be in it, to win it.

You could try out comping sites, to find the best travel competitions. Ones like Loquax, Money Saving Expert, Wanderlust and Travel Scoop all feature the latest and greatest holiday comps out there. Spend a rainy Sunday going through and entering them all, you never know. 

Check out Taylor Hearts Travel’s weekly competition round up to win a trip (hopefully). I’m pretty sure that’s where I found the Cuba competition! Or Rosemary and Pork Belly also do a holiday competition round up, that could be totally worth a look.  And TravelScoop.co.uk . I’ve actually just gone through and entered loads of competitions on there, so wish me luck. Maybe?

And just one final tip for entering travel competitions: if you’re worried about the inevitable spam, set up a different email address. But, don’t forget to check it! 

Friends who’ve won a holiday competition

Steve won a flight to Sweden and accommodation for TWENTY people. He was the most popular guy ever when he had a whole section of the plane to himself and his friends. When the airline phoned him to tell him he’d won he totally didn’t believe them and put the phone down on them. This was just a email address to enter competition. 

Steve’s a right jammy one and also won a trip to Peru, to climb Machu Piccu. I know!

*But, we call him jammy but then he does enter every competition he sees! 

Macca won a £250 holiday voucher of his choice, for uploading a Tweet about an event he was at. That was it! 

Jai won a luxury cruise for two by putting her business card in a bowl. She’s also won an amazing holiday to Egypt doing exactly the same thing! 

See, just enter and you don’t know where it might lead!

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Hi, I'm Vicky! I wrote this. You can find me on all the social media @VickyFlipFlop. I love a bit of adventure, will try anything once, and have a strong passion for the local food and drink, whatever it may be. I'm here to help inspire you to travel to places a little out of your comfort zone, or at least to explore the usual destinations in a different way. Stay, have a look around, and if you have any questions – let me know below.

28 Comments

hello do you have any comp websites thats outside of uk cause the ones you mentioned like travel scoop and loquax is only for uk residents

Wow, I had no idea there were so many travel competitions out there! This article really opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities for funding my travels. Thanks for sharing these tips!

Sounds great thanks for the update and I hope to share with others how I won as well.

Hi Vicky, I read your very enteraining blog, and signed up for a load of sign up chances to win!! I see you wrote about smaller travel companies and blogers, would you have any direct tips because you can litterally spend hours looking for these competitions (haha wastingmylife#)!! Would love some tips from an expert, although a lot of these prizes are being announce in January so I am staying positive! thanks love clem

Hi Vicky, I’m not sure if you have covered this in your blog yet but, one thing I find offputting with holiday competitions is that the prizes are always for two (or more) people. It would be so much less hassle for me to just go alone rather than having to choose one friend over the rest. As it is, I tend to only enter competitions if the destination is somewhere that I really want to go to but, I dread the thought of winning, only to have to forfeit the prize because the winner has to have a plus one. I’ve on ever seen one competition where the prize was for “up to 2 people”. It would be wonderful for this to be the norm.

There are a couple of sites (like travelscoop) that I will scroll through but, as I have one or two specific ‘dream’ destinations in mind, every so often I will google the country + holiday competition, which occasionally comes up with a few and, when they are hosted by, for example, a food or beverage company or, tourist or transport company that’s associated with that country, the same companies tend to repeat the competition again. You get pretty good at sifting out the out of date results!

I’ve not won a holiday (yet!) but that’s fine because I haven’t lost anything either. Somebody will have won it and will have a wonderful time and, that’s what really matters.

Do you know holiday competitions which are open for residents of Europe? I have found only couple.

good after-noon i am curious about getting a free trip for 2 i really think the trip would help me and my sister get closer because its been hard since our mother passed 2 months ago if not i am ok with that.THANK YOU

It seems like that your more luckier than me. Im 49 & I have entered in so many competitions majority of my life (mainly email sign up’s & 25 words or less) & i have never won any! I have writen nice things reffering to the company holding the comp, i have written funny stuff, i have given a sad story … nothing works. I really think random luck has alot to do with it & im not that lucky at all. Even with the only man that wanted to marry me, he was killed in front of me before we even got to marry.

Thanks for the tips!

Hi! Thanks for the article and congratulations on all your wins! Can I ask what you wrote as an aswer to “why you’d be a good person to win a trip to Papua New Guinea”. I’m just curious who wins those competitions. I know you got 2nd place but it’s pretty close 🙂

Never one a travel competition but hoping 2019 will be my year to start. Australia and New Zealand are the places I want to go the most.

Ooo nice choices. Yeah I entered LOADs of competitions at the end of last year. Still haven’t heard anything though! Good luck to us!

Take a look at our Travel Competition at QuirkyAccom.com. We are a directory of unusual places to stay and we give all our profits to charity. This competition has 4 unusual stays in the UK as prizes and for each entrant we will donate £1 to our current partnered charity Right to Play UK (who do great things for children living in difficult situations around the world. I read your blog about winning competitions and thought that you may be able to help us spread the word – and give more to a good cause.

https://www.quirkyaccom.com/general-blog-articles/qa-autumn-competition

Closing date 22 November.

Thanks for your comment. I’ve entered!

Hi, i have been entering competitions for ages and still no luck 🙁 You blog is very helpful and I cant wait to put in more effort when looking for competitions! Are there any websites in particular that you would suggest? I find it difficult to find websites that I perceive to be legit

Hi Sophie, I used to look at this page: http://taylorheartstravel.com/win-a-trip-and-travel-competitions/ Seems to be down at the moment but keep an eye on it.

Or you could try looking for #competition on Twitter, or try following all your favourite brands on Facebook and then they will usually put their competitions on there.

Oh, or try Loquax. Hope that helps. x

Love this post! I enter competitions all the time but have yet to win anything. You’ve given me hope that it is possible!

Competitions are definitely a numbers game. The more you enter, the more chance you have. Have you checked out the ones on TaylorHeartsTravel? Also, keep an eye on smaller travel companies and bloggers – they often host them with a lot less participants. They’re the ones you want to aim for!

After reading this I am obsessed with entering competitions! Fingers crossed I win one soon!

Ooo let me know if you do. I might enter some today too 🙂

Really great post – I’m always so reluctant to enter competitions, but might have to start given your success rate and recos!

Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/

Yeah, no harm in trying right? Gotta be in it to win it and all those annoying sayings 🙂

I’ve won so many competitions since you told me this, Vicky! The trip to Bali was the start, then a Fuji Instax Mini, a weekend in Northumberland and a trip for two to Prague! Best. Advice. Ever. xx

Ha, amazing! Well done. Proud of you. 🙂

I enter competitions ALL. THE. TIME and I think the only things I’ve won were a sleep mask and a pair of ear plugs (which I found out I could’ve bought from John Lewis for £7.99) and two tickets to a NYE gig in Bristol which I couldn’t go to in the end as accommodation for the night and train fares would’ve cost me a week’s wages!

I keep trying to convince myself my lucky streak is yet to come 😉

Ah no, that’s annoying! Keep trying. I’m sure it will come some day! 🙂

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Your perfect 10-day peru itinerary: what to see & do.

Peru is a land of adventure, culture, and history. From the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu to the stunning landscape of the Andes Mountains, it’s a pretty magical place. If you’re interested in traveling in South America, you should absolutely start planning a Peru itinerary.

When I went to Peru for the first time, I was blown away by the incredible sights, delicious food , and just the majesty of it all. When you see Machu Picchu for the first time, you will completely understand what I mean. It’s something you will never forget.

With so much to see and do, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this 10-day itinerary for Peru, packed with the best of the best. From the ancient city of Machu Picchu to the stunning landscapes of the Amazon, this is the perfect way to see everything that Peru has to offer.

Are you planning your trip to Peru?

If you’re  traveling to Peru , ensure you have lodging and tours booked ahead of time! Below are some of our top picks to help you plan!

• Book a transfer from the airport to Lima city center with Welcome Pickups.
• Rent a car from the Lima airport through Discover Cars .

Where to Stay in Lima See all hotel options

• Iberostar Selection Miraflores ⇒ An outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a fitness center and a terrace.
• INNSiDE by Meliá Lima Miraflores ⇒ Outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, and a bar.

Best Tours and Experiences in Lima:

• Best of Peru in 8 Days – See Lima, Machu Picchu, Cusco, The Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca & Huacachina. Fully customizable. (2 pax required). Starting at $1469.
• Lima Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour (sample a plethora of Peruvian foods)
• Private Full-Day Best of Lima Tour (this is a great personalized, flexible tour)

Table of Contents

Introduction to Peru

Peru is a country located in the western part of South America . It is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. Peru is a popular tourist destination for its rich culture and history.

The country is home to the ancient Inca civilization, as well as many other Pre-Columbian cultures. Peru is also home to a variety of natural attractions, including the Andes mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and the Peruvian Amazon.

From the capital city of Lima to the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, there is much to see and do in Peru. Check out our full list of what to see in Peru. While 10 days is a great amount of time to spend in the country, you definitely won’t be able to see it all in that amount of time. That’s why it’s important to understand what you’ll be seeing and choose the things you like the most.

Planning a Peru Vacation

Peru is a large country, so you’ll need to decide what kind of trip you want to take. Are you interested in exploring the Inca ruins? Or would you prefer to spend your time hiking in the mountains? Once you know what you want to do, you can start planning your trip.

The easiest possible way to see as much as possible in Peru is to book a tour. I recommend this 8-day tour by ExploorPeru that is fully customizable. You will visit Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and Huacachina and it includes nearly everything you’ll need, start to finish, starting from $1469.

• Lima is generally where travelers will fly into the country. This is where you should start your sightseeing. It’s about a 45-minute drive from the airport to downtown.
• Machu Picchu is a must-see . This ancient site is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Peru. You must go in on a guided tour as you can no longer walk around by yourself. We recommend this one-day guided tour by ExploorPeru.
• The Sacred Valley is another must see, with stunning natural beauty and rich cultural Inca traditions.
• Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, a natural wonder and cultural treasure.
• The Amazon is another major draw for visitors to Peru for its diversity, amazing flora, and to capture stunning images of wildlife and nature.

Book a Tour or Self-Guided?

You can definitely get around Peru by yourself, but it will take a little more planning and scheduling on your part. Our itinerary below will take you from Lima to Cusco and Machu Picchu, then on to Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa. For this, you will need to book numerous flights, trains, and hotels.

To do it the easy way, you can book a guided tour so all the planning is done for you. All you have to do is show up and enjoy it. The guided tour I recommend is this 8-Day Best of Peru tour . It’s run by a trusted company called ExploorPeru .

With this tour, you arrive in Lima, then head to Huacachina Oasis, fly on to Lake Titicaca, then fly to Cusco, The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Rainbow Mountain. A private tour (for 2+) starts at just $2429/pp with 4-star hotels.

When to Go to Peru

Peru is a beautiful country with a lot to offer tourists. But when is the best time to visit? The answer to that question depends on a few factors, including what you want to see and do while you’re in Peru.

• For the Inca ruins, the best time to visit Peru is between June and August. This is the dry season in Peru, so you’ll have good weather for hiking and visiting archeological sites.
• If you’re more interested in the Amazon rainforest, you should visit between December and May. This is the wet season in Peru, so the Amazon will be more lush and green.
• The summer season lasts from November to March. Lima is hot and muggy at this time of year, but farther down the coast, it’s pleasant and sunny, and the water is a fantastic temperature for swimming. Even just outside of Lima there are great beaches that are fun to visit in the summer.
• The peak travel period to Machu Picchu is from May to August, which falls in line with the American and European holiday seasons. This is when it will be most crowded and expensive.

10-Day Peru Itinerary

Days 1–2: arrival in lima.

• Take a guided sightseeing tour (or private tour ) of Peru’s capital city, Lima. You’ll see the San Francisco Monastery, known for its beautiful 17th-century architecture and library, and then go down into the eerie catacombs below. See the Presidential Palace, the ancient Dominicans Tower, Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor), Lima Cathedral, and Convento de Santo Domingo. ( 3:30 hours )
• Stop at a Restaurant Bar Cordano , the oldest bar in Peru, located next to the Presidential Palace where many famous writers like Ernest Hemingway used to hangout. Try the delicious ceviche alongside a pisco sour, Peru’s national drink, made with lime juice, egg white, and angostura bitters.
• Lima Gourmet Evening Food Tour . The best way to experience your first meal in Lima is on a gourmet food tour. Lima has many high-end restaurants to enjoy. Dress up for cocktails at a trendy beachfront bar, enjoy dinner inside a 2,500-year-old archeological complex, and finish up with a walking tour of the Barranco district in route to dessert.
• Miraflores neighborhood. We suggest staying in the Miraflores neighborhood. The majority of the city’s hotels and hostels are located here, and it’s also considered to be one of Lima’s safest neighborhoods. It’s an upscale area with lots of bars and restaurants, the beautiful beach is nearby. Take a stroll along the Malecon and just enjoy the scenery.

» Try this tour: Peruvian Cooking Class Including Local Market Tour and Exotic Fruit Tasting

Days 3–4: Sacred Valley of the Incas

On the morning of day 3, fly to Cuzco. There are many domestic airlines like Jetsmart, Latam, or Viva Air that can take you there. You leave from the international airport directly to Cuzco and it takes just over an hour.

• Walk around Cuzco, the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city, on your first day in town to acclimate yourself to the altitude. It has cobblestone streets, massive Inca-built walls, and many lavish churches. Walk through the Plaza del Armas, the center of the city, then explore San Pedro Market. If you have time, visit Coricancha, which was the centerpiece of the Incan empire and considered the holiest site in Incan mythology.
• On day 4, take a day trip to The Sacred Valley , home to some of Peru’s most historically significant sites, with Incan settlements dating back thousands of years. On this full day tour you’ll visit Moray and the Salinas de Maras, the Chinchero District, Ollantaytambo , a city built into cliffs by the Incas in the 15th century, and the small village of Pisaq. ( 12 hours )

» Try this tour: If you’re interested in spending more time, book one of these tours with ExploorPeru.

• The Best of Cusco in 3 Days : Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Rainbow Valley (from $459/pp)
• The Best of Cusco in 4 Days : Adds on Humantay Lake (from $839/pp)
• The Best of Cusco in 5 Days : Adds on Cusco City (from $879/pp)

Day 5: Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is one of the top reasons people long to visit Peru. If you’ve seen the photos, you know what I mean. There are a couple of ways to get to Machu Picchu, so you’ll have to decide which way is for you.

The easiest possible way to see Machu Picchu is to book a tour from Cuzco. I recommend this tour by ExploorPeru that includes train, entrance tickets, guide, shuttle bus & private transport. You can go from Cuzco all in one day, or go to Agua Calientes to stay the night before, so it’s very flexible.

• Train: You can board a PeruRail train from the Cusco train station that takes you to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. Book the train here . It’s about a 4-hour ride for $50.
• Hiram Bingham, A Belmond Train: Go for a Machu Picchu package that includes a luxury return ride on a vintage train, admission tickets and guided tour of the archaeological site, plus lunch, dinner, drinks, and entertainment. This is the only “luxury” way to get there.
• Trekking the Inca Trail: You can hike to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail . This takes some fortitude and 3-4 days. If you don’t have that kind of time or don’t want to hike the whole thing, can go on this 2-Day Inca Trail To Machu Picchu .

Get on the train early so you can get there and spend the late morning and afternoon exploring Peru’s lost city. With its high-quality ornamental stonework and 50 burial sites, Machu Picchu is believed to be a ceremonial center of some kind, but its exact purpose remains shrouded in mystery.

After your tour, you’ll return by train to Cuzco. You can also stay overnight in Aguas Calientes. Belmond Sanctuary Lodge  is the only hotel located right next to Machu Picchu. A great experience!  Book on Expedia.  Read more about it  in this review .

Day 6: Train to Lake Titicaca

Take the PeruRail Titicaca Train from Cusco to Puno, located on the beaches of Lake Titicaca. By train, it takes roughly 10 hours and 30 minutes to complete this full-day breathtaking journey across the Andes.

You’ll travel alongside the peaceful waters and dazzling peaks of Peru’s altiplano region and during the journey there’s traditional dancing and music, and you can indulge in some Peruvian cocktails and cuisine in the dining car.

Day 7: Uros Islands and Lake Titicaca

• In the center of Lake Titicaca are the famed floating islands built by the Uros tribe using totora reeds. On this full day tour , you’ll explore the islands, including Uros and Taquile. The island of Uros is made up entirely of reeds and has been around since pre-Inca times. Then, visit Taquile, known for its colorful textiles, to enjoy a delicious lunch and visit a local cooperative. ( 10 hours )

Day 8: Puna to Arequipa

Today you will travel to Arequipa, the colonial-era capital of Peru’s Arequipa Region. There are 2 ways to get there. You can drive yourself in a rental car or take the bus. The bus between Arequipa and Puno takes around 5h 45m.

Services are operated by Transzela, Transportes Reyna, Expreso Turismo San Martin Nobleza and others. Typically 21 buses run weekly, although weekend and holiday schedules can vary so check in advance.

Days 9: Arequipa

The capital of the Arequipa Region in Peru dates back to the colonial era. It is surrounded by three volcanoes and is full of baroque structures made of the white volcanic stone pillar.

The Basilica Cathedral, a neoclassical building from the 17th century that houses a museum with religious artifacts and artwork, is bordered on the north by the Plaza de Armas, a magnificent main square that serves as the city’s historic core.

There are a number of things to do in Arequipa, besides walking around the historic core, so you can choose what excites you the most.

• Trekking, Waterfalls and Thermal Baths : 8 hours 30 minutes. This tour includes trekking through the Capua Canyon to the base of the Capua Waterfall. Entering the Pozo de Aguas Termales El Tigre volcanic hot springs, and passing through the traditional Yura Viejo town.
• Rafting Río Chili : 3 hours. No prior rafting experience is necessary to enjoy running Class II to IV rapids on this Rio Chili tour from Arequipa. It’s just 20 minutes from the city center. You will be rafting the upper 6km section of the Chili River.
• One-Day Colca Canyon Excursion: 8 to 10 hours. Colca Canyon is a fascinating natural formation twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. On this tour you will walk on the base of a colossal volcano and admire the spectacular views, enter the thermal baths or zipline or hike around, filled with the magic of the valley, stop at the Patapampa viewpoint, stop at a part of the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca to observe camelids, among other things.

Day 10: Fly Back to Lima and Departure

On your last day, you will depart for Lima. The same airlines you flew to Cusco also go from Arequipa to Lima. It takes about 1:45 minutes. If you can plan it right, you can continue on to your international flight back home. Or you can spend the rest of the day in Lima and return to the airport the next day for your flight home.

Why Spend 10 Days in Peru?

Peru is a country that is absolutely jam packed with fun things to see and do. From the bustling city of Lima to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, you’re going to need time to see it all. With a 10-day trip, you can easily explore all of the highlights that Peru has to offer, without staying for too long.

So why spend 10 days in Peru? Here are a few reasons:

• You can explore the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu
• You can visit the floating islands of Lake Titicaca
• You can explore the colonial city of Cusco
• You can learn about the ancient Inca civilization

With 10 days, you can easily see all of the top highlights that this amazing country has to offer. You can get a good idea of the culture and the cuisine. You will see amazing things and spend a lot of time traveling around the country to understand the infrastructure.

Obviously, if you have more time to spend, I would say do it. There are plenty more things to see and do. But most people want to spend between 7 and 10 days in Peru for a first-time visit, and I think this is a perfect amount of time to spend.

Tips for Traveling in Peru

If you’re planning a trip to Peru, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

• Pack light . The weather can be very warm, especially in the Amazon Basin, so you won’t need a lot of heavy clothing. The weight restriction on planes and trains is 50 pounds (23 kg) per person.
• Pack plenty of sunscreen and insect repellent. The sun is very strong at high altitudes, and mosquitoes can be a problem in some areas.
• Leave plenty of time to explore. Peru is a large country with a lot to see and do. By planning ahead, you can make the most of your trip and have a great time.
• Be aware that Cusco is at 11,152 feet (3,399 meters) above sea level. Altitude sickness can start to manifest at around 7,500 feet, so it’s possible you will feel symptoms like shortness of breath, body aches, dizziness, headaches, stomach aches, or vomiting. Try to take it really easy on the first day and rest the first few hours to help acclimate your body to the altitude.
• Remember that the distances between major cities and sights can mean a whole day of travel to get between them.
• Peruvian law requires that you always carry your passport on you, in case of random checks. Keep a photocopy of your main passport page back in your hotel just in case you lose the passport.

Be Prepared For Travel Planning is the most important part of any successful trip. Do it the easy way:

🧳 Travel Packing List | ✔️ Why You Need Travel Insurance | ✈️ What to Do Before You Leave Home

• Find and book the best hotel (our favorite booking site is Expedia)
• Research flight options (our favorite tool is Skyscanner )
• Book a tour (we always use Viator to find the best tours)
• Rent a car through Discover Cars (they search the best deals for you!)

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Laura Lynch, creator and writer of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, certified wine expert, and international food specialist. She has written about travel and food for over 20 years and has visited over 75 countries. Her work has been published in numerous guidebooks, websites, and magazines.

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Counting Our Footsteps

Ultimate 3 Week Peru Itinerary – With Map And Budget

Are you looking for the perfect 3 week Peru Itinerary?

I am so excited to share this 3 week Peru itinerary with you because we had such an amazing time when we were there. Now I love any excuse to go back through the photos and talk about it!

It’s highly likely that Peru is somewhere you’ve heard a lot about and chances are you have been dreaming of going for a long time now.

I can totally relate.

Seeing Machu Picchu with my own eyes had been at the top of my bucket list for years and when it finally happened it was pure magic. Now I am super excited that you too are planning to visit this incredible country.

We spent 4 weeks in total in Peru, so I have taken everything we experienced and even more and put it into this itinerary so you can make sure not to miss a thing.

Before we dive into the itinerary, let’s first just make sure you feel comfortable with the amount of time you will need for your trip.

Is 3 Weeks In Peru Enough?

Although we spent 4 weeks in Peru, we did spend 2 of those weeks in Cusco. We were on a longer backpacking trip and chose Cusco as a spot to slow down for a while.

That is why I have chosen to create a 3 week Peru Itinerary. Based on our experience, I think 3 weeks is the perfect amount of time to see some of Peru’s Highlights.

Of course to really see any country you would need years and we could’ve easily spent much longer exploring…because let’s face it, Peru is pretty awesome. However, realistically most people don’t have that much time so 3 weeks is the sweet spot to really feel like you got the most out of your trip.

The absolute minimum amount of time I would recommend is 2 weeks.

If you have more time for your trip then I really recommend also visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands .

How To Get Around Peru

I personally feel that the best way to get around Peru is by Bus.

We opted to use the bus company Peru Hop to get around because they have a really great system set up to get you from place to place with as little effort as possible. You can do this entire Itinerary using them so if your budget allows then they are 100% the way to go.

Alternatively, the public bus network would be the most budget-friendly way to get around the country but also potentially the slowest.

You could hire a car and drive yourself but just be aware that some of the distances you will need to cover to get from place to place on this itinerary are ENORMOUS.

There are also internal flights which can be unreliable, Trains which are uncommon and pricey and of course Taxis everywhere you go.

For this Itinerary, I will go into more detail on using the Peru Hop buses because we really do believe they are the best way to get around.

3 Week Peru Itinerary Overview & Map

Now that we have covered the best way to get around and how much time you will need, here is a quick overview of our 3 week Peru Itinerary;

Day 1 : Arrive in Lima

Day 2 & 3 : lima.

Day 4 & 5 : Paracas and Islas Ballestas

Days 6 & 7 : Huacachina

Days 8, 9, 10 & 11 : Arequipa and Colco Canyon

Days 12 & 13 : Puno and Lake Titicaca

Days 14 – 20 : cusco and machu picchu, day 21 – fly home (via lima).

This Itinerary should give you plenty of time in each place and make sure you don’t feel rushed.

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3 Week Peru Itinerary In Detail

OK, time for the juicy details and everything you need to know to plan your epic, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Peru.

I’m excited, can you tell?!

Day one of your trip will just be for you to arrive in Lima.

When booking your flights I recommend using a site like SkyScanner to compare prices and pick the best deals for you. Comparison sites like these are a great way to save some extra money.

✈️ Take a look at flight deals to Peru using SkyScanner!

Lima Airport is located about a 45-minute drive outside of the city and if like me you prefer to be organised, the best way to get from the airport to your accommodation is to book a taxi in advance.

We like to use Booking.com to book airport transfers and find them to always match prices offered by local companies. This just means I get extra support from Booking.com if there are any issues. Which *knock on wood* we haven’t had any issues so far.

The best part of booking a transfer ahead of time is that you give them your flight info and they will wait for you to land and allow enough time to grab your bags too.

🚘 Book your airport transfer with Booking.com here!

Where to Stay in Lima

We stayed in the Selina Hostel in the Mira Flores area of the city.

This Area is ideal to stay in because it is safe and there are plenty of fun things to see and do in the area.

We chose the Selina because it was a great price, we could book a private room and they have an onsite bar and restaurant, as well as great co-working spaces. I would highly recommend this as the place to start your 3 week Peru itinerary.

⭐️ Book your stay at the Selina in Lima here!

For this itinerary, you will need to book a 3 night stay in Lima.

We really liked Lima and only allowed ourselves 1 full day here which we felt just wasn’t quite enough.

For this reason, I have allowed 2 days to explore Peru’s lively capital city.

Here are some of the main things I recommend doing in the city;

• Join a free walking tour.
• Spend some time with the cats in Kennedy Park. This may have been the most fun and unique park I have visited just due to how many street cats live here and how well taken care of they are by the locals.
• Take a walk to the beach for some sunbathing or to enjoy the panoramic views.
• Do some surfing.
• Explore Plaza de Armas.
• Spend an evening enjoying the bars, restaurants and great atmosphere on C. Berlin Street, just off Kennedy Park.

Day 4 & 5: Paracas and Islas Ballestas

On day 4 you will catch an early morning bus along the coast to Paracas. A small town most famous for its islands; Islas Ballestas. Otherwise known as the poor man’s Galapagos.

You will want to spend 1 night in Paracas as apart from the 2 activities I am going to mention there isn’t much more to do here.

On day 4 you should arrive in time to jump on a boat trip to explore the islands. This is where you will get the chance to see sea lions and all kinds of marine birds from the boat. The islands are protected so you can’t go in the water or onto the island but you get to see plenty from the boats.

⭐️ Book your seat on a boat tour of the Poor Mans Galapagos Islands!

For the rest of the day, you can browse the stalls selling local souvenirs, take a walk along the beach or even give some of the water activities on offer a try.

On Day 5, head out to explore the national park and insanely picturesque sea cliffs just outside of the town.

You can either opt to join a group coach trip into the national park or go in beach buggies.

We had a guided visit included as part of our Peru Hop package but having seen people whizzing around on the buggies, I’d say that looks way more fun!

⭐️ Check out this guided Buggy ride through Paracas National Park!

After exploring the national park, it is time to jump on the next bus and head to the next destination which is Huacachina.

Where to stay in Paracas

Paracas is a super small town with just a handful of places to choose from but we stayed in a really nice hostel called Paracas Backpackers House .

It had basic rooms and clean bathrooms but the best part was the roof terrace.

🏠 Book your stay at Paracas Backpackers House Here!

Days 5, 6 & 7: Huacachina

On day 5 you will travel from Paracas to Huacachina and check into your accommodation for the next 3 nights.

This is a little longer than we stayed here but Huacachina is a great little desert oasis, perfect to spend a couple of days relaxing and enjoying the sun.

The main thing to do in Huacachina is to go out into the desert on a dune buggy and do some sandboarding.

Yep, you read that correctly, sandboarding. If it’s not something you have heard of before then imagine yourself sliding down a giant sand dune on your stomach on a wooden board. That’s pretty much it but it is great fun.

Plus the dune buggy drivers love to show off their impressive driving skills by drifting you around the dunes at high speeds in between slides.

To take part you can either spend some time asking around to get the best deal. There are tonnes of guys in town selling the same tour so it shouldn’t be too difficult. Or you can save yourself some time and book in advance.

⭐️ Take a look at this highly-rated sandboarding tour in Huacachina

For the rest of your time in Huacachina I recommend climbing some of the huge sand dunes surrounding the oasis to get the iconic view down over the town.

You can also hire small pedal boats to go out onto the water, have a drink at one of the many bars, enjoy some sun by a hotel pool and even join one of the many pool parties at the Wild Rover Hostel .

Where to stay in Huacachina

We stayed just a 5-minute walk outside of the main town in a really great hostel called the Upcycled Hostel.

We had heard the main town can turn into a bit of a party each night so we opted for peace and quiet and were not let down. We had a nice private room and bathroom, there was a pool, plenty of great seating areas and an onsite bar and restaurant too.

🏠 Check out the Upcycled Hostel Huacachina

That being said, if you prefer to party, the Wild Rover Hostel was definitely the place to be!

Like this Itinerary? I create fully customized travel itineraries for ANY destination!

Days 8, 9, 10 & 11 : arequipa and colca canyon.

On day 8, it is time to leave Huacachina and head to the city of Arequipa.

If you are travelling by Peru Hop bus then they will stop on the way at the Nazca Lines for you to get out and take a look from the viewing tower. Other than this I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see them.

Arequipa is a great place to also take a trip to Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. I recommend spending 4 nights in this area and taking time to visit Colca Canyon while you are here.

It is possible to visit Colca Canyon in a day but the option I would personally suggest if you are physically able, is to take an overnight trip and actually hike down inside the canyon.

⭐️ This is one of the most popular tours from Arequipa and the best way to experience Colca Canyon over 2 days!

Like i mentioned, it is possible to visit in a day but the drive is around 4 hours each way so it will be a long day.

Other things to do while in Arequipa include;

• Enjoy some time in the main square, Plaza de Armas.
• Take a look inside the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa.
• Visit Museo Santuarios Andinos and see one of the perfectly preserved Inca children found mummified in the mountains.
• Cross the river to enjoy views over the city at Yanahuara Scenic Overlook.
• Take a look around Santa Catalina Monastery.

*** TOP TIP – For some amazing plant-based Peruvian dishes make sure to try Prana Vegan Club!

Where to Stay In Arequipa

When we visited we stayed at Peru Swiss Hostel and it’s one of the few places we have stayed that I wouldn’t recommend.

Instead, if I were to go again, I would be booking at Los Andes Bed & Breakfast . It has over 1000 really good reviews, is super close to the centre, is a really reasonable price and breakfast is included.

🏠 Check out Los Andes Bed & Breakfast to see for yourself

Day 12 will see you jump on a bus and head straight for Puno. This small town lies on the edge of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world.

This is the perfect spot to go for just one night to allow you time to take a boat out onto the lake and visit the local people who live on the lake. Yep, that’s right, they have built floating villages on the lake and welcome visitors to come and take a look around.

You can even do an overnight trip and stay with a family in their floating home for the night if you really want to get an insight into the local culture.

⭐️ Book your overnight stay with a local family on Lake Titicaca here!

On the afternoon of day 13, it is time to head over to Cusco.

The highlight of our 3 week Peru Itinerary was our stay in Cusco. There is so much to see and do in this region of the country, so I have allowed an entire week for you to make the most of your time there too! It’s the last place you’ll visit in Peru so a great spot to get some souvenirs !

This is where having a good pair of walking boots will come in handy. You can also check out this packing list for more ideas on what to take with you.

This is how I would recommend spending your time in Cusco ;

Day 14 – Explore the city and allow time for acclimatising

We absolutely loved this bustling city!

Every street you walk down will be full of life, street vendors, cafes and all kinds of new things to take in. Definitely spend some time in the main square and take a look inside the impressive cathedral. If your legs are feeling up to it then head up the hill to Plazoleta Santa Ana to get some panoramic views out over the city.

A great way to learn more about any new place is to join a free walking tour. There are always people in the main square offering them.

Keep in mind that Cusco is already at around 3400m altitude so if you aren’t used to being so high up, it may take a little getting used to.

Day 15 – Take a day trip to Humantay Lake

To get to Humantay Lake you will have to hop on a bus for a couple of hours to get there. It is then about 1.5 hours of hiking up to the lake where you will be treated to some of the most spectacular views. Trust me.

This hike is not yet at crazy high altitudes so it is fine to do on your second day. The hike itself is a very gradual incline for the first hour then the last stretch is pretty steep.

Now is a great time to mention that most hikes in Peru, or pretty much any place where tourists go to enjoy the beautiful nature, you will find locals trying to sell horse rides. It is always best to avoid anything like this and stick to enjoying our hikes the good old-fashioned way…on foot.

It is always more fun and rewarding if you get yourself to the top anyway.

Day 16 – Take a day trip to Rainbow Mountain

On day 16 it is time to kick things up a notch and visit the infamous rainbow mountain.

I say this because despite being a pretty short Hike and mostly completely flat (just some steps at the end) it is at a much higher altitude. This can make it feel like you are running a marathon, rather than just walking on a flat trail.

Don’t be put off though, because if I can manage it then you can too.

As unique and beautiful as the Rainbow Mountain is, we were actually more impressed by the overall views. Standing on the top of the ridge facing the rainbow mountain you are surrounded by incredible mountain views on all sides.

If you don’t feel like doing both you can check out our detailed comparison of Humantay Lake vs Rainbow Mountain to see which one you would prefer to do.

Days 17 – 20 – Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Now for the main event… Machu Picchu!

I cannot recommend hiking the Inca Trail enough. If you are physically able and have the budget to do so then this is the absolute best way to experience Machu Picchu.

There are other easier and cheaper ways to visit but honestly, if you only take one thing away from this Itinerary please let it be to seriously consider hiking the 4-day Inca Trail.

Let me tell you why.

We got to spend 3 days hiking through some of the most stunning landscapes I have ever seen. We enjoyed spectacular views of mountains and valleys pretty much the whole time. We also stopped at multiple Inca Ruin sites along the way, much like Machu Picchu but totally empty.

We supported local Porters who carried all our bags and camping equipment, we made some great new friends and had a guide for 4 days teaching us way more about Peru and its history than we could’ve imagined.

Have I persuaded you yet?

We booked our Inca Trail guided tour with Alpaca Expeditions and I can highly recommend them. Everything was perfect!

It is worth noting that you cannot hike the Inca trail without a guide and spaces are limited to just 500 people a day, including all the guides and porters. For this reason, it is pretty important to book this well in advance to make sure you get the dates you want.

You will arrive at Machu Picchu early on the 4th day and spend the morning being guided around the site before heading back to Cusco in the afternoon.

For this reason, you will need to make sure you have booked another night’s stay in Cusco for day 20.

Where to stay in Cusco

When we were in Cusco we stayed in 2 different hostels and both were great for their own reasons.

First, we spent a few nights at the Wild Rover Hostel. It was Guido’s birthday and we had heard this was the best place to have a party, followed by a great night’s sleep. I am happy to report that it did not disappoint.

I think my favourite part about staying here was the AMAZING views out over the city.

🏠 Check out the WildRover Hostel in Cusco for great views and a great time!

Once we had completed the Inca Trail hike we stayed a couple more nights in Cusco and this time opted for a more central location with lots of reviews mentioning peace and quiet so we could relax and recover.

We chose Kaaro House Cusco and it was perfect. Breakfast was included, the rooms were huge and the girls in reception were brilliant. We managed to get all our laundry done here too.

🏠 Take a look at Kaaro House Cusco for a relaxing and central stay in the city.

Finally, on day 21 it is time to make the journey back home. Most airlines will fly from Lima so you will likely need to take a short internal flight from Cusco to Lima first.

The airport in Cusco is a short taxi ride away from the historic centre of the city.

How much does 3 weeks in Peru cost?

We spent a total of 30 days in Peru and our daily spend including accommodation, transport meals and activities (excluding Machu Picchu) was $88 for both of us.

This equals around $44 per person, per day.

So for this 3 week Peru Itinerary, including all the accommodations mentioned, the Peru Hop bus and all the tours/activities I have suggested, you will want about $1000 per person.

You will also need to factor in the cost of your flights.

The price of doing the 4 day Inca Trail hike cost us $807 per person (plus an additional $66 per person in tips for the porters, guides and chef but this is optional).

In total around $1880 per person plus flights.

For more tips on saving money on your trip, you can check out this guide .

3 Week Peru Itinerary – Good To Know Before You Go

Now you have a 3 week Peru itinerary to start planning your big trip but there are still a few important points I would like to give you some information on before you get too deep into your travel plans…

Are there dangerous animals in Peru?

There is quite a lot of wildlife that is dangerous. But, they’re generally in the remote regions. During this itinerary (and most of the others), you won’t encounter anything dangerous. Machu Picchu is a great spot to find wildlife in Peru.

When is the best time of year to visit Peru?

Peru has a summer or rainy season and a winter season. It is during their winter months that it is best to visit. Between May and October. This is when you will have the dryest days and the best temperatures.

Keep in mind that June-August are the peak tourist season so if you visit in these months you can expect places to be busier and booked up well in advance.

We visited in June and it was perfect! June is also the month that Peru celebrates the Inti Raymi Festival . This was incredible so if you have the chance to be there when this is taking place then I highly recommend it.

Do you need a visa to visit Peru?

If you are from the UK, USA, New Zealand, Canada and most EU countries you will not need a Visa to enter Peru. You just need to make sure you have at least 6 months validity on your passport and you will be granted a stay of up to 183 days.

It is always best to double-check before you travel that things haven’t changed.

Planning your trip in Advance

As I have already mentioned, If you plan to visit between June and August then you can expect all the places I have mentioned in this itinerary to be pretty busy.

You should be fine to book accommodations fairly last minute but when it comes to Machu Picchu, DO NOT WAIT!

They have limited spaces each day and you need to book in advance to make sure you don’t miss out.

We also found that when we came to book our Peru Hop Bus travel service, about 2 weeks before we entered Peru, they had very limited availability left.

Another thing to keep in mind when planning your trip is to check well in advance that it is safe to go. I’ll explain more on that now.

Here are some more tips on things to do before you travel.

Is Peru Safe To Travel

Peru in general is a very safe country for tourists to visit. However, with that being said they do have a rather turbulent track record when it comes to protests.

The start of 2023 saw some pretty widespread protests throughout the country that meant tourists were being evacuated and advised to stay away. This is not the first time this has happened. The reasons for these protests are not for us to judge but they can definitely throw a spanner in the works for any travel plans.

For this reason, I always advise you to keep an eye on your government travel advice in the run-up to your trip.

As always when visiting any developing country it is wise to pay attention to your surroundings. Things such as pickpocketing and petty theft are always a problem in crowded areas. You should avoid walking alone at night in unknown places.

When on public transport keep all your valuables with you and out of sight.

3 Week Peru Itinerary – Final Thoughts

So there you have it, a 3 week Peru Itinerary packed full of adventure, history, culture and nature.

Peru is truly one of the most breathtaking places we have been so far on our travels. We not only loved the kind locals and the yummy food but also how much the scenery changed from one place to the next.

One moment you are standing in the middle of a sandy desert oasis and the next you are looking up at towering snow-capped mountains. Ok not quite in the blink of an eye but fall asleep on a bus and wake up the next morning and you could feel like you have landed in a totally different world.

I know Machu Picchu is at the height of so many people’s travel bucket lists but take it from me when I say that there is so much more to Peru and I can’t wait for you to discover all of it.

Read more about Peru:

• Ultimate 3 Week Peru Itinerary – With Map And Budget
• Best Ways To Get To Machu Picchu From Lima
• Things To Do In Cusco While Acclimating
• Is the Inca Trail Dangerous? And answers to all other questions

Callie runs this blog alongside Guido. She has been travelling for the last 10 years both as a solo traveller as well as with Guido. She has been to 46 countries and specialises in adventure travel on a budget. Callie is also an expert at creating personalised and unique travel itineraries.