Peru’s Sacred Valley and the legendary citadel of Machu Picchu form one of the most extraordinary and meaningful elopement destinations on earth, a landscape of soaring Andes, ancient Inca terraces, colonial Cusco, and the misty mountain ruins that crown the continent. For couples drawn to history, spirituality, and raw natural grandeur, nowhere else combines a great wonder of the world with a living Andean culture and scenery of such drama. This is an elopement of genuine awe and depth.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Inca citadel set on a ridge high above the Urubamba River, is one of the most breathtaking places on the planet: terraced ruins, soaring green peaks, and drifting cloud. It is important to know that wedding ceremonies are not permitted within the sanctuary itself, the site is strictly protected, but couples can visit for a portrait experience within the rules, and to be photographed against this ancient wonder is unforgettable, the single most iconic backdrop in South America.

The Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley of the Incas, stretching between Cusco and Machu Picchu, is where most Peru elopement ceremonies actually take place: a stunning corridor of the Urubamba River, snow-capped peaks, Inca terraces at Pisac and Ollantaytambo, and beautiful boutique lodges and haciendas. At a gentler altitude than Cusco and rich with ancient sites and Andean villages, the Sacred Valley offers spectacular, ceremony-friendly settings amid genuine Inca history.

A stone-paved Inca path leading toward ancient terraced ruins in the Peruvian Andes — The Sacred Valley of the Incas, between Cusco and Machu Picchu, is where most Peru elopement ceremonies take place: the Urubamba River, snow-capped peaks, Inca terraces at Pisac and Ollantaytambo, and beautiful boutique lodges. At a gentler altitude than Cusco and rich with ancient sites, it offers spectacular, ceremony-friendly settings amid genuine Inca history

Cusco

Cusco, the ancient Inca capital and a UNESCO World Heritage city, is a place of extraordinary beauty where Inca stonework meets Spanish colonial architecture: the grand Plaza de Armas, cobbled lanes, the artisan neighbourhood of San Blas, and ornate churches. Sitting high at around 3,400 metres, Cusco is the historic, atmospheric heart of the region, its golden-stone streets and colonial grandeur offering a rich, characterful counterpoint to the natural drama of the valley and the mountains.

Couple seated together on a historic cobblestone street lined with stone buildings — Cusco, the ancient Inca capital and a UNESCO city, is a place of extraordinary beauty where Inca stonework meets Spanish colonial architecture: the grand Plaza de Armas, cobbled lanes, the artisan San Blas neighbourhood. High at around 3,400 metres, its golden-stone streets offer a rich, characterful counterpoint to the natural drama of the valley

The High Andes

Beyond the valley rise the high Andes in all their glory: the otherworldly mineral bands of Rainbow Mountain, the glacial turquoise of Humantay Lake, and the snow-capped peaks that ring the horizon. These high, remote, breathtaking landscapes offer the most dramatic and adventurous portrait settings in the region, for couples willing to brave the altitude and the journey, scenery of staggering, primeval beauty found at the roof of the continent.