Peru and Bolivia Route: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca
Explore Peru's archaeological wonders and Bolivia's natural spectacles across 1,762 km. This route connects Cusco's Inca heritage with the breathtaking Machu Picchu, the dramatic Colca Canyon, and the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni salt flat, concluding at the sacred Lake Titicaca straddling the Peru-Bolivia border.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Colca Canyon, Peru
- End
- Lake Titicaca
- Stops
- 5
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Colca Canyon, Peru — One of Earth's deepest canyons, nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, famous for Andean condor sightings and dramatic terraced landscapes.
- Cusco, Peru
- Machu Picchu — Ancient Inca site in the Peruvian Andes, most visited tourist attraction in Peru.
- Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia — World's largest salt flat spanning vast white plains at high altitude, creating mirror-like reflections during rainy season and stunning desert vistas year-round.
- Lake Titicaca — South America's largest lake at highest navigable elevation, straddles Bolivia-Peru border.
Useful for your trip
- Tip
- Visit the Pantanal during wildlife viewing season to see capybaras, caimans, and jaguars; unlike the Amazon rainforest, you're virtually guaranteed to see wildlife
- Timing
- Visit Salar de Uyuni during rainy season when water covers the salt flat, creating a spectacular mirror effect reflecting the sky
- Timing
- Visit Salvador particularly during carnival for its most vibrant atmosphere and lively cultural celebrations
- Tip
- San Pedro de Atacama offers star tours as one of the world's darkest places with excellent night sky viewing opportunities
- Transport
- Reaching Angel Falls requires an adventure involving plane and river boat rides to access this remote waterfall
- Tip
- Use Cusco as the gateway to Machu Picchu and explore surrounding archaeological sites in the area
- Tip
- Visit Colca Canyon villages to buy local handcrafts and spot Andean condors and large hummingbirds
- Tip
- Lake Titicaca has 41 islands, many inhabited including floating islands made by natives with heavy reeds, plus 500 aquatic species and many water birds
- Transport
- Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world with the nearest inhabitants almost 1,300 miles away; plan accordingly for travel time
- Where to stay
- Ushuaia is picturesque but frequently cloudy and windy; plan indoor activities and visit the prison museum
- Tip
- In Tayrona National Park, visit La Piscina lagoon where a natural reef creates a protected swimming area
- Tip
- Quito is surrounded by volcanoes visible on clear days; it's the highest capital in the world and closest to the equator
Video on this route
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