Cultural Traditions Of Peru With Optional Nazca Lines & Paracas Extension

LimaStroll a local market with a renowned chef who helps you select the ingredients for a unique cooking adventure. Stop to make a wish in the wishing well at Santa Rosa Convent en route to Casa Aliaga, where your chef is waiting to help you prepare a delicious Peruvian lunch. Later, meet Giuliana Testino, who developed a line of alpaca and cotton knitwear. Miraflores Park Hotel B L D

Lima/CuscoFly to Cusco, where a group of traditionally dressed actors on stilts greets you with a music and dance pasacalle, a Peruvian tradition that dates from colonial times. Visit the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and the Santo Domingo Temple. Then renowned artists give you handson instruction so that you can make your own souvenir. Later, gather for welcome cocktails and an Andean music presentation by local expert Kike Pinto. Hotel Monasterio B L D

Cusco Compiled of massive stones that were cut and fitted together without a single drop of mortar, the ruins of Sacsayhuaman show the Incas' amazing architectural skills. Next, experience the traditional Pago a la Tierra ceremony, a ritual that pays homage to the earth mother. A local shaman with a reputation for accuracy then reads your future in coca leaves. Dine at Colcampata, a historic private home, and participate in the traditional Entrega de Varas ceremony when village elders pass on the wooden vara (scepter) to the new mayor. Hotel Monasterio B L D

Cusco/Sacred Valley Head to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a narrow, winding valley with snow-capped peaks looming in the distance. Visit a traditional home in Ollantaytambo and the Ollantaytambo Fortress, once a thriving Incan complex of baths, temples and military barracks. Meet some of Patacancha's wayuros, reputed to be direct descendants of the last Incas of Cusco. Continue to Pisac, known for its bustling market. The Urubamba Valley is also home to the saltpans of Salineras. Then meet members of the Lambarri-Orihuelas family who show you their valuable art collection. Afterward, watch as horsemen demonstrate the unique characteristics of the Peruvian Paso horse. Later, visit with Nilda Calla?aupa Alvarez who demonstrates traditional Andean weaving techniques. This evening, the hotel chefs offer a handson lesson in the local cuisine while preparing your dinner. Sol & Luna Lodge & Spa B L D

Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu Board the panoramic Vistadome train to the sacred Inca citadel Machu Picchu. Excavations have only added to the mystery of the ruins. Continue exploring with your guide or return to your hotel to relax. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel B L D

Machu Picchu/Cusco Walk around the ruins at sunrise when Machu Picchu appears at its most mysterious. Explore on your own or join your guide for a hike to either Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, or up the Huayna Picchu, the highest mountain, for panoramic views of the citadel and the region. Late this afternoon return to Cusco aboard the luxury Hiram Bingham train. Hotel Monasterio B L D

Cusco/Lima Fly to Lima; the balance of the day is at leisure. Tonight, get together for a private farewell dinner with Peruvian music and dancing at Casa Garcia-Alvarado, hosted by Ana Maria Garcia, its owner. Miraflores Park Hotel B D

Lima/USA or Canada Board your international flight. B

May 17-19: Spend two days in Paracas National Reserve examining the variety of flora and fauna, including plants native to the Peruvian coastal desert, as well as numerous endangered species. Then fly over the famous Nazca lines that were cut into the stony desert. The geometric figures and animal designs are thought to represent some sort of vast astronomical pre-Inca calendar. Return to Lima for your homebound flight.