Peru guide
No matter whether you’re looking for a 2 min summary or want to delve deeper and discover what we rate & what we don’t, our Peru travel guide is here to help you travel like a local, including a handy section on food, shopping & people.
Machu Picchu tips & advice
Sunrise
Sarah Miginiac, General Manager Latin America for our specialist tour operator G Adventures:
“The ticketing system has been a big positive. This kind of thing is used at tourism attractions around the world. The fixed scheduling means if you want to see the sunrise you no longer see these massive queues for the bus. It’s worth noting, though, that the sunrise is not always as impressive as people think it will be, there’s often mist up there for one thing.”
“The ticketing system has been a big positive. This kind of thing is used at tourism attractions around the world. The fixed scheduling means if you want to see the sunrise you no longer see these massive queues for the bus. It’s worth noting, though, that the sunrise is not always as impressive as people think it will be, there’s often mist up there for one thing.”
Our Machu Picchu Holidays
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
From
£3199 to £3599
17 days
inc UK flights
Peruvian Andes trekking holiday to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu with an International Guide and Doctor.
From
£2309
14 days
ex flights
Cusco & Inca Trail holiday, tailormade
Peru's highlights of Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
From
£1680
7 days
ex flights
Inca Trail trek in Peru
Classic trek on Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
From
US $2526 to US $2856
10 days
ex flights
Peru and Inca Trail small group tour
Take in all the best that Peru has to offer
From
£1295
15 days
ex flights
Machu Picchu by train
Soak up colonial and Inca history by train
From
£409 to £539
3 days
ex flights
Highlights of Peru holiday
Join a cultural exploration of Peru
From
£1817 to £2549
21 days
ex flights
High Inca Trail trek in Peru
Machu Picchu, Inca fortresses and cloud forest
From
£2649 to £3149
16 days
inc UK flights
Peru holiday, Cusco to Lake Titicaca
Customisable Overland Trip: Machu Picchu & Titicaca Islands
From
£1220
8 days
ex flights
Adventure holiday in Peru
Inca culture to sea lions on Peru adventure
From
£2016 to £2855
15 days
ex flights
Peru tour, small group
Peru on an adventure from mountains & Altiplano to jungle,
From
£1348 to £1910
9 days
ex flights
Inca Highlights, adventure tour
Allow yourself to absorb the magic of Peru
From
£1738 to £2399
14 days
ex flights
Inca trail holiday, Peru
Retrace the steps of a fascinating civilisation
From
£912 to £1195
8 days
ex flights
Peru holiday, Machu Picchu and the Amazon
Customisable tour of Inca Ruins and the Amazon Rainforest.
From
£1280
8 days
ex flights
Hiking the Inca Trail in Peru
Fully supported Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu
From
£733
4 days
ex flights
Machu Picchu, Amazon & Galapagos holiday
Escorted group tour to Peru and the Galapagos Islands
From
£4574 to £5402
14 days
ex flights
Peru holiday, encompassed
Coastal desert, snowy Andean peaks and lush forest
From
£2749 to £3249
16 days
inc UK flights
Peru tailor made holiday, Machu Picchu & Tambopata
Stunning Andean scenery, Inca history, and a superb rainforest experience
From
£2495
12 days
ex flights
Peru cultural holiday
Cultural travel experience to Peru
From
US $1015 to US $1436
6 days
ex flights
Peru small group tour, Andes and Incas
Explore ancient empires, local life and wild scenery in Peru
From
£2499 to £2599
14 days
ex flights
Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trekking holiday, Peru
Choquequirao - trek to a lost Inca City, Peru
From
£950
7 days
ex flights
Incas & the Amazon holiday in Peru
See Machu Picchu and the Amazon Jungle on this 8 day tour
From
£1068 to £1519
8 days
ex flights
The Best of Peru & Inca Trail holiday
Explore the majesty of the Andes and trek to Machu Picchu.
From
£2399
17 days
ex flights
Lima to Cusco Peru tour
Customisable Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca & Machu Picchu
From
£1990
14 days
ex flights
Peru cultural holiday, small group
Cultural small group tour visiting the highlights of Peru
From
£1459 to £1969
14 days
ex flights
Ancascocha 5 day trek in Peru
Off the beaten trek to Machu Picchu
From
£620 to £669
5 days
ex flights
Mountain climbing
Heather McBrayne, founder of our specialist operator Discover South America:
“There’s a one-way system around the main sites, so you can’t miss anything on a guided tour. But there are some places everyone should see. The Sun Gate just inside the entrance is the iconic vantage point. The Condor Temple is a must-see too, and if you have time I recommend also seeing the Incan Drawbridge. And also climb Machu Picchu Mountain. It’s a longer trek than the more popular Huayna Picchu but not as steep or narrow. The views are just as stunning but you’re sharing them with fewer people. Officially you get four hours on the site, but if you do a trek, which takes about three hours, you are allowed to stay for six.”
“There’s a one-way system around the main sites, so you can’t miss anything on a guided tour. But there are some places everyone should see. The Sun Gate just inside the entrance is the iconic vantage point. The Condor Temple is a must-see too, and if you have time I recommend also seeing the Incan Drawbridge. And also climb Machu Picchu Mountain. It’s a longer trek than the more popular Huayna Picchu but not as steep or narrow. The views are just as stunning but you’re sharing them with fewer people. Officially you get four hours on the site, but if you do a trek, which takes about three hours, you are allowed to stay for six.”
Jennifer Cox, walking holidays product manager for our specialist operator Exodus Travel:
“We’ve been offering the Moonstone Trail as an alternative to the Inca Trail for about a decade now. Many people choose it because it’s so remote - you can often walk for four days and not bump into a single other group. It’s probably the most challenging of the various alternative routes to the Inca Trail and reaches some high altitudes. However most of the porterage is by horse, so if you’re struggling, you can usually get a ride.”
“We’ve been offering the Moonstone Trail as an alternative to the Inca Trail for about a decade now. Many people choose it because it’s so remote - you can often walk for four days and not bump into a single other group. It’s probably the most challenging of the various alternative routes to the Inca Trail and reaches some high altitudes. However most of the porterage is by horse, so if you’re struggling, you can usually get a ride.”
Our top Machu Picchu Holiday
Peru highlights tour, Inca trail, Titicaca and Nazca
Taste Peru's diverse landscapes and fascinating culture
From
£3199 to £3599
17 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2021: 16 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 25 Jun, 9 Jul, 30 Jul, 13 Aug, 27 Aug, 10 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct
2021: 16 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 25 Jun, 9 Jul, 30 Jul, 13 Aug, 27 Aug, 10 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Machu Picchu or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
MACHU PICCHU TIPS FROM OUR TRAVELLER REVIEWS
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Machu Picchu travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Machu Picchu travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
Of course Machu Picchu is amazing, but I also loved Cusco and Arequipa. Wandering around the streets of Cusco and finding beautiful squares was a great experience.![]()
– Nigel Parsons
“The Inca Trail is physically demanding and if you are 50+ (I am nearly 70) some good training in preparation is essential to enjoy the trek. There are literally many hundreds of roughly constructed rock steps up and down... Trekking poles are a big help. If you go to one museum before or after Machu Picchu make it the Casa Concha Museum in Cusco which features all the artefacts found by Hiram Bingham during his excavations and returned a century later by Yale University.” – Stephen Shirley
“Our group of eight porters, a cook and a guide were all employed from the local area so it was helping local farmers to supplement their income. The porters were also very careful to make sure that everyone on the hike was respecting the local environment and leaving as little trace as possible.” – Elfie Burgess
“Our group of eight porters, a cook and a guide were all employed from the local area so it was helping local farmers to supplement their income. The porters were also very careful to make sure that everyone on the hike was respecting the local environment and leaving as little trace as possible.” – Elfie Burgess
More relevant guides
More about Machu Picchu
Discover the best time to visit Machu Picchu, taking into account climate and peak tourist season.
This incredible Inca citadel casts as much of a spell over visitors today as it did a century ago.
Visiting Machu Picchu always demands the question: how on Earth did they achieve this? Our Machu Picchu map and highlights page doesn’t hold all the answers, but it does explain a few of the key locations.
The vast majority of people get to Machu Picchu either by train, from Cuzco or Ollantaytambo, or by trekking, usually on the iconic Inca Trail (four days).
As one of the world’s most iconic ruins, reached either by scenic train journey or a famously exciting trek, and with limited tickets available so as to preserve the site, Machu Picchu is always going to be busy.
In 2011, Machu Picchu celebrated 100 years since its (sort-of) rediscovery.
There are many alternative Inca sites to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Responsible tourism in Machu Picchu means being aware of the threats to this ancient citadel and taking steps to mitigate your own impact.
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