10 Days in Peru: 6 Great Itinerary Ideas

Having 10 days in Peru may not seem a lot of time to explore this vast country. Yet, it is enough time to visit a little bit of everything here, the highlights and beyond. Here we will show you 6 great itinerary ideas for your 10 days in Peru.

#1 Southern Peru Experience

This itinerary is perfect for people wanting to visit the highlights of Southern Peru with sustainable and authentic experiences. 10 Days in Peru supporting sustainable tourism and making a positive impact on the society as you travel is what this itinerary offers.

Begin your trip to Peru in Lima and go beyond the traditional touristic circuit. On your second day, you’ll head to Chorrillos and meet some of the best craftsmen in Peru, the Sarhua artisans, to take a workshop with them, a truly unique experience! 

After Lima, travel to Cusco and go straight to the Sacred Valley to rest and acclimatize for the first day in the region. Continue your trip hiking with llamas at the Sacred Valley of the Incas with the Llama pack project. This is an effort to value the use of the Llamas as a carrier animal while enjoying a fun off-the-beaten-path activity in Cusco, who doesn’t love llamas? Explore Ollantaytambo Fortress on your fifth day and enjoy a tasty Andean Pachamanca in town, before making your way to Aguas Calientes on board a comfortable train. The next day will be dedicated to the ancient city of Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco city on day 6.

Go on a Cusco walking city tour the day after Machu Picchu and enjoy the charms of this beautiful town. On the seventh day, board a flight to Juliaca and make your way to Puno city as you visit Sillustani tombs on the route, an ancient necropolis at the shores of Umayo Lake.

Once in Puno and Lake Titicaca, sail to Taquile Island to learn about their weaving traditions, and visit Luquina Chico to spend some time with the locals. See the itinerary.

#2 Highlights of Northern Peru

Machu Picchu is the most famous site in Peru and, maybe, one of the most popular in the world. However, did you know Peru has a great history of over 5,000 years before the Incas? Machu Picchu is just the tip of the iceberg! Discover all the treasures lying in the desert, coastal valleys, and cloud forest in Northern Peru.

Welcome to Lima and Peru! Rest in Lima on the first night and get ready to travel to Trujillo, where the Mochica pyramids are waiting to be discovered. Visit the Huaca de la Luna on the first day in northern Peru. The next day, explore the large mud-brick city of Chan Chan, Huaca Arco Iris, and enjoy a fresh ceviche at Huanchaco beach.

Continue your trip heading to Lambayeque and visiting El Brujo on the route, one of the most interesting Moche sites. On the fifth day, go to Tumbas Reales Museum, where the tomb of the Lord of Sipan is protected, and explore the Tucume pyramids. 

The next day, get back in the car and prepare for a long but beautiful journey from the coastal desert to the almost unexplored Amazonas region. Cross the Andes to enter the cloud forest on an 8-hour trip to Cocachimba, the base town for visiting the Gocta Waterfall. After waking up with a breathtaking morning view of the waterfall and vegetation, start your seventh-day hiking to the base of Gocta on a 2-hour exploration. 

Afterward, this itinerary will continue as you travel to Lamud, to enjoy one of the most important sites of Peru on the route, Kuelap. This impressive Chachapoya fortress is known as the Machu Picchu of the north, a must-see! End your trip visiting the Karajia Sacophagui and Quiocta caverns. Prepare to enter a land of hidden treasures in Northern Peru! Check the itinerary here.

#3 Machu Picchu & The Tambopata National Reserve

Machu Picchu and Tambopata National Reserve, two of the best destinations of all of Peru. Travel through the lands of the old Inca Empire and explore the vastness of the Southern Amazon Rainforest, the best “10 days in Peru” trip.

Kick off the trip in Cusco, spending the first days in the Sacred Valley to acclimatize better. On the second day, visit the Ollantaytambo Fortress and enjoy a tasty farm-to-table Pachamanca. The next day, board the train to Aguas Calientes and enjoy a guided tour of the impressive Inca Citadel, Machu Picchu! Backtrack to Cusco and visit the salt mines of Maras and the circular terraces of Moray en route.

Prepare yourself for the adventure and hike up to Palcoyo, the lesser-known rainbow mountain! To end your journey, fly into Peru’s Amazon Rainforest to explore a region bursting with biodiversity, Tambopata National Reserve. Spend the last 4 days at a jungle lodge with a-la-carte activities to explore the pristine wilderness of the reserve as you wish. See the itinerary.

#4 Food Tour: The Flavors of Peru

With over 3,000 traditional dishes and recipes, Peruvian cuisine is quickly becoming a worldwide sensation. Our gastronomy is an exquisite blend of culture and passion, mixing exotic ingredients, ancient cooking techniques, tradition, and love. Find all the flavors of Peru in this 10-day itinerary with hand-picked culinary experiences through Southern Peru.

Start your trip to Peru in Lima, visiting a local market to find exotic and fresh products before joining a master cooking class. After learning all the secrets and tips for a good ceviche, take a flight to Cusco and head to the Sacred Valley, where the Andean adventure will take place.

On the fourth day, visit the Misminay community and learn with them all about Andean crops, tubers, and traditional cooking. Proceed visiting Maras salt ponds and Moray circular terraces, two of the main Inca sites in the Cusco region.

This journey continues with an off-the-beaten-path trail, the Coffee and Cacao route! For the next 2 days, walk among coffee and cacao farms in the cloud forests of Cusco, tasting freshly made coffee and tasty fruits, on your way to Machu Picchu. Explore the impressive Inca citadel and then go back to Cusco city, but not before enjoying a tasty Pachamanca.

Finally, top it all off with a walking city tour in Cusco and a tasting menu in a beautiful restaurant. Learn more.

#5 Lake of the Condors & Northern Peru

When thinking about Peru, Lake of the Condors may not come to your mind right away. Yet, the Lake of the Condos is a natural masterpiece that represents a sacred place for one of the most mysterious and impressive civilizations of ancient Peru, the Chachapoyas. Explore the hidden treasures of the Amazonas region in a 10-day off-the-beaten-path journey.

Start by flying to Jaen and then travelling to a riverside lodge in Lamud, in the Uctubamba valley. From there, visit the imposing Kuelap fortress on the third day and drive to Milpuj, a private reserve in the area. Spend the night and the following day with Lola and Perico, the owners and guardians of this forest, learning about the conservation of native species and this fertile valley. 

On the fourth day, visit Revash and continue your trip to La Jalca, a nearby friendly community that will share more about their traditional lifestyle. After enjoying the first few days in the Uctubamba valley, get ready to start the hike to the Lake of the Condors. This place, located in front of a vertical hillside, was chosen by the Chachapoyas to preserve their deceased officials. After 3 days of hiking, make your way to Cocachimba and get a well-deserved rest in a comfortable lodge in front of the cloud forest. 

End your trip hiking to the gorgeous Gocta waterfall, the third-highest in the world, and enjoying the beautiful nature surrounding it. Check the itinerary.

#6 Machu Picchu & Amazon Luxury Cruise

Open your eyes and dazzle yourself in a 10-day expedition through the best of the two gems of Peru, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon. Enjoy 10 days in Peru exploring the Inca’s land and Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in a charming luxury cruise along the river. 

Start your trip to Peru in Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting its interesting Inca sites. First, explore the Moray terraces before heading for a tasting gourmet lunch at MIL Centro, Virgilio Martinez’ restaurant in the Sacred Valley. After lunch, visit Maras, a complex of thousands of small salt ponds used since Inca times. 

On the third day, get on a kayak and explore the Piuray lagoon, surrounded by astonishing mountains in the valley. The next day, board the luxury Sacred Valley train to Aguas Calientes and discover the marvelous Machu Picchu. Spend your last day in Cusco city doing a walking tour around the most important sites in town and a spectacular cocktail at San Francisco bell tower.

Continue the trip, heading to Iquitos and exploring the best of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve on board the luxurious El Delfin cruise. The next 4 days will be on board this charming ship exploring the Fundo Casual, Yanayacu Pucate, Amazon Park, Puerto Prado Village, and the manatee rescue center. Peru’s Andes and jungle await! Learn more.

As you have seen, Peru is a country with plenty of options for all kinds of travelers. You need to choose the experience you wish to have, pack your bags, and go. See you in Peru!