9 days / 8 nights · A private journey

Peru in Depth

Sacred Valley · Machu Picchu · Cusco

Spend nine days in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, with more time in the valley and two free days in the city. This is the choice for a longer stay without adding another region or changing hotels more often.

From $5,295 pp

Per person, two sharing, USD. Includes hotels, Machu Picchu entry, trains, guided visits, private transfers and meals as listed. Flights, insurance and gratuities excluded. Your written proposal confirms the total.

Inca stone walls at Machu Picchu beneath Huayna Picchu

At a glance

Length
9 days / 8 nights
Best time
May to October is usually drier; May is our team’s favorite
Activity
Uneven ground, steps and walking at altitude; optional mountain hikes are demanding
Guiding
Private guided visits and road transfers as listed; scheduled trains are shared services
Hotels
Inkaterra featured; Belmond or JW Marriott can be discussed
  1. Nights 1–3

    Sacred Valley

  2. Nights 4–5

    Machu Picchu Pueblo

  3. Nights 6–8

    Cusco

  4. Day 9

    Departure from Cusco

Tell us about mobility needs when planning, and get personal medical advice about altitude before you travel.

Three nights in the Sacred Valley.

Begin with three nights in the Sacred Valley, about 9,000 ft (2,750 m), with a full day for Chinchero, Moray and Maras before the train to Machu Picchu.

Two nights near Machu Picchu.

Stay in Aguas Calientes before and after your Machu Picchu visit, so you do not need to travel back to Cusco that afternoon.

Two free days in Cusco.

Use your free days to explore independently, or ask us during planning to arrange an additional experience.

Inca agricultural terraces in the Sacred Valley
The Inca town of Ollantaytambo beneath its fortress terraces

Your days in Peru

Your itinerary, day by day.

This is a sample itinerary. We can adapt the route, hotels and experiences before booking to suit your dates and interests.

Day 1

Arrive in Peru’s Sacred Valley

Your guide meets you at Cusco airport for the drive to Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba. Check in and spend the rest of the day settling into the valley, with dinner at the hotel. We keep the arrival day light.

Overnight
Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (proposed)
Meals
Dinner
A stone-paved street in Cusco with the Andes beyond

Day 2

Pisac and Ollantaytambo

Visit Pisac’s market and the Inca site above the valley with your guide. After lunch, continue to Ollantaytambo to explore its terraces and stone streets before returning to the hacienda. The hotel’s astronomy activity may be available in the evening, subject to its current program.

Overnight
Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3

Chinchero, Moray and Maras

Spend the day with your guide exploring Chinchero, Moray and Maras. At the weaving cooperative, learn how local weavers prepare dyes, spin and weave. Return to the Sacred Valley for another night rather than continuing to the train that day.

Overnight
Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4

Travel to Machu Picchu

Enjoy breakfast in the valley before traveling to Aguas Calientes by train. Check in at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo and prepare for the following day’s visit with your guide.

Overnight
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast, dinner
The train to Machu Picchu waiting at the platform

Day 5

Machu Picchu with your private guide

Your guide accompanies you through Machu Picchu on your reserved circuit at the confirmed entry time. We’ll confirm any separate mountain-hike permits before travel. After lunch at Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, the afternoon is free to enjoy your hotel and Aguas Calientes.

Overnight
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6

Return to Cusco

Travel back by train and private transfer to Cusco. After checking in at Inkaterra La Casona, explore Sacsayhuamán, Qoricancha and the Plaza de Armas with your guide, with the schedule arranged around your train arrival.

Overnight
Inkaterra La Casona (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast

Day 7

Explore Cusco on your own

Spend a day following your own interests in Cusco. Browse the workshops of San Blas, visit a museum or ask us for a restaurant recommendation. No guided excursion is scheduled today.

Overnight
Inkaterra La Casona (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast

Day 8

Keep the day open, or add an experience

Enjoy another day in Cusco, or ask us during planning to arrange an additional experience. We’ll discuss the options, suitability and cost before including anything in your itinerary. A two-day Inca Trail trek needs the itinerary adapted or extended; it does not fit into a single free day.

Overnight
Inkaterra La Casona (proposed)
Meals
Breakfast

Day 9

Departure

Private transfer to the Cusco airport for your flight onward.

Meals
Breakfast

Your proposed hotels

The hotels in this itinerary.

These are the hotels featured in this itinerary. We’ll confirm room categories and availability in your proposal, and discuss any alternatives with you before booking.

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba lit at dusk beneath the Sacred Valley mountains

Sacred Valley · 3 nights

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba

Casitas on 100 acres with views across the valley.

A lantern-lit casita entrance at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo

Aguas Calientes · 2 nights

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo

Cloud-forest casitas five minutes from the bus to the site.

Brick arches over the courtyard at Inkaterra La Casona in Cusco

Cusco · 3 nights

Inkaterra La Casona

Eleven suites in a 16th-century house off the Plaza Nazarenas.

Prefer a different hotel or room category? We’ll explain the options and the difference in price.

The details, clearly

What your journey includes.

Included

  • Eight hotel nights in the properties and room categories confirmed in your proposal
  • Private bilingual guide for the visits listed
  • Machu Picchu entry for the confirmed date, time and circuit
  • Huayna Picchu or Montaña permit on request, subject to availability; we confirm whether it is included or priced separately in your proposal
  • All private road transfers
  • Vistadome or Inca Rail trains (scheduled, shared services)
  • Meals as listed · Water on tour, no single-use plastic
  • Oxygen in hotels and vehicles and access to a partner clinic in Cusco
  • 24/7 support from our Cusco team while you travel

Not included

  • International and domestic flights (we can book them: US$50 per domestic round trip, US$100 per international, plus fare)
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities
  • Optional experiences not in your proposal
  • $500 per personsecures your journey
  • Balance 60 daysbefore arrival
  • How to payMajor credit cards (no card fee) or bank transfer (no fee)

We check Machu Picchu availability before charging the deposit; if entry cannot be secured afterwards, our terms provide new dates or a full deposit refund. Otherwise deposits are non-refundable once permits and trains are bought, so we ask every guest to carry travel insurance. Destination Peru E.I.R.L. operates your journey in Peru; Inca Trek LLC, a Utah company, is the contracting company and merchant of record. Read the booking terms.

Questions

Questions about Peru in Depth.

Will I get altitude sickness in Cusco?

Altitude can affect any traveler, and the order of this itinerary does not remove that risk. Cusco sits at about 11,200 ft (3,400 m); the Sacred Valley is about 9,000 ft (2,750 m) and Machu Picchu about 7,900 ft (2,400 m). Please get personal medical advice before you travel, and tell your guide promptly if you feel unwell. Oxygen is available in our hotels and vehicles and we work with a clinic in Cusco; these are support arrangements, not a guarantee of how you will feel.

How much does a private trip to Peru cost?

Peru in Depth starts at $5,295 per person, based on two guests sharing a room, in U.S. dollars. That includes hotels, Machu Picchu entry, trains, private guided visits, private transfers and most meals. Flights, insurance and gratuities are extra, as are Belmond upgrades and the Hiram Bingham train. Your proposal confirms the total for your dates.

How far ahead should I book?

Start planning as early as you can, especially for fixed dates, school holidays or an Inca Trail trek, which has a daily permit cap. Machu Picchu entry is limited by circuit and time slot and sells out for popular dates. We check availability before asking you to confirm; a $500-per-person deposit then lets us buy your entry and train seats.

How does a custom trip with Destination Peru work?

Tell us your dates, who is coming and what matters to you. We reply within 24 hours and confirm when you can expect a proposed itinerary with hotels and a per-person price. We refine it with you, then a $500-per-person deposit secures entry and trains. The balance is due 60 days before arrival.

What does “private” mean?

Your listed guided visits and road transfers are arranged for your party. Scheduled trains are shared with other passengers, and Machu Picchu is open to other ticket holders. Your proposal identifies any other shared services.

Are the hotels guaranteed at the starting price?

The hotels shown are the ones featured in this itinerary. Your dates, room category and availability set the final quote; your proposal names the hotels you are confirming and any agreed alternatives.

Who do we book with and how do we pay?

Destination Peru E.I.R.L. operates your journey in Peru; our terms name Inca Trek LLC, a Utah company, as contracting company and merchant of record. A $500-per-person deposit secures the trip; the balance is due 60 days before arrival. Pay by major credit card (no card fee) or by bank transfer (no fee). If Machu Picchu entry cannot be secured after your deposit, our terms provide new dates or a full deposit refund. Read the booking terms before paying.

Make it yours

Personalize your trip.

The 2-day Inca Trail

Hike a section of the Inca Trail with our own licensed operation. We’ll adapt the itinerary around the trekking days and required permits.

Rainbow Mountain

A demanding high-altitude excursion, best considered later in your trip. We’ll discuss the conditions, the early start and whether it suits you, including personal medical advice where appropriate.

Another valley night

Add time for a longer valley stay, an additional experience or more time at your hotel.

A little time in Lima

Add time for Lima’s food, art and coastal neighborhoods. We’ll plan a city stay rather than just an airport connection.

The Hiram Bingham train

Quoted for your dates.

More time in Cusco

Quoted for your dates.

Plan this journey

Begin with this journey.

Tell us your dates and who’s coming. Our team replies within 24 hours and confirms when you can expect a proposed itinerary and price. Nothing is booked and no payment is taken with your inquiry.

“We loved the itinerary and the knowledge & helpfulness of the team.”

drbeth1 · TripAdvisor · 5.0 · 41 reviews

    You’ll hear from us within 24 hours. We’ll use your details to respond and help plan your trip.