In a nutshell
- Peru is a fantastic destination for an independent road trip — seriously diverse landscapes, a well-developed tourist infrastructure, and an incredible number of highlights to discover.
- The best way to get around on your self-planned Peru itinerary is by long-distance bus and/or domestic flights. We don’t recommend renting a car given the long distances and road conditions.
- We recommend spending at least 3 weeks in Peru to see the most important highlights — but this article also includes practical 2-week itineraries if that’s all you have.
The Perfect Itinerary for 3 Weeks in Peru
We’re now going to walk you through our tips for a 3-week road trip through Peru in more detail. First, let us show you our map of the route.
For three weeks, we recommend traveling only through southern Peru. That’s where you’ll find most of the country’s well-known attractions. Here’s the full peru itinerary listed in chronological order:
- Days 1–3: Lima
- Day 4: Paracas
- Days 5–6: Ica
- Days 7–10: Arequipa & Colca Canyon
- Days 11–12: Puno & Lake Titicaca
- Days 13–14: Cusco
- Days 15–18: Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu (or hiking to Machu Picchu)
- Day 19: Cusco
- Day 20: Rainbow Mountain
- Day 21: Departure from Cusco
We’ll walk you through each day in more detail and share our tips on accommodation and getting around.
Days 1–3: Sightseeing in Lima
How much time to plan? 1–3 days
Our hotel recommendation: Tierra Viva Miraflores Mendiburu
Day 1: Arrival in Lima
The best place to fly into Peru is Lima — that’s where most international flights land. From the airport, grab an Uber to your hotel.
We recommend staying in Miraflores. It’s a safe neighborhood right by the ocean. On arrival day, you’ll probably be pretty tired, so don’t plan anything too ambitious. Instead, take a relaxed walk along the beach and find a great restaurant — Terminal Pesquero Cevichería Miraflores is a solid choice.
Day 2: Sightseeing in Lima
On your second day, explore the best attractions Lima has to offer. Start with the historic center — a walking tour works really well here.
Once you’ve seen the historic center, head over to Barranco, a hip neighborhood by the sea. For dinner, find a restaurant with a great sunset view. We went to Restaurant Javier and loved it.
Book a free walking tour in Lima
Day 3: Onward to Paracas
Head to Paracas on Day 3 by bus so you can spend the full next day by the ocean. For your Peru trip, we generally recommend the long-distance buses from Cruz del Sur — they’re comfortable and the company is reputable.
Book the bus from Lima to Paracas on bookaway
Some buses don’t depart until around noon — if you’d like to visit a museum in Lima in the morning, you’ll have time for that. The Pucllana Site Museum in Miraflores is a great option.
Read all our tips for Lima:
Day 4: By the Sea in Paracas
How much time to plan? 1–2 days
Our hotel recommendation: Casa Paracas
Paracas is a small Peruvian town where the desert meets the sea. Right next to town lies the nature reserve of the same name, “Paracas.”
Here you’ll find viewpoints overlooking desert and ocean, beautiful beaches, and the rock formation known as “La Cátedral.” Just off the coast are the Ballestas Islands, home to penguins, sea lions, and all kinds of wildlife.
To take in both natural highlights in a single day, we recommend a guided tour. You can book one locally or through GetYourGuide.
Book a guided tour to the Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve
Days 5–6: Huacachina
How much time to plan? 1–2 days
Where to stay? Rochabus
Day 5: Travel to Huacachina & Sandboarding
On Day 5, take the bus to Ica first thing in the morning — the ride only takes about an hour. From the bus terminal in Ica, grab a taxi or tuk-tuk to Huacachina.
Huacachina is a small village with an oasis in the middle of the sand desert. The absolute standout is the towering dunes that surround it — the views from the top are seriously incredible.
You can also rent sandboards here and ride down the dunes. Totally worth it.
Day 6: Relaxing & Travel to Ica
Start your second day in Huacachina nice and easy. Since many hotels have pools, treat yourself to a relaxed morning with no agenda.
After checking out, head back to Ica and check out the Seven-Headed Palm Tree or the main square. In the evening, hop on a night bus to Arequipa — the ride takes about 13 hours.
Book the night bus to Arequipa on bookaway
Days 7–10: Arequipa & Colca Canyon
How much time to plan? 3–4 days
Our hotel recommendation: Los Andes Bed & Breakfast
Day 7: Exploring the City Center of Arequipa
Since you spent the night on the bus, you probably won’t have much energy on Day 7. But you don’t need it — Arequipa is perfect for a leisurely explore.
The center is compact and all the main points of interest are within walking distance. Arequipa sits at an elevation of 2,335 m, which makes it ideal for acclimatizing before the higher-altitude days ahead.
Also read our tips on the highlights in Arequipa
Day 8: Day Trip from Arequipa
On Day 8, take a day trip from Arequipa. We especially recommend the Laguna de Salinas — it’s a stunning salt lake, though it’s a few hours’ drive from the city.
Book a day trip to Laguna de Salinas
If you’d rather not spend so long in a car, or if you’re after more action, a rafting tour is a great alternative.
Check out the rafting tour in Arequipa
Days 9 and 10: Hiking in the Colca Canyon
On Days 9 and 10, you’ll do a two-day trekking tour through the Colca Canyon. We did this independently, but to save time we’d recommend booking a guided tour.
It’s especially worth it because some tours include a return transfer to Puno directly in the price — super convenient.
Book the two-day Colca Canyon tour with return transfer to Puno
For all our tips on the Colca Canyon:
Days 11–12: Puno & Lake Titicaca
How much time to plan? 1–2 days
Our hotel recommendation: Sol Plaza Hotel
Puno is the largest Peruvian city on Lake Titicaca. The town itself doesn’t have a ton to see — the real highlight is the islands out on the lake.
Day 11: Uros Islands
On Day 11, take a day trip to the floating Uros Islands and Taquile Island. You’ll learn a lot about the local culture and discover the best highlights on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.
Book a guided tour to the Uros Islands & Isla Taquile
Day 12: Puno and Travel to Cusco
On Day 12, keep things low-key. You can either spend the day in Puno and hike up to the Mirador El Condor, or head to Cusco during the day.
The bus from Puno to Cusco takes about 7 hours — it works well both as a daytime ride and as an overnight journey.
Book the bus from Puno to Cusco on bookaway
Day 13: Cusco
How much time to plan? 1–3 days
Our hotel recommendation: Casa Cristobal Siete Cuartones
Spend the day exploring the highlights of Cusco. There’s so much to see here. Our top picks:
- Plaza de Armas with the Cathedral
- San Blas neighborhood
- Mercado Central de San Pedro
- Cristo Blanco
- Mirador de Sán Cristobal
- Coricancha
Read our tips for Cusco too:
Days 14–17: Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
How much time to plan? 4 days
Over the next four days, your focus will be on Machu Picchu. Since getting to Machu Picchu is quite involved, you have several options — we’ll walk you through each one.
Option 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu
In 4 days including travel to and from Cusco, you can hike the Inca Trail or the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.
The Inca Trail can only be done as part of a guided tour and should be booked well in advance.
Book a 4-day Inca Trail with Machu Picchu visit
The Salkantay Trek can be done independently or as a guided tour. We hiked it without a guide and shared all our tips in our Salkantay Trek trip report.
Also read our article on Machu Picchu hikes
Option 2: Sacred Valley + Train to Machu Picchu
If you’d rather explore the Sacred Valley than hike, you can combine that perfectly with a visit to Machu Picchu.
On Day 14, book a guided tour from Cusco to the Salineras, Moray, and Chinchero — all three are great must-sees roughly halfway into the Sacred Valley.
A really handy option: some tours don’t take you back to Cusco in the evening but instead drop you off in Ollantaytambo.
Check out the guided Salineras, Moray, and Chinchero tour with transfer to Ollantaytambo
You’ll spend two nights in Ollantaytambo. On Day 15, visit the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo or do the Chicaqata hike.
Our hotel recommendation: Kamma Guesthouse
On Day 16, take the train to Aguas Calientes. You can book trains through Inca Rail or Peru Railways. In the afternoon, you’ll have a little free time — the hot springs in Aguas Calientes are a great way to unwind.
Our hotel recommendation: Runas Inn Machu Picchu
For Day 17, book your Machu Picchu entry slot for the morning. Explore the ancient citadel at your own pace, then make your way back to Cusco relaxed around midday or early afternoon.
To our tips for Machu Picchu:
Days 18–19: Laguna Humantay or Pisac
Back in Cusco, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to more highlights in the surrounding area.
Our top pick is Laguna Humantay — a stunning mountain lake that’s easy to visit on a day trip. We suggest taking a rest day in Cusco on Day 18 and doing the day trip on Day 19.
The drive to the lagoon takes about four hours, followed by a one-hour hike uphill. At the top, you’re rewarded with breathtaking mountain scenery. Absolutely worth it.
Note: If you’ve already hiked the Salkantay Trek, Laguna Humantay was part of that route. In that case, a return visit probably isn’t worth it.
Book a day trip to Laguna Humantay
If you’re not up for a lot of hiking, the town of Pisac is really worth a visit. You can easily spend a night there too, as there are many lovely places to stay.
Pisac is particularly well known for retreats, but you can also simply enjoy strolling through the market, exploring archaeological sites, and soaking up beautiful views.
Our hotel recommendation: Pisac Inca Guest House
To get to Pisac, take the bus from Cusco — it departs from Puputi Street. It’s best to leave your luggage in Cusco and just bring a small daypack. You can also book transfers through bookaway, though those are a bit pricier.
Day 20: Day Trip to Rainbow Mountain
On your last full day in Peru, you’ll visit one more true highlight — the famous Rainbow Mountains. Do this one as a guided tour; getting there independently is genuinely complicated.
All Rainbow Mountain tours follow a similar schedule. You’ll be picked up at your hotel early in the morning with a breakfast stop on the way.
From the parking lot to the viewpoint at Rainbow Mountain, it’s about a one-hour hike — and since you’re at over 5,000 meters elevation, it’s genuinely exhausting. Take it slow.
Once you reach the top, you’ll have plenty of time for photos — though the place is also packed with tourists. Afterward, it’s time to head back, with a lunch stop on the way.
Book a guided tour to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco
Day 21: Departure from Cusco
You can book your return flight directly from Cusco. You’ll have at least one stopover in Lima — but there are multiple daily flights from Cusco to Lima, and they’re quite affordable.
If you’ve booked your return flight from Lima, you can also add the Cusco–Lima leg separately. We recommend checking Skyscanner for the best prices.
Book flights within Peru on Skyscanner
Peru Itinerary for 2 Weeks
If you only have two weeks for your peru trip itinerary, you’ll need to trim things a little. You’ll see a bit less, but you’ll still travel through Peru at a comfortable pace.
Option 1: Peru’s Top Highlights
This is the route many travelers choose, as it covers Peru’s absolute top must-sees — Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and the Colca Canyon. With this version, you skip Paracas and Huacachina.
You start in Lima, see the city’s main highlights, and enjoy some great ceviche. From Lima, you travel directly to Arequipa — by bus that’s 18 hours, so flying is much faster.
In Arequipa, you’ll have time to acclimatize and explore the Colca Canyon.
From there, you travel — similarly to our 3-week route — to Puno on Lake Titicaca, and then on to Cusco.
You’ll spend two days in Cusco — enough time to explore the center and take a day trip, such as to Laguna Humantay or the Salineras.
The best way to visit Machu Picchu is to spread it over two days. On the first day, take the bus to Ollantaytambo — if you have the time and energy, spend the morning there and get a taste of the Sacred Valley.
In the afternoon, take the train to Aguas Calientes and spend the night there. The next morning, ride or walk from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and head back to Cusco in the afternoon.
Round out your peru 2 week itinerary with the famous Rainbow Mountain on your last day.
Here’s this route listed chronologically:
- Days 1–2: Lima
- Days 3–6: Arequipa & Colca Canyon
- Days 7–8: Puno & Lake Titicaca
- Days 9–10: Cusco
- Days 11–12: Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
- Day 13: Rainbow Mountain
- Day 14: Departure from Cusco
Option 2: The Best Mix of Experiences
With this option, you follow our 3-week route but skip Lake Titicaca — honestly, we enjoyed the other destinations in Peru more than Lake Titicaca, so this is the version we’d personally go with.
You start again in Lima, then take the bus to Paracas and continue to Huacachina. After that, you acclimatize in Arequipa and explore the Colca Canyon.
From Arequipa, take the bus to Cusco — an overnight ride works great for this leg. Spend one day in Cusco before heading toward Machu Picchu. As with the other options, your last day is Rainbow Mountain.
- Days 1–2: Lima
- Days 3–4: Paracas
- Days 5–6: Huacachina
- Days 7–9: Arequipa & Colca Canyon
- Day 10: Cusco
- Days 11–12: Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
- Day 13: Rainbow Mountain
- Day 14: Departure from Cusco
Peru Itineraries for 4 Weeks
If you have at least four weeks for Peru, even better. You’ll be able to explore not just the classic highlights but also the north of the country.
Spend the first three weeks exactly as we outlined in our 3-week peru itinerary. Then continue north, where there are more great attractions and several routes to choose from.
Depending on what you still want to see and do, here are two options for a 4-week trip through Peru.
Option 1: From the Mountains to the Beach
This is the classic backpacking route through Peru. After Cusco, take the night bus to the beautiful mountain town of Huaraz. In the surrounding area, you’ll find towering snow-capped mountains and turquoise-blue lagoons.
The absolute standout is the day trip to Laguna 69 from Huaraz — expect a serious hike. If you’d rather skip the climb, book the tour to Laguna Paron instead — the lake is just as beautiful and you can reach it without hiking.
From Huaraz, take a bus to Trujillo. There, check out the famous Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. You can also go surfing, stroll along the boardwalk, and enjoy great seafood.
From Trujillo, continue by bus all the way north to Máncora — a popular beach destination in Peru and perfect for a final few days by the sea.
This route is especially popular if you’re doing a longer South America trip and continuing from Peru to Ecuador. Máncora is almost right on the border.
- Day 21: From Cusco to Huaraz
- Day 22: Huaraz
- Day 23: Laguna Paron or Laguna 69
- Days 24–25: Trujillo
- Day 26: Máncora
- Day 27: Departure (or continue to Ecuador)
Option 2: Off to the Jungle
Do you love wildlife and have always dreamed of visiting the Amazon? You can make that happen on your Peru trip. From Cusco, fly to Iquitos, the Peruvian capital of the Amazon.
From there, you can join several jungle tours. After Iquitos, fly on to Chachapoyas, a city in northern Peru near the Gocta Waterfall.
It’s truly impressive — you can visit the Gocta Waterfall on a day trip from Chachapoyas. From Chachapoyas, travel or fly to Trujillo and wind down with two relaxed days by the ocean.
- Days 21–23: Iquitos and the Amazon
- Day 24: From Iquitos to Chachapoyas
- Day 25: Gocta Waterfall
- Days 26–27: Trujillo
- Day 28: Departure from Trujillo
General Tips for a Road Trip Through Peru
To make sure you’re fully prepared, here are our best planning tips for your peru travel itinerary.
Also read all our travel tips for Peru
The Best Time to Visit Peru
We recommend traveling through Peru in May, September, or October. During these months, you’ll have good weather throughout the country.
Since the rainy and dry seasons vary a bit by region, it also depends on where in Peru you want to go. We explain this in more detail in our article on the best time to visit Peru:
Read our tips on the best time to visit Peru:
How to Get Around on Your Peru Trip?
In our suggested itineraries, we generally recommend getting around by long-distance bus. It’s the most affordable and most common way to travel in Peru.
That said, there are some safety concerns with bus travel (drowsy drivers, poor road conditions, etc.), so we understand if you’re hesitant.
If you do travel by bus, stick to reputable companies like Cruz del Sur. Domestic flights are also a solid alternative.
Book bus trips in Peru on bookaway
Domestic flights are more expensive than buses but still quite affordable. A flight from Lima to Cusco, for example, can be found for around 50 euros.
Book flights within Peru on Skyscanner
We only recommend a rental car in Peru if you genuinely enjoy driving and don’t mind rough roads. A 4×4 is definitely the better choice.
Driving at night in your own vehicle is best avoided, as robberies do occur.
Compare rental car deals on Discovercars
Is Peru a Safe Travel Destination?
Safety in South America is always worth discussing. By South American standards, though, Peru is perfectly fine — overall, we felt very safe.
There are some basic rules to follow — like avoiding deserted areas at night and keeping a close eye on your valuables.
We’ve written up all our tips on traveling safely through Peru in a separate article.
Our tips for safety in Peru:
Altitude Sickness in Peru
Many travelers in Peru deal with altitude sickness — and it makes sense, because many of the top attractions sit high up in the mountains. Cusco, for example, sits at around 3,400 meters, and Puno at 3,800 meters.
If you travel from sea level into the highlands and then immediately go hiking, there’s a real chance you’ll get altitude sickness.
You should acclimatize gradually. That’s why our itineraries start at sea level and head first to Arequipa (around 2,300 meters), so your body can adjust slowly.
Keep in mind that the Colca Canyon near Arequipa also reaches elevations above 3,000 meters. On the way there, you’ll cross a mountain pass at nearly 5,000 meters by car — altitude sickness can strike on that excursion too.
Mild symptoms include headaches and fatigue. In more severe cases, nausea, poor sleep, and other symptoms can appear.
Locals chew coca leaves and drink coca tea to combat altitude sickness — you can do the same. The effects of coca leaves are more similar to those of coffee or black tea; they have nothing to do with cocaine. It’s a traditional remedy that really does help.
If you experience very severe symptoms, descend from high altitude as quickly as possible and see a doctor.
