At a glanceFly to Cusco and head straight to the Sacred Valley for three slow nights, spend two nights at Machu Picchu so you can see it at both ends of the day, have one evening in Cusco, then fly into the Amazon for three nights at a Tambopata river lodge. It suits curious couples who want mountains and wildlife in one trip. May to September is driest in both places.
Most Peru honeymoons stop at Machu Picchu. This one keeps going into the Amazon, which is only about an hour's flight from Cusco and feels like another planet. In ten days you get the Sacred Valley's river lodges and terraces, two nights at Machu Picchu, a single evening in Cusco and three nights at a lodge on the Tambopata or Madre de Dios rivers, where macaws, giant otters and caimans are part of the daily routine.
The route is built around altitude. You start in the Sacred Valley at about 9,400 feet, drop to Aguas Calientes at about 6,700 feet, spend just one night in Cusco at 11,150 feet and then fly down to the rainforest near sea level. That means fewer headaches and better sleep than routes that start in Cusco.
There are four hotels, but each one feels very different. Book Machu Picchu tickets first, then trains, then the domestic flights, which are the pieces that sell out.
The route
- Sacred ValleyPeru · 3 nights
- Machu PicchuPeru · 2 nights
- CuscoPeru · 1 nights
- TambopataPeru · 3 nights
- Best months
- May to September, when the Andes are clear and the Amazon is at its driest
- Trip length
- 10 days
- Budget
- About $450–1,000 a night for two in lodges and boutique hotels, with Sanctuary Lodge and Explora costing more (approximate)
Day by day
Days 1–3: Sacred Valley
Fly from the US to Lima and connect to Cusco (CUZ), about an hour and a quarter. If your flight lands in Lima at night, sleep at the airport hotel and fly to Cusco in the morning. From Cusco Airport, drive straight to the Sacred Valley, about one to one and a half hours. Take the first afternoon slowly with water, soup and an early night.
Explora Valle Sagrado is the splurge for active couples, with guided hikes every day and a spa in an old colonial manor. Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba and Sol y Luna both have casitas set in gardens with mountain views and cost less.
On day two, walk the circular terraces at Moray, then hike or cycle down to the Maras salt pans. On day three, explore the Inca fortress at Ollantaytambo in the morning, when its stone terraces are quiet. Then watch weavers at Chinchero dye alpaca wool with plants and insects. Keep the evening free for a long dinner by the fire, since you leave for Machu Picchu early.
Days 4–5: Machu Picchu
Ride the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, about one and a half hours through a narrowing canyon with snowy peaks and cloud forest. The Vistadome has glass roof panels. Belmond's Hiram Bingham is the luxury option, with a dining car and live music.
This route gives you two nights here, which changes the whole experience. Stay at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, set among orchids and hummingbirds by the river, or at Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel. The splurge is the Sanctuary Lodge, a Belmond hotel and the only one at the gates of the citadel.
On your first afternoon, visit with a guide as the crowds thin. On day five, go up again at opening time. Climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for the classic view down on the ruins, or walk to the Sun Gate, Intipunku, where the Inca Trail ends. Spend the afternoon on a short bird-watching walk in the cloud forest, then soak in the hot springs in Aguas Calientes.
Day 6: Cusco
Take a morning train back to Ollantaytambo or ride all the way to Poroy station near Cusco, then transfer to the city. You have only one night here, so book a hotel in the center. Palacio Nazarenas, a Belmond hotel in a former convent built on Inca foundations, offers oxygen-enriched rooms and a heated courtyard pool, which helps at 11,150 feet.
Walk slowly through the cobbled streets to the Qorikancha, the Inca sun temple with a Spanish convent on top. Find the twelve-angled stone on Hatun Rumiyoc. At sunset, go up to Sacsayhuamán, the zigzag fortress above the city, then walk down to dinner in San Blas, among workshops and courtyard cafés.
Cusco deserves more time, so if you want to linger, swap a night in Aguas Calientes for a second night here. Flights to Puerto Maldonado usually leave in the morning or around midday, so go to bed early.
Days 7–10: Tambopata and Home
Fly from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (PEM), less than an hour. Your lodge will meet you for a short drive and a boat ride along the river. Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, about 45 minutes downriver, has thatched cabanas with hammocks and a canopy walkway. Lodges farther upriver near the big clay licks take longer to reach but offer more wildlife.
On day eight, visit Lake Sandoval by canoe to look for giant otters, hoatzins and caimans, or climb a canopy tower above the treetops. After dark, take a night boat to spot caimans by flashlight or join a night walk for frogs and insects. On day nine, rise before dawn to watch macaws and parrots gather at a clay lick, turning the riverbank red, blue and green. Spend the afternoon in a hammock.
On day ten, take the boat back to Puerto Maldonado and fly to Lima, about an hour and a half, to connect home. Leave plenty of time, since Amazon flights are sometimes delayed by weather.
Getting Between Stops
This route uses three domestic flights and two train rides. Fly from Lima to Cusco on arrival, from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado on day seven and from Puerto Maldonado to Lima on the way home. Book them together and early. Morning departures are more reliable at Cusco.
From Cusco Airport, your Sacred Valley hotel can arrange a private transfer, about one to one and a half hours. PeruRail and Inca Rail trains run from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes in about one and a half hours. Buses take about 25 minutes from Aguas Calientes up to the citadel.
In Tambopata, your lodge handles everything from the airport: a short drive, then a boat. Lodges set luggage limits for boats and small planes, so pack soft bags. Do not rent a car anywhere on this route.
Where to Stay
In the Sacred Valley, Explora Valle Sagrado is all inclusive with guided hikes. Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba sits on a working farm with fireplace casitas. Sol y Luna, a Relais & Châteaux hotel, has stone casitas in gardens and supports a local school.
At Machu Picchu, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is the classic choice in Aguas Calientes, while Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel is known for its Andean tasting menu. The Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel at the gates of the citadel.
In Cusco, Palacio Nazarenas is the splurge, with oxygen-enriched rooms. Boutique hotels in San Blas cost less.
In Tambopata, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica is the most comfortable lodge and is close to Puerto Maldonado. More remote lodges upriver are simpler but put you nearer the best clay licks.
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When to Go
May to September is the dry season in both the Andes and the Amazon. Andean skies are clear, with sunny days and cold nights. The rainforest is a little cooler and drier, river levels are lower and wildlife gathers at lakes and clay licks. This is also peak season for Machu Picchu, so book early.
April and October are good shoulder months, with greener landscapes and fewer crowds.
November to March is the wet season. Afternoon rain is common in the Andes. Landslides can affect the train line. The Amazon gets heavy rain and higher rivers, which can cancel some excursions. The Inca Trail closes in February for maintenance, though Machu Picchu stays open. In the Amazon, a cold front called a friaje can occasionally drop temperatures sharply, even in the dry season, so pack a warm layer.
What It Costs
As an approximate guide, Sacred Valley hotels such as Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba and Sol y Luna start around $450 a night for two, while Explora Valle Sagrado is all inclusive and costs much more. In Aguas Calientes, expect about $500 to $650 a night, with the Sanctuary Lodge around $1,800. Palacio Nazarenas starts around $900.
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica starts around $750 a night, with meals and guided excursions usually included. Remote lodges upriver can cost less per night but take longer to reach.
Add Machu Picchu tickets, the bus, trains, three domestic flights and private transfers. Guides are essential in the Amazon and worth it at Machu Picchu. Tipping guides, drivers and lodge staff is customary in Peru.
Tips for the Two of You
Pack for two climates. Each of you needs warm layers and a rain shell for the Andes, plus light, long-sleeved clothing in neutral colors for the Amazon, where it protects against both sun and insects. Bring good walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen.
In the Amazon, use insect repellent with DEET or picaridin, especially at dawn and dusk. Talk to a travel clinic well before the trip about recommended vaccines and malaria tablets. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices before you book.
The trip suits different tastes. One of you might climb Huayna Picchu or join a pre-dawn bird walk while the other sleeps in or books a massage. Take the canopy tower together at sunrise. Bring your passport to Machu Picchu, since it is checked at the gate.
Make It Shorter or Longer
With a week, cut one night from the Sacred Valley and one from Machu Picchu. That leaves two nights in the valley, one at Machu Picchu, one in Cusco and three in Tambopata.
With two weeks, add two or three nights in Lima at the start for tasting menus at Central or Maido, clifftop walks and Barranco's galleries. Add two more nights in Cusco to explore at a slower pace.
With 16 days, add Lake Titicaca for reed islands and altiplano sunsets, reached by train or road from Cusco, or finish with a few nights at Máncora on the warm north coast or in Paracas south of Lima. If you want more wildlife, swap Tambopata for a cruise near Iquitos in the northern Peruvian Amazon.
FAQPlanning this trip
Can you combine Machu Picchu and the Amazon in one trip?
Yes. It is easier than many couples expect. Tambopata is less than an hour by plane from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, followed by a short drive and boat ride to your lodge. Three nights in the rainforest is enough for clay licks, giant otters and night boats.
Why spend two nights at Machu Picchu?
Two nights let you visit at different times of day, see two circuits and climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain without rushing for the train. You also get quiet evenings and mornings in Aguas Calientes after the day-trippers leave. For a honeymoon, the slower pace is worth it.
Is Tambopata good for a honeymoon?
Yes, for couples who enjoy nature. Lodges like Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica are comfortable, with private cabanas, good food and expert guides. Days bring macaws at clay licks and giant otters on lakes, while nights bring caimans and frogs. It is warm and humid, so it is not for couples who dislike heat or insects.
What is the best time to visit Machu Picchu and the Amazon?
May to September is best for both. The Andes are dry and clear. The Amazon is drier, with better wildlife sightings at lakes and clay licks. April and October are good shoulder months. The wet season, November to March, brings rain in both places.
Do we need special health precautions for the Amazon?
Talk to a travel clinic several weeks before you go about recommended vaccines and malaria tablets for the Peruvian Amazon. Pack insect repellent and long sleeves. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices before you book.
