The plan, the budget and every story from this trip, in one place.
From the Andes to the Cape
Lima → Cusco → Machu Picchu → Cape Town → Sydney

Itinerary · Feb 2 – Mar 1, 2023
Day by day
- 5 days
- 14 places
- $390 on the ground
Day 1 · Thu, Feb 2
Cusco & acclimatizing
- San Blas
- San Pedro Market
- Sacsayhuamán
Coca tea and an easy first day: Cusco sits at 11,000 feet.
Day 2 · Fri, Feb 3
Machu Picchu
- Aguas Calientes
- Machu Picchu Circuit 2
First bus up at 5:30 a.m.; Circuit 2 has the classic postcard view.
Day 3 · Sat, Feb 4
Cape Town: Table Mountain
- Platteklip Gorge
- Kirstenbosch
Check the cable car wind status before you go.
Day 4 · Sun, Feb 5
Cape Peninsula drive
- Chapman’s Peak
- Boulders Beach
- Cape Point
Penguins at Boulders, then lunch in Kalk Bay.
Day 5 · Mon, Feb 6
Sydney: Bondi to Coogee
- Bondi Beach
- Tamarama
- Bronte
- Coogee
Start early, swim at Bronte baths, brunch in Coogee.
Estimated on-the-ground cost$390
Trip budget
What it cost
- Stay$2,90033%
- Food$1,60018%
- Transport$3,10035%
- Activities$90010%
- Other$4004%
Flights to and from home are not included.
Where this trip went
Stories from this trip
Sydney on a Budget: Ferries, Beaches and Free Views
Sydney is expensive. Its best experiences are not.
Cape Town’s Most Beautiful Coastal Drive
Chapman’s Peak, the penguins at Boulders Beach and the edge of the continent.
Hiking to Machu Picchu: Inca Trail vs. the Train
Permits, altitude, costs and which option is right for you.


