8 day Peru Itinerary: En Route to Machu Picchu
Culture, food, locals, landscapes – you name it. Peru has it all.
Ah…where to even begin with a country like PERU. This trip was by far one of our most FAVORITE travel experiences and can’t put into words just how special the culture, food, locals and landscapes are here. We booked our trip with Coast to Costa and it was the best decision we could have made! A group of about 10 strangers came together to explore the beauty of this place and we all left feeling like one big family (so much so that we plan to reunite on another trip soon).
Here is our complete 8 day itinerary!
Day 1-2: Lima
We flew into Lima from NYC (layover in Dallas) with American Airlines.
Where we stayed
Tierra Viva Miraflores Mendiburu - great location as it’s only 3 blocks away from Malecón de Miraflores.
where we ate
Breakfast is included at the hotel which is always a plus!
Coffee & pastries at El Pan de la Chola (really really yummy)
Lunch at Rasson Brasas Gourmet
Dinner at Kjolle - this restaurant was DELICIOUS. Although it is a bit pricey, if you’re looking for a more upscale dining experience, it’s a MUST try.
things to do
Take a stroll along the Malecón de Miraflores – Lima’s scenic cliff top walkway. It’s nice to get away from the busy city and enjoy the coastal views here.
Boat ride to Palomino Island where you can swim with sea lions (see here for different tour companies that you can choose from based on what you’re looking for).
Catch the sunset over drinks in Barranco at La Posada Del Mirador. Barranco is a bohemian barrio filled with colorful buildings, shops, galleries, restaurants & live music. So fun!
Day 3: Cusco
We flew to Cusco from Lima with Avianca (1.5 hour flight).
Where we stayed
Eco-Hotel Pensión Alemana - this was the coziest and cutest bed & breakfast stay! They have a little rooftop cafe called SIETE & SIETE (with the most incredible views) which includes a breakfast buffet. The location of this hotel is great! A 2 minute walk to the cutest coffee shop L’atelier Café Concept and a 10 minute walk from Plaza De Armas which is Cusco’s main square.
Here is where we stayed for the rest of our trip (except one night before Machu Picchu).
where we ate
Morning bite at L’atelier Café Concept – this was by far my favorite little coffee shop find. It’s tiny so it’s almost like a grab-and-go if you’re going in a group, but they have a window seat (see the view below) that is totally worth the visit!
Lunch at Inka Grill (located in Plaza De Armas)
Dinner at our B&B’s SIETE & SIETE rooftop cafe
things to do
We were all pretty tired adjusting to the altitude when arriving to Cusco, so we decided to take it easy and just walk around on our first day. Here’s what you can do for a chill day in Cusco:
Get lost exploring the little streets around the hotel.
Take a stroll around Plaza De Armas - this main square is always bustling with activity, filled with restaurants & local vendors. Here is where we had lunch at Inka Grill.
Visit Iglesia de Santo Domingo - a Spanish church built on top of a sacred Inca temple.
Day 4: cusco – inca trail hike
This day was filled with adventuring out to historical local places visiting temples and archeological sites.
where we ate
Breakfast at B&B
Lunch: packed sandwiches provided by Coast to Costa’s local tour guide
Dinner at Ceviche Seafood Kitchen (yummy cocktails here!)
things to do
Visit Qenko - an archeological site where sacrifices and mummification are believed to have taken place.
Saqsaywaman - the largest archeological ruins on the outskirts of Cusco is just a 10 minute drive (20 minute walk) away from Qenko. Here you can capture locals with alpacas or llamas and marvel at the massive stones in this complex.
Day 5: cusco – sacred valley & en Route to Machu Picchu
We checked out of our Pensión Alemana Bed & Breakfast in the morning as we started our journey to Machu Picchu this day. We planned to stay the night at a hotel closer to Machu Picchu so we could start exploring bright & early the next day.
Where we stayed
Yucay Plaza Inn – we didn’t explore the hotel much as we checked in late at night and checked out early morning. But, no complaints about our stay!
where we ate
Breakfast at B&B
Lunch: this was my FAVORITE – we visited a local family’s house where they cooked a traditional Incan lunch for us. This was such a special way to see how Andean people live in the mountains. They cooked the protein and veggies under ground teaching us along the way. Below is a photo of me placing three flowers over the cooked food giving thanks to Pachamama (Mother Earth) for the delicious meal I was about to eat. Such a sweet and eye-opening experience.
Dinner was a quick stop at a random pizza place as we were still stuffed from lunch!
things to do
Tour the Sacred Valley - a region between mountains with ancient Incan temples located in Peru’s Andean highlands.
Explore Pisac - a picturesque Andean village filled with markets and small handicraft shops (less than an hour from Cusco). This little town really makes you feel like you’re experiencing the day-to-day life in Peru.
Maras Salt Mines - an incredible landscape filled with salt pans that are mined by local families for their Peruvian pink salt. They are still used exactly as they were in the time of the Incas. Best time to visit for prettier colors is during the dry season (May–October). Try to make it on a sunny day & as soon as it opens to beat the crowds!
After touring the Sacred Valley, this is when we visited the local family for a special homemade Incan lunch. This activity was entirely organized by Coast to Costa.
Day 6: Machu Picchu
To get the best of Machu Picchu, waking up early is a MUST! We were up & ready before sunrise to give us enough time to make it there before the big crowds.
Here's everything you need to know when visiting Machu Picchu:
How to get there: From Yucay Plaza Inn, it’s a 30 minute drive to the Ollantaytambo Train Station. Here you’ll get a 1.5 hour train ride with PeruRail to Aguas Calientes (the town right before Machu Picchu). *However, you could also catch a train from Cusco directly if you’re spending the night there instead. Once you arrive to Aguas Calientes, you then transfer to a 30 minute Bus service. Buses run in 10 minute intervals.
How much it costs:
PeruRail Train - from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu: about $130 USD roundtrip (buy it in advance)
Bus - from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu ruins: about $24 USD roundtrip (you can purchase your tickets in person – they don’t need to be reserved in advance)
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu: $45 USD (buy it in advance)
We had an entrance ticket ($80) to Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu (definitely recommend if you’re in for the hiking adventure!)
What to wear:
Definitely a small backpack with your daily essentials!
Waterproof jacket as the weather conditions can change pretty quickly (it was sunny & humid when we got there, by the time we hiked Huayna Picchu, it POURED)
Comfy shoes (hiking boots are best, if not sneakers)
What to bring: Passport to get it stamped & LOTS of water to stay hydrated. Sunscreen & bug spray too!
where we ate
We ate both breakfast & lunch in Aguas Calientes. This town is filled with lots of amazing restaurants to choose from.
Breakfast at La Chuta - this was a little cafe where we had coffee + pastries.
Toto’s House - yummy Peruvian & international cuisine.
After our Machu Picchu visit and lunching at Toto’s House, we took the train back to Ollantaytambo where our group driver took us back to Cusco.
Day 7: back to cusco – shaman walk
This day was filled with lots of fun activities around Cusco. It was the sweetest way to recover from our hike the day before!
Where we stayed
We checked back into the Pensión Alemana Bed & Breakfast until the end of our trip.
where we ate
Breakfast at B&B
Lunch was provided on the spiritual walk
Dinner was made by us! at a fun cooking class (see below)
things to do
Shaman Spiritual walk – this is a type of meditation that is meant for you to connect with yourself on a deeper level by releasing negative energy and embracing personal growth & change. This was one of the coolest experiences we’ve ever had as we were able to learn from a local shaman about their rituals & gain a greater appreciation for Pachamama (Mother Earth). This was fully organized by Coast to Costa – if you’re planning your own trip to Peru and would be interested in this, shoot me an email or comment below & I’ll get you connected. :)
Visit San Pedro Market and get a little taste of local life! SO many stalls filled with yummy options from fruits, veggies, snacks and more.
Book a cooking class with Peruvian Cooking Classes and learn how to make traditional Peruvian dishes. We actually bought all of our ingredients at the San Pedro Market and brought it directly to the cooking class.
Day 8: free day in cusco
Last day in sweet Cusco and we pretty much had the whole day to ourselves! So what better way to explore than to head to your favorite little cafe, get lost within the tiny little streets and make friends with the locals. :)
where we ate
Breakfast at L’atelier Café Concept
Went back to the B&B for lunch at the rooftop cafe
Farewell dinner with our group at Limbus Restobar (incredible city views from this rooftop!)
our last thoughts…
Here are our little tips & recommendations if you plan to travel to Cusco.
-Given the high altitude of Cusco, you might experience some sickness (headaches, nausea, light-headed) and the BEST natural remedy we found for this was Coca leaf tea. Any local will tell you! You can drink up to 3-4 cups of coca leaf tea a day.
-Peak season is from June–August. The dry season spans from May–October which are the recommended months to visit. However, we went in February and although we did get some rainy days, we also had some sunshine.
-Lastly! If you’re open to traveling in a small group of like-minded people, we cannot recommend this enough: book your trip with Coast to Costa! Andrew & Natalie (the couple behind this incredible travel agency) are the absolute sweetest and such a joy to be around. They are SO easy going with the day-to-day trip itinerary which makes your whole experience that much sweeter. We also have to say that their local travel guide, Fernando, is an absolute LEGEND. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get out of your comfort zone, make new friends & immerse yourself in a complete cultural experience.
If you have any questions at all, comment below or shoot me an email! Hope this inspired you to visit Peru – which has easily become one of our favorite destinations!! xx
