Peru itinerary for solo female travellers: my 10-day adventure
- Sassy Travels
- Sep 19
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 18
This is one of those trips that feels crazy to even talk about, because sometimes I still can’t believe that I’ve been there. When I was little, I genuinely doubted whether Machu Picchu was real because it looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. So, sometimes I have to tell myself over and over again ‘yes Kate, you really have been to Peru’! Cherry on top that I also went solo, things fell into place and made sense to book my trip while I was travelling in Mexico (travelling girl math for you), so I went with my intuition and booked that trip. I’m going to be honest, going there alone felt like a step outside of my comfort zone, but after arriving I actually felt very comfortable and welcomed. I spent about 10 days in this wonderful and versatile country, and honestly, I cried happy tears more times than I expected. In today’s post I will share all my experiences, tips, and findings, which can all hopefully inspire and help your next trip. For me, going to Peru as a solo female traveller was such a beautiful reminder to just trust the universe and step outside of your comfort zone every once in a while. Sometimes the stars don’t seem to align, or we feel like waiting for others to say yes to an itinerary. But the truth is, life goes by quickly, and sometimes you simply just have to book that flight. That’s what I did, and I had the trip of my life.
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And now my solo trip to Peru. I want to start by discussing a few key points. First of all, I did go solo, but I want to be transparent and flag that I went with organised trips and tours. I had a lovely, local agency helping me organise my trips, making sure I had the best experience. This is not a collaboration, but I definitely wanted to give them a shoutout and recommend them. They are called Lima Experience and they organised all of my trips, from transport to budgeting and practical tips, they literally helped so much. I linked them here in case you want to check out their website. Most of the trips/experiences were shared, which was a great opportunity for me to chat and connect with others. So, if going solo scares you because you feel like you might end up feeling lonely, don’t let that stop you.
You are probably also wondering about safety and what it was like travelling alone. Now, I can only talk about my own experience, but I actually felt very comfortable and safe the whole time, and it ended up being quite possibly the best solo trip of my life so far. Obviously, I only went to touristy spots and I stuck to safe and recommended areas. I also only used pre-booked and organised taxis, never took public transport or wandered off. Cusco, however, was a place where I felt very comfortable walking around/exploring alone. It is incredibly touristy (in the most positive sense of the word in this case), you can easily connect with other travellers even. My summary is that while Peru may not be an ideal country to visit as a first-time solo traveller, it is solo travel friendly for those who have more experience travelling alone.
One last note about the best time to visit and my experience. I always talk about travelling off-season, and Peru was no exception. The best times to visit are between May and September if you want to visit the regular tourist attractions around Cusco. November till March is rainy season, so you have to take a chance and deal with heavy rain or miss out on some epic views. BUT. I ended up going at the end of November, and was very lucky with the weather. Except for the day when I visited the Rainbow Mountain, there wasn’t much rain that would ruin my trip. So, I guess even in rainy season it is a bit of a hit or miss situation. Although, if you plan a trip to Peru, do it in dry season, unless you have flexibility to spend more time locally and wait for sunnier days to explore.
Now that we got the practical tips and insights out of the way, let’s focus on what solo female travel in Peru for 10 days looked like for me. And I want to admit that before talking to the agency mentioned above, I didn’t even know some of these places existed! I just knew I wanted to visit Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains, but I was absolutely blown away by its diversity.
Day 0: Arrived in Lima. Stayed in the Miraflores area, which is the safest and most touristy area of the city. It is full of accommodation options, varying from hostels to luxury hotels. There are also lots of restaurants and shops around.
Day 1: Explore Lima through a guided food and talking tour. I can’t really imagine a better way to explore a culture than through its cuisine. We tried the best ceviche and Pisco Sour in town, and learned about the diverse history of Lima.
Day 2: Paracas and Huacachina day trip. I actually didn’t even know what to expect, and this ended up being one of the highlights of my trip. First, we drove down to the Pacific Ocean coast and took a boat trip where I got to see penguins and sea lions. After that, we were driven to a local manufacturer where we were served delicious food, learned about Pisco Sour and wine, and even got to taste some of those. And the day still wasn’t over. After lunch and tasting, we headed to Huacachina to travel through the desert in sand buggies, catch the sunset, and roll down the sand dunes on a sand board. And this was only day 2, like how incredible is Peru?!
Day 3: Headed to Cusco. This requires a domestic flight, although I believe it can also be done by bus. But the former is a safer and definitely more efficient option. The same day I ended up joining a little walking tour of Cusco, learning more about its history and how it became such an important centre. We walked through different neighbourhoods, followed by enjoying a local beer together.
Day 4: Inka Valley, time to explore the sacred valley of the Incas. The whole area definitely has a very spiritual and meaningful atmosphere, I felt very calm and connected to Mother Earth here. After the valley, we visited very cool-looking salt mines, and the last city of the Incas, Ollantaytambo. Afterwards, I started making my way to the main event, Machu Picchu. I ended up choosing the train + bus version to do it, so I had to take a train to Aguas Calientes. This is the closest village to stay at when visiting Machu Picchu.
Day 5: The day I have been dreaming of for years…I finally got to see Machu Picchu in real life! The night before it was pouring down, and the forecast even said heavy rain during the day. But I must be God’s favourite because by the time I arrived the sun was shining. So, I ended up having the most incredible day walking around the ruins and hills, pinching myself. The whole area that surrounds Machu Picchu is so breathtakingly beautiful, I took millions of photos. My heart is still full of gratitude when I think of this day. After this beautiful day, I ended up returning to Cusco, because yes, Peru is a place that keeps on giving, so I had other places to explore!
Day 6: It’s lagoon visit time. Specifically, Humantay Lagoon. It is a beautiful trek, with the end goal sitting around 4200m above sea level. Yes, I did take lots of steps that day, but it was absolutely worth it.
Day 7: When I was planning my trip with the agency, I did ask for a ‘day off’, and it was a great decision. By that point, I had so much to process and be happy for, it felt great to have a day just to walk around Cusco, do some gift shopping or sip coffee. A rest day is something I highly recommend, no matter your destination. Speaking of rest, I found my favourite loungewear brand in Cusco. If you’re there, definitely visit Illari, souvenirs andinos. You can find some very unique pieces that no one back home will own.
Day 8: Last, but not least, the day had arrived to visit the Rainbow Mountain. As I said, I wasn’t the luckiest with the weather that day, but it was an incredible experience regardless. I still did a hike, saw some snow (which was really odd given that just a few days ago I was in a desert), and had a whole new appreciation for a warm tea afterwards. Not just the peak, but the hike up to the mountain was pretty cool. One thing I did not like too much though, is how touristy it got at the top of the mountain. There was a massive queue to even take a picture at the best spot. So, something to prepare yourself for!
Day 9: Getting ready to head back to Lima to catch my flight to my next international destination from there, New York in December (more on that in another post)!
And just like that I spent about 10 days in Peru, travelling solo and falling absolutely in love with this diverse and wonderful place. What surprised me most about Peru is how you can go from seeing sea lions and drinking fresh passion fruit juice in an oasis, to snow and freezing cold weather in a day. It is a trip that I think of very often and daydream about. If you need a sign to go, may this blog post be it.
