We’re based in Cusco, and most of our trips happen in the mountains around it: the city, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the high Andes. From there, we can help you continue to Lima, the desert coast or Arequipa.
Our home region
DSL Adventures is based in Cusco. It’s where our team lives, where we know the roads, the seasons and the people, and where most of our trips begin and end. Rather than list every corner of Peru, we focus on the places we can plan well and explain honestly: Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the treks of the Andes.
Cusco and the Sacred Valley have their own pages, with planning advice and the tours that start there.
Around Cusco
Some of the best-known places near Cusco are best reached on a specific trip, so these link straight to the pages that compare them.
By train in one or two days, or on foot on the Inca Trail.
A high pass below a 6,000 m peak, ending at Machu Picchu.
Striped slopes at about 5,000 m, southeast of Cusco.
The highest peak in the Cusco region, on foot over four days.
Prefer to browse by the kind of trip? Compare our Inca Trail routes, multi-day treks and day tours from Cusco, or see all our tours in one place.
Beyond Cusco
Lima, the desert coast and Arequipa pair well with the Andes. We plan them as part of your wider trip and confirm the local services with you.
Most international flights arrive in Lima, and both Cusco and Arequipa are a short flight away, so it’s easy to add a day or two on the coast or a few days in the south. For now we offer one experience in each of these regions, and each card below links to that tour.
Your time
Not sure how it adds up for your dates? Tell us how many days you have and what you most want to see, and we’ll suggest a realistic plan.
Planning
The order you travel in can make the altitude easier. Many travelers start on the coast in Lima, then fly to Cusco and spend their first nights in the Sacred Valley, which is lower than the city. Arequipa, at about 2,335 m (7,660 ft), can also be a gentle first step before the higher Colca Canyon or Cusco. We’ll suggest an order that fits your flights and the rest of your plans.
We add a new region only when we can plan it properly. If Lake Titicaca, the Amazon or another part of Peru is on your list, ask us and we’ll tell you honestly what we can arrange.
Questions
Yes, as part of a wider trip. We currently offer a Lima city experience, a Paracas and Huacachina day and an Arequipa and Colca Canyon trip, and we confirm the local services with you. Cusco and the Andes remain our focus.
That’s often the most useful part of our work: linking Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with a trek, the coast or the south, in an order that makes sense for flights and altitude.
Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu by train work well for most families. The high day hikes and multi-day treks need more thought. Talk with our local team about your children’s ages and we’ll help you choose.
Peru Travel
A realistic 10-day route for a first trip to Peru from the United States: Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, then Paracas or Arequipa, with booking and travel tips.
Cusco
How many days to plan for Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, with day-by-day plans for 3, 5 and 7 days, a slower family version and tips for fitting in a trek.
Machu Picchu
Train from Ollantaytambo or Cusco, the Inca Trail and other treks, or the long road to Hidroeléctrica: every way to reach Machu Picchu, and how to get up to the ruins.
We’re based in Cusco and help travelers combine the Andes with Lima, the desert coast or Arequipa. Tell us what you have in mind.
