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Multi-day tour · 6 days

Lima and Cusco

Six days to see Lima, the Ballestas Islands and Huacachina, Cusco and its archaeological sites, Machu Picchu by train, and Rainbow Mountain. A compact way to see the coast and the Andes if you have less than a week.

6 days / 5 nightsIncludes Machu PicchuTrain from OllantaytamboRainbow Mountain
Duration6 days / 5 nights
Accommodation2 nights in Lima and 3 in Cusco
GuideProfessional guide on every excursion
Machu PicchuEntry, train, bus and 2-hour guided visit

Highlights

What you’ll experience

  • Ballestas Islands and HuacachinaBoat ride among sea lions and penguins, and buggy and sandboard rides on the Ica dunes.
  • Cusco city tourCathedral, Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay in one afternoon.
  • Machu PicchuTrain from Ollantaytambo and a 2-hour guided tour of the citadel.
  • Rainbow Mountain1 hr 30 min walk to the Vinicunca viewpoint, at 5,200 m.

Itinerary

Day by day

The Rainbow Mountain tour leaves at 4:30 a.m. and reaches 5,200 m; the transfer from Lima to Cusco is not included.

Day1

Arrival in Lima and city tour

Upon arrival at Jorge Chávez airport, our team meets you with a sign and takes you to your hotel. After a short rest, around 2:00 p.m. we pick you up in the hotel lobby for a tour of colonial and modern Lima (154 m): a panoramic view of Huaca Pucllana, the catacombs of the San Francisco church, and a walk through the historic center to the Cathedral Basilica.

Then you move on to modern Lima: Olivar de San Isidro, Miraflores, Larcomar and Parque del Amor. As night falls, the day closes with the fountain and light show at the Circuito Mágico del Agua, and you return to your hotel.

Overnight: Lima

Day2

Paracas, Islas Ballestas and Huacachina

Box breakfast

You leave at 5:00 a.m. with a box breakfast from the hotel and travel about 3 hours to the Paracas bay, with a stop along the way to try handmade empanadas (on your own). From the El Chaco pier you take a motorboat to the Ballestas Islands, with sea lions, penguins, dolphins and seabirds, and see the Candelabra geoglyph up close.

Then you continue to Ica, with time for lunch on your own and a tasting of pisco, wine, tejas and chocotejas. In the afternoon you arrive at the Huacachina oasis (403 m), where you ride up the dunes in a buggy and slide down on a sandboard. You return to Lima at night, around 10:30 p.m.

Overnight: Lima

Day3

Arrival in Cusco and city tour

You arrive in Cusco (3,399 m) and we transfer you to your hotel; on the way you pass the Pachacútec monument and the Qoricancha. At the hotel, coca tea awaits you to start acclimatizing, along with a briefing on your itinerary.

At 12:45 p.m. we pick you up for the city tour: the Cathedral from the Plaza de Armas, the Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun and, by tourist transport, Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. You return to the city around 6:30 p.m.

Overnight: Cusco

Day4

Machu Picchu by train

Breakfast

You leave Cusco very early and travel 1 hr 45 min to Ollantaytambo, where you board the train to Aguas Calientes (1 hr 40 min). From the station your guide takes you to the bus, which climbs to Machu Picchu in 30 minutes.

You tour the citadel with your guide for 2 hours: the Temple of the Three Windows, the sundial and other sectors, with time for photos before the return schedule. You take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch on your own, and in the afternoon the train back to Ollantaytambo and the bus to Cusco.

Overnight: Cusco

Day5

Rainbow Mountain

BreakfastLunch

You leave Cusco around 4:30 a.m. toward Cusipata, where you have a buffet breakfast, and continue to Phulawasipata (4,600 m), the start of the hike. In about 1 hr 30 min you climb to the Vinicunca viewpoint (5,200 m), among llamas, alpacas and views of the Ausangate range.

At the top your guide explains the geological formation of the mountain, and you have time for photos. You descend the same way, have a typical buffet lunch in Cusipata, and return to Cusco around 5:00 p.m.

Overnight: Cusco

Day6

Airport transfer

Breakfast

After breakfast, at the scheduled time, we take you to Cusco airport, 2 hours ahead of your flight. Our services end here.

✓Included

  • Transfer from Jorge Chávez airport to your hotel in Lima.
  • Arrival transfer to your hotel in Cusco and transfer to Cusco airport on the last day.
  • 5 nights in hotels: 2 in Lima and 3 in Cusco.
  • City tour of Lima with entry to the San Francisco Convent and the Circuito Mágico del Agua.
  • Excursion to Paracas and Ica: boat ride and entry to the Ballestas Islands, pisco and wine tasting, entry to Huacachina, buggy and sandboard.
  • Cusco city tour with entries to the Cathedral, the Qoricancha and the 4 archaeological sites (BTG).
  • Tourist train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo.
  • Bus up and down to Machu Picchu, entry and guided visit.
  • Transport Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Cusco.
  • Rainbow Mountain excursion with entry, breakfast and lunch.
  • Professional guide on each excursion.

✕Not included

  • Transfer Lima – Cusco (flight or bus); ask us.
  • International flights.
  • Lunch in Aguas Calientes, other lunches and dinners not mentioned in the program.
  • Empanadas on the way to Paracas and lunch in Ica.
  • Tips for guides and drivers.
  • Personal expenses.
About Machu Picchu tickets

Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits are issued through the Peruvian government in each traveler’s name (full name and ID or passport number) and must be paid in advance. Once issued, they are non-refundable and non-transferable. See cancellation terms

Frequently asked questions

About Lima and Cusco

What is included in the 6-day Lima and Cusco package?+

It includes 5 hotel nights, arrival and departure transfers, all the program's excursions with guide, transport and entries, the train and bus to Machu Picchu with entry, and the meals listed for each day.

Is the transfer from Lima to Cusco included?+

The program does not include the Lima – Cusco leg: on day three we meet you on arrival in Cusco. Ask us and we will quote the flight together with the package.

How long is the Machu Picchu visit?+

The guided visit lasts 2 hours, depending on the circuit on your ticket. You go and return the same day from Cusco, by transport to Ollantaytambo and by train to Aguas Calientes.

What hotel category is included?+

The 'from' price is per person traveling with 2 or more, in 2★ hotels. You can also choose 3★ hotels; ask us for the difference.

What is the cancellation policy?+

45 days or more in advance, 70% is refunded; between 30 and 44 days, 50%; less than 30 days or no-show, no refund. Machu Picchu tickets are non-refundable once issued.

No-obligation quote

Book this tour

Leave your details and dates. A travel advisor will send you a quote for Lima and Cusco for your group.

  • No payment to get a quote. You get the final price for your dates before you decide.
  • A real travel advisor. Available on WhatsApp or video call.
  • Paperwork handled. We book your tickets and trains in your name.

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