The Sacred Valley before Cusco
Base near Urubamba for access to Ollantaytambo, Pisac and the terraces at Moray. Sleeping around 2,800 metres rather than Cusco’s roughly 3,400 metres makes a more measured introduction to the Andes.
Peru.
From Lima’s Pacific kitchens to the Sacred Valley and Amazon waterways, Peru rewards a journey that leaves room for altitude and distance.
Ideal length
12–14 nights
Gateway
Typically 26–35 hours from Delhi or Mumbai to Lima, including connections; longer routings are common. No nonstop flights from India.
Best months
May · Jun · Jul · Aug
From, per person
₹6.8L
Why Peru
What it feels like
when it's planned well.
Best for
Who it suits
SoloCoupleFamilyMulti-generationalFriendsBalanced pace
Peru is best approached as several journeys joined together: Lima for its markets and contemporary cooking, the Sacred Valley for agricultural terraces and Quechua communities, and the Amazon for life along its waterways. Machu Picchu deserves its place, but not at the expense of everything around it. We usually allow twelve to fourteen nights, with private guiding where context matters and unstructured time between excursions.
Our planning starts with Machu Picchu entry circuits and train availability, then works backwards through the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Lima. We favour sleeping lower in the valley before moving to Cusco, and choose Amazon lodges around your tolerance for boat travel and humidity. The honest caveat: even comfortable arrangements cannot remove altitude, early departures or weather disruption, and trying to cover every region makes Peru feel hurried.
Highlights
Three things you'd remember.
Machu Picchu, with the right circuit
Entry is timed and tied to a specific route. We prioritise the circuit that suits your interests and mobility; the classic viewpoint and a detailed archaeological visit are not interchangeable ticket choices.
Lima beyond the reservation book
Explore Barranco, visit a neighbourhood market and make time for ceviche at lunch. Lima’s celebrated restaurants warrant advance booking, but its everyday cooking is equally worth attention.
A shape to start from
The itinerary, before we change it for you.
Every trip we send is rewritten at least once. Treat this as a rhythm rather than a route — then tell your specialist what to cut, slow down or add.
- Days 1–2
Arrive in Lima
Settle into Miraflores or Barranco for two nights. Keep arrival day clear, then explore Barranco with a private guide and visit the Larco Museum. Arrange one considered restaurant reservation rather than a succession of tasting menus.
- Days 3–5
Cusco airport to the Sacred Valley
Fly to Cusco and transfer directly down to the Urubamba area for three nights. Rest on arrival, then spread Ollantaytambo, Moray and the Maras salt pans across two days, with a pre-arranged weaving visit where appropriate.
- Day 6
Train to Machu Picchu Pueblo
Take the train from Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba River. Stay overnight in Machu Picchu Pueblo, allowing a quiet afternoon before the following day’s timed entry.
- Days 7–8
Machu Picchu and Cusco
Visit Machu Picchu with a private guide on your booked circuit, then return by train and road to Cusco; this is a long day. Spend two nights in Cusco, with the next day devoted to Qorikancha, San Blas and time at your own pace.
- Days 9–11
Tambopata’s forest and waterways
Fly to Puerto Maldonado, directly where schedules permit, and continue by road and boat to a forest lodge for three nights. Join naturalist-led walks and river excursions; wildlife sightings depend on conditions, not a checklist.
- Days 12–13
Return to Lima, then depart
Travel back to Puerto Maldonado and fly to Lima for a final night. This creates a sensible buffer before your international departure on Day 13, with dinner plans kept flexible.
Where you'd stay
Houses we hold, not listings.
Illustrative private-house stayBarranco, Lima
Barranco Courtyard House
A proposed accommodation brief, not a verified property: a restored house with quiet bedrooms and space for private breakfasts. Indicative INR per person per night, sharing.
From₹55,000 / night
Illustrative staffed villaSacred Valley
Urubamba Garden Villa
A proposed accommodation brief, not a verified property: gardens, heating and a cook, with straightforward road access. Indicative INR per person per night, based on four guests sharing.
From₹85,000 / night
Illustrative forest lodgeTambopata, Madre de Dios
Tambopata River Lodge
A proposed accommodation brief, not a verified property: screened rooms, full board and naturalist excursions. Indicative INR per person per night, sharing; air-conditioning and private guiding must be confirmed.
From₹65,000 / night
Access & experiences
What we can open for you.
A market-led Lima lunch
Visit a local market with a culinary guide, then sit down to ceviche and regional dishes. Dietary requirements need advance discussion: fish stock, shellfish and meat-based sauces are common.
Walking above the Sacred Valley
Choose a gentle valley walk or a longer route around rural communities near Chinchero after acclimatisation. Distance is only part of the calculation; elevation and exposure matter just as much.
Tambopata with a naturalist
Look for macaws, monkeys and river-edge birdlife on outings chosen around your lodge’s location. Clay-lick visits can require very early starts, and sightings are never guaranteed.
Cusco through its buildings
Explore Inca stonework and colonial architecture at Qorikancha and around the historic centre. A good guide makes the overlapping histories legible without filling every hour.
When to go
The months that work.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Prime Shoulder — quieter, better value
Good to know
- Indicative budget
- From INR 675,000 per person, based on two travelling together and sharing accommodation. Final cost depends on season, room category, flights and guiding; the written proposal will specify inclusions. Illustrative stay rates are not live quotes and should not be added directly to this starting budget.
- Visa
- Indian passport holders generally require a Peruvian tourist visa. Exemptions apply to holders of qualifying visas valid for at least six months, or qualifying permanent residence, from the US, UK, Canada, Australia or Schengen states. Confirm eligibility and current documentary requirements with the Peruvian consulate before booking; transit-country permissions are separate.
- Getting around
- Use domestic flights between Lima, Cusco and Puerto Maldonado, private road transfers in the Sacred Valley, and trains to Machu Picchu Pueblo. The final ascent to Machu Picchu is normally by shared shuttle bus. Domestic schedules and road access can be disrupted by weather or protests.
- Pace
- Allow two or three easier nights in the Sacred Valley before more demanding activity or sleeping in Cusco. A final Lima night reduces the risk of a domestic delay affecting your long-haul departure.
- Health
- Altitude illness can affect anyone, regardless of fitness; seek medical advice before travel and do not ignore worsening symptoms. Discuss yellow fever vaccination, malaria prevention and mosquito precautions with a travel clinic if visiting the Amazon. Insurance should cover your planned trekking elevation and medical evacuation.
“Plan around the altitude first, the entry tickets second, and the wish list third.”
Dev Travels planning principle
Peru, in frames
Peru questions
Asked often.
May to September is generally best for the Andes, with drier days and cold nights; June to August is busiest. April and October offer a useful compromise, with more variable rain. Lima is sunnier from December to March, while its winter is often grey. The Amazon is hot and humid year-round, including during its relatively drier months.
For May–September travel, start planning six to nine months ahead where possible, especially if you want a particular circuit or the Inca Trail. Availability varies by ticket type and release schedule. The classic Inca Trail normally closes in February for maintenance; Machu Picchu itself does not routinely close for that month.
Yes, provided the itinerary reflects everyone's mobility and health. Uneven paving, steps, altitude and long transfer days are the main constraints. Machu Picchu is not a step-free site; we would discuss route suitability before securing tickets rather than assuming private guiding removes physical barriers.
Absolutely. Lima, the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu can be combined using flights, road transfers and trains. You will still need to manage walking and steps at archaeological sites, but multi-day trekking is entirely optional.
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Botswana
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Ready when you are
Let's plan
something real.
Once-in-a-lifetime, or a long quiet weekend. Tell us what you're picturing — the first conversation is on us.