Travel guide
How to see Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines in 12 days
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Twelve days is enough to fly over the Nazca Lines and visit Machu Picchu without rushing, as long as you cross from the coast to the Andes gradually. Our Peru Express route does it in 12 days and 11 nights: Lima, Paracas and Huacachina, the Nazca flight, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, then Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. It starts from USD 2,350, about CAD 3,324, and the same route can be arranged as a private trip on your own dates.
The 12-day route at a glance
The logic of this itinerary is simple: see the desert coast first, while you are still at sea level, then climb into the Andes in stages so that Machu Picchu comes at the end, when your body has adjusted. The package lists three-star hotels, Casa Andina or similar, for ten of the eleven nights. The other night is spent on the bus from Nazca to Arequipa.
The trip starts and ends with transfers: airport pickup in Lima on day 1 and a transfer to Cusco airport on day 12 for the flight back to Lima.
- Day 1: arrival in Lima, private transfer to Miraflores.
- Day 2: Ballestas Islands boat trip, Paracas Reserve, Ica vineyard, Huacachina dune buggy and sandboarding, night in Nazca.
- Day 3: Nazca Lines flight, free afternoon, overnight bus to Arequipa.
- Day 4: free day in Arequipa.
- Day 5: drive to the Colca Canyon through the Pampas Cañahuas reserve, night in Colca.
- Day 6: Cruz del Condor viewpoint, afternoon bus to Puno.
- Day 7: boat day on Lake Titicaca, Uros floating islands and Taquile.
- Day 8: scenic bus to Cusco along the Ruta del Sol.
- Day 9: Cusco city tour with Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay, Koricancha and the Cathedral.
- Day 10: Sacred Valley, Pisac and Ollantaytambo, evening train to Aguas Calientes.
- Day 11: guided visit of Machu Picchu, train back to Cusco.
- Day 12: transfer to Cusco airport for the flight to Lima.
Days 1 to 3: Lima, Paracas, Huacachina and the Nazca flight
Day 2 is the longest on the coast. You leave Lima early for Paracas, take the boat to the Ballestas Islands past the Candelabra geoglyph, then continue to Ica for a vineyard visit with pisco tasting and a dune buggy ride with sandboarding at the Huacachina oasis. You reach Nazca in the evening and sleep there, so the flight is not squeezed into the same day as the drive from Lima.
On day 3 you fly over the lines from the Nazca airfield and have the rest of the day free before the night bus. If you book the flight on its own, note that the airfield tax (S/ 30) and the Boleto Turístico (S/ 47) are paid at the airfield before boarding. When you ask for a quote, check whether these S/ 77 per person are included.
Travellers who prefer to fly from Pisco, closer to Lima and served by larger Cessna Caravan aircraft, can ask for that option in the quote. Global Affairs Canada describes Pisco as the safest option for Nazca flights and advises using a certified operator. Our guide on where to fly over the Nazca Lines compares both airfields.
Days 4 to 8: the gradual climb from the coast to Cusco
This is what sets the 12-day route apart from shorter plans. Instead of going straight from sea level to Cusco, you spend a full rest day in Arequipa after the night bus, then gain height step by step: the drive to Colca crosses viewpoints above 4,800 m, but you sleep lower in the canyon; Puno and Lake Titicaca come next, and the bus to Cusco crosses the La Raya pass at 4,335 m before descending towards the city.
By the time you reach Cusco on day 8 you have spent four nights in the Andes. Climbing gradually like this is the standard advice for reducing the risk of altitude sickness. Our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco covers the symptoms and what to do if you feel unwell.
The Ruta del Sol bus on day 8 is a sightseeing day in its own right: the Pukara museum, a buffet lunch in Sicuani, the Inca temple of Raqchi and the church of Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes.
Days 9 to 11: Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
Day 9 covers the city and the four ruins above it in one guided outing, with a free afternoon. On day 10 you drive through the Sacred Valley with stops at Pisac, its ruins and market, lunch in the valley and the Ollantaytambo fortress, then board the evening train to Aguas Calientes, the village below Machu Picchu.
Sleeping in Aguas Calientes means you are already at the foot of the site on day 11: you take the morning bus up to the citadel and visit the main sectors with a guide. After lunch in town you take the train back to Cusco.
Since 1 May 2026, Machu Picchu entry for a foreign adult costs S/ 163 (S/ 152 plus a S/ 11 surcharge for foreign visitors), and tickets are sold on the official site, tuboleto.cultura.pe. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain require a separate ticket. If you want to add one of them, mention it in your request so it can be priced and booked with the rest of the trip.
A lighter version: Nazca and Machu Picchu without Titicaca
If the Andes loop through Arequipa, Colca and Puno is more than you want, our Peru Adventure package covers the same coast and the same Cusco and Machu Picchu days in 8 days and 7 nights, from USD 1,790, about CAD 2,532. The trade-off is the transfer: it takes the direct night bus from Nazca to Cusco, so you arrive at altitude without intermediate stops. Day 4 is kept free in Cusco for that reason.
A practical approach is to keep the 8-day base and turn it into 12 days by adding what matters most to you: a second free day in Cusco before the Sacred Valley, a night in the Sacred Valley instead of a long day trip, or a final night in Lima before the flight home. Each addition is priced in the quote, so you only pay for the days you choose. Our guide on how to get from Nazca to Cusco explains the bus, the route through Arequipa and the option of flying from Lima.
Fitting the itinerary to flights from Canada
Air Canada flies nonstop from Toronto and Montreal to Lima in the northern winter. For winter 2026 to 2027 it moves to three flights a week, from 24 October in Toronto and 25 October in Montreal. Last winter the Toronto flight landed at 06:10 and the Montreal flight at 02:15, so plan day 1 as an arrival and rest day. Air Transat has also flown nonstop to Lima from Toronto and Montreal since December 2023. Check both schedules for your dates before you book.
The end of the trip needs more attention. The published itinerary finishes with a transfer to Cusco airport for the flight to Lima. If your flight to Canada leaves Lima in the morning (the Air Transat flight to Toronto was scheduled at 08:00 in summer 2026), take the Cusco flight on day 12, spend that night in Lima and fly home the next morning. We can build that extra night into the quote.
Canadians do not need a visa for a tourist stay of up to 90 days in a 365-day period. The passport must be valid for six months from arrival, and Global Affairs Canada recommends travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, which matters on a route that goes above 4,000 m.
What it costs and what to confirm in your quote
Peru Express is listed from USD 2,350 and Peru Adventure from USD 1,790. At the Bank of Canada rate of 1.4145 for 25 September 2026, that is about CAD 3,324 and CAD 2,532. Payments are charged in US dollars, so your card issuer applies its own rate on the day.
The packages list three-star hotels. Because every private trip is priced for its own dates, number of travellers and hotel level, ask the quote to state clearly what is included.
- Price per person and room type (double, twin or single).
- Domestic flight from Cusco to Lima on the last day.
- Nazca airfield fees, S/ 77 per person, and Machu Picchu entry, S/ 163 per foreign adult.
- Train class to Aguas Calientes and bus tickets up to the citadel.
- Any upgrade to a higher hotel category or an extra night in Lima, Cusco or the Sacred Valley.
How to book it as a private trip
The package pages present these routes as escorted tours for 2 to 12 travellers. The same route can also be run privately, for a couple or a family, starting on the date that suits your flights. Use the request form on the Peru Express or Peru Adventure page with your name, email, number of travellers and travel date, or send the same details by WhatsApp to +51 941 695 002. We prepare the quote and reply on the channel you used.
Once the itinerary is agreed, we send you a secure payment link. You can pay by card through Izipay or by bank wire. If you travel in the Andean dry season, from April to October, request your quote well ahead so train seats and Machu Picchu tickets can be booked for your dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is 12 days enough for Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines?
Yes. Twelve days covers the Nazca flight, the Paracas coast, Arequipa, Colca, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, with a gradual climb that eases acclimatisation. If you only want Nazca and Machu Picchu, our shortest package that combines both, Peru Adventure, takes 8 days.
Should I visit Nazca before or after Machu Picchu?
Before. Starting on the coast lets you begin at sea level and climb towards Cusco gradually, which reduces the risk of altitude sickness at Machu Picchu.
How much does a 12-day private trip to Nazca and Machu Picchu cost?
Peru Express is listed from USD 2,350, about CAD 3,324 at the Bank of Canada rate of 1.4145 (25 September 2026). The final price depends on your dates, group size and hotel level, and is confirmed in a written quote.
Is there an overnight bus in this itinerary?
Yes, one: Nazca to Arequipa on the night of day 3, followed by a free day in Arequipa. It can be replaced by a return to Lima and a flight if you prefer, which changes the route and the price.
What is the best time of year for this itinerary?
April to October, the dry season in the Andes. The coast can be visited all year. From November to March, rain is frequent in Cusco and at Machu Picchu, but that is also when Air Canada runs its seasonal nonstop flights from Toronto and Montreal, starting in late October.
