Peru Beach Vacation: Machu Picchu & Cusco

10 days | USD 2350 | Easy

The Peru Beach Vacation is a memorable adventure blending sunny beaches with the mystery of Incan marvels. Enjoy Peruvian hospitality as you discover top beaches, then delve into the Sacred Valley and iconic Machu Picchu.

Season: All year long.

Anual temperature

Sep to Apr: Min 6°C – 43°F | Max 22°C – 68°F

May to Aug: Min 0°C – 32°F | Max 21°C – 70°F

Trip details

Highlights

Zorritos

Relax on the pristine beaches of Zorritos, renowned for their warm waters and excellent surfing conditions. Immerse yourself in the laid-back beach town atmosphere.

Cusco City

Discover the captivating Inca heritage and colonial architecture of Cusco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through vibrant markets and ancient ruins.

Sacred Valley

Journey through the picturesque Sacred Valley, visiting ancient sites like Pisac and Ollantaytambo, and experiencing the rich cultural traditions.

Machu Picchu

Marvel at the iconic Machu Picchu, the legendary Inca citadel perched high in the Andes mountains, a true wonder of the world.

Also Explore: Peru Top Destinations!

Itinerary

Imagine a destination where you can bask in the warmth of golden beaches, explore the rich cultural heritage of ancient civilizations, and immerse yourself in breathtaking natural landscapes. Welcome to Peru, a land that offers an unparalleled beach vacation experience combined with the opportunity to delve into the mysteries of the Inca Empire.

Sunrise at Machu Picchu
Day 1: Arrival in Lima

Begin your vacation in the capital of Peru, Lima. There will be a guide and a taxi waiting at your arrival in Lima airport to transfer you to your hotel.

Lima is a multi-ethnic and proudly holds a multi-cultural  heritage. The city offers a wide range of tourist attractions such as museums, cultural life, and colonial architecture. Lima, winner of the World Travel Awards’ prize for Best Culinary Destination in South America for the last 5 years, has some of worlds’ finest restaurants. Take advantage of your stay in Lima to discover the exclusive tastes of Peru – we’ll recommend a handful of excellent restaurants. For more information about our culinary trips, please contact us.

  • Meals: No meals
    Accommodation: Ibis Larco Miraflores hotel 3 stars

Fuel up on breakfast before transferring to Jorge Chavez International Airport. Catch a short flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer, they will take you to the Sacred Valley. Due to high altitude and to make your stay more pleasant we choose to transfer you directly to the Sacred Valley. We noted that our visitors do not have so much trouble adapting to the altitude when in Sacred Valley this is because the sacred valley is just above 2800 meters sea level considered the starting point to get altitude sickness. But no worries you will have time to see and explore Cusco but not just yet!

Our first stop is Moray which was the Incas experimental agronomic center. Here are three immense holes in the ground with distinctive circular terraces along the sides. These were used to re-create 12 different micro-climates and 20 different environmental zones. Thanks to this intelligent measure the Incas were able to experiment with and develop the use of different crops. Then it’s on to Salineras. Some people describe this place as “It looks like a piece of the moon had fallen to Earth and its white remains are filled with crystalline water.” The salt mine in Salineras is more than 10 thousand square meters large and home to entire families who work there for generations. Centuries have passed, however the community members of Maras continued to work in the same way as 600 years ago, extracting the mineral that will later become commercialized.

In the afternoon we will catch the train to Machu Picchu. The train ride follows the Urubamba River and includes great views of the surrounding mountains. Along the way, the landscape dramatically changes from highlands into a deep canyon with lush rain forest.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: Hotel Tierra Viva 4****

After an energetic breakfast we will get a 30 minutes transfer by bus to Machu Picchu. A complete guided tour around this magical complex is provided by your trip guide while walking along mystical temples, terraces, chambers, miradors and altars including a full information of the Temple of the Sun, the astronomical observatory and the countless of terraces.

After your 3-hour guided tour, there will be enough time to explore Machu Picchu on your own or choose to hike Montaña, Huchuy Picchu, Intipunku or Huayna Picchu (highest peak behind Machu Picchu).

After enjoyed the magic of the place, go back to Aguas Calientes and have a nice lunch. In the afternoon/early evening, we will meet at the train station. The train will take us back to Ollantaytambo.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Accommodation: Hotel Tierra Viva 4****

We start our morning walking from our hotel along the charming streets of Ollantaytambo, a unique town that keeps its urban plan from Incas time. Your guide will give you a comprehensive guided tour at the town’s impressive fortress. How did they manage to carry giant carved rocks from a specific remote mountain to Ollantaytambo is just one of many unanswered questions.  We only see the fascinating result: enormous stones fitted precisely to build temples, terraces, fountains, an astronomical calendar and much more.

Later we board the bus for the next scenic 40-minute drive along the impressive mountains and the Urubamba River on the Sacred Valley until we arrive to the mountaintop of the Pisac complex. You will be walking through ruins, tunnels and temples and explore at this Inca complex skillfully built into a steep cliff while your guide describes the history hidden behind this place. We will enjoy spectacular vistas of the mountain’s sides, stone buildings, temples, crop terraces that still is in used by local farmers.

After visiting the Pisac complex, we will head back to Pisac and visit its famous handicraft, produce and textile market. Andean people from far away gather here 2 times a week to sell and buy from Andean product such as corn, potatoes, quinoa to handicrafts products.

We boar our private bus for a last 45 minutes ride. Along the road there will be stops to enjoy panoramic views of the valley, visit a weaving center until we arrive to Cusco.

  • Meals: No meals
  • Accommodation: Hotel Apus Mirador 3***

Today’s is easy. You will have the whole morning to rest. In the afternoon we will take you for a city tour.

The city tour in Cusco, which begins at Plaza de Armas and continues through the Temple of the Sun (QoriKancha) before finishing up outside city limits with visits to Sacsayhuaman temple; Ritual Center Q’enko as well as Puka-Pukará complex. From all these remains is worth noting that Sacsayhuaman is some of the biggest Inca Constructions.

The amazing megalithic walls of this ancient ruin rise high in the middle of a dry grassland. The giant stone blocks, some weighing up to 200 tons each and fitted together perfectly like puzzle pieces, gives an appearance that is generous yet protective at once.

Night flight to Lima.

  • Meals: Breakfast.
  • Accommodation: Hotel Andes Mar 3***

Enjoy your vacation at the beach, discover the local cuisine and just relax.

We also provide a range of different extra activities (Not included in the price) you can choose from:

Boat tour (Half Day): Go on a half-day boat tour along the Pacific Ocean offering wildlife sightings, such as blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, fur seals, dolphins and more. During winter, you can spot humpback whales migrating for warmer waters.

Snorkel with turtles: Departures everyday from 7 am, finishing at 11 am. The turtle Eco adventure tour is  a unique adventure. North from Mancora the turtle tours prides itself in providing a unique style tours. This is the only opportunity to swim with the beautiful green sea turtles on South America. Once  with the proper snorkeling gear (Snorkeling gear included) jump into the water and  enjoy this magical experience. The turtles often swim close to us, before swimming away again. Be aware that touching the turtles is strictly forbidden, as this could cause them to drown. With these precautions in mind we can enjoy an unforgettable moment close to wildlife.

Horseback riding: Go riding along the mountain sides. Departure mornings and afternoons.

Mangrove national park tour (Full day) The tours starts at 8 am. Drive from hotel following the Panamericana highway via the Tumbes city to the Mangrove National reserve. We board a boat towards Puerto Pizarro, an ecosystem composed of mangroves, estuaries, and navigable channels that belongs to the Tumbes River delta. Later, you will visit wonderful island locations such as Amor (Love), La Isla Hueso (The Bone Island) and la Isla Ballena (The wale Island) that counts beautiful beaches where we will have time to relax and refresh ourselves, as well as present you to one of the most exquisite seafood dishes of the Peruvian northern part.  Continuing on with the tour we sail to other islands  to spot variety of birds, sea turtles, crocodiles and caimans, enjoying beautiful views of the mangroves and the surroundings. After the tours ends we will take you back to the the hotel at approx. 8 pm.

  • Meals: Breakfast.
  • Accommodation: Hotel Andes Mar 3***

Transfer from your hotel in Zorritos to the airport and then take a flight to Lima to connect to your final destination.

  • Meals: Breakfast.

Included

What is included?

Meals Included: All breakfasts and 2 lunches.

Transfers: All transfers after your arrival in Peru.

Accommodation: Hotels and lodges.

Transport: Public busses, local flights, train, motor boat, private transprt.

Sacred Valley tour: Comprehensive guided tour, entrance fees, private transport and lunch.

Machu Picchu: Full guided tour, entrance fees, bus tickets Aguas Calientes -Machu Picchu Aguas Calientes, train tickets Cusco – Aguas Calientes – Cusco.

Beach tour: Hotel resort, all breakfast, transfer in an out.

Group leader: We provide a guide who will assist you in each city of the trip who will provide information and tips during your Peru Adventure tour.

What is not included?

Huayna Picchu or Montaña Machu Picchu: Huayna Picchu offers breathtaking views of Machu Picchu for $75. Hikers need to navigate steep trails.

Hotels: The standard accommodation offered is a 3-star hotel and a 4 star hotel at Machu Picchu and the beach. If you desire greater luxury, you can choose to upgrade to a 4-star or 5-star hotel upon request. Hotels and meals are not included if passengers choose to stay at the hotels instead of continuing on with the trips.

Tips: It is recommended to leave a 10% tip for your guides as a gesture of appreciation for their services.

Activities: Activities at Zorritos beach are not included in the price and require an additional fee. For further information, kindly reach out to us.

Customer Testimonial

THERESA B 1 contribution
THERESA B 1 contribution
5 stars isn't enough!!
My wife and I enjoyed an amazing experience with River Explorers in Peru! Our journey lasted around 10 days.
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My wife and I enjoyed an amazing experience with River Explorers in Peru! Our journey lasted around 10 days. We participated in the “Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Multisport” expedition, involving multiple hiking days in Cusco, a visit to Machu Picchu, and several days at Zorritos Beach in northern Peru.

Everyone who worked with us at River Explorers was extremely professional. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the tour guides. They were not only knowledgeable but also enthusiastic, making our day trips enjoyable! Despite encountering a few unforeseen challenges (such as train strikes and COVID requirements), the River Explorers team went the extra mile to ensure our journey was seamless.

Every hotel we lodged in was clean and lived up to its advertisement, each equipped with wifi. The hotel staff were polite and accommodating, and the breakfasts were delightful. River Explorers managed all our hotel and transportation bookings (including cars, trains, and planes), alleviating any concerns during our stay.

Peru is a stunning country, and we are grateful to have partnered with River Explorers for our Peruvian adventure. Our experience was truly memorable!

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