How To Plan A 10 Day Peru Tour (Your 2025 Guide)

Is 10 Days In Peru Enough?

Quick Answer: As we’ve already mentioned earlier in this article, 10 days in Peru is certainly enough to see the very best highlights that this country has to offer. This includes Machu Picchu, Lima and the Amazon Jungle.

However it’s important to properly plan logistics for a 10 day Peru tour before you arrive here. As many of these top destinations are located hundreds of miles away from each other (and sometimes also in very remote regions), using domestic flights to get around Peru is a good idea to cut down on travel times – and to be able to feasibly fit in more into your itinerary.

Another crucial part of planning a shorter itinerary of just 10 days around Peru is setting the right expectations. Whilst on paper you could simply fly from Lima to Cusco and then immediately go hiking, in reality you’ll need a couple of days to acclimate to these higher altitudes first. It’s also important to factor in more time into each destination in case of travel delays, or for flexibility in case you discover more highlights you want to see when you arrive there.

Our Custom 10 Day Peru Tour Itinerary 

Below we’ll now explore how you can best use 10 days in Peru with our custom travel itinerary. Remember that when planning your own trip you can easily change around the below depending on what you want most for your own Peru itinerary.

Days 1-3: Lima

The Peruvian capital and beating heart of the country, it’s most likely we will begin our adventure here given this is where the main international airport is located.

During our days here we can head into the historic centre of Lima, which is full of incredible baroque architectural wonders. This includes the Plaza de Armas and nearby Torre Tagle Palace, as well as the San Francisco Catacombs – which are allegedly home to over 25,000 skeletal remains underneath the convent. We can also find many great local restaurants here to enjoy typical Peruvian cuisine, which includes dishes like Ceviche, Lomo Saltado as well as Papa a la Huancaina.

The upscale district of Miraflores is also another must-visit when here, and is the ideal place to base yourself when in Lima. It’s here where we can get our first taste of pre-Inca ancient ruins at the site of Huaca Pucllana, whilst also visiting the nearby Larco museum in Pueblo Libre. Depending on the season, you can also enjoy surfing along the Costa Verde coast, as well as enjoying nearby iconic beaches such as those of San Bartolo and Punta Negra.

Days 4-7: Cusco & Machu Picchu

On our fourth day, we can then depart from Lima early in the morning with a domestic flight to Cusco (airlines like Sky and LATAM have multiple options we can choose from).

Located up within the Peruvian Andes, this iconic city is full of ancient history and cultural traditions – and is also the gateway into the beautiful Sacred Valley region. Given we’ll arrive up at 3399m above sea-level, we highly suggest taking it easy on your first two days whilst your body acclimates. Heading to Machu Picchu with an overnight tour is a good idea to explore this legendary Inca citadel, whilst you can also visit several sites in the Sacred Valley which are also at a comfortable altitude (such as Pisac Ruins, Ollantaytambo and the Maras Salt Mines).

Once acclimated, we can then also head on some of the more demanding trips if that’s something that you’re looking to do. This includes heading on the 3 Day Ausangate Trek to Rainbow Mountain, where we can witness incredible snow-capped mountains, deep-blue glacial lakes as well as the multi-coloured valleys of the region. Otherwise, Cusco city itself remains a great place to walk around – where we can marvel at sites such as the Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha Temple as well as Sacsayhuamán Ruins.

Days 8-10: Puerto Maldonado

After exploring the major highlights of the Andes regions, our next and final stop will be into the remote Amazon Rainforest of Peru.

Again from Cusco we can hop on a short flight to Puerto Maldonado, which will serve as the perfect basecamp to explore the surrounding Tambopata Jungle region. On our first day it will be easy to explore the more nearby sites, such as Lake Sandoval where we can spot Giant River Otters as well as go zip-lining through the jungle canopy. Monkey Island is also just a short boat ride from the city – where we can walk through the rainforest and spot different wild monkeys that thrive around the island.

Alternatively upon arriving (which is possible if leaving on a very early flight from Cusco), you can immediately depart on a multi-day Amazon Jungle Tour. There are many incredible lodges that you can stay within the remote jungle, and on deeper trips you have a much better chance of spotting exotic wildlife. This includes Jaguars, Caiman, Piranhas, Macaws and different types of Snakes such as the Anaconda. Some tours even allow you to customize your own itinerary – where you can learn essential rainforest survival skills and also about the medicinal plants of the region.

Once you arrive back into the city of Puerto Maldonado on day ten, you can then take a direct flight back to Lima and transfer onto your international flight back out of Peru.

Our Top Tips For Planning Your 10 Day Peru Itinerary 

Below we’ll cover some practical advice that will help you have the best experience possible when travelling around Peru.

Know The Different Seasons Of Peru 

One of the most important things is to consider the time of year that you will visit Peru. The dry season (between May and October) is the best for clear blue skies and virtually no rainfall. The downsides though is that there will be more crowds, and prices can rise too for flights and accommodation. The wet season (November until April) of course is wetter, however the trade-off is both a cheaper and more authentic local experience here in Peru.

Pack Properly For Your Trip

An essential part of planning your trip is bringing all of the right gear with you. Given Peru has many varying extreme climates, you will need both thick layers for the Andes (coats, jumpers and potentially a poncho), as well as thin layers for the jungle and coast (shorts, t-shirts etc). Other vital items to bring include mosquito repellent, sunscreen, a portable water bottle as well as quality hiking boots.

Plan Big Activities In Advance

Regardless if visiting in the more popular dry season or less popular wet season, we still suggest booking your must-visit activities in advance to guarantee your spot. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a classic example given it can sell out as quickly as 6 months in advance. Others include custom Amazon Jungle hikes and other longer multi-day treks around the Peruvian Andes.

10 Day Peru Tour FAQ

Below we’ll now answer some of the frequent questions we get about building and customising your very own 10 day Peru tour, as well as anything else important that you need to know.

What To See In Peru In 10 Days?

As seen above in our custom 10 day Peru itinerary, we highly suggest visiting Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puerto Maldonado (the Amazon Jungle) within this timeframe. Alternatively you can also see other worthwhile destinations if you prefer, such as Iquitos, Huacachina, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Trujillo as well as Nazca.

How Much For A 10-Day Trip To Peru?

In terms of how much money you will need for 10 days in Peru, this really depends on your own travel style and comfort preferences. A budget of $30-35 a day is good for those who want to save money by staying in local hotels or hostels and eating in local restaurants, whilst we suggest between $45-55 for those who want to stay in nicer hotels and eat in more fancy restaurants. These budgets do not include money for extras such as for flights or activities.

What Is The Best Money To Take To Peru?

The official currency of Peru is the Sol, which remains the best currency to have when travelling around the country. Whilst many places do accept Dollars (especially in areas around Lima and Cusco, as well as in more fancy restaurants), it’s better to have local cash to pay for things like transport, food and for when buying souvenirs. Also remember that if you do bring Dollars, you can easily change them within Peru.

Overview Of Planning A 10 Day Peru Tour

And that’s all for this guide on how to plan your very own 10 day Peru tour.

This incredibly diverse country is home to many breathtaking scenery, ancient ruins and cultural highlights. And even with just 10 days, it’s very much possible to explore all of the top bucket list highlights – given you have planned properly and done your research before arriving into Peru.

Are you looking to hike the legendary Inca Trail route whilst in Peru? Whilst you may not quite have the time to complete the usual four day trail, you can instead embark on the incredible Short 2 Day Inca Trail hike – where we can see ruins like Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu, whilst also spotting wildlife like Alpacas, Cock-of-the-rock Birds as well as the famed Spectacled Bear.