Routes · Americas

Buenos Aires to Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Cancún

Buenos Aires → Lima → Cusco → Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes) → Cancún

Andes to Caribbean Best season (general guide): May–Jul

From the Río de la Plata, this trip runs north along South America's western spine and then hops across to Mexico. It's a natural follow-on for Argentines and other travellers in the Southern Cone who already know Patagonia and want something different: Peruvian cooking, Inca stonework and, at the end, warm Caribbean water. The flight from Buenos Aires to Lima is a single, manageable leg, so you can arrive with energy to spare.

Lima first, Cusco second is the classic sequence for good reason. Spending the opening nights on the coast lets you explore the capital's markets and restaurants without the strain of altitude. When you fly up to Cusco, plan unhurried days: coca tea, short walks around the Plaza de Armas and perhaps a visit to the Sacred Valley at lower elevation. From the valley the railway follows the river down to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. After the Andes, a flight north to Cancún gives you a few days of rest on soft sand before going home.

May to July lines up the dry season in the highlands with the early, quieter part of the Atlantic storm season. Peru's winter mornings in Cusco can be frosty even when afternoons are sunny, so bring a proper jacket. Machu Picchu uses timed entry with daily limits, and train seats go quickly in the dry months, so sort out both before booking flights.

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