Peru guide
No matter whether you’re looking for a 2 min summary or want to delve deeper and discover what we rate & what we don’t, our Peru travel guide is here to help you travel like a local, including a handy section on food, shopping & people.
Machu Picchu tips & advice
Sunrise
Sarah Miginiac, General Manager Latin America for our specialist tour operator G Adventures:
“The ticketing system has been a big positive. This kind of thing is used at tourism attractions around the world. The fixed scheduling means if you want to see the sunrise you no longer see these massive queues for the bus. It’s worth noting, though, that the sunrise is not always as impressive as people think it will be, there’s often mist up there for one thing.”
“The ticketing system has been a big positive. This kind of thing is used at tourism attractions around the world. The fixed scheduling means if you want to see the sunrise you no longer see these massive queues for the bus. It’s worth noting, though, that the sunrise is not always as impressive as people think it will be, there’s often mist up there for one thing.”
Our Machu Picchu Vacations
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
From
US $3549
15 days
ex flights
Peruvian Andes trekking vacation to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu with an International Guide and Doctor.
From
US $2979
14 days
ex flights
Machu Picchu by train
Soak up colonial and Inca history by train
From
US $539 to US $699
3 days
ex flights
Adventure vacation Peru
Inca culture to sea lions on Peru adventure
From
US $2764 to US $3915
15 days
ex flights
High Inca trail trek in Peru
Machu Picchu, Inca fortresses and cloud forest
From
US $2649 to US $2779
14 days
ex flights
Inca Trail trek in Peru
Classic trek on Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
From
US $2526 to US $2856
10 days
ex flights
Highlights of Peru vacation
Join a cultural exploration of Peru
From
US $3002 to US $4199
21 days
ex flights
Peru 12 day itinerary, tailor made
Highlights of Peru: Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu
From
£1795
12 days
ex flights
Peru and Inca trail small group vacation
Travel from the Andes to the Amazon
From
US $2168 to US $2845
12 days
ex flights
Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek
Bucket List Adventure Trekking to Machu Picchu
From
£565 to £605
4 days
ex flights
Cusco to Machu Picchu short tour
Cusco, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
From
US $1080 to US $1770
4 days
ex flights
Lares homestay trek in Peru
Peru trekking with a unique cultural twist
From
US $495 to US $959
4 days
ex flights
Ancascocha 5 day trek in Peru
Off the beaten trek to Machu Picchu
From
£620 to £669
5 days
ex flights
Peru highlights vacation
Discover the most enchanting destinations Peru has to offer!
From
US $1290 to US $1805
8 days
ex flights
The Best of Peru & Inca Trail vacation
Explore the majesty of the Andes and trek to Machu Picchu.
From
£2399
17 days
ex flights
Hiking the Inca Trail
Fully supported Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu
From
US $880
4 days
ex flights
Peru adventure vacation, small group
Experience coastal deserts, mountains and the Amazon Jungle
From
US $3066 to US $4119
19 days
ex flights
Lima to Cusco vacation in Peru
Cultural small group tour of Peru including the Inca Trail
From
US $2387 to US $3459
15 days
ex flights
A taste of Peru vacation, 14 days
Island hopping, Inca trekking and mist-swirled Machu Picchu
From
£2185
16 days
ex flights
Family vacation to Peru, Machu Picchu & the Amazon
Experience Peru's top sights as a family
From
£3608
19 days
ex flights
Family vacation in Peru
Amazon rainforest and Peruvian culture family adventure
From
US $2104 to US $2760
10 days
ex flights
Peru highlights tour
Customisable journey through the heart of Peru's Andes.
From
£1880
14 days
ex flights
Peru tailor made vacation, Machu Picchu & Tambopata
Stunning Andean scenery, Inca history, and a superb rainforest experience
From
£2495
12 days
ex flights
Peru vacation on a shoestring, tailor made
Explore the Inca heartland in the Andes
From
£1899
12 days
ex flights
Classic Peru tailor made tour
Discover the natural and cultural highlights of Peru
From
£3830
14 days
ex flights
Inca Highlights, adventure tour
Allow yourself to absorb the magic of Peru
From
US $2385 to US $3299
14 days
ex flights
Peru trekking vacation, Lares
Alternative Inca Trail - Lares trek to Machu Picchu
From
US $880
5 days
ex flights
Mountain climbing
Heather McBrayne, founder of our specialist operator Discover South America:
“There’s a one-way system around the main sites, so you can’t miss anything on a guided tour. But there are some places everyone should see. The Sun Gate just inside the entrance is the iconic vantage point. The Condor Temple is a must-see too, and if you have time I recommend also seeing the Incan Drawbridge. And also climb Machu Picchu Mountain. It’s a longer trek than the more popular Huayna Picchu but not as steep or narrow. The views are just as stunning but you’re sharing them with fewer people. Officially you get four hours on the site, but if you do a trek, which takes about three hours, you are allowed to stay for six.”
“There’s a one-way system around the main sites, so you can’t miss anything on a guided tour. But there are some places everyone should see. The Sun Gate just inside the entrance is the iconic vantage point. The Condor Temple is a must-see too, and if you have time I recommend also seeing the Incan Drawbridge. And also climb Machu Picchu Mountain. It’s a longer trek than the more popular Huayna Picchu but not as steep or narrow. The views are just as stunning but you’re sharing them with fewer people. Officially you get four hours on the site, but if you do a trek, which takes about three hours, you are allowed to stay for six.”
Jennifer Cox, walking vacations product manager for our specialist operator Exodus Travel:
“We’ve been offering the Moonstone Trail as an alternative to the Inca Trail for about a decade now. Many people choose it because it’s so remote - you can often walk for four days and not bump into a single other group. It’s probably the most challenging of the various alternative routes to the Inca Trail and reaches some high altitudes. However most of the porterage is by horse, so if you’re struggling, you can usually get a ride.”
“We’ve been offering the Moonstone Trail as an alternative to the Inca Trail for about a decade now. Many people choose it because it’s so remote - you can often walk for four days and not bump into a single other group. It’s probably the most challenging of the various alternative routes to the Inca Trail and reaches some high altitudes. However most of the porterage is by horse, so if you’re struggling, you can usually get a ride.”
Our top Machu Picchu Vacation
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
From
US $3549
15 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2021: 16 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 25 Jun, 9 Jul, 30 Jul, 13 Aug, 27 Aug, 10 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct
2021: 16 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 25 Jun, 9 Jul, 30 Jul, 13 Aug, 27 Aug, 10 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Machu Picchu or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
MACHU PICCHU TIPS FROM OUR TRAVELLER REVIEWS
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Machu Picchu travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Machu Picchu travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
Of course Machu Picchu is amazing, but I also loved Cusco and Arequipa. Wandering around the streets of Cusco and finding beautiful squares was a great experience.![]()
– Nigel Parsons
“The Inca Trail is physically demanding and if you are 50+ (I am nearly 70) some good training in preparation is essential to enjoy the trek. There are literally many hundreds of roughly constructed rock steps up and down... Trekking poles are a big help. If you go to one museum before or after Machu Picchu make it the Casa Concha Museum in Cusco which features all the artefacts found by Hiram Bingham during his excavations and returned a century later by Yale University.” – Stephen Shirley
“Our group of eight porters, a cook and a guide were all employed from the local area so it was helping local farmers to supplement their income. The porters were also very careful to make sure that everyone on the hike was respecting the local environment and leaving as little trace as possible.” – Elfie Burgess
“Our group of eight porters, a cook and a guide were all employed from the local area so it was helping local farmers to supplement their income. The porters were also very careful to make sure that everyone on the hike was respecting the local environment and leaving as little trace as possible.” – Elfie Burgess
More relevant guides
More about Machu Picchu
Discover the best time to visit Machu Picchu, taking into account climate and peak tourist season.
This incredible Inca citadel casts as much of a spell over visitors today as it did a century ago.
Visiting Machu Picchu always demands the question: how on Earth did they achieve this? Our Machu Picchu map and highlights page doesn’t hold all the answers, but it does explain a few of the key locations.
The vast majority of people get to Machu Picchu either by train, from Cuzco or Ollantaytambo, or by trekking, usually on the iconic Inca Trail (four days).
As one of the world’s most iconic ruins, reached either by scenic train journey or a famously exciting trek, and with limited tickets available so as to preserve the site, Machu Picchu is always going to be busy.
In 2011, Machu Picchu celebrated 100 years since its (sort-of) rediscovery.
There are many alternative Inca sites to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Responsible tourism in Machu Picchu means being aware of the threats to this ancient citadel and taking steps to mitigate your own impact.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Bill Damon] [Topbox: Valerie Hinojosa]
[Condor Temple: cKay Savage]
[Cusco: Joe Green]
Back to the top
- Recently viewed
