Highlights Of Peru (2009)

Today, tour colonial and modern Lima, including the fascinating Larco Herrera Museum, an 18th-century mansion that is now home to a collection spanning more than 4,000 years of pre-Columbian history. This evening, the owner of Casa Garcia-Alvarado, a splendid example of Lima's early 20th-century Republican architecture, hosts a welcome dinner. JW Marriott Hotel B D

Fly to Cusco and continue to the Sacred Valley of the Incas where you visit Pisac's bustling market. Try your bartering skills for sweaters, ponchos, wall hangings, jewelry and other local goods. Lunch is at Hacienda Huayocari, a private residence with an impressive collection of Incan and colonial art and artifacts, hosted by the Lambarri-Orihuelas family. Admire the views of the Sacred Valley of the Incas from Huayocari's location on the summit of a hill sheltered by Andean mountain peaks. This afternoon, visit the town of Chincheros where you learn how wool is shorn from the llamas and alpacas and then spun, dyed and woven to produce a range of beautiful products. Later, experience a local ritual that pays homage to Pachamama, the "Earth Mother." Casa Andina Private Collection (Sacred Valley) B L D

Today, visit Ollantaytambo, the site of the Inca's greatest victory against the Spanish during the wars of conquest. Constructed of rose-colored granite, this huge installation was once a thriving complex of baths, temples and military barracks. This afternoon visit a local ceramics studio, dedicated to the rediscovery of techniques and designs from ancient Peruvian cultures. Casa Andina Private Collection (Sacred Valley) B L D

Early this morning, board the Vistadome train bound for Aguas Calientes, gateway to Machu Picchu. Accompanied by your A&K guide and the resident archaeologist, explore the citadel's ruins and feel its pulse as you visualize the lives of the priests, craftsmen and servants who once inhabited this seemingly uninhabitable city. Excavations at the site have revealed skeletons, artifacts and woolen clothing, but no hint as to the secret of its lost people; the Incas left no written record. Share your impressions of this extraordinary place with your fellow travellers back at your lodge. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel B L D

The morning is free to walk through Machu Picchu at sunrise before the crowds arrive. If you choose, hike with your guide to the Huayna Picchu - the highest part of the ruins, offering spectacular views of the surrounding area and the "lost city." Alternatively, hike to the Inti Punku (Sun Gate), the entry point to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. After lunch, transfer back to the Vistadome train bound for Cusco. Hotel Monasterio B L

Embark on a morning tour of colonial Cusco that takes you to the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, and the Santo Domingo Temple, a Dominican church and convent built on the Incan foundations of the Koricancha or "place of gold." Later, explore the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a testimonial to Incan architectural skills. Compiled of massive stones, the walls were cut and fitted together with incredible precision and without a single drop of mortar to hold them in place; a sheet of paper cannot slide between them. Enjoy lunch at the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, a former Incan ceremonial court where nearly 500 masterworks are on display. The remainder of the day is free to explore or relax at leisure; other nearby sites you might visit on your own include Inca Wasi, the highest Incan site; the sculptures of Chulquipalta; the stunning carved terraces of Moray; and Vilcabamba, the fortification where the last Incan resistance to Spanish rule was crushed in 1572. Hotel Monasterio B L

This morning return to Lima and then transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax, do some last minute shopping or stroll through the city. Tonight's farewell dinner is at a local restaurant specializing in Peruvian cuisine and located in one of the biggest pre-Columbian temples of the city. JW Marriott Hotel B D

This morning you are transferred to the airport to board your international flight. B