12-Day Sacred Valley, Peru Itinerary
A Sample Itinerary to Make Your Trip Planning Easy
Table of Contents
Day 1 - Travel to Lima
Day 2 - Explore Lima
Day 3 - Travel to Cusco/Urubamba
Day 4 - Explore Urubamba
Day 5 & 6 - Travel to and Explore Machu Picchu
Day 7 - Explore Aguas Calientes, Return to Cusco
Day 8 - Explore Cusco
Day 9 - Explore Moray and Salineras de Maras
Day 10 - Explore Pisac
Day 11 - Explore Cusco, Return to Lima
Day 12 - Travel Home
Sometimes traveling to foreign countries is overwhelming. There is so much research and planning involved. I realize for many of you, this may be an obstacle that prevents you from ever pulling the trigger on such a trip.
Therefore, I am sharing below an overview of our 12-day itinerary to Peru to help you in your planning in hopes it motivates you to get out there and go. You will not regret it. I promise!
Note: There are many incredible things to see that were not part of our itinerary this time around given our time constraints. Feel free to copy this itinerary in its entirety to make planning a breeze, or just use it to get some basic ideas on what to do. If you have questions, feel free to contact me.
Day 1:
Flight from your home country to Lima, Peru.
Day 2:
Explore Lima
Grab morning coffee while strolling the Miraflores Boardwalk.
Visit Plaza de Armas de Lima (Plaza Mayor) – a local gathering place and tourist attraction which includes the Government Palace, Casa del Oidor, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop’s Palace of Lima, City Hall and the beautiful Central Fountain among many other sites. Take a tour of a local cathedral. Grab lunch at an outdoor café. Sit on a park bench and just people watch.
Dinner at Huaca Pucllana, a stunning restaurant located within the ancient ruins of Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological site dating back 1500 years. Be sure to make a reservation in advance.
Day 3:
Catch flight to Cusco
Upon landing, catch a ride to Urubamba.
Day 4:
Explore Urubamba
Walk through the streets exploring the town. Stop to shop with local vendors and visit Iglesias de Urubamba.
Visit the downtown local market (El Mercado) in the town’s center and grab some fresh produce for a picnic lunch.
Catch a taxi to Ollantaytambo and explore the archaeological ruins. Have a quick picnic lunch at the top where you will find a stunning view of Sacred Valley.
On the drive from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, be sure to look up at the mountains for the Skylodge sleeping pods hanging off the side. A unique experience where visitors take the Via Ferrata or rock climb up the cliff face to sleep in completely transparent hanging bedrooms on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley below.
Days 5 & 6:
Catch the PeruRail train from Urubamba to Aguas Calientes where you will spend the night. There are hostels, hotels and even a campground.
Most people choose to take the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Bus tickets can be purchased online or in person Aguas Calientes at Av. Hermanos Ayar S / N, before Puente Ruinas, open daily from 5 am to 9 pm (check ahead of time for changes to location or hours of operation).
You can also hike from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. The hike is strenuous even if you only choose to hike down (which is what we did using headlamps as it got dark on the way down), so it is not recommended unless you are in good physical health. The climb is steep and includes stretches with steps up for an elevation gain of approximately 1,280 feet.
Explore Macchu Picchu
Stroll through the ruins keeping your eyes out for llamas.
Hike to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) – a moderately challenging hike up to the Sun Gate portal where the Inca Trail enters Machu Picchu, once the main entrance to Machu Picchu. The hike takes approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours with a 950 feet elevation gain.
Hike up Huayna Picchu – a popular hike that takes you up to a beautiful view-point and summit of Huayna Picchu Mountain. The hike is a 3.1-mile loop. The short trail will take 1-1/2 to 2 hours. The full trail will take 3-1/2 to 4 hours. The short trail is a moderate hike. The full trail is a steep, moderate to challenging hike. The hike is limited to 400 tickets with 200 tickets allocated each day from 7 – 8 am, and another 200 from 10-11 am. Be sure to check current restrictions.
Take an evening stroll around the town of Aguas Calientes where you will find great bars and restaurants and live entertainment.
After a long day hiking, especially if you hiked Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, soak your sore muscles in the local hot springs.
Day 7:
Explore Aguas Calientes before catching the train to Cusco.
Stroll through town including the main square and see the statue of Pachacutec.
Shop at local artisan shops and the central Mercado Artesanal. I never regret buying souvenirs from the locals in places like this to take back home as gifts for loved ones.
Explore Los Jardines de Mandor, the gardens northwest of town along the river full of orchids and birds.
Explore the Butterfly House conservation project. They even offer guided tours.
Day 8:
Explore Cusco
Take a guided city walking tour.
Stroll through the Plaza de Armas, the town’s main square built on the remains of one of the Inca’s most important gathering spots where you can find cafes, music, dancers and artists.
Visit the Centro Historico de Cusco.
Explore Koricancha – Cusco’s Golden Temple of the Sun.
Explore San Blas just north of Plaza de Armas, the hipster hangout in town.
San Pedro Market – an indigenous market full of spices, fruits, vegetable and textiles.
Explore Saqsaywaman – a fortified complex built in the 15th Century with incredible stone-work.
Day 9:
Hire a driver to explore Moray and the Salineras de Maras (salt mines).
Moray is an incredible archaeological complex dedicated to agriculture with circular terraces that create ingenious microclimates for growing wide ranges of crops from other regions and climates.
Salineras de Maras consist of over 3,000 operating salt ponds nestled between the mountainsides on a beautiful hilltop which offer unique photo opportunities.
The drive between the two consists of long stretches of road backed by the beautiful snow-capped Andes mountains.
Day 10:
Hire a driver and explore Pisac, an incredible archaeological site stretched atop a hillside consisting of terraces, temples, plazas and the oldest pre-Hispanic cemetery in all of the Americas literally built into the hillside. There is also a great Sunday market in Pisac.
Day 11:
Flight from Cusco back to Lima.
Enjoy your last Peruvian dinner while exploring Barranco, Lima’s hippest neighborhood with mural covered walls, great outdoor dining, live music and a vibrant cultural scene. Be sure to visit Los Suspiros, the Bridge of Sighs. Make a wish (perhaps to return to Peru one day), hold your breath across the bridge and your wish will no doubt come true! The perfect way to end the trip.
Day 12:
Flight home from Lima
