Which hotels are in a standard Destination Peru journey
Destination Peru is a U.S. and Peruvian-owned travel company founded in 2012, with teams in Cusco, Peru and Woods Cross, Utah. Our journeys use Inkaterra-tier hotels unless you ask for something else. On the 10-day Exploration of Peru (from $5,495 per person, two sharing) that means three nights at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica in the Amazon, Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba in the Sacred Valley, two nights at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo at the foot of Machu Picchu, and the JW Marriott El Convento in Cusco. The 5-, 7- and 9-day journeys (Essential Peru from $3,295, Signature Peru from $4,395, Peru in Depth from $5,295) use the same tier across the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo is also where Inca Trek by Destination Peru guests sleep on night four of the private Inca Trail, before touring Machu Picchu rested the next morning.
What Belmond changes, place by place
Belmond is the hotel upgrade that moves the price most. Three properties come up in Peru planning, one per place.
| Place | Standard tier | Belmond upgrade | What actually changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machu Picchu | Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, in the town below the site | Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, at the site entrance | You walk to the gate instead of taking the bus up, and you can be inside at opening and again late in the day. The town is a bus ride away. |
| Cusco | JW Marriott El Convento | Belmond Hotel Monasterio | A converted 16th-century monastery a few blocks from the main square; the rooms and courtyards are the point. |
| Sacred Valley | Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba | Belmond Rio Sagrado | A riverside property in the valley rather than a hillside hacienda; both are quiet and both are good for acclimatizing. |
Belmond prices are not published as from-prices on this site because they change with the date and room; your written proposal confirms the total.
Is the Hiram Bingham train worth it?
It is worth it if the train journey itself is part of the celebration; it is not worth it if your goal is simply to reach Machu Picchu. Standard journeys use the Vistadome or Inca Rail trains, which are shared scheduled services with large windows, and they do the job well. The Hiram Bingham is Belmond’s train: a longer, dressier journey with meals, live music and a bar car. Couples marking an anniversary or honeymoon choose it most often; families and hikers usually put the money into an extra day instead. It is priced separately from the hotels, so you can take the Hiram Bingham and still stay at Inkaterra, or stay at the Sanctuary Lodge and ride the Vistadome.
Who should upgrade, and who should not
Upgrade to Belmond at Machu Picchu if being at the gate at opening, without a bus, matters to you, or if you are celebrating something and want the night to be the memory. Upgrade in Cusco if the hotel is where you will spend your free day. Stay with Inkaterra if you would rather spend the difference on an extra night in the Sacred Valley, the Amazon, or on adding the private 5-day Inca Trail with Inca Trek by Destination Peru (from $2,995 per person). Multigenerational families usually stay with the standard tier and add free days; honeymooners often take one Belmond night at Machu Picchu rather than three across the trip.
How upgrades affect the price
| Change | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Belmond instead of Inkaterra (any or all nights) | Up; the largest single upgrade |
| Hiram Bingham instead of Vistadome / Inca Rail | Up; priced separately from the hotels |
| Private Inca Trail added (Inca Trek by Destination Peru, 5 days) | Up, from $2,995 per person |
| Amazon cruise (Aqua Expeditions) instead of the Inkaterra lodge | Up; pricing on request |
| Huayna Picchu or Montaña permit | Up |
| Extra free days | Up, by the extra hotel nights |
The from-prices are per person, two sharing: 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) from $5,495. Our guide to what a private Peru trip costs has the detail. A $500 per-person deposit secures the journey and the balance is due 60 days before arrival; we check Machu Picchu availability before charging the deposit. Your written proposal confirms the total.