10 Day Peru Itinerary With Inca Trail & Alternatives

Peru is one of the most incredible countries with so much to do, so with just 10 days, you’ll only be able to explore a tiny fraction of the country. But don’t worry, because this 10 day Peru itinerary with the Inca Trail included (although I will offer alternatives) is going to cover the very best bits the country has to offer. You’ll get adventure and culture, as well as time to rest and soak it all in.

As someone who solo travelled around Peru for 4 weeks and has now lived in Lima for many years, I can’t wait to help you map out trip.

Let’s start with when to go before we get into things – because this is really important!

When To Go To Peru

Peru is a difficult one to navigate when it comes to the weather and when to go, because when it’s summer on one side of the country, it’s rainy season on the other side, and vice versa.

Since this itinerary is going to include the Inca Trail and visiting Machu Picchu, which is a big highlight, we’re going to look at the best time to go to Peru based on that:

Machu Picchu:

• May–Sept:
  Dry and clear weather, best trekking and views, but busy and high prices
  
  
• April & Oct:
  Good weather with occasional rain, but fewer people
  
  
• Nov–Mar:
  Rainy season, but budget-friendly and green scenery
  

In my experience, I travelled around Peru and did most of the big bucket list things in October and November, which is pretty much the shoulder season for most places around the country. That means fewer crowds on the Inca Trail, better availability for Machu Picchu permits, and still-good trekking conditions compared to peak dry season, plus decent weather in all of the other locations I mention in this post.

10 Days In Peru Itinerary Overview

• Day 1 and 2: Lima
• Day 3: Paracas
• Day 4: Huacachina
• Day 5 & 6: Cusco
• Day 7, 8, 9 & 10: Inca Trail

For ease, I’ll share an overview of where & what to book in each place in a consolidated section at the end (as well as throughout the post).

10 Day Peru Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Lima, Neighbourhoods, Peruvian Food And Show

Morning – Check Into Your Accomodation In Miraflores Or Barranco

On day one, you’ll arrive in Lima (hopefully in the morning) and head straight to either Miraflores or Barranco – the two most popular ‘tourist’ neighbourhoods in the city to check into your hostel, hotel or Airbnb.

If you’re undecided on where to stay, then I’ll tell you that Miraflores is more popular anda little more central with things to do, however, Barranco has more of a bohemian vibe with lots of street art, boutique hotels and lots of quirky coffee shops.

I stayed in a hostel in Miraflores when I was doing my solo trip across Peru, but I now live in Barranco, and honestly, both are great options. Just bear in mind that both are 40 minutes to 1 hour away from the airport (depending on the traffic).

🏨 Check Prices: 💰 Viajero Hostel 💰💰 Radisson 💰💰💰Pullman

Afternoon – Isolina, Malecon And Street Art Or Museums

Lunch At Isolina

Once you’ve got yourself sorted (and if you’ve arrived in Lima in time) then I’d recommend you head to Isolina in Barranco – one of the best reasonably priced restaurants that many locals and tourists love. In fact, it’s made the ‘Top 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America‘ list a few times.

On the menu, you’ll find pretty much all of the best classic Peruvian dishes, but I’d recommend Lomo Saltado or Aji De Gallina. If – unlike me – you like fish, then my Peruvian boyfriend tells me it’s also a good spot for Ceviche – the national dish of Peru.

Bear in mind that you’ll want to book ahead for this restaurant because it’s extremely popular. I’ve often wandered past on a weekend, and the wait time has been over an hour!

If you don’t get the chance to book ahead and there is a huge wait time, then there are plenty of places to eat down the side street that Isolina sits on. My personal favourite is Casa Lola or the pizza place that shares a building with the infamous cafe and bakery spot – Demo.

Malecon

The weather in Lima is best between December and April, so if you’re coming during this time, you’re pretty much guaranteed blue skies and sunshine. Anytime outside of this, then it’s very hit and miss as to whether you’ll get sunshine, but it’s never rainy or super cold.

If you’re lucky with the weather, then I’d recommend walking or cycling along the Malecon – or both. It’s around 6km one way, and one of my favourite ways to do it is to walk from the Barranco end all the way up to the border of San Isidrio (the neighbourhood next to Miraflores) and then jump on a CityBike and ride most of the way back.

If you don’t already know, then CityBikes are the ones that you can pick up and drop off at multiple station points around the city for pretty cheap. That being said, I find that they are ridiculously heavy to ride, and it’s a real workout.

If you’d prefer to take it a bit more easily, then I would actually recommend a bike tour. I really enjoyed this experience the first time I was in Lima, and it was nice to have a local tell me more about the city – something I wouldn’t have gotten if I was exploring by myself.

🎟️ Check prices: Bike Tour in Miraflores Malecon & Barranco Street Art

Along the malecon, there are various points of interest/access points to the beach:

• Barranco Bridge: partly glass floor bridge
• Bajada de Baños: the walkway from Barranco down to the beach
• Parque del Amor: mosaic benches, viewpoints & “El Beso” sculpture
• Beso Frances: popular crepería
• Parque Chino: a Chinese themed garden
• Faro La Marina / Parque del Faro: cliff-top lighthouse
• Parque Raimondi spot to watch paragliders take off
• Larcomar mall: shopping mall with shops, restaurants, cafés
• Salto del Fraile viewpoint: quieter coastal outlooks further along the walk

Museums

If you’re unfortunate enough to get bad weather of you’re looking for something different to do, then Lima doesn’t fall short on Museums. I think I’ve ticked most of the best ones off over the years, so here are some of my favourites that you can pick from, depending on what you like doing.

• MAC museum: a modern art museum situated in Barranco
• Larco Museum: pre-Columbian art museum set in lovely grounds
• Museo de Arte de Lima: art museum located in the Palacio de la Exposición
• Museo Pedro de Osma: Colonial Peruvian artworks, gardens & grounds
• Jade Rivera Museum: artwork from a popular street art artist

If I could only visit 2 and I was tight on time, I’d go for the MAC Museum and Jade Rivera Museum as they’re both in Barranco, making them easy to pop into if you’re also planning to walk/cycle along the Malecon. If you really wanted to, you could add these two museums as stops along the way – although they’re not directly on the Malecon itself, they are close enough for you to walk to.

Evening – Dinner At Panchita And Magic Water Circuit

Panchita

Panchita is a great restaurant that everyone in Lima loves. The decor is beautiful, and the food is even better (obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t be recommending it to you!)

It’s a traditional Peruvian food place – and yes, I know Isolina was too – but there are so many incredible dishes to try in Peru that this really doesn’t matter. What I would say about Panchita, though, is that the portion sizes are huge, and I never end up eating it all. In fact, my boyfriend and I will sometimes even split a dish, making it great value for money.

Much like Isolina, it’s popular and often has queues over an hour, so I’d book ahead if you can.

Alternatively, if another big meal is too much for you, then I’d swap this out for Siete Sopas. There are plenty all over the city, but my favourite establishment is in Miraflores by Kennedy Park – also known as the cat park because it’s home to – what must be – over 100 kittens and cats.

Magic Water Circuit

The Magic Water Circuit is the largest water fountain park in the world, with 13 fountains that are brightly lit up by different colours at night. I found it really impressive to see, and it’s something different that the city has to offer.

Each fountain is slightly different – with some that are interactive and others that allow you to run through the middle of. However, the star of the show is the biggest fountain that has a display which tells a story running at 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm and 9:00 pm – which is exactly why I recommend visiting here in the evening rather than the day!

Whilst I was there, I also spotted plenty of food trucks so if you decided that you were a bit too full for a big dinner and you’re not really a soup person, then you could also grab something whilst you’re here too.

🎟️ Check prices: Magic Water Circuit Tickets With Transport Included

Day 2 – Lima’s Historical Sites, Fun Activities And Travel To Paracas

Morning – Historical Sites, Swimming With Sea Lions Or A Cooking Class

I’m going to give you three options for day 2 of this itinerary to cater for three types of travellers: the history buffs, the adventurous type and foodies.

Option 1 – Pachacamac Inca Archaeological Site

First up, for the history buffs we’ve got Pachacamac Inca Archaeological Site – it’s about 45 minutes from Miraflores/Barranco, but it’s one of the best ‘history’ kind of things to do here.

This spot has been sacred for over 1,000 years. Long before the Incas, Pachacamac was a major religious and pilgrimage centre for cultures like the Lima and Wari. The Incas later incorporated it into their empire.

Whilst you’re at the site, you’ll be able to check out the museum, Temple of the Sun (which is basically a massive stepped pyramid built by the Incas and has epic views of the ocean), Acllahuasi – the house of the chosen women and the Adobe pyramids and plazas.

Basically, a bunch of cool stuff that history people would enjoy!

The tour linked below often sells out – so, as such, it’s probably worth grabbing your tickets ahead of time for this one!

🎟️ Check prices: Pachacamac Inca Archaeological Site

Option 2 – Swimming With Sealions

Swimming with sealions is one of the most popular experiences in Lima, but I feel like you’re either going to love it or hate it.

Very annoyingly – I haven’t convinced my boyfriend that this would be a fun activity for us to do yet, but I’m 100% going to tick this off my list in the next couple of months now that I actually have friends in Lima to do this with, and it’s coming up to summer – so I will be back with a full review in the next few months!

I’ll leave you to check out the tour experience that I’m planning to book, which has over 1000 reviews and gets a super high rating.

🎟️Check prices: Palomino Islands, Sea Lions Swim & Yacht Tour

Option 3 – Cooking Class

Ok, this is something I’ve done here and really enjoyed. And it was my first experience of a cooking class, which is quite cool seeing as I’ve lived in Peru for 3 years at this point, so learning to cook Peruvian food was kind of essential – especially since my boyfriend is Peruvian.

In my cooking class (which was part of my Spanish Schools after lessons activities), we made Aji De Gallina and a Pisco sour – two things that are very popular in Peru, as I’m sure you will learn when you are here!

Obviously, since I did this in a Spanish School you won’t be able to do my exact class, so I’ve done some research and found another one that’s Lima’s number 1 rated cooking class with top reviews, so I know you’ll have the best time!

🎟️ Check prices: Cooking Class

Afternoon – Lunch And Lima’s Historic Centre Or Paragliding

Lunch At La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla

If you didn’t do the cooking class, then it’s time for some lunch and you’re going to want to make it quick (because you don’t have too long left in Lima).

One place I love – and indeed many tourists also love – is La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla.

You’ll predominantly find different types of sandwiches and fries on the menu, but I’m going to give you the exact order I recommend (and order literally every time I go, so get ready to take some notes).

• Main: Chicharron (slow cooked por, sweet potato and pickled onion roll)
• Side: Camote Papas Fritas (sweet potato fries)
• Drink: Jugo de Lucuma (a fruit juice with milk & sugar)

There are two La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla’s in Miraflores, and either one is great for you to head to!

Next, I’m going to give you two options of things to do with your last day in Lima, because again, everyone is different.

Option 1 – Lima’s Historic Centre

If you’re into your history, then after lunch, get ready to head to Lima’s Historic Centre.

Now of course, as I live in Lima, I have been to the historic city atleast 10 times over the last few years and I personally think it’s very pretty. There are a lot of beautiful old buildings and interesting things to find here if you look hard enough, but the main things to call out are:

• The Plaza Mayor
• Metropolitan Cathedral
• Basilica and Convent of San Francisc
• Church and Convent of La Merced
• Catacombs

You can explore these independently, but every time I’ve been to the centre alone or with my boyfriend or friends, it’s been chaotic and stressful – so be prepared if you go alone. This is also a more dangerous part of the city, so definitely keep an eye on your belongings a bit more here. I’d actually recommend joining one of the below tours if you can – especially as you’re on a tight time schedule.

🎟️ Check prices: Lima: City Highlights Walking Tour & Catacombs
🎟️ Check prices: Lima Walking Tour, Catacombs, Churros & Winery Experience

Option 2 – Paragliding

Paragliding is super popular in Lima, which might sound weird as it’s not something you typically associate with a city. However, I think it’s a really great place to do it because you get a really cool perspective of the city and coastline, plus it’s really cheap in comparison to some other places around the world!

I’ve done paragliding before, and it was an incredible experience – and definitely something I think you’ve got to try atleast once in your life. When I did it, I got pretty motion sick because I didn’t even think about taking tablets – so let my mistake be your lesson if this is something you struggle with!

🎟️ Check prices: Paragliding In Lima Tickets

Evening – Heading To Paracas

In the evening, I recommend you head to Paracas – a coastal town around 3 hours from Lima.

It’s really easy and cheap to take the coach down the coast. Plus, buses in Peru are some of the best I’ve experienced across Latin America – I like to call it the business class bus, because the chairs are huge, super padded, and you even get your own little private curtain – and, depending on the length of the journey, a lunch box too.

It’s essential that you book the bus and arrive at the terminal in advance. The closest bus station to Miraflores and Barranco is Javier Prado.

🎟️ Check prices: Lima To Paracas

The two places I’ve stayed and recommend are Viajero Hostel during my backpacking trip and La Hacienda. I’ve also been to Aranwa, which was so bad we actually moved back to La Hacienda, so I would avoid that one at all costs.

🏨 Accommodation:💰 Viajero Hostel 💰💰 Atoq 💰💰💰La Hacienda

Alternatively, if you feel like you want another night in Lima and you’re happy to wake up early, plus want the next few days planned out for you, then I’d recommend booking onto an organised tour like the one below, which is actually what I did the first time I went to Paracas and Huacachina!

🎟️ Check prices: 2 Day Tour To Paracas And Huacachina

Day 3 – Paracas Ballestas Islands And Golden Shadows Walk

Day 3 of your 10 day trip to Peru will be spent in the small coastal town of Paracas. I’ve been to Paracas atleast 3 times and actually spent my 30th birthday here, and whilst the town itself isn’t much to look at, there are some beautiful places to stay and epic things to do in the area.

Morning – Ballestas Islands (Poor Mans Galapagas)

One of the most popular things to do in Paracas is to take a boat trip around The Ballestas Islands – also known as Poor Man’s Galapagos because you see lots of animals, including sea lions, Humboldt Penguins and various types of birds.

You’ll also get to see some interesting markings, including the Candelabra Geoglyph, but I won’t say too much more on that as I don’t want to ruin all the surprises.

Boat trips out the Ballestas Island usually go at 10 am, which gives you enough time to get some breakfast and head to the port – which is usually easy to reach by foot or taxi (Paracas really isn’t very big).

When I went on this trip, the boat was bumpy and it was pretty hot, so I’d recommend picking up some motion sickness tablets and wearing sunblock (even if it looks like you don’t need it!).

🎟️ Check prices: The Ballestas Islands

Afternoon – Easy Golden Shadows Trek

Once you’ve had some lunch – either at your hotel or from somewhere like Trattoria de Paracas if you’re feeling fancy, or Valhalla Resto-Bar if you’re not that fussed – and take a little rest until around 2:30 pm.

At 3 pm, you’ll be on the way to the starting point for the Golden Shadows Trek – which was one of my unexpected highlights when I was backpacking around Peru.

You’ll be driven across the Paracas National Reserve towards the coastline and begin your gentle walk as the sun begins to set – it’s one of the most beautiful walks I’ve done.

I didn’t find this walk challenging in terms of hills; however, towards the end, there was a bit of a steep decline that was difficult to descend because of how dry and unstable the ground was. Other people in my group had some hiking polls and sturdier shoes than me, so I’d definitely recommend that you have the same.

The Golden Shadows Trek is something I recommend booking ahead on, because I think there’s only one company that does it, and it’s something you really don’t want to miss here. It also only lasts about 4 hours, so you’ll be back in time for tea and be able to enjoy a restful night.

🎟️ Check prices: Golden Shadows Trek

Evening – Dinner And Relax

Once you’re back from the hike, it will be about dinner time, so either have dinner at your accommodation or head out to one of the following restaurants:

• Valhalla Resto-Bar: resto-bar in Paracas with a mixed menu
• Pukasoncco: Peruvian restaurant with a focus on local Peruvian cuisine
• Trattoria de Paracas: high end italian restaurant
• Cristina: a broad selection of Peruvian and coastal dishes, especially fresh seafood and ceviche

Day 4 – Paracas And Huacachina

Morning – Paracas National Reserve

Next up on this Peru travel itinerary, we have Paracas National Reserve, and it’s yet another incredible and highly memorable experience of mine. In fact, I’ve been to Paracas National Reserve 3 times and will probably go again more times over the coming years.

Paracas National Reserve is on the edge of the Atacama Desert and is essentially a big reserve with lots of different points of interest that are incredibly unique.

You can explore the park in multiple ways – either on quad bikes, scooters, mini buggies or if you’re not feeling that adventurous, then by bus, but either way, you want to make sure you’re checking out the below locations:

• Playa Yumaque
• Mirador Istmo
• Playa Roja
• Pink Lagoon (I don’t know the exact location of this, as we stumbled across it and I can’t find it on the map, but ask a local and they will definitely be able to tell you!)

I’ve personally explored the park by bus and mini buggy and recommend the latter. It’s way more fun! Whatever you choose, make sure you start around 9 because this afternoon you’ll need to travel down to Huacachina.

Here are some of the most highly rated tour companies book your mode of transport across Paracas National Park:

🎟️ Check Prices: ATV/Quad Bikes
🎟️ Check Prices: Scooter – note that this is 4 hours rather than 2
🎟️ Check Prices: Mini Buggy/Go Kart

note: I did the bus trip around Paracas National Reserve with PeruHop as part of a package, and I can’t find an independent bus tour – but you might find one in Paracas on the day. In retrospect, PeruHop are pretty overpriced, and the buses that take you from one place to the other aren’t as comfortable as the regular national buses. The only real benefit for me was that they were great for making friends as a solo traveller.

Afternoon – Huacachina

After you’ve had some lunch, it’s time to hop on the bus down or take a taxi for an hour down the coast to Huacachina – the Peruvian desert.

I remember the first time I went to Huacachina (because, ofcourse, I have been atleast 3 times) I was amazed at how quickly the landscape can change in Peru. Like, how can you be by the beach one minute, and then the desert the next?

Anyway, the two main things to do in Huacachina that you’re going to squeeze in this afternoon and early evening are sandboarding/sandskiing and – if you want to – a dune buggy ride as well. It’s very important that you do this at a time when you’ll catch the sunset, as it’s an incredible experience – and perhaps one of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen.

These are the two best companies to book this experience through (as you’ll see from the crazy high ratings and the fact they often sell out):

🎟️ Check prices: Easy Sandboarding & Buggy Experience
🎟️ Check prices: Advanced Sandboarding/Skiing & Buggy Experience

Evening – Travel Back To Lima

In the evening, you’ll jump on a coach back to Lima so that you’re ready to fly to Cusco in the morning.

You want to book in advance because you do not want to risk being stranded in Huacachina.

I’d recommend staying at Wyndham Grand Costa Del Sol Lima Airport because it’s within walking distance to the Airport, but it is quite pricey. If this hotel isn’t within your budget, then I wouldn’t choose another hotel nearby as it’s not a nice or safe area. Instead, I would recommend staying in San Isidro somewhere – it’s a little closer to the airport than Miraflores or Barranco and will take around 30 minutes to the Airport the following morning.

🏨 Accommodation: Wyndham Grand Costa Del Sol Lima Airport

Day 5 – Cusco

Morning – Fly To Cusco

In the morning, you’re going to take a flight to Cusco. You’ll have airlines like JetSmart or Sky, which are fine, but they’ll usually try to catch you out on the baggage. I personally always opt to pay a bit more and go for Latam. If you can afford it, it’s an all-around better experience.

I deliberately place Cusco later in the itinerary to allow your body to adjust gradually to altitude – a mistake I made on my first visit!

Afternoon – Acclimatise

Once you arrive in Cusco, you’ll almost certainly feel a little sluggish. My first time in Cusco was rough, and I literally arrived and went to bed (in the middle of the day) because I felt so awful – so be fully prepared to do nothing on this day besides rest at your accommodation.

Here are some altitude symptoms to be aware of:

Common symptoms

These often feel like a bad hangover:

• Headache (most common)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fatigue or weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Shortness of breath with light activity

Moderate symptoms

• Headache that doesn’t improve with rest or painkillers
• Worsening nausea/vomiting
• Extreme fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or feeling “foggy”
• Coordination problems (feeling clumsy)

Severe symptoms (medical emergency 🚨)

These are not normal and need urgent help:

• Confusion or unusual behaviour
• Trouble walking in a straight line
• Chest tightness or severe shortness of breath at rest
• Persistent cough, especially with frothy or pink fluid
• Blue or grey lips/fingertips
• Loss of consciousness

Evening – Acclimatise

Hopefully, by the evening, you’ll feel good enough to venture out for something to eat. Now, I’m not going to recommend the place that I went to – Jack’s Cafe – as I’m almost certain I got food poisoning from there, despite the great reviews. And it’s funny, because I had lunch there and enjoyed it so much, I went back for dinner.

Instead, I’m going to recommend you the below:

• Pachapapa – Classic Cusco favourite with traditional Andean dishes
• Nuna Raymi – Highly rated for authentic Peruvian plates
• Yaku Restaurant – Peruvian fusion dishes
• Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse – Excellent grilled meats!

Warning: food poisoning and altitude sickness is why I had to cancel my trip to Machu Picchu the first time around. Both of these things are so common in Peru, so it’s absolutely essential you have insurance with someone like SafetyWing (who I’ve used ever since I first travelled to Peru).

Day 6 – Cusco And The Sacred Valley

Morning – The Sacred Valley

The next morning, you should be feeling significantly better than the previous night and have re-couped enough energy to spend the morning exploring The Sacred Valley – a 60km area that’s part of the Inka Empire.

There are many ways that you can explore this area, and there’s a lot to see, but because you only have 10 days in Peru, we’re going to stick to two key points of interest – Moray and the Maras Salt Mines – and we’re going to explore them in the best way possible – on ATVs.

Exploring The Sacred Valley on an ATV was one of my unexpected highlights of visiting Cusco during my second visit there, and I can’t recommend it to you enough if you’re looking for fun, adventure and insane scenery all for a super affordable price.

Below is the link to the exact tour I did and honestly, I feel like they’re doing a terrible job of marketing with some of those pictures because it looks like it could be England. In reality, what you’re going to see is 1000x better than that!

You’ll have to pick the morning tour – which I know is early – but you’re only in Peru for just over a week, and you’ll regret it if you don’t do it. Plus, you probably spent most of yesterday sleeping, so you’ll be awake and ready to do stuff anyway.

🎟️ Check prices: The Sacred Valley ATV Tour With Moray & Maras Salt Mines

Afternoon – Cusco Sites

Next up is exploring the sites of Cusco. I personally chose to book onto a walking tour the first time I visited Cusco, and it gave me a really good sense of my surroundings, lots of information I otherwise wouldn’t have known about the city and allowed me to make a few friends with some other solo travellers.

Plus, the guide on this specific tour takes you to a couple of the major points of interest, and it’s only a couple of hours (I hate those walking tours that just drag on unnecessarily, and this one didn’t do that).

🎟️ Check prices: Cusco Walking Tour

If you decide to explore solo, then here are some spots that you don’t want to miss:

• San Blas (my favourite neighbourhood)
• San Blas View Point
• Sapantiana Aqueduct
• Plaza De Armas
• Cusco Cathedral
• Twelve Angled Stone
• Inka Museum

After you’ve finished the walking tour or you’re done exploring the city solo, then I’d recommend heading to San Pedro Market, which is not far from the Plaza De Armas.

There are plenty of little gifts you can buy here, as well as things to eat and drink. I must admit, I was a little traumatised the first time I visited here, as I ended up down the meat aisle and some of the things being sold are certainly not what I was used to seeing in my local supermarket back home. If you don’t have a strong stomach, I’d avoid the fresh meat area altogether.

Alternatively, if markets aren’t your cup of tea, then I’d stick around in San Blas. You’ll be spoilt for choice in this neighbourhood, and due to its hillside location, you’ll get excellent views, but my go-to over the last 3 years has been the Aura Restobar Cusco. The food is great, the price is reasonable, and the views are perfect.

Evening – Dinner in Cusco & Inca Trail Briefing

In the evening, grab some dinner (if you didn’t already eat in San Blas) – and make sure it fills you up – because the next day you’ll begin your Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu.

You’ll also have your briefing in the evening before your Inca Trail. When I booked with G Adventures, mine was at 4pm, and it’s where I chose my camping buddy, got all my equipment, and they told me how much stuff I could actually bring with me (the rest I could leave in their office).

Of course, big global tour companies like G Adventures actually just use local guides in the area, so I wondered whether, in retrospect, it would have been cheaper to book a more local tour company. However, as I’m writing this, I thought I’d check – and actually – it’s pretty much the same.

The difference – what I imagine and from what I can make out from the pictures – is that G Adventures attracts mostly young backpackers, which I can vouch for based on my experience. On the flip side, tour companies like Trexperience (which my Dad has just booked with) attract those who aren’t backpacking.

🎟️ Check prices: 4 Day Inca Trail With G Adventures
🎟️ Check prices: 4 Day Inca Trail With Trexperience

Day 7 – Inca Trail

Day 7 of this 10 day Peru itinerary is where it all went a bit wrong for me.

I was unlucky enough to get struck by altitude sickness and food poisoning at the same time, ultimately leaving me unable to go on my Inca Trail trek, which I’m truly gutted about because I’d researched it well and was really excited to take on the challenge.

It’s not all sad, though, as I did get to see Machu Picchu the 2nd time I went to Cusco – although after my first experience, I decided that the hike might be too much of a risk, so I took the train. That being said, I have just agreed with my sister to potentially do this hike again in 2027, so I’ll definitely be coming to update this post then – and I’m sure I’ll even write a dedicated post all about my experience too.

Anyway, here’s what I know from my research:

You’ll start the day early – leaving Cusco at around 5 am before arriving at the trailhead. The first day is the easiest – with a pretty flat trail that leads beside the river. The whole hike is around 11km – although because of the altitude and some stops along the way, it takes around 6-7 hours.

Day 8 – Inca Trail

On the second day is where things get a bit tough because you start the day with a big and very long incline up to Dead Woman’s Pass – better known as Warmiwañusca in Peru. This day will take you up to almost 4200m elevation, which, having hiked Laguna 69 and Laguna Paron which is a similar elevation in Huaraz up in the north of Peru – I can tell you isn’t easy. You’ll be on your feet for around 6-7 hours this day and cover 12km, but you’ll arrive at camp with plenty of time to rest ahead of day 3.

Day 9 – Inca Trail

Day 3 of the Inca Trail is a long one, as you’ll cover around 16km and be hiking for 9 hours. Although, arguably, it’s slightly easier as you’ll come down in elevation by a couple of hundred metres. You’ll make your way through the cloud forest and walk through the original Incan constructions, and if you’re lucky, have some incredible views over the Urubamba Valley.

Day 10 – Inca Trail And Fly Home

The final day of the Inca Trail and indeed your 10 days in Peru is an early start – but you’ll no doubt have slept well the night before after 3 days of hiking, and there will be plenty of opportunity to catch up on sleep later.

You’ll be woken up around 3:30 am so that you can race towards the Sun Gate along with all the other groups who are desperate to catch the first view of Machu Picchu, before taking the path down for around 45 minutes and heading off on a 1.5-hour guided tour of the grounds.

During my trip to Machu Picchu (where I got the train) the first moments of seeing this wonder of the world were magical. It’s truly breathtaking to see something like this in real life – rather than just on the TV or social media – and it really puts it into perspective how incredible the Incas were.

What I will say is that it was far hotter, there were a lot more mosquitoes and a ton of people when I visited in July. You absolutely have to wear a hat, sun cream and mosquito spray if you want to make it round the site in one piece.

After you’ve finished exploring the grounds, you’ll jump on the bus for a 25-minute journey down to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll be able to relax for a while before taking the train and bus back to Cusco – where I’m sure you’ll get a bit of shut-eye for a while!

Aguas Calientes surprised me because it’s so different to what I was expecting. If you get a chance, I’d definitely recommend making use of the natural thermal spas – especially after all that hiking!

It’s recommended that you don’t book a flight from Cusco until atleast 9 pm – meaning you’ll need to book a night flight back to your home country.

What To Book For Your Peru 10 Day Trip

I thought I’d put together a reminder of what to book for each place in this section because:

a) I know it’ll be easier for you guys if it’s all in one place and
b) because it would mean the world to me if you booked things using my links, as this is one of the only ways my site is able to keep running – so a huge thanks if you do!

Day 1 and 2 : Lima

🏨 Accommodation: 💰 Viajero Hostel 💰💰 Radisson 💰💰💰Pullman

🎟️ Must Book Activities: 🚲 Bike Tour & Street Art 💧 Magic Water Circuit 🗿Inca Archaeological Site 🦭Swimming with Sea Lions 🧑‍🍳 Cooking Class 🇵🇪  Lima: City Highlights Walking Tour & Catacombs 🪂 Paragliding

Day 3: Paracas

🏨 Accommodation:💰 Viajero Hostel 💰💰 Atoq 💰💰💰La Hacienda

🎟️ Must Book Activities: 🏝️ The Ballestas Islands 🌅 Golden Shadows Trek 🛵 Mini Buggy

Day 4: Huacachina

🏨 Accommodation:💰Bananas 💰💰 DM Hoteles Mossone 💰💰💰Senoma Hotel

🎟️ Must Book Activities: 🏜️ Sandboarding & Buggy

Day 5 & 6: Cusco

🏨 Accommodation: Pariwana💰 Hotel Rumi Punku 💰💰 Monasterio💰💰💰

🎟️ Must Book Activities: ⛰️ The Sacred Valley 🚶Cusco Walking Tour

Day 7, 8, 9 & 10: Inca Trail

🥾 Tour Companies: G Adventures & Trexpeditions

Variations And Add‑Ons

If you have more time: then I would 100% add on a trip to the Amazon for 2-3 nights. I went to the one in the north of Peru near Iquitos and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Peru. Alternatively, you can head to the one closer to Cusco in Puerto Maldonado.

If you don’t want to do the Inca trail: take a day trip on the train and then visit the Amazon for a few days.

For a slower pace: do the 2 day Inca trail rather than the 4 day one. This 10 day Peru itinerary is pretty go go go because it has to be in order to fit in the 4 day Inca Trail!

For budget travel: I’d recommend travelling by bus as much as you can and eating in places that serve menu del dia (menu of the day) because you can get a drink, starter and main for less than $5.

FAQ

Is 10 Days Enough To Do The Inca Trail?

Yes, it’s enough as you can see from this post, but I’m not going to lie, it will be tight. If it were me personally, I would opt for the 2 day Inca trail and have 1 extra day to explore Cusco and one day dedicated to travel at the end of the trip – but you might have a lot more energy that me!

What Do I Need To Pack?

I wrote a dedicated guide for what to pack for Peru, so I’d recommend you check that out because it’s a lot more than what I can squeeze in here, and it depends on where you go, and when you go!

Is A Trip To Peru Expensive?

No – Peru is a cheap country to visit and travel around in comparison to Europe and North America. However, there are plenty of tourist traps around with what they call ‘Gringo’ pricing in Peru. In fact, often when I’m out with my boyfriend, and we’re asking for the price for something, he’ll make me go and stand around the corner to avoid them bumping up the price!

Conclusion

Writing this 10 day Peru itinerary has got me feeling all nostalgic and so appreciative for the fact I now live in such an amazing and diverse country – being a digital nomad in Peru is so cool. I really hope you enjoy your trip here and if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to drop a comment down below or send me a message on Instagram!

Millie / Stay Wild Travels.