Discover Peru

Upon arrival in Lima, transfer to your hotel for the next two nights.

​Enjoy a city tour of the modern and colonial parts of the city of Lima, known as The City of Kings. You will head to the Historical Center and arrive at the Main Plaza, where you can take pictures of the amazing colonial architecture that surrounds it.



Then, visit the Cathedral, where you will appreciate the Renaissance style of decoration, as well as its apostles’ statues. Then, you will walk to the impressive Santo Domingo Convent, which will astonish you with its colonial style. Upon leaving the Historical Center, you will head to the Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca archaeological complex in the district of Miraflores, which was an important ceremonial and administrative center of the Lima culture, between 200 and 700 AD. In a guided tour, you will explore the different areas of the huaca and learn about the lifestyle of its former inhabitants. 

If you're feeling hungry, you may choose to finish your tour here and eat at Huaca Pucllana restaurant, located right next to the temple.  It features a fusion of traditional and modern Peruvian Cuisine and is an excellent place to have lunch after the tour (optional and not included).  Afterwards, make your own way back to your hotel.  (B)

Fly to Cusco where you will be transferred to your hotel in Sacred Valley where you will spend the next two nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to acclimitise to the altitude. 



There is much to do in your free time while you enjoy the striking scenery of the Sacred Valley which is rich in history and culture.  You may choose to discover the Spanish colonial villages or visit the Maras salt pans and nearby ruins of Moray.  (B)(D)
 

Today take in the highlights of the Sacred Valley.  Visit Chinchero, a small picturesque village that is home to significant Inca ruins dating from the end of the 15^th Century, as well as a beautiful traditional church. Continue on to Urpi, a famous textile centre where the inhabitants still use traditional Andean spinning and weaving techniques. Here you'll be shown how the locals achieve the brilliant colours of their pieces using natural means. Afterwards, you will stop at Racchi vantage point for one of the best views of the Sacred Valley. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. You'll travel to Ollantaytambo, one of the most important building complexes of the Inca Empire and the site of one of the Spanish conquistadors' rare strategic defeats. Famous for its terraced fields, Ollantaytambo was a very effective fortress and also a religious centre. Explore the village of Ollantaytambo, which is the best surviving example of Inca urban planning, featuring stone paved streets that have been inhabited since the 12th Century. You will spend the night in the Sacred Valley. (B)(L)(D)

Enjoy an unforgettable train journey to Machu Picchu. One of the crowning glories of the Inca civilisation and one of the most stunning archaeological sites anywhere in the world, Machu Picchu sits atop a mountain ridge overlooking the sacred Urubamba Valley. The "Lost City" was undiscovered until 1911 and remains today as a monument to the Incas. Join a guided visit of the lost citadel of the Incas and learn about the city and community who once occupied the site.



Overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, a small town set at the bottom of Machu Picchu mountain. This afternoon partake on a cooking demonstration and learn to make the most famous Peruvian cocktail - Pisco sour. (B)(L)(D)
 

This morning is at leisure to explore this extraordinary place on your own or if you are truly intrepid, dare to climb to the top of Mount Huayna Picchu, a symbol of Machu Picchu and the tallest mountain behind the archaeological site. The pathway leading to its summit offers the fabulous reward of a spectacular view of the stone city. This afternoon board the train for your journey back to Cusco. (B)

Today you'll discover the enchanting colonial city of Cusco, the sacred capital of the Inca Empire, which was built on the foundations of the Inca Palaces.


 
Your experience begins with a visit to San Pedro open-air market, a great introduction to the region’s culinary history and exotic ingredients. You’ll then embark on a journey through Incan history, visiting the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun, followed by the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the underground cave and temple of Qenko, and Tambomachay, known as the Baths of the Inca.
 
Your final stop will be at a traditional café, popular with locals, for some tea or coffee and some local pastries. (B)

Your journey ends with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)