Peru
Peru for first-time visitors: what to know before you go
Book Machu Picchu tickets and Cusco flights before anything else, then sleep low in the Sacred Valley for 2–3 nights before Cusco so altitude does not cost you days. Fly the long legs, keep one buffer day for blockades, and carry small soles for markets and toilets.
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Key facts
- Minimum sensible trip
- 7 days: Lima 1, Sacred Valley 2, Aguas Calientes 1, Cusco 3
- Altitude order
- Sleep low first: Sacred Valley (about 2,800 m) before Cusco (3,400 m)
- Book first
- Machu Picchu timed ticket and the train to Aguas Calientes
- Long legs
- Fly Lima–Cusco and Lima–Arequipa; buses are long and roads can close
- Cash
- Carry small soles; many markets, taxis and rural stalls take no cards
- Best months
- Apr–Oct dry season for the Andes; Lima is warmest Dec–Apr
- Entry rulescheck
- Check current visa and entry requirements before booking
Details
Peru rewards a fixed order more than a long list. Land in Lima, spend two nights eating and seeing the colonial centre, then fly to Cusco. Do not sleep in Cusco on night one if you can avoid it: take the road down to the Sacred Valley, where the altitude is lower, and use Ollantaytambo or Pisac as a base for two or three nights. Ruins, markets and acclimatisation happen at the same time.
From the valley, the train to Aguas Calientes is short and the Machu Picchu entry is timed. Buy the ticket and the train together, early, because both sell out in the May–September window. After the citadel, return to Cusco for three nights: Qorikancha, Sacsayhuamán and the boleto turístico sites fill two full days.
Add the south only if you have 12 days or more. Arequipa and Colca Canyon work well before Cusco because the city sits at about 2,300 m and you climb gradually. Puno and Lake Titicaca sit at 3,800 m, so put them after Cusco, not before. The Amazon, whether Tambopata near Cusco or Iquitos, is a separate flight and three nights minimum.
Move between cities by air where you can. Lima–Cusco and Lima–Arequipa are short flights; the bus alternatives take most of a day and mountain roads can be blocked by protests or landslides. Keep one spare day in the plan for that reason alone.
Summary table
| Item | What to expect | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trip length | 7 days minimum, 10–14 days comfortable | Shorter trips work only if you skip the south |
| Altitude | Cusco 3,400 m, Puno 3,800 m, Sacred Valley about 2,800 m | Sleep low first; check with a doctor if you have heart or lung conditions |
| Machu Picchu | Timed entry, separate from the Cusco boleto turístico | Book ticket and train together, months ahead in high season |
| Domestic flights | Lima–Cusco, Lima–Arequipa, Cusco–Puerto Maldonado | Prices are a 2026 estimate; book early for the dry season |
| Cash | Soles for markets, taxis, toilets and small stalls | ATMs in cities; carry a backup card |
| Language | Spanish; Quechua and Aymara in the highlands | English is common in hotels and tour offices, less so elsewhere |
| Best months | Apr–Oct for the Andes, Dec–Apr for Lima | Rainy season means greener trails and fewer crowds |
Tips
Take the first day slowly. Altitude sickness is not about fitness, and the fix is rest, water and time, not pushing through a full schedule. Coca tea and acetazolamide are commonly used; ask a doctor before you travel about medication.
Carry small notes and coins. Breaking a 100-sol note at a market stall is difficult, and toilets, buses and small shops often have no change. Tipping is modest and usually optional outside restaurants and guided tours.
Keep your passport somewhere dry and carry a copy. Customs rules on what you can bring in and out are worth reading before you pack, particularly for food, plants and anything made from wildlife.
Download offline maps and a translation app before you fly, and save your accommodation address in Spanish. Mobile data is cheap on local SIMs in the cities but patchy on trekking routes.
- Book Machu Picchu and the train before flights.
- Sleep low in the Sacred Valley before Cusco.
- Keep one buffer day for road blockades.
- Carry small soles and a backup card.
- Check entry and customs rules before packing.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What should first-time visitors know about Peru?
Altitude sets the order of the trip. Sleep low in the Sacred Valley before Cusco, book Machu Picchu tickets and trains early, fly the long legs, and keep a spare day because roads can close. Carry small soles for markets and taxis.
How many days do I need in Peru?
Seven days covers Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. Ten days adds Lake Titicaca. Twelve to fourteen days allows Arequipa and Colca Canyon as well. Shorter than seven days means cutting the south entirely.
What are the biggest mistakes tourists make in Peru?
Scheduling Cusco for the first night, leaving Machu Picchu tickets late, trying to see the south in a week, carrying only large notes, and having no buffer day for blockades or landslides. Each one costs a day or more.
Deep dive
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