The ultimate two week Peru itinerary
Peru is an incredibly diverse country in South America, bordering Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador, as well as the Pacific Ocean. Peru is famous for its rich Inca history and the world-famous Inca city of Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The country is also home to three completely different landscapes: the coastal desert, the spectacular Andes Mountains and the impressive Amazon rainforest. With so much to see and do, Peru is the perfect destination for an unforgettable trip.
Two or three weeks in Peru
Peru is around 31 times the size of the Netherlands, so if you are planning to spend two or three weeks in Peru, it is impossible to see everything this beautiful country has to offer. However, two to three weeks is plenty of time to visit some of the main highlights and experience the incredible diversity of Peru.
Because Peru is such a large country, make sure to allow enough time to travel between destinations. Journeys can easily take several hours.
Below, you will find our two week Peru itinerary, including several options to extend your trip to three weeks.
Two week Peru itinerary at a glance: Lima → Paracas & Huacachina → Cusco → Ollantaytambo → Machu Picchu → Sacred Valley/Maras → Cusco → Rainbow Mountain → Puerto Maldonado
Days 1-2: Lima
From Amsterdam or another international airport, fly to Lima, the capital of Peru. When traveling from Europe, you fly back several hours in time, which means that if you leave in the morning, there is a good chance you will arrive in Lima later that same day.
One of the best areas to stay in Lima is Miraflores. Not only is it a beautiful area with plenty of hotels and restaurants, but it is also located right by the ocean and offers amazing views of the cliffs. We stayed at Pullman Lima Miraflores, just a few minutes' walk from some of the area's beautiful parks. You can walk along the coast, eat your way through the many restaurants and even go paragliding above the cliffs!
Day 3: Paracas & Huacachina
Paracas and Huacachina are located around three to four hours south of Lima and can easily be combined on a (very long!) day trip. Several companies offer day tours from Lima to both destinations. Although it really is a long day — think leaving Lima around 5:30 AM and returning around 11:30 PM — we thought it was absolutely worth it!
We booked our day trip through GetYourGuide. The tour uses a comfortable coach with seats that recline quite far, allowing you to get some sleep on both the outward and return journeys.
From Lima, you first drive around three hours to Paracas, where you board a boat for a two-hour tour around the Ballestas Islands. Along the way, you will see the famous Paracas Candelabra geoglyph and thousands of birds, as well as penguins and sea lions. If you are lucky, you might even spot dolphins!
After visiting Paracas, there is time for lunch and a short pisco tasting before continuing to Huacachina, a small oasis surrounded by enormous sand dunes. Besides having some free time to explore the oasis, you will head into the dunes in a buggy and have the chance to go sandboarding. After dinner, it is time for the approximately four-hour drive back to Lima.
Days 4-5: Lima → Cusco → Ollantaytambo
There are several ways to travel from Lima to Cusco. One affordable option is to travel by overnight bus, for example stopping in Arequipa before continuing to Cusco. However, if you only have two weeks in Peru, flying is by far the fastest option and, in our opinion, the most convenient. The flight from Lima to Cusco takes around one hour. The difference in altitude is significant: Lima is located around sea level, while Cusco sits at approximately 3,400 meters above sea level. Because you gain altitude so quickly, we recommend continuing directly to Ollantaytambo after arriving in Cusco.
Ollantaytambo is around a two-hour drive from Cusco and sits slightly lower, at approximately 2,792 meters above sea level.
Take it easy while your body adjusts to the altitude. Luckily, Ollantaytambo is a lovely little town with plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops to explore at a relaxed pace.
Ollantaytambo is also located in the Sacred Valley, and staying here gives you plenty of time to independently discover the sights in and around the town.
Days 6-7: Machu Picchu
One of the biggest advantages of staying in Ollantaytambo instead of Cusco is how easy it is to travel from here to Machu Picchu. From Ollantaytambo, you can take the train to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. The train journey takes around 1.5 hours. Once you arrive in Aguas Calientes, take the bus up to Machu Picchu for what will hopefully be one of the most unforgettable experiences of your trip.
Machu Picchu is one of the most visited attractions in Peru, so we highly recommend arranging and booking your visit well in advance. There are several different circuits to choose from, and they offer very different experiences.
Day 8: Maras & the Sacred Valley
From Aguas Calientes, take the train back to Ollantaytambo. From here, you can either continue directly to Cusco or spend some more time exploring the Sacred Valley. We chose the latter. We found an amazing hotel in Maras, where we stayed for two nights. It was the perfect place to relax after our incredible experience at Machu Picchu and continue adjusting to the altitude. Aguas Calientes is located considerably lower than Maras and other parts of the Sacred Valley, so you may notice the difference in altitude.
What we loved most about this hotel was not only the spectacular view of the Andes Mountains, but also the many activities you could do here and the adorable llamas wandering around the property.
Days 9-10: Cusco
From the Sacred Valley, we took a taxi to Cusco. Before our trip, we honestly didn't expect to like Cusco that much, but we couldn't have been more wrong!
Cusco is a fantastic city to spend a couple of days exploring. As the historic capital of the Inca Empire, you will find plenty of fascinating historic sites and remnants of its Inca past throughout the city. Take one or two days to explore Cusco while continuing to adjust to the altitude.
Day 11: Rainbow Mountain
On our final day in Cusco, we booked a day trip to one of the Rainbow Mountains in the area through GetYourGuide. This ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip.
We deliberately chose a tour that left later than most of the standard day trips. However, there are plenty of other options available, including ATV tours and trips to some of the alternative Rainbow Mountains near Cusco.
Days 12-14: Puerto Maldonado & the Amazon Rainforest
For the final part of our trip, we flew from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, one of the main gateways to the Peruvian Amazon. Iquitos is another popular option, but we deliberately chose Puerto Maldonado because we preferred the smaller-scale experience and the excursion options available in the surrounding rainforest. Here, you leave the high altitude and cold, dry mountain climate behind and enter a completely different world of tropical temperatures and high humidity.
We joined several excursions into the rainforest and spotted an incredible amount of wildlife. For us, it was the perfect ending to our two week Peru itinerary!
Extending your Peru itinerary to three weeks
There are several ways to turn this two-week itinerary into a three-week trip. Personally, we would have loved an extra day in Puerto Maldonado, so that would be our first recommendation. You could also visit Arequipa before traveling to Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.
Arequipa is a beautiful city in southern Peru and, because it is located at a lower altitude than Cusco, it can also help you gradually adjust before heading higher into the Andes. Two or three nights in Arequipa would be a great addition to your itinerary.
Other options include visiting the Colca Canyon, taking a flight over the Nazca Lines or spending a few days at Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
There is so much to see in Peru that you could easily extend this itinerary to three or even four weeks.
How many days do you need in Peru?
We recommend spending at least 1.5 to 2 weeks in Peru. This gives you enough time to experience the country's different landscapes while also allowing some time to adjust to the altitude. Of course, you could shorten this itinerary by skipping destinations such as Lima or the Amazon rainforest. Alternatively, it is very easy to add another one or two weeks and explore even more of Peru.
How to travel around Peru
Peru is a huge country, and many destinations are located far apart. We mainly chose to fly between cities and use taxis for shorter distances, but traveling by overnight bus is another popular option. Buses are often significantly cheaper than flights, although you will obviously spend much more time traveling. One well-known company offering long-distance bus travel in Peru is Peru Hop. We booked our Paracas and Huacachina day trip through GetYourGuide, and the tour itself was operated by Peru Hop. Based on our experience on that trip, we would definitely consider using them for longer bus journeys as well.
Best time for this two week Peru itinerary
The best time to follow this itinerary is generally between May and October. These months fall within the dry season in the Andes, including destinations such as Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The Peruvian Amazon is warm and humid throughout the year. There are seasonal differences in rainfall, so conditions can vary depending on exactly when and where you visit.
Lima has its warmest and sunniest weather between roughly December and February. During the European summer months, the city is often cooler, cloudier and mistier, although we personally had beautiful weather during our visit in July.
Keep in mind that the drier months in the Andes are also very popular with travelers. Machu Picchu tickets for popular circuits can sell out well in advance. April and November can therefore be interesting alternatives if you prefer fewer crowds and don't mind a slightly higher chance of rain.
Tips for planning your Peru itinerary
Start planning early! Especially if you want to visit Machu Picchu via one of the most popular circuits, we recommend planning and booking your trip several months in advance. Also keep the distances between destinations in mind, especially if you plan to travel by bus. Journeys can take longer than expected, particularly when traffic is heavy.
Finally, don't underestimate the altitude. Take it easy when arriving at higher elevations and give your body enough time to adjust. Plan a few slower days into your itinerary rather than trying to fit too much into the first days at altitude.
