Explore Peru with experiences you won't find in a guidebook

Dive into the history and culture of Peruvian craftsmanship, cuisine, and breathtaking sights on a trip to Peru

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Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival at the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco (CUZ) you will be met by your private driver for a beautiful 90-minute drive through the mountains to your lodge in the Sacred Valley, surrounded by beautiful gardens, trees, and mountains.

After a few hours at your leisure to relax and explore, we’ll gather together for a meet-and-greet and get to know who we’ll be spending the next 9 incredible days with! Then, we’ll walk to our friend Gabriel’s house. Gabriel is a Peruvian chef that has traveled and cooked all over the world. He's a good friend that we've gotten to know over the years and is a wealth of information when it comes to Peruvian cuisine. Gabriel will guide us around the local market, we’ll pick up some ingredients for dinner, then head back to his place for a hands-on cooking class where we’ll learn to make some of Peru’s most iconic dishes!

Once we can’t possibly eat another bite, we’ll bid farewell to Gabriel and take the short walk back to our hotel.

Prepare for a full day! We’ll start with a visit to a nearby lake to try our hand at paddleboarding and kayaking. We have certified swift-water trained guides so you’re in safe hands in case you need extra help or instruction. We’ll have the lake to ourselves to fully enjoy the serenity and to take in the stunning Andean scenery.

After a taking a few moments to change and freshen up, we’ll head to the Maras Salt Mines where we’ll learn all about the delicious salt, the intensive harvesting process, and why these salt pans are so important to local families. Next, we’ll visit the Moray ruins, a series of concentric terraces carved into a natural depression, believed to have been an agricultural laboratory for the ancient Incas. These terraces served as experimental fields, allowing the Incas to study and cultivate a variety of crops at different altitudes, showcasing their advanced understanding of agricultural techniques and adaptation to diverse environments.

We’ll experience these ancient agricultural practices at lunch where we’ll enjoy a multi-course tasting menu at Mil Centro, the restaurant of world-renowned chef Virgilio Martinez. The restaurant offers an innovative dining experience where cuisine is crafted according to Peru's diverse altitude levels. Martinez's culinary approach showcases the unique ingredients and flavors found at various elevations, providing a gastronomic journey through Peru's rich geographical landscape. Get ready for an unforgettable experience!

After our relaxed lunch, we’ll head back to the hotel and arrive in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is yours! Relax by the hotel pool, enjoy a spa treatment, and dine at the hotel’s restaurant for dinner - if you still have room!

Today we experience Peruvian craftsmanship and artistry! We’ll check out of our hotel and head up the mountain to a small Andean village that still continues traditional Andean practices and way of living. For generations, artisans in the village have been weaving textiles on backstrap looms, creating colorful and intricate designs from the materials and ingredients that are endemic to the lush and vibrant region. During our textiles workshop, you’ll experience their ancestral textile-making process from start to finish. You’ll get to help wash the alpaca wool yarn, tint it with natural and botanical dyes, and spin the yarn with the help of the local weavers. 

After the workshop, we will head down the mountain back into town and have lunch at a local organic farm and restaurant and feast on a traditional pachamanca. A pachamanca, which is Quechua for "earth oven", is a traditional Andean way of using the earth to cook a variety of meats, herbs, and vegetables underground. Pachamancas are typically served at celebrations or special events, which our trip certainly is!

After lunch, we will board the train with a panoramic roof in Ollantaytambo for the 90-minute ride down to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly known as Aguas Calientes). Once we’ve arrived, we’ll walk to our hotel. This beautiful property is tucked away in the trees on a terraced hillside close to Machu Picchu. The cloud forest setting of the resort means that there are over 214 bird species. As such, the resort has in-house guides with optional included activities such as bird watching, twilight walks, and visiting the Andean Sauna.

Tonight, we’ll have dinner together at the hotel before heading to bed to rest up for our next big day.

It’s finally here! Prepare for a day of exquisite views and spiritual connection as we take a bus from Machu Picchu Pueblo to the archeological site. There, we will have a short introduction with our guide, and optional hikes at the site. After a buffet lunch, we will have an in-depth tour of Machu Picchu with plenty of time to learn about the intricate details of the ruins and take plenty of photos.

Upon returning to the hotel in Machu Picchu, your dinner is included at the on-site restaurant, which you can coordinate at your leisure. As such, you may want to schedule a spa service or take time for souvenir shopping in town.

If you want to rise and shine early, then join the hotel's birdwatching adventure with a resident guide before our departure. Then we’re on the move again! We’ll board the train with a panoramic roof in Machu Picchu for the return train ride to Ollantaytambo, where we’ll reunite with our driver who will whisk us off to Cusco.

Once we’ve checked into our hotel and freshened up, we’ll head out into the city with our local guide on a Cusco city walking tour. During our walk, we’ll explore the heart of the ancient Inca capital, where cobblestone streets intertwine with colonial architecture. Led by our knowledgeable guide, we’ll delve into the city’s incredible past, learning about its vibrant people, historic plazas, and fascinating cultural landmarks along the way.

After our tour, we’ll dine together and then head back to the hotel.

This morning, we dive into the world of coffee! We start our morning with a coffee tasting experience at a local coffee shop run by women who source some of the best beans from women farmers around Peru. During our tasting, we’ll learn all about Peruvian coffee and what makes it stand out from other varieties.

Once we’re fully caffeinated, we’ll get our hands messy in an art workshop alongside a local artist and decorate our very own Pucara Bull. We will learn about the history of the bulls and their role in local customs, and apply the gilding techniques so important to traditional Cusco art. We’ll also walk away with an appreciation for the Cusco school of art and its fusion of Andean culture with European.

Next, we will have lunch at a nearby restaurant and enjoy their Mesa Llena Lunch - Spanish for Full Table. A variety of dishes will be served to the table for us to share family style so we can try a taste of everything Cusco has to offer. 

The rest of the day is yours! With expert and local recommendations, explore the city and do some souvenir shopping!

Today we say farewell to the Andes and its majestic mountains. After checking out of our hotel, we will head to the airport and hop on a 1-hour nonstop flight to Lima. Upon arrival, we’ll head to our hotel and freshen up.

Then it’s time to hit the city and taste all this gourmet capital has to offer! We’ll spend the afternoon and early evening on a Lima food tour and taste our way around the city, stopping at various places to savor their best dishes. Get ready for a seaside pisco cocktail and fresh Peruvian flavors at sunset, traditional Peruvian dishes with a twist alongside the pre-Incan ruins of the Huaca Pucllana, and a hidden and hands-on gourmet culinary experience featuring a local chef's signature dishes.

After our very filling afternoon, we will retire to our boutique hotel in the artsy, hip Barranco neighborhood and you’ll have the rest of the evening on your own to explore.

On our last full day together, we’ll explore some of the best handicraft shops in Barranco, then head to the Historic Downtown of Lima (Unesco site) and the close by Chinatown to experience the mixture of Peruvian and Chinese cultures. Our expert guide will share about the historical and cultural significance Asian cultures have played in Peru, and how they have impacted and enriched the country.

For lunch, we’ll enjoy the best ceviche of our life, served up by an awarded local chef!

After our tour, we’ll return to the hotel and have a few hours of free time before heading to our farewell dinner at Maido. There, we will experience Chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura's astounding Nikkei cuisine (a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian foods). The chef was born in Lima, studied culinary arts in the USA, and went to Japan to learn about his cultural and culinary heritage. Years later, he opened Maido, which has now risen to #6 on San Pellegrino’s list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. This is a meal you’re sure to remember!

Bid your tour host and new friends farewell as your driver takes you back to the Lima airport for your international flight, or onward if you’d like to explore more of Peru.

*Itinerary, hotels, activities, and modes of transportation are subject to change based on availability and/or weather conditions. In the event a hotel is unavailable, another comparable 4-5 star hotel will be substituted. All Terms and Conditions will be sent upon inquiry and must be agreed upon during booking.

**This tour does not include the intense Inca Trail hike and camping. Instead, we will be enjoying boutique hotels at night and we will take alternate transportation to reach our Machu Picchu tour. We will have some "light" activities such as a 3-hour downhill walk on trails and optional paddleboarding. If you prefer more activity, we will also have the Machu Picchu Mountain hike or Huayna Picchu hike as an option.