Taste of Peru
Nine days across the Andes and down to the coast. Spend time with the chefs, salt farmers and weavers who set a place for us every year.
→ Cusco → Lima
Imagine yourself…
paddleboarding on serene lakes, strolling through plazas on a Cusco walking tour, and sipping on a Pisco Sour before enjoying a traditional Peruvian meal like a "pachamanca".
From the terraces and the salt pans, all the way to the table.
Most food tours start at the plate. We start where the food does and follow it the whole way. Peru isn't one kind of meal, so we don't build one kind of trip. Here's what that range looks like:
The fields
The valley floor and the terraces the Inca engineered to feed it.
The makers
Salt harvested by hand from the same pans for six hundred years.
The hands
Alpaca wool washed, dyed and spun.
The history
Why any of this food exists here, told standing in archeological sites.
The table
A pachamanca out of the ground, eaten in a chef's own kitchen.
Friends You Haven't Met Yet
Our personal relationships in Peru with local chefs, guides, artisans, and families open doors to experiences most travelers never have - a chef sharing the secrets behind a perfect ceviche, an artisan revealing the craft of Andean weaving, or a warm invitation to dine with a family in their home in the Sacred Valley.
Cristo - Sacred Valley
Cristo guides us through the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with quiet humor and a deep well of stories of Andean history.
Luis - Cusco
Luis welcomes us into his cozy, closed-for-us bar for an intimate tasting of Peru’s most iconic spirits.
Juan and Elena
Juan and Elena open their home and hearts to us, sharing the weaving techniques passed down through generations.
????? - ????
Be fully present. We’ve handled everything else.
✓ 4-5* Boutique Accommodations
✓ Airport meet and greet with private transfers
✓All ground transportation
✓Flight from Cusco to Lima
✓ All meals listed in the itinerary
✓ Wine tastings and select alcoholic beverages with most meals
✓ All activities, experiences, tours, and sightseeing
✓ All taxes and tips for all drivers, guides, restaurants, and more
✓ 24/7 Tour Host
Exclusions: mandatory travel insurance, transportation or airfare to/from Portugal, hotel incidentals, and premium alcoholic beverages.
Just 6 – 12 travelers — small enough to fit inside a family kitchen.
“This was much more than a food and wine tour. We did enjoy good food and wine everywhere, but it was the visits to craftspeople of all types that made it special for me.”
Susan W.
“The food experiences were over-the-top. What a fabulous way to see some unique locations in France. This was my 3rd trip with The Table Less Traveled, and I’m already planning the next one.”
Debra A.
Nine days, three regions, a friend waiting in each.
To the market, then a chef’s own kitchen
A private driver takes you from Cusco airport on the scenic route down to our lodge in the Sacred Valley. After time to settle in, we meet and head to Gabriel’s home — he walks us through the local market to choose our ingredients, then cooks dinner for us there.
Pachamanca, salt flats and an Incan laboratory
Paddleboarding and kayaking on a nearby lake, then a pachamanca lunch — a celebratory Andean meal cooked underground with herbs, meats and vegetables. Cristo takes us to the Maras salt flats, then the Moray ruins, thought to be an Incan agricultural laboratory. The rest of the day is yours.
Wool in your hands, then the train to Machu Picchu
In a small Andean village you join local weavers to wash, dye and spin alpaca wool using traditional techniques — hands in it, not watching. Lunch at a favorite local spot, then the panoramic train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo and dinner at our hillside hotel.
Machu Picchu
A bus up to the site, an introduction with our certified guide, then optional hikes. After a box lunch, an in-depth tour of the ruins with plenty of time for photographs. Back at the hotel, a leisurely dinner, with optional spa or souvenir shopping in town.
Cobblestones and a cocktail built for you
The scenic train back to Ollantaytambo and on to Cusco, with a lighter farm-to-table lunch. A guided walking tour through the plazas and the blend of Incan and colonial heritage. We close the day with a cocktail workshop led by our friend Luis — Peruvian craft spirits, and a drink made just for you.
Last of the Andes
Our last full day in the mountains is spent outdoors at the Sacsayhuamán archaeological site, soaking up the final stretch of Incan history. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore the city, shop, or rest.
Down to the coast and into Barranco
We fly to Lima and dive straight into the food scene with lunch beside the Huaca Pucllana ruins. Then to Barranco, our base for the rest of the trip — a tour of the neighborhood with our local guide, and a chocolate and coffee tasting. The evening is yours, or join the group for cocktails and tapas.
Ceviche all morning, Maido at night
We spend the morning crossing the city tasting different styles of ceviche and learning what makes the dish what it is. After free time, a farewell dinner at Maido, where Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura’s Nikkei cuisine — Japanese and Peruvian at once — closes the trip.
Hasta Luego
Farewell to your tour host and new friends before your driver takes you to the Lima airport — or onward, if you’d like to see more of Peru.
Our itinerary is always evolving as we coordinate with our friends in France around their schedules. Consider it a vivid preview of what travel with us feels like. This tour does not include the Inca Trail hike or camping. We stay in boutique hotels and take alternate transport to Machu Picchu. Optional Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu hikes are available for those who want more.
Let's start with a conversation.
There's no commitment in asking. Whether you're wondering about the group dynamic, the activity level, or exactly what happens on day 7 — we're here. We'll reply within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked
-
Travelers should be comfortable engaging in activities like walking tours (lasting up to 4 hours), walking over sometimes uneven terrain like cobblestone streets, climbing stairs, and standing for extended periods. This tour is appropriate for those who are comfortable with some longer and moderately active tour days. If you have any specific questions you’d like to discuss with the tour host, contact us!
-
There are only 6 - 12 travelers on this group trip. With fewer travelers, we can explore unique, off-the-beaten-path spaces that larger groups can't access, such as family-owned kitchens, bustling markets, and private homes.
This small size also fosters meaningful connections - whether it’s sharing stories over a meal with a local host or bonding with fellow travelers, our trips feel more personal.