First Trip to Peru: Best Itinerary, Which Regions to Include, and Which to Leave Out

Planning your first trip to Peru can be difficult because there are so many places that catch your attention: Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Paracas, the Amazon, Huaraz, and many other destinations.

However, a first trip works best when it is organized around the number of days you have available. Trying to visit too many regions in a short time can turn your vacation into a series of flights, bus rides, and hotel changes.

As a general reference, with 7 days you can see the essentials of Lima and Cusco. With 10 days you can add one more region. With 12 days, it is already possible to follow a fairly complete route through southern Peru. And with 14 days, you can travel at a more relaxed pace or include a few additional destinations.

How many days do you need for your first trip to Peru?

7 days

Lima + Cusco + Sacred Valley + Machu Picchu.

10 days

Essential route + Arequipa and Colca, or Lake Titicaca.

12 days

Lima + Arequipa + Colca Canyon + Puno + Cusco + Sacred Valley + Machu Picchu.

14 days

A complete route through southern Peru, with the option to add Paracas and Huacachina or travel at a more relaxed pace.

Minimum trip: 7 days

Seven days work if you are comfortable with a shorter route: Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. You will need to fly from Lima to Cusco. Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, the dunes, and the Amazon are left out. It is not a complete Peru trip. It is a well-planned first introduction.

How to travel the route

• Day 1: Lima. Historic Center or Barranco. Food and rest.
• Day 2: Flight to Cusco. Continue down to the Sacred Valley. Overnight in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.
• Day 3: Sacred Valley. Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Maras, or Moray.
• Day 4: Train to Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu.
• Day 5: Return to Cusco. Main Square, Qorikancha, and San Blas.
• Day 6: Easy day in Cusco. Do not head up to 5,000 meters.
• Day 7: Departure flight via Lima.

Altitude shapes the itinerary. Cusco sits at around 3,400 meters. The Sacred Valley is lower. Machu Picchu is at around 2,430 meters. That is why your first night does not necessarily have to be in Cusco.

10-day trip

Ten days allow you to add one more region. Choose Arequipa or Puno. Do not include both if you still want enough time to sleep and rest. Arequipa helps you gain altitude gradually. Puno adds Lake Titicaca, but it also demands more from your body at altitude.

Recommended option: Lima, Arequipa, and Cusco

• Days 1 and 2: Lima.
• Days 3 to 5: Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
• Days 6 to 9: Cusco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
• Day 10: Departure.

Another option: Lima, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca

• Days 1 and 2: Lima.
• Days 3 to 7: Cusco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
• Days 8 and 9: Puno, Uros, and Taquile.
• Day 10: Departure.

What still stays out: Huaraz, Lake 69, northern Peru, Máncora, and a longer Amazon stay. Those destinations require another block of days.

12- to 14-day trip

This is the amount of time that works best for a first trip. You arrive through Lima, gradually gain altitude in Arequipa, visit Lake Titicaca in Puno, and finish with Cusco and Machu Picchu. There is enough room for an easy day, a long bus ride, or a change in train plans.

12-day itinerary

• Days 1 and 2: Lima.
• Days 3 to 5: Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
• Days 6 and 7: Puno and Lake Titicaca. Uros and Taquile, or an overnight stay on Amantaní.
• Days 8 to 11: Cusco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
• Day 12: Cusco and departure flight.

If you have 14 days

Add Paracas and Huacachina after Lima, or spend an extra night in Cusco. Do not try to fit Huaraz, Lake 69, northern Peru, and the Amazon into the same trip. Save those for a second trip.

Paracas offers the ocean and the Ballestas Islands. Huacachina offers an oasis and sand dunes. Both are relatively close to Lima and do not compete with Cusco in terms of altitude.

What not to include yet

Huaraz, Lake 69, Lake Parón, northern Peru, Máncora, Chachapoyas, and a multi-day Amazon stay are better saved for a second trip. On your first trip, they take nights away from Cusco and Machu Picchu.

If you want a ready-made 12-day itinerary with Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca already planned, discover our 12-day package with Incredible Peru Tours.