Discover the natural and cultural highlights of Peru on this 20-day active adventure tour
Active Adventure Tour in Peru immerses you in an authentic experience of Peru’s incredible nature, culture, and history. This guided adventure tour takes you to all the highlights of Peru – a destination in South that’s like no other.
You’ll hike through the Colca Canyon and along the Inca Trail to approach Machu Picchu the way the ancient Incas did.
But this Active Adventure in Peru tour is so much more than a hiking trip. You’ll also paddle across Lake Titicaca in kayaks, visiting the island of Taquile and the floating reed islands of Uros. Witness local life for yourself with an overnight home-stay on Amantani Island. Experience the Paracas Desert on mountain bikes, dune buggies and sandboards. Fly over the Nazca lines and visit a variety of archaeological sites. There is never a dull moment on this active adventure tour in Peru. Book your trip today!
Highlights Of The Active Adventure Tour in Peru
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Active Adventure Tour in Peru Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Lima
Welcome to Lima, the capital of Peru. You’ll be picked up at the Lima airport and transported to your hotel in the city.
Overnight Location: Hotel Virreynal, Lima
Meals: None
Day 2 Dune buggies and Sandboarding at Huacachina Dunes
Head to the Lima bus station this morning and take a bus from Lima to Paracas. Travel along the beautiful Peruvian coastline. After arriving in Paracas and checking in to your hotel, venture out into the desert to explore the Huacachina sand dunes. The drive from Paracas takes about 20 minutes, then an expert guide will help you experience the best of the desert while traveling in dune buggies. After this fun adventure, give sandboarding a try before returning to your Paracas hotel.
Overnight Location: El Emancipador Hotel, Paracas
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Boat Tour of the Ballestas Islands, Mountain Bike in Paracas Nature Reserve
This morning on your Active Adventure Tour in Peru you’ll be picked up at your hotel at 8:00 AM for a 2-hour boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. Watch for sea lions, penguins, tendrils, boobies, and over 200 other species of birds, both migratory and endemic. You’ll also see the impressive El Candelabro, which is a figure of unknown origin that was painted in the sand. Finish your tour in Paracas around 10:20 AM, where you’ll have time for a short refreshment break, then leave at 11:00 AM for a mountain bike tour of Paracas Nature Reserve. The desert in this area is relatively flat and the warm, windy climate makes touring by mountain bike an ideal option. Don’t forget your camera to try to capture the breathtaking desert landscapes you see, and the flamingos and other wildlife you encounter. The exact length and distance of your tour will be customized to suit your abilities and interests.
Overnight Location: El Emancipador Hotel, Paracas
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Nazca, Cahuasi Pyramids and the Catalloc Aqueducts
In the morning, ride a bus from Paracas to Nazca, where you will check in to your hotel for the night. In the afternoon, take a private tour of the Cahuasi Pyramids, which were the Nazca capital from for over 600 years, 200 BC to 450 AD. This ceremonial location was of great significance to the Nazca people until it was first destroyed in an earthquake, then buried in sand after a tsunami. You’ll see that some pyramids here have been restored while others are still active archaeological sites. Leaving the Cahuasi Pyramids, tour the Catalloc Aqueducts. This impressive Nazca hydraulics system is still in use for agricultural purposes.
Overnight Location: DM Hotel en Nazca, Nazca
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Fly Over Nazca Lines, Chauchillas Cemetery, Travel to Arequipa
Explore the remains of ancient Nazca cultures today. If skies are clear, begin the day by flying over the incredible Nazca Lines, where you can see the scale of these ancient figures of unknown origin that were carved in the desert. Back on the ground, visit the Chauchillas cemetery. This ancient necropolis was discovered in the 1920s. It is full of mud-brick tombs that hold the mummified remains of Nazca people interred here over 1,000 years ago. Due to the mummification process and the dry desert climate, many of these remains still have skin and hair. After exploring this fascinating place, travel to Arequipa in the afternoon on an executive bus.
Overnight Location: Hotel La Casa de mi Abuela, Arequipa
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Arequipa City Tour
After breakfast, take a three-hour tour of the city of Arequipa. Among the incredible places you’ll visit are the Plaza de Armas main square, the Molino de Sabandia water mill from 1621, and beautiful churches such as Santa Catalina monastery, the cathedral, and La Compañia de Jesús church. After the tour, the rest of the day is free to explore the city at your leisure.
Overnight Location: Hotel La Casa de mi Abuela, Arequipa
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Colca Canyon Trek Day 1: Travel from Arequipa to Chivay
Today begins a three-day tour to Colca Canyon. You’ll be picked up at your hotel in the morning for a road trip from Arequipa to Chivay. You’ll travel through the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve where you can spot wildlife such as alpacas and vicuñas llamas. At the Patabamba overlook, stop for spectacular views of volcanoes. After arriving in Chivay, check in to your hotel and spend some time visiting La Calera hot springs.
Overnight Location: El Pozo del Cielo, Chivay
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Colca Canyon Trek Day 2: San Juan de Chuccho, Malasa, Oasis Lodge
In the morning, head to the popular Colca Canyon viewpoint called Mirador Cruz del Condor. At this point, the canyon is approximately 1,200 m deep and you will likely see condors gliding in the air currents. The scene is absolutely breathtaking. Continue on from here to Cabanaconde where you will begin your trek. Stop along the way at San Juan de Chuccho village to appreciate views of snow-capped peaks. As you continue your descent into the canyon, you’ll come to the village of Malasa which is known for warm weather and lush green vegetation. When you reach the Oasis Lodge, stop for the night.
Overnight Location: Oasis Paraiso Eco-Lodge, Cabanaconde
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 Colca Canyon Trek Day 3: Cabanaconde, Chivay, Puno
Finish your Colca Canyon trek today, returning to Cabanaconde. From here you’ll transfer to Chivay then board a shared tourist bus that will take you to Puno. When you arrive in Puno, you’ll transfer to your hotel for the night.
Overnight Location: La Hacienda Puno Plaza de Armas, Puno
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10 Kayak on Lake Titicaca to Amantani Island
Get an early start today, boarding a motorboat at 7:00 AM that takes you to Llachon. Here you’ll get safety instructions from a specialized kayak guide before beginning your Lake Titicaca paddling adventure. Stop at Amantani Island to explore the town and spent the night. Your accommodations for the night are in local homes, where a host family will help you experience authentic local life. In the evening, don the traditional local dress and join a cultural celebration in the community hall. The facilities are basic, but the experience is outstanding.
Overnight Location: Local house home-stay, Amantani
Distance: 3 hours, 10 km (kayaking)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 Kayak on Lake Titicaca, Visit Uros, Return to Puno
Return to your kayak after breakfast and paddle across Lake Titicaca to Taquile Island. During the three-hour paddle, look around and appreciate the incredible snow-covered mountains in the distance. Taquile Island is known for its fine textiles and amazing views. When you reach the island, walk for about an hour up the path to the village where you will enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, walk down 500 steps that take you to the port to board a boat back to Puno. Stop along the way to visit the floating islands of Uros. The people who live on these floating reed islands have developed a truly remarkable way of life, using the totora reeds for everything from building homes and canoes to making art, food, and fuel. You may have an opportunity to take a ride in a reed boat with a local fisherman. Return to Puno in the late afternoon check in to your hotel.
Overnight Location: La Hacienda Puno Plaza de Armas, Puno
Distance: 3 hours, 10 km (kayaking)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12 Travel from Puno to Cusco
Head to the Puno bus station in the morning and ride a shared tourist bus from Puno to Cusco. Stop along the way to visit the Pucara museum, and the Raqchi temple archaeological site. You’ll also visit the San Pedro Church in Andahuayllillas , which is so ornate and beautiful it has been called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. When you arrive in Cusco in the afternoon, a private transfer will take you to your hotel.
Overnight Location: Inkarri Hotel, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13 Cusco City Tour
Enjoy a private, half-day tour of the city of Cusco and its surrounding area. Visit Qorikancha, the Sun Temple that was the most important temple to the Incas. On the outskirts of the city, visit fascinating Inca ruins, such as the Sacsayhuamana citadel, Qengo temple, the fort of Puca Pucara, and the mysterious Tambomachay. After your tour, the rest of the day is free to explore Cusco on your own.
Overnight Location: Inkarri Hotel, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14 Sacred Valley Tour: Cusco, Pisac, Ollantaytambo
The Sacred Valley was sacred to the Incas. It was the property of the emperor and contained some of the region’s best land. Today is contains a wealth of beautiful and fascinating ruins from the time of the Incas, as well as rich indigenous culture. Today’s private tour of the Sacred Valley takes you to the Pisac Inca ruins, the Pisac Market, and through the beautiful Urubamba Valley to view more Inca ruins found in Ollantaytambo. Spend the night in a hotel in Ollantayatambo.
Overnight Location: Tunupa Lodge, Ollantaytambo
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15 Inca Trail Trek Day 1: Trek to Huayllabamba
Leave your Ollantaytambo hotel at 8:00 AM and drive for approximately one hour to the start of the Inca Trail at Piskakucho (which is also referred to as Km 82). Meet your trail crew and begin the trek by crossing the footbridge and hiking for about two hours on a gentle descent into the Urubamba canyon. At the Cusichaca River, you’ll see impressive farming terraces sculpted by the Incas, and the Llaqtapata settlement. A short climb up through the Cusichaca Valley brings you to the village of Huayllabamba (2,866m / 9,403 ft), which is the last inhabited village on the Inca trail. Camp here for the night.
Overnight Location: Camping at Huayllabamba (2,866 m/9,403’)
Distance: 6 hours, 11 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16 Inca Trail Trek Day 2: Trek to Pacaymayo
Leave Huayllabamba and climb through the steep Llullucha Valley. You’ll see a lovely rushing stream and walk through a forest of native polylepis trees that feels like the setting of a fairy tale. When you cross the rim of a plateau, the landscape changes suddenly to the high-altitude treeless grasslands of the Andes called the puna ecoregion. Ascend to the Warmiwañusca Pass (4,194 m/13,760’) by traversing an open slope. Pause at the top of this pass, looking back to the snow-capped peaks and valleys of the Huayanay massif, and looking ahead to trail you’ll follow to the next pass. Descend again into the Pacaymayo Valley, where you’ll find a forested area to camp for the night.
Overnight Location: Camping in Pacaymayo Valley (3,587 m / 11,768’)
Distance: 7 hours, 10 km, 1,263 m of ascent, 607 m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17 Inca Trail Day 3: Trek to Wiñay Wayna
Today’s trek is longer than previous days. First, climb the Runkurakay Pass (3,860 m/12,664’), then visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyuptamarca archaeological sites. Continue hiking to Intipata, then camp for the night at Wiñay Wayna.
Overnight Location: Camping at Wiñay Wayna (2,650 m/8,694’)
Distance: 8 hours, 12.5 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 18 Inca Trail Day 4: Trek to Machu Picchu, Bus to Aguas Calientes
Complete your Inca Trail trek today with a shorter hike. Get an early start and trek first to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, which was once the main entrance to Machu Picchu. Then continue to visit the world-famous archaeological site of Machu Picchu. After your visit, take a bus to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes.
Overnight Location: Hotel Terraza de Luna, Aguas Calientes
Distance: 3 hours, 5 km
Meals: Breakfast
Day 19 Travel from Aguas Calientes to Cusco
The first part of the day is free to explore Aguas Calientes on your own. If you wish, you can choose to return to Machu Picchu for a second visit (transportation and entrance fees not included in your tour). In the afternoon, take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, then a private transfer takes you to your hotel in Cusco. There are no guide services today.
Overnight Location: Inkarri Hotel, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 20 Travel from Cusco to Lima, Departure Day
Transfer from your hotel in Cusco to the airport and fly to Lima. Connect from the Lima airport on to your final destination. Your amazing tour of Peru has reached its end. Have a pleasant journey.
Overnight Location: N/A
Meals: Breakfast
Active Adventure Tour in Peru Price and Dates
Pricing for this guided Peru for Active Travelers Tour depends on whether you choose to join an existing group on a specific date or if you prefer a custom tour for your group only.
The prices below are per person sharing a double or a triple room:
- Guided Groups of 4: from $3,695 USD* per person
* Pricing for this tour depends on the dates of your trip, as well as your group size. Please click the Book Now button below to get the exact pricing for your trip dates.
Book NowAccommodation on the Active Adventure Tour in Peru
This tour is based in 3-star hotels that offer modern conveniences to make your tour even more enjoyable. Rooms are double occupancy, and single travelers will pay a supplement. During your Inca Trail trek, spend 3 nights camping in tents.
In some cases, accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other, comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel. Contact us and we can try and match single travelers up, where possible.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Hotel Virreynal, Lima ★★★
Enjoy a comfortable stay in the wonderful Miraflores section of Lima, an easy 10-minute walk to the ocean.
El Emancipador Hotel, Paracas ★★★
Stay in comfort in this hotel that’s within easy walking distance of the shore and where every room has a private balcony with ocean views.
DM Hotel en Nazca, Nazca ★★★
You’ll love this desert oasis with a lush and beautiful garden surrounding the quiet courtyard pool. The perfect atmosphere for your stay in Nazca!
Hotel La Casa de mi Abuela, Arequipa ★★★
Its name means “Grandma’s house”, but unless your grandma had a pool, library, and garden hammocks, this hotel is likely better than grandma’s house.
El Pozo del Cielo, Chivay ★★★
Enjoy a quiet stay in a beautiful location, with canyon views from the rooms. The colorful, rustic decor sets the tone for your visit to Chivay.
Oasis Paraiso EcoLodge, Cabanaconde (Lodge)
Your hosts at the Oasis know what canyon trekkers need after a day on the trail and they do a great job in this remote location reached only by foot.
La Hacienda Puno Plaza de Armas, Puno ★★★
This beautiful boutique hotel is a colonial-style building located on Puno’s main square. Enjoy incredible views of the city from your balcony.
Local Home, Amantani Island
Spending a night in local homestay is an unforgettable experience that lets you learn about the beautiful culture of local people.
La Hacienda Puno Plaza de Armas, Puno ★★★
This beautiful boutique hotel is a colonial-style building located on Puno’s main square. Enjoy incredible views of the city from your balcony.
Inkarri Hotel, Cusco ★★★
At this award-winning hotel, enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the beautiful gardens and patio when you’re not resting in your clean, spacious room.
Tunupa Lodge, Ollantaytambo ★★★
Extensive grounds with gardens, terraces, and roaming llamas give character to this comfortable hotel with stunning mountain and fortress views.
Camping in campsites along the Inca Trail ★
Sleep under the starry sky in comfortable tents in the campsites along the Inca Trail. Spend your nights in Ayapata, Chaquicocha and Wiñay Wayña camps surrounded by stunning peaks of Peruvian Andes.
Hotel Terraza de Luna, Aguas Calientes ★★★★
Let the sound of the rushing river lull you to sleep in this amazing location with wonderful views. The friendly staff work hard for your comfort.
Inkarri Hotel, Cusco ★★★
At this award-winning hotel, enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the beautiful gardens and patio when you’re not resting in your clean, spacious room.
What’s included in the Active Adventure Tour in Peru?
Meals
19 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinner are included in the tour.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 19 nights along the tour are included as described. Nights 15-17 are spent camping in tents.
Transportation during the Tour
- All transfers (some shared and some private)
- Bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu (round trip)
- Expedition class train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Nazca overflight
Also Included
- English-speaking guide during all activities and tours
- All activities and tours in private or shared services
- All entrance fees
- Camping equipment, food, and porters during Inca Trail trek
Not included
- Transportation to/from Lima
- Domestic flight (from Cusco to Lima – typically $150 to $200 USD)
- Taxes for Nazca overflight ($10 USD paid in cash at Nazca airport)
- Tips
- Meals not listed as included
- Personal expenses
- Anything else not listed as included
Optional Extras
- Second day visit to Machu Picchu (entry fee + bus to/from Aguas Calientes) (Day 19)
- Trek to Huayna Picchu
Frequently Asked Questions about Active Adventure Tour in Peru
Andes World Travel is a boutique adventure tour operator, founded by mountaineers, grown out of a love for adventure and first-hand knowledge of the Andes region. They offer a wide range of tours throughout South America, including both adventure tours and cultural tours.
Andes World Travel offers climbing, trekking, and hiking tours with an emphasis on safety and professionalism. They also offer “light trekking” trips for less experienced adventurers.
The company runs tours in Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Peru. They focus on sustainable practices and are more than willing to customize their tours to client’s wishes.
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