Cusco, Peru, 7 Days Itinerary: Top Attractions On A DIY Road Trip

What’s the best road trip itinerary for a 7-day road trip around Cusco, Peru?

I am aware that not many foreigners choose to rent a car and drive to the top attractions around Cusco by themselves. But I am a free spirit and only choose organised trips when that’s the only option for seeing a place. 

I am a firm believer that the best way to experience a culture is to immerse yourself in it, and experience it first-hand. 

When visiting a country or a place with an organised tour guide, the experience is directed by the guide and the people you meet and places you go are curated specially for you.

And you also get to go there with a group, which could be larger or smaller, depending on the place. 

That’s not how I travel, and I think that’s why a lot of people are not interested in planning their own road trip around Cusco.

In Peru, many foreigners still struggle to get around by themselves and are often confronted with things like “Peru is dangerous” or “Driving in Peru is not safe”.

These are subjective views of the country’s complex socioeconomic situation when it comes to tourism.

By now, I have been to many countries on five different continents, and I know that these simplistic and stereotypical opinions do not define an entire country. 

If you want to watch the entire road trip itinerary, I made a special YouTube video, which I absolutely adore. Check it out here on my YouTube Channel.

Is driving in Peru safe?

Yes, for the most part, I consider it safe. However, safety is relative to the driving experience you have back home. 

I did not have any issues driving in Peru, but I have a lot of experience driving in similar countries. 

The internet will mostly advise you against driving in Peru, but I don’t agree. 

I think each driver should carefully assess his or her driving experience and then decide. 

Having said that, note that driving in Peru can get chaotic, especially in big cities like Lima or Cusco. 

I rented a car only in Cusco, and drove in and around Cusco, down to Lake Titicaca, up to Rainbow Mountain, back to Cusco, Sacred Valley, up to Hidroelectrica (to hike to Aqua Calientes and see Machu Picchu) and then back to Cusco. 

The biggest stress is driving in Cusco, as it’s a big and crowded city, with narrow and steep streets. 

Although at first glance it seemed like drivers have no idea what they’re doing, they are actually adapted to the local driving conditions.

That doesn’t mean they don’t know traffic rules or obey them. It’s more like they are all in an agreement to do things a certain way so that they move more efficiently around. 

My best advice is to stay calm and follow international traffic rules while trying to observe locals and their local rules. It’s much easier than it looks, and you will get used to it much faster than you imagine. This is especially true for experienced drivers who are used to driving in all sorts of conditions. 

Renting a car in Cusco, Peru

You can easily rent a car in Cusco; there are offices for big international car rentals. I ended up renting from Sixt, as they had the best deal for those dates. 

I reckon that renting a car in Cusco is more popular than you’d imagine, given that there weren’t many choices left when I decided to rent the car, which was only a few days before arriving in Cusco. 

I think this stands as an argument against those voices saying that driving is not safe in Peru, because many tourists rent cars there.

However, I noticed that most tourists who rent cars in Peru are either from South America or at least they can speak Spanish. 

The general fear of not renting and driving in Peru usually tends to come from tourists who don’t speak Spanish. Maybe I’m wrong about this; it’s just something I noticed.

But this could be a reason because all road signs are in Spanish, the police only speak Spanish, and everything else, including the car rental documents, is in Spanish. 

The staff at the car rental company speaks Spanish as well.

However, when I returned the car, there was another lady who spoke English as well, so it was much easier to explain things, as we were in a huge hurry to get to the airport. 

But that’s something that’s part of my story and not something you should worry about. 

7-day Road trip itinerary around Cusco to see the top attractions in Peru

I have to warn you, this is a pretty intense road trip itinerary I did around Cusco to try to include some of the most popular tourist attractions in Peru.

Of course, you can adjust this itinerary to suit your own needs and want to see everything you want to see in Peru. 

But for my trip in Peru, I wanted to include Lake Titikaka, Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu, and the best way to do it and explore these places to the maximum was to rent my own car and organise the entire trip by myself. 

There are tours that can do that for you if you are already in Cusco, but now the distances are big because Peru is a big country. 

I also don’t enjoy it as much when I’m part of an entire group, and we all get to a place at the same time, and we are given a short time to take it all in, hear the guide’s explanations and take some photos.

And without spoiling the story, I have to say this was one hell of a trip, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. 

I know it’s just a road trip in Peru, but it really pushed some boundaries I didn’t know I had, shifted my mindset, and aided my perception of life and mankind in a way I didn’t even know was possible. 

So, for all that and so much more, I am eternally grateful, and I am so excited to share with you the greatest road trip I have ever done anywhere on this Earth. And it’s in Peru. 

Day 1: Cusco to Puno

After I picked up the car from the Sixt office, which is just a 5-minute walk from the airport, I drove straight to Puno. 

By now, I had already spent three days in Cusco and had plenty of time to adjust to the altitude in and around Cusco. Check out my guide on how to deal with altitude sickness in Cusco for more details on that.

The drive to Puno is absolutely gorgeous. It takes you up through the mountains, and it reaches a peak of 4,335 meters (14,222 feet) at La Raya viewpoint. 

There’s a small parking lot on the side of the road, and locals sell their crafts there. The views are extraordinary, and if the weather is nice, you can stop for a few minutes to admire them.

If you are in a hurry or the weather is bad, no need to worry; you will use the same road to drive back to Cusco.

A lot of internet resources have listed this Cusco to Puno railroad trip as one of the most beautiful and spectacular in the world.

Some list it as one of the top 10 railroad trips in the world. I find that the Peru Rail ticket is outrageously expensive. And if you go to Puno, you might want to go back, so that’s double the price. 

But what nobody’s saying is that the railroad goes right next to the actual road for most of the trip.

So, if you can’t afford the train ride, you might find that renting a car and doing this road trip is cheaper, especially if you’re a group of 2-4 people. 

Other stops you might consider on this day are: 

• Raqchi, templo de Wiracocha
• Museo Lítico de Pukara

Where to stay in Puno, Peru?

After about half a day, I arrived in Puno.

I had not booked a hotel for the day, so I tried to park in the centre of the city and find a hotel in that area. But it was rush hour in the afternoon, and I couldn’t find a place to park.

I don’t recommend driving in the centre of Puno, it’s very crowded, and there is nowhere to park. 

I decided to go to a hotel with private parking (as it is always recommended anyway), and I stayed at Sonesta Hotel, which was very nice. The staff was very helpful and helped us organise a trip to the lake the next day. It was very last minute. 

They also have a nice restaurant with views of the lake. The next morning, we enjoyed our coffee outside, and the hotel’s llamas roamed around. It was beautiful. 

The wifi was good, and the water was hot, which is something you shouldn’t take for granted in Peru. 

Day 2: Day trip on Lake Titikaka: Uros and Taquile islands 

I am so happy we decided to spend the entire day exploring Lake Titicaca (video here). This is the highest navigable lake in the world. 

This is probably one of the main attractions in Puno, and it is a day trip on Lake Titicaca. 

The trip includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a boat ride, an English-speaking guide, and a visit to two islands on the lake. 

The first stop is one of the Uros islands, also known as the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. The second stop is Taquile Island, which is closer to the middle of the lake. 

If you don’t have time to do this entire trip, you can go on a half-a-day trip to visit the Uros floating islands of Lake Titicaca. It’s truly a mind-blowing experience to see people living on floating islands. 

I had no idea this existed before going there. 

During your visit, you discover everything about their lifestyle living on the lake, and you can even choose to book a night with one of the families and then brag to your friends that you slept on the highest navigable lake in the world, at almost 4,000 meters altitude. 

Note that you can easily book one of those hotels with a family living on the Uros islands, and they can come and pick you up from the port of Puno with a boat. 

But oftentimes, tourists choose to go on a full-day or half-day trip and then stay on the island to sleep there. 

As part of my day trip, we also visited Taquile Island, which is world-famous for its skilled weavers. 

I bought some souvenirs from the locals here, and then we had lunch at one of the small restaurants that cater to these day-trip groups to the island.

It was absolutely delicious (we had fish from the lake), and then we admired the views of the lake during sunset for two more hours while we got back to Puno. 

I made a video about this day on Lake Titicaca.

Can you spend the night on the Uros floating islands?

Yes, you can book a room and spend the night on the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. 

I had no idea you could do that until I saw people leaving our boat at the end of the tour and staying on the Uros floating islands. 

We spent the night at the same hotel in Puno (Sonesta Hotel), but you might choose to stay with a Uros family if you’re looking for a more adventurous trip. 

I didn’t know it was a thing to sleep there, and it felt a bit too touristy for me. But I can’t deny that it’s a nice experience. However, it might get really wet if it starts raining. Those floating islands can get flooded, too. 

Day 3: Puno to Rainbow Mountain

On the 3rd day, I drove a lot, as I had to make my way back from Puno, almost back to Cusco. 

A lot of tourists choose to do this trip to Rainbow Mountain as a day trip from Cusco. 

Since the road literally gets you up the mountain, it takes a lot longer than you’d imagine, and it’s an unpaved dirt road. I wouldn’t recommend it in the rainy season or if it rained a lot recently. 

Drive to Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)

It was almost completely dry when I drove up to Rainbow Mountain in April 2024, and the good news is that they are actively working to build and improve the access road.

If you’ve never driven on dirt mountain roads, then you should skip this. I made a video about this trip to show you the road conditions and all the details.

I didn’t find much information online about this road, and everyone is complaining that the road is narrow and full of tourist buses. 

That’s true; the tourist buses that leave Cusco early in the morning should go up this mountain road at 10 AM, and then the last buses get down at around 4 PM. 

You’d want to avoid that because, on most of the roads, there’s just enough space for a car, so juggling that space to drive around a bus is hard to imagine. 

It would also take a lot longer to constantly stop and carefully drive around another vehicle. 

Luckily, that wasn’t the case for me because I got there a bit too late, and it was past 5 PM when I drove the last stretch of the road.

I met a few small tourist cars and private tours driving down, and the drivers were looking at me as if I was crazy, but nobody actually stopped me to tell me not to go. 

There are two parking lots. The first one is big, and you can easily get there. 

Then, some locals will ask for an entry tax to visit. It was 5 Soles per person in April 2024. Then we continued driving up to a second checkpoint (less than 1 km from the first one), and we had to pay another ticket of around 10 Soles each. 

The locals spoke broken Spanish, and all tourists were gone; all tourist-related businesses were closed for the day, and the sun had already set. 

Motos to get you up the mountain 

We found some locals offering motorcycle rides up the mountain. 

The first one asked for 90 Soles for road trips per person. We declined and drove up. Then the road got really muddy, just before we reached the second and found a parking lot. 

At the time, they were also constructing the road. 

There, we found another local with a motorcycle; he only asked for 70 Soles round trip per person. 

I guess it was a discounted price since we were literally the only foreigners on the entire mountain, and it was time to go home anyway. We agreed, and he called another friend with a motorcycle for my boyfriend. 

I changed clothes because it was getting dark and windy. I parked right there, a bit on the side of the muddy road, which didn’t even seem like a road anymore. 

The motorcycle ride up the mountain took about 10 minutes, and it was getting dark fast. I was terrified the entire time, and my driver, who seemed much younger than me, was assuring me he was a professional and that he does this every day. 

On the way up, we passed by giant herds of llamas and alpacas and insanely beautiful views. I think a lot of tourists hike up this path, but it would have probably taken us at least one hour to hike up to the viewing point. And the issue was that there was no light, and without any light, we couldn’t admire the rainbow mountain. 

We reached the famous view by motor, and then the last stretch, to reach the actual Vinicunca peak at 5,035 meters (16,522 feet), is quite a strenuous short hike.

I had to stop in the middle of it and sit down to try to catch my breath. All of a sudden, the altitude sickness kicks in, and you had better be prepared and move fast. 

I took my picture of the Vinicunca peak and then descended that peak to meet up with the motor guy, who was waiting for us to descend the mountain. 

It was almost dark, so we had to hurry because it’s really dangerous to descend a mountain on a motorcycle without any light, except for the light of the motorcycle. 

Anyway, we got back to the car, and it was pitch black. 

We slowly drove down the mountain the same way, but there was absolutely nobody now, so it was pretty fast. 

We then drove all the way to Cusco because it was late, and the hotels seemed full around that area, as there weren’t that many anyway. 

Day 4: Cusco to Aqua Calientes

Because we made an extra effort last night to drive all the way to Cusco, we were able to sleep longer and enjoy our breakfast. 

We stayed at El Alamo hotel in Cusco, which is a great budget to mid-range hotel outside the historical centre, with private parking and breakfast included. 

The day consisted of a long drive from Cusco to Hidroelectrica and culminated with a short 3-hour hike to reach Aqua Calientes. I have a detailed video about this drive if you want to see how it looks to drive from Cusco to Hidroelectrica + the hike.

This is the alternative to the expensive train ride from Cusco to Aqua Calientes if you want to visit Machu Picchu. 

Drive from Cusco to Hidroelectrica

Because there is no road access to Aqua Calientes, the closes you can get to it by car is Hidroelectrica, which is on the opposite mountain and the last stretch of the road, of about 30 kilometres, is a dirt road, which isn’t recommended in the wet season.

The entire drive is detailed in a dedicated blog post — Can you drive to Machu Picchu?

There are frequent landslides, which can greatly delay your trip, as it happened to me. 

I drove on that last stretch after dark, and I was shocked. I almost drove the wrong way a couple of times, which would have been disastrous. I strongly encourage you to get there before it gets dark so you can clearly see the road. 

But you shouldn’t be afraid. This road is also used by a daily local shuttle that gets you from Cusco to Histroelectrica, which is the budget option for visiting Machu Picchu. 

Long story short, we made it to Aqua Calientes at almost midnight, and we were super tired after a drive that took up to 10 hours and a 3-hour hike. 

Hike from Hidroelectrica to Aqua Calientes at night (not advisable if there are disruptions)

The hike is basically on the train tracks from Hidroelectrica to Aqua Calientes. But when I did the hike, there was no service because there had been a massive landslide, and the tracks were destroyed. 

This also led to some confusion on our part on how to cross a small river that was now dividing the tracks. 

At night, we crossed the river barefoot, but it was a mistake. 

We saw our mistake when we returned two days later on the same trail to get back to the car. 

This hike can usually be done day or night, but if you’re going to do it at night, bring a lantern. There are no lights.

We used our phone’s lantern, and it was okay, but we couldn’t see more than 2 meters in front of us. 

After three excruciating hours, we made it to the village. On the hike, we had no phone signal to call our hotel and tell them we were late. Luckily, they waited for us. 

We stayed at NaturaLodge hotel, which is in the centre of Machu Picchu village. 

The plan was to arrive in the evening, sleep, wake up early to visit Machu Picchu, spend the entire day up the mountain, then come back to sleep, and the next morning leave early. 

I recommend staying in Aqua Calientes for two nights, one before your visit and one after. 

Day 5: Visiting Machu Picchu

The visit to Machu Picchu is much easier than expected. 

Some choose to book a complete Machu Picchu tour that includes ticket entry, bus to and from Aqua Calientes and a tour guide. But you can also do everything on your own. 

I purchased two tickets for Machu Picchu for that day because I wanted to visit two different parts of Machu Picchu, and no ticket grants you access to all areas anymore.

I really recommend doing the Wayna Pichu hike if you can.

Bus from Aqua Calientes to Machu Picchu

Our hotel staff walked with us to the bus station, which is minutes away from the hotel. You can buy your tickets at the stop after you show proof of your entry ticket to Machu Picchu. 

You can pay by card or cash. In April 2024, the return ticket for the bus to get you from Aqua Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu was $24. 

You can buy only a one-way ticket if you wish. 

Of course, you can walk there yourself, but it will probably take about one hour or longer, given that it is a steep uphill hike.

If you can afford it, get the bus because you’ll spend the entire day at Machu Picchu wandering around anyway, and you don’t want to arrive already tired. 

Circuits at Machu Picchu (what ticket to buy)

The Peruvian Ministry of Tourism is trying to avoid huge crowds at Machu Picchu, and that’s why they have introduced four separate circuits to follow inside. 

When you buy your ticket, you can choose between one of those circuits, as well as the entry time and date. You need to respect those. 

I had bought two tickets for the day. 

The most desired ticket is Circuit 4 with Wayna Picchu Mountain. This is a popular mountain hike on which you can climb the stairs of death. 

The tickets for this mountain are limited and are available only in the morning time slots. 

The top view from Wayna Picchu is probably the most complete view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. Since it is such a popular hike, tickets for this are usually sold out up to six months in advance. 

After we did that hike, we got out of the complex and had lunch at the snack bar at the entrance. It isn’t cheap compared to other places in Peru, but it was ok. 

Then, we patiently waited for our second entrance at Machu Picchu. 

The second one was Circuit Two, which is the most complete circuit of the Machu Picchu citadel and the one that most people get. 

!!UPDATE!! The circuits at Machu Picchu have been updated, and the ticket I used for my second entry doesn’t exist anymore. As of March 2026, the classic Circuit 2 ticket that everyone was getting did not slip between two other tickets (Circuit 1 – 1B or 1C + Circuit 2 – 2A).

If you need more help choosing the right ticket for your visit, check out my guide for choosing the right Machu Picchu ticket.

There is an option to get circuit 1 + Inka bridge (1D), but those are limited. Try to get that one, as it includes another part.

The main reason I wanted to get this second ticket was that this is the circuit that includes the stop where all the famous photos from Machu Picchu are taken. 

After the update, to get to that photo spot, you need the ticket that includes access to the upper terrace, which is Circuit 1B.

This is much more accessible than the circuit with the Wayna Picchu mountain. And you get to admire the citadel from both sides, which gives you a much better understanding of the mountain. 

I really enjoyed spending the entire day at Machu Picchu, but I was super tired by the end of it. We got the bus back to Aqua Calientes, went straight to the hotel, and went to sleep. I didn’t wake up until the next morning. 

Day 6: Drive back to Sacred Valley

The next morning, I woke up early again, had breakfast at the hotel, and then started the hike back to Hidroelectrica. 

I wrote about the entire experience in a dedicated blog, explaining exactly how you can drive to Machu Picchu village.

But here’s the essential information about this drive.

Hike from Aqua Calientes to Hidroelectrica

This time, it was much better, as it was day, and I could see the trail, and everything was so much more beautiful. 

The issue was that when we visited, there was a massive landslide that destroyed the railroad, and the hiking trail was temporarily redirected. But when we did it during the night, we missed the signs, and we crossed the river that destroyed the tracks. 

Now, during the day, it was obvious that there was a small bridge that the workers had created for hikers. 

Needless to say, the small river that was formed because of the landslide was actually dangerous, and we shouldn’t have crossed it as we did. 

I leave this here as a reminder that if the trail seems like a dead end at any point, then there must be a sign somewhere to a new pathway. 

After my entire trip to Peru, I now realise that tourism is important for the entire country, and locals take it very seriously, always striving to offer the best conditions and guidance to foreigners. 

During that night, it was only our foolishness that made us cross the river and not look for an alternative. Because it was dark, we were blind to the signs of the small bridge that was built for us just a few meters away. 

I want to mark this moment and make you realise that while the infrastructure in Peru isn’t perfect, there is always a safe alternative or road. Just remember that. 

We made it back to the car at Hidroelectrica, and the car was still there, waiting for us.

The guard there asked us for a tip, but I told him I had already paid it to his co-worker on the other shift when I first parked there, which was two days ago. He said “ok” and let us be. 

During the day, we also saw the small shuttle that was waiting for tourists to arrive from the trail and get them back to Cusco. The price was 50 Soles per person. But you can find the shuttle to book online too. 

Road condition from Hidroelectrica to Santa Teresa

The dirt road between Hidroelectrica and Santa Teresa was better during the day, and we made it to the paved road much faster. 

The 30-kilometre dirt road was under massive construction.

I believe that the government is making massive investments to make this road as accessible as possible to anyone. 

The major problem here is landslides, and the rainy season makes the road much worse. 

If the weather is good and not very wet, the road is accessible to any kind of car. 

I drove a sedan, and the side of the car or the fact that it was an automatic was never the issue. 

The only exception was that the landslide created a massive mountain over the road, which meant that I had to drive over a steep mountain, which is hard to do when you have an automatic car. 

I managed to get over it only because there were eight or more road workers who pushed me when I was climbing the hill. The same hill wasn’t an issue when I came back, as I was going downhill there. 

The thing to remember is that the shape and condition of the road are always subject to change because of the landslides.

The road workers warned us several times to move fast because there was a high risk of rocks falling from the mountain. This was especially scary at night. 

Luckily, we were fine, and nothing bad happened to us. I strongly recommend to carefully asses your driving skills and not drive there if you are not experienced with driving on mountain dirt roads. This isn’t for beginners or inexperienced drivers in such conditions. 

If you still want to take this route but can’t drive there, get the daily shuttle from Cusco. 

We felt very relieved when we escaped that road and finally reached asphalt. 

Sacred Valley and beyond

The entire road from Sacred Valley to Santa Teresa is simply stunning, and I recommend it to anyone who loves stunning mountainscapes. 

We stopped to get lunch at one of the local restaurants on the side of the road, which was selling fried trout (“trocha frita”). For 15 Soles, I got a plate of trout, rice, potatoes and salad, and it was amazing. 

We then made it just in time to visit Ollantaytambo, one of the most popular stops in the Sacred Valley. 

Often referred to as the Inka village, Ollantaytambo is one of the most intact Inca settlements that you can visit today in Peru. I made a short video about Ollantaytambo.

We only had about 30 minutes before it was closing for the day, but it was enough for us, especially since we had already visited Machu Picchu. 

You’ll see that most of these settlements carry a lot of resemblance. If you want to hire a guide, get one at only one of them, as the information seems to be the same everywhere you go. 

We spent the night at one of the many hotels around the Sacred Valley. I recommend booking one in advance, as it gets busy around here. 

Check out these hotels in Sacred Valley to get an idea of the prices and conditions. 

Day 7: Visit the Sacred Valley and go back to Cusco

This was our last day in Peru. We visited a bit more of the Sacred Valley. 

We stopped at Moray, another Inca village with famous circular terraces that were probably used for crops. 

If only we had woken up earlier, we probably would have made it to Maras salt terraces, but I didn’t want to risk not getting to the airport in time for our afternoon flight. 

I have an entire article with the entire list of all attractions in Sacred Valley (including tips for visiting), so go and check it out.

It turns out that I was right to hurry back to Cusco. There was a huge traffic jam in Cusco, as the main boulevard was under construction.

Luckily, the ladies at Sixt were very accommodating and didn’t take long to return our deposit and check the car. They even dropped us at the airport, which is only 5 minutes away on foot, but it helped. 

Is a road trip around Cusco, Peru, worth it?

If you’re the kind of traveller who loves to explore on your own, and you’re in for a more adventurous experience, then this 7-day road trip around Cusco is for you. 

If you have experience driving in similar countries and areas, can speak a bit of Spanish, and want to see more than your typical guide may show you, then do yourself a favour and rent a car in Peru. 

Peru is one of the richest tourist destinations I’ve ever visited, and not seeing all of this would be a pity and a real shame. 

I’m not trying to create FOMO, and you should probably carefully assess which of these top attractions in Peru genuinely attracts you and sparks your interest, but I feel like there is so much to explore and see; even a month in Peru wouldn’t be enough. 

Whatever you decide to do and however you decide to visit Peru, I’m sure you will have a blast! So enjoy it! 

Here is the video in case you want to see more of what it looks like to plan a road trip in Peru: