What “private” means in Peru
Destination Peru is a U.S. and Peruvian-owned travel company founded in 2012, with teams in Cusco, Peru and Woods Cross, Utah. On a private journey, nobody else is on your itinerary. You have a private bilingual guide for the listed visits, private road transfers throughout, Machu Picchu entry on a confirmed date, time and circuit, trains on the Vistadome or Inca Rail (shared scheduled services, the one part of the day that is not private), hotels at the Inkaterra tier, oxygen in the hotels and vehicles, a partner clinic in Cusco and a Cusco team on call 24/7. Start on the dates you choose; there is no departure calendar.
Private vs group, side by side
| Group tour | Destination Peru private journey | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is with you | A coach of travelers who booked the same departure | Your party only |
| Dates | Fixed departure calendar | Any dates you choose |
| Guide | One guide for the group | Private bilingual guide for the listed visits |
| Transfers | Shared coach | All road transfers private |
| Machu Picchu | Group entry slot | Entry on a confirmed date, time and circuit; availability checked before your deposit is charged |
| Pace | The group’s | Yours; free days can be added |
| Altitude support | Varies | Oxygen in hotels and vehicles, partner clinic in Cusco, 24/7 Cusco team |
| Price | Lowest per person | From $3,295 (5 days) to $5,495 (10 days) per person, two sharing |
What a private journey costs
Per person, two sharing, with Inkaterra-tier hotels: Essential Peru, 5 days, from $3,295; Signature Peru, 7 days, from $4,395; Peru in Depth, 9 days, from $5,295; Exploration of Peru, 10 days with three nights in the Amazon, from $5,495. Included: hotel nights, the private guide for listed visits, Machu Picchu entry, all private road transfers, the trains, meals as listed, oxygen, the clinic and the 24/7 team. Not included: international and domestic flights (we can book them: US$50 per domestic round trip, US$100 per international, plus the fare), travel insurance, gratuities and optional experiences. A $500 per-person deposit secures the journey, the balance is due 60 days before arrival, and we check Machu Picchu availability before charging the deposit. Our guide to what a private Peru trip costs explains what moves the price. Your written proposal confirms the total.
Where private matters most
Three places. Machu Picchu, because entry is by confirmed date, time and circuit, and a private guide walks your circuit at your pace rather than the group’s. Altitude, because a private itinerary can start in the Sacred Valley (about 9,000 ft) and reach Cusco (about 11,200 ft) later, with oxygen in the vehicle and a clinic on call, instead of following a fixed route; our altitude guide explains why. And the Inca Trail: a private trek with Inca Trek by Destination Peru (5 days, from $2,995 per person) means your own guide, cook and porters and a night at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo before Machu Picchu, and it fits into a 10–12 day private journey in a way a group departure cannot. Permits are bought in each hiker’s name, so book the trek as soon as the release opens.
Who should book a group tour instead
Solo travelers on a tight budget who want company, and anyone for whom the price per person is the deciding factor. A group tour will get you to Machu Picchu. What you give up is the schedule, the private guide and transfers, and the support if altitude or a delay changes your day. Destination Peru does not run group tours, so if that is the right fit for you, we will say so.