17 Days in Peru — Solo Female Backpacker

Arrive at Jorge Chávez International Airport

Take an official taxi from the airport to Miraflores — agree on a price before getting in (around 60–70 PEN). Avoid unlicensed taxis at night.

Check into hostel and decompress

Drop your bag and get oriented. Good budget picks include Loki Hostel or Barranco's Safe in Lima for social vibes.

Stroll the Malecón coastal cliffs

The clifftop walk along the Pacific at sunset is free and genuinely beautiful — a soft intro to Lima before the chaos starts.

Explore the Historic Centre (Centro Histórico)

Walk Plaza Mayor, visit the free exterior of the Cathedral and the Government Palace changing of the guard at 12:00 PM. The Monastery of San Francisco (catacombs!) is worth the 15 PEN entry.

Lunch in Chinatown (Barrio Chino)

Lima's Chinatown is one block from Plaza Mayor — a bowl of noodle soup or chifa rice is 10–15 PEN and surprisingly good.

Afternoon in Barranco

Take a bus or Uber to Barranco, Lima's bohemian arts district. Walk the Puente de los Suspiros, browse street art, and check out the MATE museum (Mario Testino photography, 30 PEN).

Book your overnight bus to Huacachina/Ica

Head to the Cruz del Sur or Oltursa terminal in Miraflores and book a bus departing tonight or confirm your existing booking. Lima–Ica takes about 4.5 hours.

Arrive in Ica, transfer to Huacachina

Buses drop you in Ica city — take a tuk-tuk or taxi (5–8 PEN) the 5km to Huacachina oasis. Check in, drop your bag, and stare at the fact that there's a lagoon in the middle of a desert.

Rest and explore the oasis loop

Walk the full loop around the lagoon (30 minutes), grab breakfast, and recover from the overnight bus before the afternoon activity.

Dune buggy and sandboarding tour

Every hostel sells this — pick one that departs around 3–4 PM to catch sunset on the dunes. The buggy ride is wild and the sandboarding is genuinely fun even if you're terrible at it. Non-negotiable experience.

Book Nazca Lines flight for tomorrow

Book through your hostel or directly with Aeroparacas or AeroIca — flights depart from Nazca airport (1 hour south by bus). Confirm timing and organize transport.

Bus from Ica to Nazca

Take an early bus from Ica to Nazca (about 2 hours, 15–20 PEN). The Nazca Lines flights are best in the morning before thermals get rough — book a 9–10 AM departure.

Nazca Lines scenic flight

Your 30-minute flight covers the Hummingbird, Spider, Astronaut, and Condor geoglyphs. Take motion sickness pills the night before — the small planes bank hard on every figure. Worth every penny despite the brief queasiness.

Mirador de las Líneas (observation tower)

The roadside metal tower gives a free(ish) ground-level view of the Hands and Tree geoglyphs — good for photos and context after your flight.

Afternoon bus toward Arequipa

Catch an afternoon Cruz del Sur or Oltursa bus from Nazca to Arequipa (about 9 hours). Book in advance — it's a popular route and semi-cama seats are worth the upgrade for this long haul.

Arrive in Arequipa, check into hostel

Arequipa sits at 2,335m — low enough to not require serious acclimatization but high enough to take it easy your first morning. Good budget hostels include Wild Rover or Casa de Melgar.

Plaza de Armas and Cathedral

Arequipa's main plaza is one of Peru's most beautiful — the white sillar volcanic stone architecture glows in morning light. Walk around, have coffee at a café with balcony views.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina

This is the must-do in Arequipa — a walled city within a city, 20,000 sqm of 16th-century convent with vivid painted streets. Budget 2 hours and don't rush it. Entry is 45 PEN.

Mirador de Yanahuara

15-minute walk from the centre — a free viewpoint over the city with El Misti volcano as backdrop. Great photo spot and a calm neighbourhood to wander.

Decide: Colca Canyon day trip tomorrow vs direct to Puno

FEASIBILITY NOTE: Colca Canyon is a 3–4 hour drive from Arequipa and spectacular, but fitting Arequipa, Rainbow Mountain, AND Lagoon Parón into a 17-day trip is a stretch. The honest advice: skip Rainbow Mountain from Arequipa (it's better accessed from Cusco anyway), and do Lagoon Parón from Huaraz at the end. Colca is optional here if you have an extra half-day.

Bus from Arequipa to Puno

Take a morning Cruz del Sur or Tour Peru bus — about 6 hours, passing through stunning altiplano scenery. Puno sits at 3,830m so this is your altitude jump day. Drink water constantly, eat lightly, and do not push yourself on arrival.

Arrive Puno, check in and rest

Check into a hostel (Loki Puno or Hostal Los Uros are good budget picks) and genuinely rest for 2–3 hours. Altitude sickness hits fast at 3,830m — headache and fatigue are normal. Mate de coca from any café helps.

Gentle walk to Puno Bay viewpoint

If you feel okay, a short flat walk toward the lake and the Puno waterfront is enough for day one. Don't hike uphill today.

Book Uros and Taquile Island tour for tomorrow

Book a full-day lake tour through your hostel or the port area — a combined Uros floating islands + Taquile Island tour runs about $15–20 USD and is the standard experience. Confirm departure time (usually 7:30 AM).

Boat to Uros Floating Islands

The tour departs from Puno port — the Uros islands are man-made from totora reeds and genuinely fascinating. Spend about 90 minutes, talk to the families, buy a woven souvenir directly from them (skip the group stall).

Boat to Taquile Island

A 2-hour boat ride to Taquile, a real Quechua community. The weaving cooperative here is UNESCO-recognized and the textiles are extraordinary. The island sits at 3,950m — walk slowly, stop often.

Lunch on Taquile with a local family

Many tours include a set lunch with a local family — trucha and quinoa soup. If yours doesn't, there are simple restaurants near the plaza. Eat slowly at altitude.

Return boat to Puno

About 3.5 hours back — bring a warm layer, the lake gets cold and windy in the afternoon even in May.

Book overnight bus to Cusco

Puno to Cusco is about 6–7 hours on the standard bus (Cruz del Sur or Peru Hop). Book a night bus departing around 8–9 PM to arrive in Cusco early morning and save accommodation cost.

Arrive Cusco, check into hostel

Cusco sits at 3,400m. Do not rush anything today. Check into a hostel near the centre — Pariwana, Loki, or Wild Rover are all well-located social hostels. Sleep for a few hours if you can.

Slow walk to Plaza de Armas

Just sit in the square, drink mate de coca, watch the city. Walk to Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun) nearby — half free to view from outside, 15 PEN to enter. Flat walking only today.

San Pedro Market

The local market two blocks from the plaza — fresh juices, cheap lunch, textiles, and real daily life. Get a freshly pressed juice for 3 PEN and a set menu almuerzo for 10–12 PEN.

Rest and hydrate

Genuinely go back to the hostel and lie down. Altitude headaches are common day one in Cusco — Ibuprofen helps, Diamox (acetazolamide) is worth considering if you're sensitive. Do not drink alcohol today.

Confirm Inca Trail trek logistics

Check in with your trek operator, confirm your departure time and meeting point for Day 9, and sort your kit. You need your original passport. Pack light — porters take your main bag, you carry a day pack.

Cusco Cathedral and Compañía de Jesús

Two stunning colonial churches on the Plaza de Armas — the Cathedral has an extraordinary interior with Cusqueña school paintings and a famous Last Supper where the main dish is cuy (guinea pig). Entry is 25 PEN each or part of the Boleto Turístico.

San Blas neighbourhood walk

The whitewashed artisan quarter above the plaza — meandering cobbled lanes, workshops, ceramics shops and the famous 12-angled stone on Calle Hatunrumiyoc. Flat-ish walking, genuinely lovely.

Museo Inka (Inca Museum)

The best museum in Cusco for understanding the Inca world before you walk the trail — mummies, gold, ceramics, quipus (knotted record systems). Only 20 PEN entry and genuinely fascinating.

Afternoon rest — feet up, tea, no hiking

This is your last full rest before the Inca Trail starts. Sleep, stretch, read. This is NOT a Sacsayhuamán day — save legs for the trail. Your body is still adapting.

Final gear check and early night

Lay out everything you need for tomorrow's early start — permit, passport, day pack, layers, rain gear. Trek operators typically collect you between 5–6 AM. Sleep by 9 PM.

Transfer to Km 82 trailhead

Your guide picks you up for a roughly 2-hour drive to the trailhead. This is where it gets real — permit check, gear check, meet your team of porters and chef. The trail starts here.

Trek to Llactapata ruins

The first section is relatively gentle — 11km through Sacred Valley farmland with early Inca ruins at Llactapata. Elevation gain is moderate. Pace yourself and drink water constantly.

Lunch at camp (porter-cooked)

Your trek includes all meals — the cooks are legitimately impressive given the conditions. Sit, eat well, and don't push through lunch.

Arrive Huayllabamba camp (3,000m)

The first campsite — about 12km total today. Set up your tent, rest, and socialize with your group. Tomorrow is the hardest day on the trail, so sleep is priority.

Early start — climb to Dead Woman's Pass

The hardest day on the trail — a brutal 1,200m climb to the highest point at 4,215m. Go impossibly slow, breathe through your nose, and never feel embarrassed to stop. The view from the top is worth every wheeze.

Descent to Pacaymayu camp

The descent after the pass is steep and knee-testing — trekking poles are your best friends here. Bring them or rent from your operator.

Second pass and descent to Chaquicocha

Some operators push through a second pass (Runcuracay, 3,950m) on day 2. The campsite at Chaquicocha sits at 3,600m amid cloud forest — genuinely magical if the mist rolls in.

Morning trek through cloud forest ruins

Day 3 is the reward day — descending through lush cloud forest past incredible ruins: Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, and Wiñay Wayna. Wiñay Wayna is a staggering terraced site that most tourists never see — take your time here.

Camp at Wiñay Wayna (final camp)

The last campsite before Machu Picchu. Celebrate with your group, tip your porters (this is important and expected — $20–30 USD per porter is appropriate), and be in bed by 8 PM.

Final push to Sun Gate (Inti Punku)

A headtorch hike through darkness to reach the Sun Gate at dawn — the first view of Machu Picchu from above as mist rolls through the valley below is genuinely one of the most powerful moments in travel. Stop here as long as you want.

Guided tour of Machu Picchu citadel

Your guide leads a 2-hour tour of the main temples, terraces, and residential quarters. Listen — a good guide transforms what looks like ruins into a living city. The Temple of the Sun and Intihuatana stone are highlights.

Free time at Machu Picchu

After the guided tour, wander freely. The terraces looking back at Huayna Picchu mountain are the classic photo spots. Avoid the crowds by walking to the agricultural zone lower down.

Bus down to Aguas Calientes

Take the Consettur bus down to Aguas Calientes (the town at the base). Shower, eat a real meal, and consider the thermal baths (10 PEN entry) for screaming muscles.

Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo

Take the Peru Rail Vistadome or Expedition train back to Ollantaytambo (~1.5 hours), then a shared colectivo or minibus back to Cusco (~2 hours). Book train in advance — $35–50 USD.

OVERNIGHT VIABILITY NOTE — Cusco to Lima

After returning to Cusco tonight you have two real options for Day 14 onward: (1) One rest night in Cusco then fly Lima (45 min, $60–100 USD on LATAM/Sky) or (2) overnight bus Cusco–Lima (22 hours — NOT recommended after 4 days of hard trekking). Take the flight. Your legs will thank you.

Sleep in, recover, stretch

Your body needs this. Sleep until 9 AM, get a big breakfast, and move slowly. This is not negotiable after 4 days on the trail.

OPTIONAL: Book Rainbow Mountain tour for today if feeling strong

Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca, 5,200m) is a 3–4 hour drive from Cusco plus a moderate hike. Tours depart at 4 AM and return by 4 PM — cost is $25–35 USD. ONLY do this if you feel genuinely good after the trail. It's beautiful but at 5,200m it's no joke, and doing it the day after Machu Picchu is ambitious. Honestly, it's worth it if your legs are fine — the colors are surreal.

Sacsayhuamán ruins

If skipping Rainbow Mountain, Sacsayhuamán is the massive Inca fortress just above Cusco — part of the Boleto Turístico. The stonework is mind-blowing and it's only a 20-minute uphill walk from the plaza (or take a taxi).

Book flight to Lima for tomorrow

Book on LATAM, Sky Airline, or Avianca for the Cusco–Lima morning flight. The airport (Alejandro Velasco Astete) is 15 minutes from the centre — get a taxi for 10–12 PEN.

Fly Cusco to Lima

Morning flight lands in Lima around 9 AM. You're not staying in Lima today — head directly to the Movil Tours or Cruz del Sur terminal in Lima for the afternoon bus to Huaraz.

Lima airport transfer to bus terminal

Take a taxi from the airport to the Javier Prado bus terminal area — about 45 minutes in traffic. The Movil Tours terminal on Javier Prado is your best bet for Huaraz.

Lunch near bus terminal

You have a few hours before the Huaraz bus — eat something solid. Any menu del día restaurant near Javier Prado will do (15–20 PEN).

Bus Lima to Huaraz

About 8 hours on the bus, arriving in Huaraz around 10 PM. Movil Tours and Cruz del Sur both run this route — about $20–30 USD. Huaraz sits at 3,050m, which should feel manageable after Cusco and the trail.

Arrive Huaraz, check in and rest

Check into a budget hostel — Albergue Churup or Casa de Zarela are backpacker favourites. After the Lima bus sleep is fine — you actually arrive more rested than you expect on overnight buses from lower altitude.

Explore Huaraz town centre

Walk the Plaza de Armas, check out the Museo Regional de Ancash (small, cheap, good Recuay culture exhibits), and get your bearings. The Cordillera Blanca mountains visible from town are jaw-dropping on a clear morning.

Book Laguna Parón day trip for tomorrow

Laguna Parón is Huaraz's most spectacular lake — vivid turquoise beneath Artesonraju peak (the Paramount Pictures mountain). Book a colectivo or private tour through your hostel. Colectivo from town is cheapest at ~$8–12 USD return.

Afternoon: Mirador de Rataquenua viewpoint

A 20-minute walk above town for panoramic views of the Cordillera Blanca and Huascarán (Peru's highest peak at 6,768m). Keep the walk easy — altitude is 3,050m here and you're still building fitness reserves.

Day trip to Laguna Parón

Depart early in a colectivo to Caraz (~1 hour), then up the canyon road to Laguna Parón (4,185m). The lake is an intense turquoise surrounded by jagged peaks including Artesonraju. Walk the shoreline loop (2–3 hours, easy terrain). This is genuinely one of Peru's most beautiful spots and criminally undervisited.

Lunch in Caraz town

Stop in Caraz on the way back — it's a charming small town with excellent manjar blanco (caramel spread). Lunch at any local restaurant for 12–15 PEN.

Return to Huaraz, pack and check out

Back in Huaraz by mid-afternoon — pack your bags, grab a hot shower, and prepare for the final overnight bus.

Final dinner and souvenirs

Huaraz market has good alpaca wool items at fair prices compared to Cusco — if you're buying textiles or souvenirs, now is the time.

Overnight bus Huaraz to Lima

The night bus back to Lima takes 8–9 hours — Movil Tours runs a reliable service. You'll arrive in Lima early morning for your international flight. This overnight is very viable — it's downhill, smooth road, and you wake up at sea level feeling surprisingly fine.