Dawn on the terraces, mist lifting off Huayna Picchu, and no one around you but your people and a guide who knows when to stay quiet. Christmas Eve among the candles and carved saints of Cusco. A New Year’s toast with the mountains watching.
I’m Francisco. I design every holiday journey myself, from Lima, with more than 22 years on the ground. There are no fixed packages here. Each trip is made from scratch around your dates, your pace and the Machu Picchu entries that actually exist on your day.
The season, honestly
December is early summer on the coast and the green, rainy season in the Andes. Mornings in the mountains can open in mist and clear by midday, or the other way round.
So we plan with the weather, not against it: a night near the citadel so you can enter early, and a second morning at Machu Picchu if the view matters to you. Rain in the Andes, January to March above all, can also delay the railway, so I build buffer around train days.
Machu Picchu tickets: what’s real this year
Since autumn 2026, entry to Machu Picchu is sold only with immediate payment on the Ministry of Culture’s platform. Nobody can hold a ticket without paying, not even us. The ticket is issued in each traveller’s name, for one route and one entry hour.
In mid-October 2026, the classic Circuit 2 was close to sold out for December. For 20–31 December we plan around the routes that still had space then: the Upper Terraces (which keep the classic postcard view), Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu. I cannot promise Circuit 2 on those dates, and I won’t.
Before I quote, I check the official calendar for your exact date. Once you confirm, I buy your entry tickets straight away. Availability changes every day, so the earlier we look together, the more routes there are to choose from.
Information as of 16 October 2026.
Three ways to spend the holidays
Starting points, not packages. Each one becomes a tailor-made quote.
Sacred Valley first, gentler on altitude. Then a night by Machu Picchu and an early entry, and Cusco to finish.
Long lunches in Lima’s summer, the Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.
The Andes route, plus Lake Titicaca or the Amazon, paced so the new year starts rested.
Cusco at Christmas and New Year
On 24 December, Cusco’s main square fills with Santurantikuy, a Christmas Eve market of handmade nativity figures, carved saints and Andean craft. On 31 December the same plaza turns into one big celebration, and many Peruvians wear yellow for luck.
Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres. If a celebration falls in your first nights, I’ll suggest sleeping in the Sacred Valley first and coming up to Cusco afterwards.
What’s included, and what isn’t
Included
- Private guide and driver throughout
- Hand-picked hotels (refined 4★ or top 5★) with breakfast
- Train to and from Machu Picchu
- Shuttle bus and Machu Picchu entry (the route available on your date)
- Airport meet & greet and private transfers
- WhatsApp contact with Francisco before and during the trip
Not included
- International flights to and from Peru
- Domestic flights (we can book them, quoted separately)
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended, with medical cover)
- Meals not listed in your proposal
- Holiday gala dinners on 24 and 31 December, unless you add them
How booking works in high season
- Tell me your dates, who is travelling and the occasion.
- I send you a personalized proposal: a tailor-made quote with everything that is included and what isn’t.
- To confirm: a 50% deposit when the trip includes train and Machu Picchu tickets. Those are bought right away and are non-refundable once issued.
- December and January are high season, so the balance is due 45 days before arrival. For example, if you arrive on 25 December, the balance is due by 10 November. If you book after that date, the full amount is paid when you confirm.
Payment by bank transfer (no surcharge) or Visa / Mastercard (5% card surcharge).
Who designs it
Francisco Arriz Barrantes, founder of TravizPeru, APOTUR certified (code AP030-11), based in Lima. There’s no call centre in between: you message the person who designed your trip.
Plan my holiday journey
Your holidays, at the pace of the mountains.
Sends a copy to email and opens WhatsApp with your message ready.