Nature route · A week

Peru: Andes & Altiplano

A condor canyon, the highest navigable lake, a painted mountain, and the Amazon's edge.

A high-country route through southern Peru linking the condors of Colca Canyon, the reed islands of Lake Titicaca, the striped Rainbow Mountain near Cusco, and a drop into the Amazon rainforest at Manu.

Length 9–11 days
Stops 4 wonders
Budget S/ 4,000–12,300 pp
Region Andes, Peru

Photo: world-wide-gifts.com (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 2.0

Trip map

Numbered markers show the stops in day order. Scroll or pinch to zoom; drag to pan. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

The route

Stops in travel order — tap any one for the full wonder guide.

Colca Canyon 2 nights

Arequipa Region, southern Peru

One of the world's deepest canyons, where Andean condors ride the morning thermals — from Arequipa.
Lake Titicaca 2 nights

Peru–Bolivia border, Andes

The highest navigable lake on Earth and its floating Uros reed islands — from Puno on the altiplano.
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) 2 nights

Cusco Region, Peruvian Andes

The striped mineral slopes of Vinicunca at over 5,000 m — a high day-hike from Cusco.
Manú National Park 3 nights

Madre de Dios & Cusco, southeastern Peru

A descent from the Andes into one of the most biodiverse rainforests on Earth.

Day by day

Days 1–2
Arequipa & Colca Canyon

Base Colca / Chivay
- Fly to Arequipa; road to the Colca valley — about 3–4h
Acclimatise in Arequipa, then head to the Colca Canyon for the Cruz del Cóndor at dawn, when the great birds rise on the thermals.
Days 3–4
Across to Lake Titicaca

Base Puno, Lake Titicaca
- Road across the altiplano to Puno — about 6h
Cross the high plateau to Puno on the shore of Titicaca. Boat out to the Uros floating reed islands and Taquile for a night's homestay.
Days 5–7
To Cusco & Rainbow Mountain

Base Cusco
- Road or rail to Cusco — about 6–7h
- Pre-dawn day trip to Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain)
Move to Cusco to acclimatise further, then a very early, very high day-hike to the striped slopes of Vinicunca. Rest days here also open the door to Machu Picchu.
Days 8–9
Down into Manu & the Amazon

Base Manu, Amazon Basin
- Overland descent from the Andes into the Manu cloud forest and lowlands — a long journey
Drop from the high Andes through cloud forest into the Amazon at Manu — clay licks, oxbow lakes, and some of the richest wildlife on the planet — before flying out via Cusco.

What it costs

Per person, two sharing, 9 nights, in Peruvian soles. Excludes international flights to Lima.

Category	Range (per person)
TransportDomestic flights (Lima–Arequipa–Cusco) plus buses and transfers across the south.	S/ 1,000–3,000
Lodging9 nights from hostels and homestays to hotels and a jungle lodge.	S/ 1,200–4,000
FoodMarkets and menús to restaurants; jungle-lodge meals are usually included.	S/ 600–1,800
Fees & guidesColca and Rainbow Mountain tours, Titicaca boats and homestay, and the guided Manu programme.	S/ 1,200–3,500
Estimated total	S/ 4,000–12,300

What moves the number

The Manu rainforest programme — a guided lodge trip is the biggest single cost
Group tours vs private guiding, and hostels vs hotels
Domestic airfares and how early you book
Season and the PEN exchange rate

Indicative mid-2026 ranges in soles; confirm current fares, tour, and lodge prices before booking. Roughly US$1,050–3,250 per person at mid-2026 exchange rates, excluding international flights. These are honest ranges, not quotes — real prices swing with season, group size, and how you travel. Always confirm current fares, room rates, permits, and fees with operators before you commit.

Best season & getting around

🗓️ Best time to go

The Andean dry season, roughly May to September (into October), is the time to go: clear skies for the canyon and Rainbow Mountain, calmer weather on the altiplano, and better trails and river conditions in Manu. The wet season (November–March) brings cloud, mud, and some road and trail closures at altitude.

🧭 Getting around

A mix of flights (into Arequipa and Cusco) and long, scenic road transfers across the altiplano, plus boats on Titicaca and in Manu. Altitude is the real challenge — build in acclimatisation days before the highest stops. Rainbow Mountain and Manu are booked as guided trips.

Know before you go

Altitude is serious here — Colca, Titicaca, Cusco, and especially Rainbow Mountain (over 5,000 m) demand real acclimatisation days; ascend gradually.
Rainbow Mountain is a pre-dawn, very high day-hike — go slowly, and consider it only after several days at altitude.
Manu is deep, guided rainforest travel — book a reputable operator and allow full days for the overland descent and return.
All distances, times, and prices are approximate and shift with season, altitude conditions, and exchange rates.

Southern Peru stacks its wonders by altitude, and this route reads them from the high, dry Andes down into the steaming Amazon. It begins with the condors of the Colca Canyon and the shimmering altiplano of Lake Titicaca, climbs to the improbable striped slopes of Vinicunca — the Rainbow Mountain — and then drops off the edge of the mountains into the rainforest of Manu, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

The thread running through it is altitude: several stops sit well above 3,500 metres, and Rainbow Mountain tops 5,000, so the itinerary is built around acclimatisation and a gradual ascent. Come in the clear Andean dry season, take the high days slowly, and let Peru unfold from condor thermals to jungle canopy.