I think I was there for 10 days. We spent some time in Lima and then headed to Cusco. I would have rather skipped Lima and just spent time in Cusco personally. Lima was fun but it is a HUGE city and felt a bit overwhelming to try and soak it in in just a few days. Cusco though is a beautiful city and is in such a lovely part of the country. The hike to Machu Picchu has gorgeous vistas and archaeological sites right from the outset. This is from day 1:
You work hard getting to Machu Picchu but the journey is every bit as impressive, if not more so, than Machu Picchu. For one thing it's far more private and there are gorgeous ruins on the way too. Once you get there, you're pretty beat so it's nice to relax and soak it all in. Here is my favorite picture from the trip of me and my wife:
Thanks for the description of your trip and the hike to Machu Picchu. It looks like it was well worth the efforts. Cheers!