Deep dive into a Peruvian way of life
Get Peru-sing through this South American hotspot on a 21-day in-depth adventure with Lonely Planet, powered by Intrepid Travel. Setting off from its cultural capital in Lima, pass by Paracas, Nazca and Arequipa on your way to Cusco. Watch condors ruling the skies of Colca Canyon, follow the ancient trade route of the Inca on the legendary Inca Trail – finishing up at the breathtaking Machu Picchu – and get a feel for local life on a visit to Lake Titicaca's floating islands. You’ll have a knowledgeable local leader alongside to point you in the right direction, plus plenty of freedom to tailor your own adventure, so what’s stopping you from getting a feel for Peru.
A powerful partnership
Lonely Planet and Intrepid Travel share the same philosophy: we help curious people explore the world.
The giant desert inscriptions of the Nazca Lines are one of Peru's great unsolved mysteries. See them up close on foot or treat yourself to a bird's eye view on an unforgettable scenic flight.
Wake early and observe Andean condors taking to the sky during their morning routine as the sun rises in the spectacular Colca Canyon.
A trip through Peru wouldn't be complete without a visit to Machu Picchu. With three different options to choose from, how you experience this lost Inca citadel is up to you.
Experience a memorable night with a local family on Lake Titicaca, taking you right to the heart of island traditions.
Consider extending your stay in Bolivia to peer through the shop windows of the Witches’ Market in La Paz, witnessing a world of unique, curative traditions.
This trip involves a lot of travel on local buses, including some long trips and an overnight bus. Bus travel can be tiring, but is also a great opportunity to relax, rub shoulders with the locals and enjoy the scenery.
There will be a lot of hiking and walking on this trip – especially if you choose the Inca Trail option – so travellers require at least a moderate level of fitness. There are a few different trail options to suit your interests and physical capabilities. Please bring durable footwear suitable to hiking. See the ‘What to Take’ section of the Essential Trip information for more details.
You’ll be staying in some very basic group accommodation with shared facilities, especially along the Inca Trail, in the Amazon and on Lake Titicaca (where there are drop toilets and no showers). This is all part of the adventure of being among nature.
This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Health’ section of the Essential Trip information for more details.
INCA TRAIL
Inca Trail permits are sold on request basis only. Once the deposit is paid and passport details provided, Intrepid will endeavour to secure a permit for you.
If Inca Trail permits are unavailable by the time you book, you can opt to hike the Inca Quarry Trail instead. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/machu-picchu-peru/quarry-trail
The Inca Trail closes in February to allow cleaning and restoration works. If the trek portion of your trip starts in February you will be automatically booked to hike the Inca Quarry Trail.
Should you choose not to hike at all, please let us know in writing at the time of booking so alternative arrangements can be made. Without this prior warning, local fees may apply.
BOLIVIAN VISA FOR U.S CITIZENS
Nationals from the United States need a visa to enter Bolivia and we highly recommend you obtain this visa in advance from your nearest Bolivian consulate or Embassy. Not obtaining the visa in advance is likely to cause long delays at the border.
Please see the visa information on these Essential Trip information (ETI) for more information.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
A Single Supplement to have your own room is available on this trip however excludes night 18 (Lake Titicaca, homestay) where you will be in shared accommodation.
PASSPORT DETAILS REQUIRED
Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase Entrance fees to certain sites. Additionally, on certain trips, it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Delays to provide this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
INCA TRAIL OR INCA QUARRY TRAIL
While hiking the 4 Day Inca Trail or the 3 Day Inca Quarry trail portion of this trip you may be joined by other Intrepid and/or non-Intrepid travellers.
Please be aware that while hiking the Inca trek or the Quarry trek that you may be joined by passengers from other Intrepid & Geckos groups.
On June 30th Peruvian authorities released a new list of regulations for visiting Machu Picchu, which came into effect from July 1st
The main points impacting our visits are:
1. Tickets are now only valid only for one entry, that means that passengers cannot leave the site and re-enter as we have in the past.
2. Once the passengers begin on a chosen circuit (there are 3 different ones) they cannot walk backwards and once they finish the circuit they must leave the site. They cannot explore afterwards.
3. The two allotted times to visit are 6am-12pm/ 12-4.30pm
4. It will be mandatory to have a guide (Machu Picchu guide, not our Leaders) to visit the site. However, this rule can’t be applied as there are not enough official guides to cover the large number of people visiting so authorities are being flexible.
These new regulations are affecting how much time our passengers can spend in Machu Picchu, in the past, after a 1-2.5 hour tour passengers could stay longer to explore the site unguided, this is not possible anymore.
Our only alternative is to make passengers explore the upper part of Machu Picchu (Sun gate and Inka Bridge) before their guided tour starts (so about 2 hours before meeting the guide). Your Tour Leader will provide more information on what the group options are at the Welcome meeting.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip Information