Best One-Week Peru Itinerary: Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, and More

My husband and I had a fantastic time on our trip to Peru. I would highly recommend Zicasso’s travel agency! Our agent listened to all of our wants and needs, and certainly delivered! She even made a point to meet us in person and give us an anniversary gift, which was so thoughtful and unexpected.

A couple of things:

It would be great if the travel agency had an app that showed your daily itinerary. Other agencies have this and it makes it very convenient to understand where you are going and at what time.

Second, travelers, beware of the altitude! It really affected me, to the point where I needed oxygen. (By the way, the hotels make this readily available to guests.) I would ensure anyone going to Cusco/Machu Picchu is well aware of this. Also, we did not visit the Rainbow Mountain and I am glad we didn't. The altitude there is 5,000 meters, which is over 16,000 feet, which my body would not have been able to handle.

Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime and I want to thank the travel agent again for planning such a wonderful trip!

We discovered our travel company through Zicasso and had an incredible experience planning and executing our trip to Peru. This was our first journey to South America and, since we don’t speak Spanish, we decided to work with a travel agent for this trip. Having planned all our travels around the world on our own, we were initially hesitant to entrust someone else with such an important task. However, our agent exceeded our expectations and made the entire process seamless and enjoyable.

From the very beginning – five months before our trip – our agent was a pleasure to work with. She was prompt, responsive, and attentive to our aspirations for the trip. After discussing the types of activities we wanted to include, she crafted a comprehensive itinerary filled with diverse and exciting options. Together, we refined the plans through a few iterations until we arrived at the perfect itinerary for our dream vacation.

Our two-week adventure in Peru was nothing short of amazing, taking us through the Amazon rainforest, the cultural heart of the Inca civilization in Cusco, the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu, the breathtaking Rainbow Mountain, the tranquil beauty of Lake Titicaca and the floating islands in Puno, and the vibrant coastlines of Lima and Huacachina, where we experienced sandboarding and a flight over the Nazca Lines.

Throughout the trip, our agent stayed in constant communication, providing detailed updates and guidance for each day’s activities. Every guide she arranged for us was a local expert with deep knowledge of the region’s history, architecture, and culture, which added immense value to our experience.

Even when we encountered a minor hiccup with one of the tours, our agent handled it promptly and professionally, resolving the issue without hesitation or resistance. Her dedication and attention to detail ensured our trip was smooth and stress-free.

Thanks to our agent and her incredible network of guides, we had a phenomenal experience in Peru. We highly recommend visiting this beautiful country and entrusting our tour company with your travel plans. Without a doubt, we would work with our agent for future adventures!

Zicasso's travel specialist was spectacular in every way. From the inception of communication and planning, through arranging for all of our tickets, hotels, transport, and amazing dining experiences, to the incredible support and guides we enjoyed along the way... they were outstanding and we received five-star service.

We were a demanding group of 13, ranging in ages from 17 to over 60, and we all had an absolute blast! We had an absolutely amazing trip. The Lares Trail and Machu Picchu (and our climb up Huayna Picchu) are by far some of the most memorable experiences we've ever had.

Our guide and driver were awesome... kind, professional, and accommodating, and our guide especially was very knowledgeable, with so much respect and love for the surrounding nature and culture.

Our travel specialist was timely, attentive, and responsive to all of our requests, and helped us collectively achieve one of the greatest vacations we have ever experienced.

They were 100% accurate in terms of how to prepare us for the altitude and allow us enough time to acclimatize in Cusco (and with a great, long, mountain bike ride at high elevation). Our specialist provided excellent recommendations for how to fill some additional time in Cusco while we acclimated. We loved touring Cusco itself, and seeing Sacsayhuaman, several spots in the Sacred Valley, and the Maras Salt Mines were all unforgettable experiences. We also loved the hotel she had us at in Cusco. It was a great spot to be able to explore the city on our own time.

After seeing all of the coordination, especially for the Lares Trail and Machu Picchu, we're so relieved we chose to go through Zicasso for this trip and were connected with our travel specialist and her company. Everything was well planned and thought out, and if anything was not right, they sought to immediately correct it. Our guide was on top of every detail and it was great knowing our agent was just a text or phone call away.

Our Zicasso travel agent and her team meticulously crafted an exceptional itinerary and excursion to commemorate my birthday. They delivered a thoughtful gift to our hotel room and arranged for souvenirs to be available in Cusco. The drivers and tour guides were all exceptional, providing us with a memorable experience.

We had the pleasure of spending a significant amount of time with our tour guide in Valle Sagrado and Cusco. His recommendations for restaurants and insights into local activities were invaluable during our free time.

Overall, the trip was amazing, and we had a great time.

The Positives: 

The Galapagos cruise selection was the highlight—truly spectacular.

Every single hotel and lodge was outstanding.

The local guides and service were consistently great.

We loved the treehouse lodge experience experience (a conservation must-see for nature lovers) and the hotel in Cusco was perfect.

The premium domestic flights and Quito lounge access were nice touches.

What could be improved :

These are minor issues, but fixing them would make a massive difference to client experience.

Post-Booking Communication: After final payment, email responses for details like tipping and permits got really slow. It felt like the expectation was to use the provided app, but that wasn't clear. Also, we expected a quick check-in from the travel company a few days into the trip.

Quito Hotel and Sleep: The hotel in Quito was super far from the airport. Given our late arrival and early departure, prioritizing sleep with an airport hotel would've been much better than seeing the historic area.

Cusco Acclimatization: Arriving late afternoon in Cusco and starting the hike the next day is not enough time for altitude acclimatization. We think the original plan for three nights in Cusco got lost when the itinerary changed.

Lares Hike Mix-Up: There was a misunderstanding about the two extra hikes for the Lares Trail—only one was booked. We couldn't get the second permit last-minute, even though it was in the trip description.

Mountain Lodge Experience: This part was different than expected. Since our group was small, we only had one guide and felt that not all available activities were properly shown to us. Also, there was a lot more driving between locations than we expected.