One Week Peru Itinerary - 7 Days in Lima, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley
The word ‘Peru’ conjures so many images – from the color of some of the finest food in Latin America in Lima’s sleek coastal suburbs to South America’s biggest attraction, the legendary ruins of Machu Picchu, in the misty Andes. Peru is the ticket to some magical adventures, too: hikes to incredible Inca sites and rafting trips along dramatic white-water gorges.
This itinerary covers the highlights above and a fair few other destinations too, but even so, those are just the beginning of what Peru has to offer. This is a vast country, and you’ll often have 24 hours or more of overland travel (or will have to take flights) between key destinations, so a 7-day tour can only scratch the surface of this country’s amazing culture, nature, and adventure possibilities.
So for this tour, we’ll be focusing on Lima, the cosmopolitan capital, before heading inland to the ancient Inca stronghold of Cusco, with its sublime surrounding mountain scenery. From there, you’ll move into the nearby Sacred Valley, which is blessed with an abundance of Inca ruins, natural wonders, and traditional villages.
All together, this is an excellent introduction to Peru and in just a week it does an admirable job of showcasing some of the country’s diversity. You’ll get to see the nation’s slick contemporary side in Lima’s Miraflores neighborhood, then discover its abundance of pre-Columbian cultures as you head through Cusco, and finish it off with magnificent mountains and countryside in the nearby Sacred Valley.
Not bad for only 7 days.
More Peru travel info:
For more info on travel in Peru, check out our guide on how to plan a trip to Peru and this list of 19 beautiful places to visit.
And if you could use some one-on-one help planning your itinerary, consider scheduling a Peru travel consultation!
Table of Contents
Day 1: Lima – Miraflores clifftops, historic central Lima & Miraflores/Barranco nightlife
Day 2: Flight to Cusco – explore central Cusco’s sights
Day 3: Inca ruins around Cusco, onward transfer to Pisac – explore Pisac ruins
Day 4: Sacred Valley: Pisac market, Ollantaytambo ruins & Pinkullana, evening train to Aguas Calientes
Day 5: Machu Picchu – the citadel and other ruins, mountain hike, transfer on to Chinchero
Day 6: Chinchero – textile workshop, Moray, Salineras de Maras, Pachamanca ceremony, return to Cusco
Day 7: Cusco region - Upper Río Urubamba rafting or Ruta del Barrocco Andino day trip
Local help with your planning
One week is not a lot of time for a visit to Peru, so the hardest part of your planning is sure to be what to cut out.
If you could use some help sorting through all your options, consider scheduling a Peru travel consultation with one of our Local Experts!
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you can chat with a Peru-based travel pro about the trip you’re planning and they’ll share their tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Day 1: Lima – Miraflores, historic center, & Barranco
Walk the Miraflores clifftops, try Peru’s national dish, ceviche, delve into historic central Lima, visit renowned art museums, discover Lima’s famous food scene, go pisco tasting, and sample Barranco’s buzzing nightlife.
Morning - Miraflores & the malecón
Lima, the capital of Peru, is a dramatic metropolis. One of South America’s biggest cities, it spreads out along the Pacific Ocean clifftops in a smorgasbord of wondrous museums that showcase Peru’s pre-Columbian past, colonial architecture and sleek contemporary apartment blocks, interspersed with some of the continent’s best restaurants.
With the one day you have here, you will be able to see a surprising amount of the main attractions.
Start in coastal suburb Miraflores, ground zero for Lima’s international visitors and with most of the good accommodation for travelers. Head to LarcoMar shopping center for a walk along the malecón, Lima’s clifftop walkway. The path meanders through pretty parkland with cliffs falling steeply away to the Pacific shoreline, and it’s a great place for getting a sense of the city’s size.
You can wander for several miles, stopping at sights like the brightly-decorated Parque del Amor (lovers’ park) and Lugar de la Memoria, a museum dedicated to those that lost their lives during the violence of Peru’s Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in the 1980s and 1990s.
Continue to Parque Itzhak Rabin, two miles along the Malecón. Your next stop is six blocks inland at Fundación Museo Amano. This is one of Lima’s most impressive museums - showcasing finds from Peru’s pre-Columbian sites that cover the Nazca, Chavín, Moche and Chimú cultures.
For lunch you simply must try national dish ceviche – fish marinated in lime with red onions, coriander and served with corn and sweet potato. One of Lima’s best cebicherías (ceviche restaurants), La Mar is five blocks west of the museum.
Afternoon - Lima’s historic city center
Many of Lima’s most important sights lie in the history-rich city center, so take a taxi this afternoon to Plaza Mayor: the city’s central square and historic heart. The ground that the conquistador and city founder Francisco Pizarro allocated for the city’s church in the 16th century is still the location of Lima’s striking Baroque cathedral: here you will find Pizarro’s tomb and one of South America’s loveliest wooden choirs.
Also be sure to see the 17th-century Monasteiro de San Francisco monastery with its exquisite library and catacombs.
The city’s best art museum, MALI (Museo de Arte de Lima) is the other must-see in the center: take a taxi from Monasteiro de San Francisco to Parque de la Cultura to be absorbed in the full gamut of Peruvian art from the pre-Columbian to the present day.
Evening
Miraflores is easily the top gastronomic destination in Peru, with prestigious dining addresses such as Virgilio Martinez’s restaurant Central. Dine at a Miraflores restaurant tonight, where you might also want to try Pisco, Peru’s famous grape brandy, at a bar like Antigua Taberna Queirolo.
Round off the evening by heading by taxi across to next-door neighborhood Barranco afterwards for drinks at bars around the pretty Puente de los Suspiros and the Parque Municipal. Barranco also has good peñas (clubs that play live traditional music).
Overnight in Lima
Connect with Nicho, our Lima-based local expert, for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Day 2: Fly to Cusco and see the city center’s sights
Fly to Cusco, lunch on Cusco’s pretty Plaza de Armas, explore ornate Cusco cathedral, see Machu Picchu artifacts at Museo Machu Picchu, visit important Inca temple Qorikancha, discover delightful San Blas neighborhood, dine out with a view above San Blas.
Morning & afternoon - Cusco’s historic center
Take a flight from Lima to Cusco this morning, with several direct flights getting you in to Cusco, your base for tonight, well before midday.
Once checked into your accommodation, head out to explore the city that was once capital of the Inca Empire. It will be lunchtime by this time, so start with something to eat on the historic Plaza de Armas (central square) like Limo, specializing in Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese fusion food), or Don Pancho Taberna Peruana, specializing in Andean fare. Both have lovely views of the plaza.
Spend this afternoon exploring some of Cuzco’s historic central sights. You will be able to take in quite a lot in a relatively short time, as many attractions are within a short walking distance of each other.
Any exploration should begin with the 16th and 17th-century cathedral, brightened by a standout collection of escuela cuzqueña (Cuzco school) art that melds European religious painting with indigenous Peruvian style and symbols. The highlight is The Last Supper with cuy (local delicacy, roasted guinea pig) as the Disciples’ food choice.
Another worthwhile stop is Museo Machu Picchu, which showcases many of the archaeological finds from Machu Picchu.
Also admire Qorikancha, once the Inca world’s most important temple, built into the base of the Santo Domingo convent.
Round things off with a walk up to the pretty San Blas district, centered around the charming Iglesia de San Blas church. You should have time for a look around the interesting Museo de la Coca, which puts into context the many uses of the coca leaf in Andean culture.
There are some great alternative places to eat and drink up this way, so you will be able to linger here all evening.
Evening
The atmospheric Plaza San Blas is the perfect place to begin your late afternoon/early evening. Get some of the city’s best coffee at Monkey Café, with its fine selection of Peruvian java, before moving on (and up!) to somewhere like Limbus, a lively bar-restaurant with some of Cusco’s best views.
Overnight in Cusco
Day 3: Inca sites around Cusco and then head to Pisac
Explore Inca sites Saqsaywamán, Q’enko, Tambomachay and Pukapukara on the way to Pisac, where you’ll visit the dramatic Inca citadel of the Pisac ruins and take in unforgettable views as you hike back down into the town.
Tambomachay. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Morning - Cusco-area ruins
Take a picnic with you this morning as you get a private taxi to take you out to the bustling colonial village of Pisac – your base for tonight – via a quartet of some of the area’s most important Inca sites.
Starting around 9am, you’ll head up into the green hills flanking Cusco to the north on Rte 28G (the Pisac road) to the first and most important of these ruins, Saqsaywamán. This 15th-century Inca fort is the storied location for the biggest annual party in the Peruvian Andes, Inti Raymi the Inca festival of the sun.
Next up on the road to Pisac is Q’enqo, a ceremonial rock plastered in symbols such as the puma, condor and llama that were of importance to Inca culture.
This is followed by Tambomachay, a stone bath thought to be connected to worship of an Inca water deity and, across the road from Tambomachay, Pukapukara, likely an Inca hunting lodge.
From Tambomachay it’s a 30-minute drive to Pisac, where you should arrive by early afternoon.
Ruins at Pisac. Photo: PsamatheM, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Afternoon - Pisac
You will spend the rest of today here in the Sacred Valley’s New Age-influenced colonial village. Start with the breathtaking highlight of a visit here: the climb up to the Pisac Ruins, which will take until evening. It is a 2-hour hike up to this Inca citadel but you can also get a taxi up most of the way: advisable, as the complex closes at 6pm.
Then you can spend your energies exploring the site, and walk back down again in early evening. These steep-sided ruins are a spectacular sight. The terraces interconnected by Inca steps, pathways, stone doorways and even a rock-hewn tunnel are topped by a temple and provide some of the Sacred Valley’s most beautiful panoramas.
Evening
Conclude an active day of Inca sightseeing with a hearty meal in one of Pisac’s numerous atmospheric restaurants, like café-bistro Mamacocha with its excellent vegetarian and vegan fare.
Overnight in Pisac
Day 4: Sacred Valley - Pisac market, Ollantaytambo, Pinkulluna & on to Aguas Calientes
Browse Pisac market, transfer to the ancient Inca town of Ollantaytambo, explore Ollantaytambo and Pinkulluna archaeological sites, take train to Aguas Calientes.
Ollantaytambo. Photo: Mx._Granger, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Morning - Pisac market
No visit to Pisac would be complete without looking around the village’s market – the biggest in the Sacred Valley, and your first stop this morning. Key handicrafts to watch for are pottery and weavings made with sheep and alpaca wool. It’s a great place to pick up a souvenir from your trip.
Afterwards, continue your journey through the Sacred Valley with a 1.5-hour drive via Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, a village surrounded by two hugely impressive Inca ruins and the gateway for train trips on to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.
You’ll spend the rest of the day exploring here before continuing to Aguas Calientes this evening.
Afternoon - Ollantaytambo
Though the entrance is only a few minutes’ walk from central Ollantaytambo, you’ll need a few hours to climb west of the Ollantaytambo Plaza de Armas and explore the mighty Ollantaytambo Ruins, a temple and fortress complex distinguished by steeply-shelving terraces.
This thrilling complex was where Manco Inca, on the retreat after defeat at Saqsaywamán, enjoyed a notable victory over Spanish conquistadors under Hernando Pizarro in 1536.
The best overview of the ruins is actually from the other side of Ollantaytambo town however: from the Pinkulluna Inca ruins just east of the town center. As well as the knockout views of Ollantaytambo ruins, Pinkulluna’s flights of terraces are also enjoyable to explore because of their quietude: fewer tourists go here.
Evening - train to Aguas Calientes
From Ollantaytambo station, you’ll be catching a late evening train (either at 7pm or 9pm) to the Machu Picchu gateway town of Aguas Calientes. It’s a two-hour journey, so consider getting a meal in Ollantaytambo before boarding.
Pass the time waiting for the train with drinks, snacks or dinner at the train station’s fine-dining restaurant of El Albergue or adjoining Café Mayu.
Arriving in Aguas Calientes, check into your accommodation in readiness for exploring South America’s most famous tourist attraction, Machu Picchu, tomorrow.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Day 5: Machu Picchu and visit to Chinchero
Transfer to Machu Picchu site entrance, explore the citadel – including the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock viewpoint, the ceremonial baths, the Sacred Plaza and the Temple of the Condor – climb to Machu Picchu Mountain. After, return to Aguas Calientes, take the train to Ollantaytambo, and transfer on to Chinchero.
Morning/Afternoon - Machu Picchu
Purchase your ticket well in advance (at least several weeks before visiting) for your early start to Machu Picchu today. Buses start for the 25-minute run up to Machu Picchu’s entrance at 5.30am and it is worth getting there at the beginning of the day to see the Inca citadel without the crowds that arrive later in the morning.
The complex of Machu Picchu was constructed on the ridgetop here in the 15th century. Following its abandonment, it was never discovered by Spanish conquistadors, or by anyone else, until archaeologist Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911.
Upon entering the site, most people climb the staircase immediately afterwards up to the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock, a formidable site overview. Other astounding parts of the site include the Incas’ ceremonial baths, the Sacred Plaza and three temples including the Temple of the Three Windows and the Temple of the Condor with a magnificent condor head carving.
There are many other adventures to be had here too, such as tackling a hike up one of the two mountains either side of the site. The most popular climb is up more precipitous mountain of Huayna Picchu, with limits visitor numbers, but the higher mountain is Cerro Machu Picchu (Machu Picchu Mountain) and this offers even more impressive views.
To fully appreciate the ruins and take in one of the two viewpoints, allow at least five to six hours.
Afternoon/evening - Return to Aguas Calientes and transfer to Ollantaytambo, then Chinchero
Back down in Aguas Calientes in early afternoon, take a train (Peru Rail’s 13.37 Vistadrome Observatory makes for a convenient schedule, though there are other trains within the next couple of hours) for the two-hour ride back to Ollantaytambo.
In Ollantaytambo, pick up a private transfer for the trip to Chinchero, an idyllic small Andean village known to the Inca as the birthplace of the rainbow, and your base for tonight.
The journey will take you just over an hour, bringing you into Chinchero around 5pm.
Whenever you’re ready for dinner, Restaurante Antawara on the Chinchero Plaza de Armas is one of several charming local restaurants to choose from.
Overnight in Chinchero
Day 6: Chinchero, Moray, Maras Laguna Piuray Pachamanca ceremonhy
Learn about local textiles at a textile workshop, visit archaeological sites Moray and Salineras de Maras, participate in a pachamanca ceremony at Laguna Piuray, return to Cusco
Chinchero
Morning - Textile workshop, Moray, Maras
Pretty Chinchero is known to tourists for its excellent textile weaving and you can see this being done at the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales in the center. There are also Inca ruins and a pretty colonial church to check out. Chinchero is also the base for visiting the two nearby archaeological sites of Moray and the Salineras de Maras.
Leaving Chinchero in mid morning by private transfer, allow an hour to get to Moray, a fabulous series of concentric Inca depresses shelving up from a depression in the ground. This site is believed to have been an agricultural testing ground, where the Incas experimented with growing crops under different environments. Allow around 1.5 hours to explore the site.
Continue on for the half-hour drive to another of the Sacred Valley’s most impressive ancient sites, the Salineras de Maras. Salineras are salt pans, and at this site above Urubamba a thermal spring at the valley top feeds 3000-odd salt pans or wells, scattered down the valley, from which salt has been extracted since at least Inca times.
It’s a bizarre-looking pre-Columbian site that is very different from the region’s myriad other Inca ruins. After an hour exploring the site, return to Chinchero.
The Salineras de Maras
Afternoon - pachamanca ceremony around Laguna Piuray
This afternoon, take part in one of the pachamanca ceremonies that happen by Laguna Piuray near Chinchero. This is an Andean culinary tradition in which food - meat and potatoes -, is cooked in an earthen pit of heated volcanic stones and then shared.
But there is more to the event than just eating: it is also about celebrating Andean heritage, community, fertility and the harvest, and on bringing people together through food. You’ll also be able to help prepare the pachamanca.
Evening - Return to Cusco
After the pachamanca ceremony, it’s time to return to Cusco, where you’ll be staying again tonight. This will be your second night here and you may already be familiar with the parts of the city you like best.
For dinner, two of the best options are Cicciolina, a delightful mansion in which innovative Andean-international dishes are served, and Chicha, owned by restaurateur Gastón Acurio, offering many interesting takes on typical Andean fare. You might want to save your biggest night out in Cuzco for tomorrow, however: the end of your epic tour around Peru!
Day 7: Upper Río Urubamba rafting or Ruta del Barrocco Andino day tour
Tackle the white water of the Río Urubamba on a rafting trip or travel out to some of the Cusco region’s most beautiful churches before enjoying the end of your trip with some Cusco nightlife.
For the final day of your trip, it’s time to sample one of the several fantastic day trips Cuzco offers away from the Sacred Valley sights. One of the two fabulous options below will keep you entertained until evening, and can be booked with many Cusco tour agencies:
Urubamba rafting:
A thrilling day trip from Cusco is to some stretches of rapids on the upper Río Urubamba river, to the south of the city. The Chuquicahuana section is the toughest with Class III to V rapids, while closest to Cuzco is the lovely Pampa to Huambutio section, a great introduction to family rafting.
Whichever section you choose, you’ll see quiet, idyllic Andean countryside as you go. Rafting the Chuquicahuana section, recommended for adventurous paddlers, is a full day excursion.
Ruta del Barrocco Andino
You could also explore a different part of the Cusco region by touring Ruta del Barroco Andino, combining several compelling religious sights southeast of Cuzco, and travel in-between.
These include the magnificent churches in Huaro, Canincunca and in Andahuaylillas – the latter known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of South America.’ All three occupy beautiful settings, especially the pretty lakeside chapel in Canincunca.
Whichever of the two you choose, you’ll be back in Cusco by early evening: get ready for the grand finale of your fabulous week-long adventure!
Evening
For your last night out in Cusco, you could try modern Peruvian-international food at the central Museo del Pisco, where you can also sample myriad versions of Peru’s famous grape brandy.
But perhaps the best option for the last night out of your trip is to return to Limbus, located high above Plaza San Blas, for great drinks and beautiful panoramas of Cusco. Round things off with some live rock or salsa music at Ukuku’s, near the Plaza de Armas.
Be sure to toast your trip: you’ve covered many of Peru’s best bits – and in just one week!
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