The 15 5-Day Experiences in Peru That Earn Their Price

1.Small Group 5 Days Salkantay and Machu Picchu by Llactapata Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $593Our pick

Trek from Cusco across the Salkantay Pass, past Humantay Lake, tropical farms, and Llactapata ruins before reaching Machu Picchu. Groups are limited to nine, with bilingual guides, meals, mules for up to 7 kilograms of gear, camping, a private room in Aguas Calientes, and train transport back to Ollantaytambo. Guides may include Jainor, Carlos, Dario, Henry, or Rolando.

“Jainor was a gem of a tour guide. He is clearly passionate about Incan history and culture, and he conveys this well to the group. He also transitioned extremely smoothly between Spanish and English when explaining things in amazing detail and depth. He was never rushed, always taking the time to answer everyone’s questions. Lastly, he dealt well with the varying physical conditions of the group, with age ranges from 21 to 67.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 5 days · from $655

Trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass, with glamping at 4,150 meters, cloud-forest huts, a Pachamanca feast, coffee tasting, and a night overlooking the citadel at Llactapata. Small groups of up to 16 travel with English or Spanish guides, cooks, muleteers, and a panoramic train back to Cusco.

“Fantastic trip! All of the staff were incredible. The food was delicious and better than the restaurant food we had in aquas calientes. Cesar was a brilliant guide and looked after us really well. Some highlights. Salkantay mountain standing over our campsite first night. The night sky first night. The very distant view of macchu picchu on the fourth night. Some tips - you need cash in Peru. Be prepared. Altitude was a problem on the first day of the trip and medication (acetazolamide) helped those who had it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Ausangate Trek 5 Days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $660

Spend five days circling Ausangate, Peru’s sacred 6,384-meter mountain, with a small group of up to 10. Guides such as Guillermo, Urbano, and Chino lead you across high passes, glacial lakes, and remote villages, while cooks prepare full meals and horse drivers carry camp gear. Expect thin air, cold nights, and some of the Andes’ finest scenery.

“Where to begin? A fabulous trek with an incredible team. There were two of us, and we were pampered by the Vidal Expedition team. Ansangate is a captivating mountain, and it must be experienced with people who reveal its spirituality to you. Every day we went from glacier to glacier, from color to color, from discovery to experience. The expedition was very comfortable with top-notch equipment transported by our horse driver Angel. We ate more than enough thanks to our cook Beni and our assistant cook Euden, and we were expertly guided by our guide Chino. Thank you all for your good humor and smiles, thank you for all these…”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Classic Choquequirao Trek – 5 Days / 4 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $735

Walk from Cachora into the Apurímac Valley, camp near Marampata, and spend a full day at Choquequirao, an Inca citadel larger than Machu Picchu but far less visited. Salkantay Trekking provides guides, cooks, muleteers, tents, meals, transport, safety gear, and a 5-kilogram duffle allowance. Expect a demanding trek with steep descents and climbs.

“Excellent! Well organized. Fantastic support, food, and experience. Our guide, Guido, made sure to motivate each member of our group with enthusiasm and compassion. We, 5 friends from California, had a great experience thanks to our guide, GUIDO.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Ultimate Lares Trek & Inca Trail 5 days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $980

This five-day route combines quiet Lares Valley trails, remote Quechua villages, hot springs, two nights of camping, and the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Guides such as Manolo, Sara, Elias, and Anthony are known for patient support and strong local insight. Expect high altitude, long hiking days, excellent camp meals, and a small group of no more than 12.

“I recently did the 3-day Lares Trek combined with the Short Inca Trail, and it was amazing! As a solo female traveler, I felt completely safe and well cared for by the entire team. Our guides, Anthony and Gilbert, were fantastic—they’re both from the region, so their knowledge of the area, history, and culture was incredible. Their passion really brought the trek to life, and they spoke great English, which made everything easier.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Wonderful Cusco 5-Day Tour with Entrance to Machupicchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $610

This five-day Cusco package combines Pisac in the Sacred Valley, a guided Machu Picchu visit, and a strenuous Rainbow Mountain hike reaching 5,033 meters. Maypi Travel includes four Cusco hotel nights, breakfasts, airport transfers, train tickets, Machu Picchu buses, entrance fees, and selected meals. Guide Guido is specifically praised for his Machu Picchu tours.

“The experience was perfect. On time with the schedules, delicious food, very wise your guides, security is excellent, and the price was comfortable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $690

Hike from Cusco through high Andean passes, cloud forest, and coffee country to Machu Picchu on a five-day small-group trek. Expect bilingual guides such as Christian or Eddie, full camp support, cooked meals, a hotel night in Aguas Calientes, and train transport back toward Cusco. The first two days are demanding at altitude.

“What an amazing trip- I would thoroughly recommend it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.5-Day: Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu and Humantay Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $360Best value

This five-day trek takes you from Cusco to Humantay Lake, across the 4,600-meter Salkantay Pass, through jungle country, and on to Machu Picchu. You get a bilingual guide, four nights of lodging, meals, horses for up to 5 kilograms of gear, and a private citadel tour. Roger is one guide praised for his friendly, helpful approach.

“The Salkantay 5 day trek to Machu Picchu was a wonderful experience. Being in a small group made it more exceptional and personal. Our guide, Roger, was super, very helpful, and friendly! I would do it again”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Salkantay 5-Day Trek To Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $797

You’ll trek from Cusco through Soraypampa, Laguna de Humantay, the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass, Santa Teresa, and Aguas Calientes before touring Machu Picchu. A bilingual local guide leads a small group of up to 16, while mules carry camping gear and 7 kilos of your belongings. Expect cold camps, long walking days, and major altitude changes.

“Such a fun and challenging experience. I had no issues completing the trek, you want to make sure you are in good shape before arriving as it can be difficult if you are not prepared for log days and sometimes tough terrain. Beautiful views good food and excellent tour guides! Highly recommend to all!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.5 Day – Tour to Machu Picchu Traditional – Group service

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $813

You’ll spend five days tracing Inca and colonial Peru, from Qorikancha and Sacsayhuaman to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu. A small group of up to 15 people travels with an English or Spanish-speaking guide, staying four nights in Casa Andina 3-star hotels or similar. Trains, buses, airport transfers, breakfasts, and major entrance fees are included.

“The trip was very well organized and the tour guides are superb.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Salkantay Trek: 5 Days to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $909

This five-day trek from Cusco crosses Humantay Lake, the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass, coffee country, Santa Teresa, and Aguas Calientes before a guided visit to Machu Picchu. Expect small groups of up to 12, three nights camping, one hotel night, bilingual guides, cooks, horses for gear, and long hiking days.

“The tour was incredibly beautiful. We learned so much, and had the opportunity to see incredible natural beauty too! Food was amazing and staff was great!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.5 Day – Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu – Group Service

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 27 reviews · from $650

Spend five days hiking from the Andes to Machu Picchu with a group of up to 16 people. You’ll cross the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass, camp in mountain and jungle settings, relax at hot springs, and finish with a sunrise visit to Machu Picchu. Guides such as Aldo and Victor have been praised for their care and local insight.

“We had a great guide in Aldo who allowed us to customize parts of the 5 day trip to suit our group’s liking. The guide, cooks and porters were timely and ensured we never went hungry. I’d recommend Valencia Travel and highly recommend Aldo as a guide due to his experience and knowledge of the local culture/ mountains”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu Sky Lodge Dome

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · 5 days · from $700

Take five days from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Humantay Lagoon and the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass. You sleep in domes with private bathrooms, learn coffee production at a plantation, and finish with a guided visit to Machu Picchu. Guides including Roberto and Abel have led this route, with meals and transport included.

“Hee goed verzorgd! Goed eten en fijne bedden, laatste hotel was ‘oke’. De domes waren top! Alleen nacht 1 zeer koud maar ik Geloof dat dit bij alle domes van alle organisaties wel zo was! Eigen douche en toilet, top! Hike zelf prachtig!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Manu National Park Tours from Cusco 5 Days

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 5 reviews · 5 days · from $673

Travel from Cusco through Paucartambo and Tres Cruces into Manu National Park on a five-day small-group tour for up to nine people. You’ll ride the Madre de Dios River, watch parrots and Andean Cock of the Rock, hike with a bilingual guide, eat Amazonian dishes, and sleep in lodges with mosquito nets. Pickup and return to your hotel or airport are included.

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days with Sky Lodge Domes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 5 days · from $680

Trek from Challacancha to Machu Picchu in a small group of up to eight. You’ll hike to Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass, sleep in private Sky Lodge Domes, visit Llactapata, and spend one night in Aguas Calientes. Guides such as Fernando and Nildo, plus a skilled cook, help make the demanding route manageable.

“Le trek du Salkantay au Pérou était une expérience incroyable. Les paysages étaient grandioses, variés et à couper le souffle -entre montagnes enneigées, vallées verdoyantes et le superbe lac Humantay, vraiment magnifique. L’organisation était globalement très bonne. En cas de mal d’altitude, il y a toujours la possibilité de monter à cheval (payant), ce qui est rassurant pour les moments les plus difficiles. Le cuisinier nous a préparé d’excellents repas tout au long du trek : variés, savoureux, et bienvenus après une longue journée de marche. Le guide était également très professionnel, sympathique et attentif à chacun. Le seul petit bémol : la seconde nuit, où l’hébergement n’était pas à…”

Check availability →Read our full review