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Andes to Altiplano:
8 Days - Lima, Machu Picchu and Puno

Transfer to Airport - Flight to Cusco - Transfer to Urubamba

DAY 1

Early morning transfer to Lima’s Jorge Chávez Airport for your flight to Cusco, the ancient Inca Empire capital. Upon arrival at Cusco airport, you’ll be welcomed by your specialized guide who will offer comforting coca tea to facilitate altitude acclimatization. You’ll immediately begin descent to Sacred Valley, specifically to Urubamba, located at lower altitude (2,874 meters) for better gradual acclimatization. During the panoramic journey, enjoy spectacular Andean landscapes and photographic stops at strategic viewpoints where you’ll appreciate the magnificence of snow-capped peaks surrounding the valley. Check into your boutique hotel in the heart of Sacred Valley, where you can relax and enjoy the environment’s serenity while naturally acclimatizing. The afternoon includes dinner with local organic products and free time to rest.

Maras, Moray, Salt Terraces and Chincheros

DAY 2

After breakfast, begin a full day exploring Sacred Valley’s most emblematic wonders. Start visiting the fascinating Maras salt terraces, where thousands of salt terraces have been exploited since Inca times, creating a surrealistic landscape of white mirrors that dramatically contrast with surrounding mountains. Continue to Moray, the enigmatic Inca agricultural laboratory with its concentric circular terraces used to experiment with different crops at various altitudes, demonstrating the Incas’ advanced agricultural knowledge. After a gourmet buffet lunch with panoramic views and local products, visit the picturesque town of Chincheros, famous for its traditional textiles and colonial church built on Inca foundations. Here you’ll have the opportunity to interact with local communities and learn about ancestral dyeing and weaving techniques that remain alive today.

Pisaq Ruins, Pisaq Market and Ollantaytambo

DAY 3

Early morning, head to Pisaq, one of Sacred Valley’s most impressive archaeological jewels. Explore Pisaq ruins, a ceremonial and military complex crowning a mountain with perfectly preserved agricultural terraces and spectacular panoramic views of the winding valley. After archaeological exploration, descend to vibrant Pisaq market, considered one of Sacred Valley’s most authentic artisan markets. Here you can admire and acquire traditional textiles, ceramics, silver jewelry, and other handicrafts made by local communities. Enjoy a buffet lunch with regional specialties before continuing to Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca town, where you’ll explore its imposing fortress and check into your boutique hotel to spend the night in this mystical town that preserves its original Inca urban layout.

Train to Aguas Calientes

DAY 4

After breakfast, enjoy a free morning to explore the fascinating town of Ollantaytambo more deeply, walking through its original cobblestone streets and visiting artisan workshops. You can climb to the fortress’s upper terraces for panoramic valley views or simply relax in this unique town’s mystical atmosphere. At midday, head to Ollantaytambo train station to board the luxury train to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu’s base town. During this scenic approximately 1.5-hour journey, enjoy panoramic windows offering spectacular views of the Urubamba River winding through cloud forest, with mountains covered in lush vegetation. Arrival and accommodation at your boutique hotel in Aguas Calientes, where you can relax in natural hot springs and prepare for the following day’s summit experience.

Machu Picchu - Train to Ollantaytambo - Transfer to Cusco

DAY 5

This is your trip’s most anticipated day. Very early morning, board one of the first buses to Machu Picchu citadel to enjoy sunrise over this world wonder. Your specialized guide will lead you through available circuits, revealing the architectural, astronomical, and ceremonial secrets of this archaeological jewel. Explore the most important sectors such as the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Residence, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana, while learning about the fascinating history and mysteries still surrounding this sacred citadel. After a deep and contemplative experience, descend to Aguas Calientes for a farewell lunch. In the afternoon, board the return train to Ollantaytambo, where you’ll be welcomed by your private driver for transfer to Cusco via the Sacred Valley scenic route. Arrival and accommodation at your luxury hotel in Cusco’s historic center, where you can rest and reflect on the transformative experience lived.

Train to Puno - Transfer to Hotel

DAY 6

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Cusco’s San Pedro station to board the exclusive Titicaca Train, a luxury railway experience that will take you through the most spectacular landscapes of the Peruvian altiplano. During this approximately 10-hour journey, enjoy panoramic windows offering incomparable views of the Andes, traditional villages, and the altiplano’s immensity. The train features elegantly decorated cars, gourmet lunch service onboard including Andean specialties, and an observation car from where you can appreciate the transition from Andean valleys to the vast altiplano plains. During the route, you’ll cross the journey’s highest point at 4,319 meters above sea level at La Raya, where you can observe vicuñas and alpacas in their natural habitat. Arrival in Puno and transfer to your hotel with views of the majestic Lake Titicaca.

Titicaca Tour - Full Day

DAY 7

Early morning, after breakfast, begin a unique experience on the world’s highest navigable lake. Board a private boat to explore the fascinating Floating Islands of the Uros, built entirely with totora reeds, where you’ll learn about the ancestral traditions of this lacustrine people and their ingenious system of living on water. Continue sailing to Taquile Island, inhabited by a Quechua community that keeps alive their textile and cultural traditions, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Here you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch with local products while contemplating panoramic views of the Incas’ sacred lake. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with islanders, learn about their customs, and acquire authentic textiles. Return to Puno at sunset to enjoy a farewell dinner with lake views.

Transfer to Juliaca Airport

DAY 8

After a final breakfast with Lake Titicaca views, and depending on your flight schedule, you’ll have free time for last-minute shopping at Puno’s artisan market, famous for its alpaca and llama textiles, or simply relax at your hotel enjoying views of the sacred lake. Your Luxe Andes Peru representative will accompany you on the transfer to Juliaca airport (approximately 1-hour journey) for your return flight, ensuring your departure is as comfortable as your arrival. We bid farewell with the certainty that you carry indelible memories of an experience that has journeyed from Andean heights to the sacred waters of the altiplano, living the true essence of Peru’s cultural and natural diversity.

What’s Included

  • Personalized VIP airport assistance and throughout your stay with dedicated representative.
  • Accommodation in carefully selected luxury hotels: exclusive lodge in Sacred Valley (Urubamba), boutique hotel in Aguas Calientes, luxury hotel in Cusco’s historic center, and superior hotel with lake view in Puno.
  • Premium private transportation throughout the itinerary, including airport-hotel transfers and luxury vehicles with professional driver.
  • Luxury Titicaca Train from Cusco to Puno with gourmet lunch onboard and premium service.
  • Luxury Expedition or Vistadome train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and back.
  • Entrance tickets and permits to all archaeological sites: Machu Picchu, Maras Salt Terraces, Moray, Chincheros, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Uros Floating Islands, and Taquile.
  • Specialized bilingual private guides expert in Andean history, archaeology, and culture.
  • Private boat for complete Lake Titicaca tour.
  • Meal plan included: All daily breakfasts, two gourmet buffet lunches (days 2 and 3), lunch aboard Titicaca Train, and traditional lunch in Taquile.
  • Authentic cultural experiences with Uros and Taquile communities.
  • 24/7 support with direct emergency line.
  • Welcome kit with detailed information, exclusive maps, and local gifts.

 

What’s Not Included

  • International flights to and from Peru.
  • Domestic flights from Lima to Cusco and Juliaca to Lima (quotation available upon request).
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended for altitude excursions and lacustrine activities).
  • Tips for guides, drivers, and service staff (we suggest 10-15% of tour cost).
  • Dinners (except those specified in itinerary) and alcoholic beverages.
  • Optional activities such as Huayna Picchu ascent, private spiritual ceremonies, or spa treatments.
  • Personal expenses including artisan shopping, extra hotel services, phone calls, and laundry.
  • Altitude sickness prevention medication.
  • Specialized equipment such as extra warm clothing for altiplano or sun protection.

 

Essential Recommendations

  1. Extreme Altitude Preparation: This itinerary includes transition from sea level to 4,319 meters at La Raya. Acclimatization in Sacred Valley is crucial. In Puno (3,827m), maintain minimal activity the first day and consume abundant coca tea.
  2. Specialized Travel Insurance: Acquire coverage including extreme altitude medical emergencies, lacustrine activities, medical evacuation, and trip cancellation. Verify specific coverage for Peruvian altiplano.
  3. Altiplano Clothing: Puno can have nighttime temperatures below freezing, especially between May and August. Include: high-quality thermal clothing, down jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, waterproof shoes, and high UV protection sunglasses. Lake winds can be intense.
  4. Physical and Respiratory Preparation: The altiplano requires greater respiratory effort. Practice deep breathing exercises before the trip. Avoid excessive efforts in Puno and during Titicaca navigation.
  5. Specialized Hydration and Nutrition: In the altiplano, dehydration is faster. Increase consumption of hot liquids, completely avoid alcohol the first days in Puno, and consume light, warm meals.
  6. Cultural Respect in Lacustrine Communities: Uros and Taquile communities have millennial traditions. Learn about their customs before visiting, ask permission to photograph, and be respectful during cultural demonstrations.
  7. Financial Preparation: Bring Peruvian soles in small denominations for island purchases and tips. In Taquile, prefer cash. Currency exchange is limited in Puno.
  8. Extreme Sun Protection: UV radiation in the altiplano is intense due to altitude and lake reflection. Use SPF 50+ sunscreen every 2 hours, lip balm with protection, and wide-brimmed hat.
  9. Preventive Medications: Consult your doctor about altitude sickness medications before the trip. Keep a basic first aid kit with painkillers, stomach medications, and vitamins.
  10. Weather Flexibility: Altiplano weather can change rapidly. Lake Titicaca may present strong winds affecting navigation. Trust your local guides’ experience for safety adjustments in the lacustrine itinerary.