Peru and Bolivia Itinerary: How to Combine Both Countries in 2 Weeks
The best Peru and Bolivia itinerary runs in one direction, from low to high: Lima → Cusco and Machu Picchu → Puno and Lake Titicaca → La Paz → the Uyuni Salt Flats. It needs 12 days at the minimum and is more comfortable in 14 to 15 days: about 2 days on the coast, 5 to 6 around Cusco, 2 in Puno and 3 in Bolivia. You cross the border by road beside Lake Titicaca and finish in La Paz, so there is no need to backtrack to Lima. Do it in this order so your body adapts to the altitude step by step, and travel between April and October if you want dry weather for Machu Picchu and the white, dry salt in Uyuni.
Peru and Bolivia in 2 weeks: the short answer
- Route order: Lima (sea level) → Cusco (3,400 m (11,150 ft)) → Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu (2,430 m (7,970 ft)) → Puno (about 3,800 m) → La Paz (about 3,600 m) → Uyuni (about 3,650 m).
- Minimum time: 12 days, like our Peru and Bolivia tour. With 14 to 15 days you can add rest days, a night on the lake or more time in La Paz.
- Days per leg: Lima and the coast 2, Cusco and Machu Picchu 5 to 6, Puno and Lake Titicaca 2, La Paz and Uyuni 3.
- Border: by road between Puno and La Paz, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Bolivia is one hour ahead of Peru.
- Best season: April or May to October for the whole route; January to March only if the Uyuni mirror effect is your priority.
- Fly home from La Paz, not Lima. Book an open-jaw ticket (arrive in Lima, leave from La Paz) and you save two days.
Why the order of the route matters
Most of this trip happens above 3,400 m. Lima is at sea level, Cusco is high, and from Puno onwards you never really come down again: Lake Titicaca, La Paz and Uyuni are all on the Altiplano, the high plateau shared by Peru and Bolivia. The way you order the stops decides how your body copes.
Starting at sea level and climbing slowly is the whole point. A night or two in Lima lets you recover from the long-haul flight. Cusco is where you acclimatize, with a quiet first day and excursions that drop down to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, both lower than Cusco. After a week in the region you are ready for Puno, which is higher, and then for Bolivia.
Doing it the other way round, flying straight into La Paz and finishing in Lima, is possible, but you land at El Alto airport, above 4,000 m, on the very first day. For most travelers that is a harder start. There is also a practical reason: Machu Picchu tickets and trains are booked for fixed dates, so it is easier to place them early in the trip and keep the Bolivian part, where buses and weather cause more changes, for the end.
How many days for each leg
| Leg | Minimum | Comfortable | What the extra days give you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lima and the coast | 1 to 2 days | 2 to 3 days | Recovery from the flight, a city tour or Paracas and Huacachina |
| Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu | 4 days | 5 to 6 days | An acclimatization day, Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, an unhurried Machu Picchu visit |
| Puno and Lake Titicaca | 2 days | 2 to 3 days | The Route of the Sun by day, the islands, a night with an Uros family |
| La Paz | Half a day | 1 to 2 days | The cable cars, the historic centre, Tiwanaku or Copacabana |
| Uyuni Salt Flats | 1 day plus 2 nights on buses | 2 to 4 days | Sunset or sunrise on the salt, or the 3-day tour of the lagoons |
| Total | 12 days | 14 to 15 days |
Twelve days is the realistic minimum for the full route from Lima to Uyuni. It works, but it is a full trip with early starts and two nights on overnight buses. If you can find two more days, spend them where the itinerary is tightest: a rest day in Cusco before the hikes, or an extra night in La Paz before you fly home.
With less than 12 days, we would not try to see both countries. Choose Peru first, with Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu, and keep Bolivia for another trip; our 7-day Peru itinerary shows how a week works.
A 12-day Peru and Bolivia itinerary, day by day
| Day | Where | Plan | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | Arrival and free day to rest | Lima |
| 2 | Paracas, Ica, Huacachina | Ballestas Islands boat trip, a pisco winery, dune buggies and sandboarding | Hotel |
| 3 | Lima → Cusco | Flight to Cusco and a quiet acclimatization day | Cusco |
| 4 | Humantay Lake | Full day: hike to the lake at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) | Cusco |
| 5 | Sacred Valley | Chinchero, Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo, then the train to Aguas Calientes | Aguas Calientes |
| 6 | Machu Picchu | Guided visit, train back and transfer to Cusco | Cusco |
| 7 | Rainbow Mountain | Full day: hike to Vinicunca, 5,200 m, the highest point of the trip | Cusco |
| 8 | Cusco → Puno | Route of the Sun: Andahuaylillas, Raqchi and Pukara | Puno |
| 9 | Lake Titicaca | Uros floating islands and Taquile Island | Puno |
| 10 | Puno → La Paz | Bus across the border, free afternoon in La Paz, night bus to Uyuni | Overnight bus |
| 11 | Uyuni Salt Flats | Train Cemetery, Colchani, the salt flats and Incahuasi Island; night bus back | Overnight bus |
| 12 | La Paz | Hotel room to shower and change, transfer to the airport |
This is exactly the route of our Peru and Bolivia tour, 12 days and 11 nights, and it shows the logic of the whole trip: two easy days on the coast, a week based in Cusco, then a steady move east across the Altiplano. Below we explain each leg briefly and link to our detailed guides, so you can see what to expect without reading everything twice.
Leg 1: Lima and the coast (days 1 and 2)
International flights land in Lima, so this is where the trip starts. The first day is for resting: after a long flight, a quiet afternoon in Miraflores or Barranco is worth more than a packed schedule.
The second day can go two ways. Our 12-day tour heads south to Paracas and the Ballestas Islands, then to Ica and the desert oasis of Huacachina for the dunes. If you prefer the capital itself, a city tour of the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the alternative. Both keep you at sea level for one more day, which is good preparation for what comes next.
Leg 2: Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu (days 3 to 7)
This is the heart of the trip and the place to be generous with time. Fly from Lima to Cusco and do nothing demanding on the first day: walk slowly around the Plaza de Armas, drink water and go to bed early. Our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco explains why the first 24 to 48 hours matter.
The classic way to reach Machu Picchu on a tour like this is through the Sacred Valley: a day of Inca sites and villages, the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, a night at the foot of the mountain and the visit the next morning. It is the most relaxed option and avoids a very early start from Cusco. Our guide on how to get to Machu Picchu compares this with the other routes, including the Inca Trail.
Around Machu Picchu, the two big day hikes are Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain. They are the reason this itinerary is rated challenging: both start before dawn and climb above 4,000 m. Placing them on days 4 and 7, with the lower Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in between, gives your body time to adapt before the highest point of the trip.
Need to save a day? Rainbow Mountain is the easiest piece to remove, and the itinerary still works. Have an extra day? Put it here, as a free day in Cusco between the two hikes. It makes the second half of the trip, which is all at high altitude, noticeably easier.
Leg 3: Cusco to Puno and Lake Titicaca (days 8 and 9)
Between Cusco and Puno there are about 390 km of road across the Andes. Instead of a direct bus, our itinerary uses the Route of the Sun, a full day on a tourist bus with stops at the painted church of Andahuaylillas, the Inca temple of Raqchi, the La Raya pass and the museum of Pukara. It turns a long transfer into a day of sightseeing; we describe every stop in our guide to Cusco to Puno on the Route of the Sun.
In Puno, give the lake at least one full day. The standard excursion visits the Uros floating islands, built by hand from totora reed, and Taquile Island, known for its textiles. If you have one more day, the best upgrade is to sleep on the lake: our Uros Chimu homestay, 2 days and 1 night, with a host family, can be added to the trip on request. Our guide to the Uros floating islands explains the difference between the day trip and the overnight stay.
Puno is higher than Cusco, at about 3,800 m. After a week in the Cusco region you will notice it less, but nights by the lake are cold for most of the year, so keep a warm layer at hand.
Crossing the border at Lake Titicaca
The border between Peru and Bolivia runs across Lake Titicaca, and travelers cross it by road between Puno and La Paz. There are two main crossings: Kasani, on the road through the lakeside town of Copacabana, and Desaguadero, on the more direct road south of the lake. Our guide to the Uyuni Salt Flats from Peru describes both routes in detail.
In general terms, the crossing works the same way at both: the bus stops before the border, you take your passport to Peruvian migration for the exit stamp, walk across to the Bolivian office for the entry stamp and get back on the bus on the other side. Keep your passport and any papers you are given at hand, and change a little money into bolivianos for your first hours in Bolivia. Remember to set your watch one hour forward.
Entry requirements depend on your nationality and have changed in recent years for some passports. We do not give visa advice: check the current rules with a Bolivian consulate or your government's official travel advice before you book, and travel with a passport that has plenty of validity left.
Leg 4: La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats (days 10 to 12)
On our tour, the bus from Puno reaches La Paz in the afternoon. That leaves time for a first walk through the historic centre or a ride on the city's cable cars, which are the best viewpoint over a city that fills a deep canyon below El Alto. The cable car is an optional extra, not included in the tour.
In the evening you take an overnight bus to Uyuni and spend the next day on the salt flats: the Train Cemetery, the salt village of Colchani, the white plain itself and lunch on Incahuasi Island, the rocky island covered in cacti. A second night bus brings you back to La Paz early in the morning, ready for your flight home.
It is an intense end to the trip, and the two overnight buses are the part that surprises travelers most. Our guide to the Uyuni Salt Flats from Peru explains the alternatives, such as flying between La Paz and Uyuni or taking the 3-day tour of the lagoons and continuing to Chile.
How the altitude builds up
| Stage | Approximate altitude | How it feels |
|---|---|---|
| Lima and the coast | Sea level | No altitude effect; recover from the flight |
| Cusco | 3,400 m (11,150 ft) | Many visitors feel short of breath on the first day |
| Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu | 2,430 m (7,970 ft) at Machu Picchu | Lower than Cusco; a good place to adapt |
| Humantay Lake | 4,200 m (13,780 ft) | Hard day hike; go after at least one day in Cusco |
| Rainbow Mountain | 5,200 m (17,060 ft) | The highest point of the trip; slow pace |
| La Raya pass, Route of the Sun | About 4,335 m | A short stop on the bus |
| Puno and Lake Titicaca | About 3,800 m | Higher than Cusco; cold nights |
| El Alto and La Paz | Above 4,000 m and about 3,600 m | Fine if you come from Cusco and Puno |
| Uyuni Salt Flats | About 3,650 m | Strong sun and cold nights |
Two things help more than anything else: time and the order of the route. Drink water, eat lightly, avoid alcohol on the first night at each new altitude and sleep warm. Coca tea is sold on both sides of the border. If you have a heart or lung condition, or you are worried about the altitude, talk to your doctor before the trip; the CDC guidance listed in the sources below is a good starting point. If symptoms get worse instead of better, go down and see a doctor.
Best time for a Peru and Bolivia trip
| Months | Peru: Cusco and Machu Picchu | Bolivia: Uyuni | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| April to May | End of the rains, green and clearer | Drying salt; the mirror is possible early in April | Very good |
| June to August | Dry season, peak crowds | Dry white salt, very cold nights | Good; book early |
| September to October | Dry, fewer crowds than in July | Dry white salt, milder nights | Very good |
| November to December | Rains begin | Dry salt, the first rains arrive | Fair |
| January to March | Rainy season; the Inca Trail closes in February | The mirror effect season | Only if the mirror is the priority |
For the trip as a whole, the safest window is April or May to October. You get the dry season in Cusco and on the lake, and the salt flats are dry, white and fully accessible. The famous mirror effect in Uyuni appears when a thin layer of rain covers the salt, usually between January and March, which is also the rainy season around Machu Picchu. Our guide to the best time to visit Machu Picchu has the month-by-month detail for the Peruvian side.
One package or doing it yourself?
You can build this route on your own with domestic flights, trains, tourist buses and local agencies. It is also a trip with many moving parts: a Lima–Cusco flight, Machu Picchu tickets and trains on fixed dates, the Route of the Sun, the lake excursion, an international bus, two night buses and a salt flats tour. When one piece moves, the others have to move with it.
A single package removes that problem. On our Peru and Bolivia tour the Lima–Cusco flight, the Machu Picchu train and ticket, 3-star hotels, bilingual guides, the buses between Peru and Bolivia and the Uyuni tour are included, for US$1,650 per person. One team follows your trip from the airport in Lima to the airport in La Paz.
If two weeks is too much this time, start with Peru: our Peru 7 days, Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu package costs US$998 per person and covers the essentials. You can add Lake Titicaca and Bolivia on a later trip.
Ways to stretch the itinerary to 14 or 15 days
- A free day in Cusco before the first big hike. The single most useful extra day.
- A night on Lake Titicaca with an Uros family instead of returning to Puno the same day.
- An extra day in La Paz for the cable cars, the Witches' Market or the pre-Inca site of Tiwanaku, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Copacabana and the Isla del Sol on the Bolivian side of the lake, if you cross through Kasani.
- A flight instead of a night bus between La Paz and Uyuni, if you sleep badly on buses.
- A buffer day before your flight home, in case weather or roadworks delay a bus on the Altiplano.
Practical tips for a Peru and Bolivia trip
- Book an open-jaw flight: arrive in Lima and fly home from La Paz.
- Pack for two climates: light clothes for Lima and the coast, and warm layers, a hat and gloves for the Andes and the Altiplano.
- Carry two currencies: Peruvian soles and Bolivian bolivianos in small notes for snacks, toilets and tips.
- Keep your passport at hand on every bus and at the border.
- Get travel insurance that covers high-altitude activities.
- Pack a small daypack for the night buses with water, a warm layer and your documents.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need for Peru and Bolivia?
At least 12 days to see Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats. Two weeks, 14 or 15 days, is more comfortable and lets you add rest days, a night on the lake or more time in La Paz.
What is the best order for a Peru and Bolivia itinerary?
Start in Lima at sea level, continue to Cusco and Machu Picchu, then Puno and Lake Titicaca, cross into Bolivia to La Paz and finish in Uyuni. The altitude rises gradually and you fly home from La Paz without backtracking.
Can I do Peru and Bolivia in 2 weeks?
Yes. Two weeks is the ideal length for this route: about 2 days on the coast, 5 to 6 around Cusco and Machu Picchu, 2 to 3 in Puno and 3 to 4 in Bolivia, with a spare day for rest or delays.
How do you cross from Peru to Bolivia?
By road from Puno to La Paz, along Lake Titicaca. The main crossings are Kasani, via Copacabana, and Desaguadero. You get the Peruvian exit stamp, walk to the Bolivian office for the entry stamp and continue on the bus.
Do I need a visa for Bolivia?
It depends on your nationality, and the rules have changed in recent years for some passports. Check the current requirements with a Bolivian consulate or your government's official travel advice before booking.
When is the best time to visit Peru and Bolivia?
From April or May to October, the dry season, for Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the dry white salt in Uyuni. The Uyuni mirror effect happens in the rainy months, usually January to March.
Is a Peru and Bolivia tour hard because of the altitude?
Most of the route is above 3,400 m and the highest point, Rainbow Mountain, is about 5,200 m. Following the route from low to high, with a quiet first day in Cusco, helps a lot. Talk to your doctor before the trip if you have health concerns.
Official sources: CDC Yellow Book: High Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness · UNESCO World Heritage: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu · UNESCO World Heritage: City of Cuzco · UNESCO World Heritage: Historic Centre of Lima · UNESCO World Heritage: Tiwanaku, Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture (Bolivia)
