Arrive in Lima, a capital shaped by history, culture and one of Latin America’s most influential food scenes. Home to a UNESCO-listed historic center, Lima was once the seat of Spanish rule in South America and still carries that significance today. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and settle in before meeting your Travel Director and fellow small group travelers this evening for dinner with drinks, a relaxed first introduction to the journey ahead.
Explore the colorful capital of Peru this morning with your Local Expert. Discover its colonial heritage, taking in key landmarks such as the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Visit Casa Aliaga, an impressive mansion that's been home to the Aliaga family for 17 generations. For those with an appreciation for art and history, enjoy a visit to Museo Larco, a renowned private museum nestled in the Pueblo Libre District. Rated as one of South America's top museums, it houses the world’s largest collection of Pre-Columbian art. Enjoy lunch set in an 18th-century garden at Cafe del Museo Larco, where regional Peruvian dishes draw on centuries-old traditions. Dine beneath bougainvillea-draped terraces in the grounds of a vice-royal mansion, part of one of Lima’s most storied colonial estates. Afterwards, a Local Expert will guide you through the museum's treasured collection, offering fascinating insights into Peru’s ancient civilisations and spiritual traditions.
Take a transfer to the airport in the morning, where you'll catch your flight to the ancient capital of Cusco. Begin your tour of the Sacred Valley, while taking in impressive views on your scenic drive along the way. After a few stunning photo stops, enjoy lunch at Altar Inca, surrounded by some of the most impressive views of the region. Enjoy a leisurely trip to your hotel for the next couple of nights, where the evening is yours to do as you please. We recommend that you rest in order to adjust to the altitude comfortably.
Spend the day in the Sacred Valley, where ancient ingenuity, living traditions and local flavors come together. Visit the Maras Salt Mines with a Local Expert and see the thousands of terraced pools still used to harvest salt, before continuing to Moray, where the Incas created circular terraces believed to have been used for agricultural experimentation. Later, head to Laguna Piuray for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience weaving demonstration, revealing how textiles continue to shape personal and regional identity in the Andes. Then enjoy an experience at Laguna Piuray. Sit down to a traditional lunch, cooked in the earth with hot stones and accompanied by local musicians, before learning to play the zampoña, a traditional Andean panpipe.
Begin the day in Ollantaytambo, where the surviving stone streets and terraces still reflect the layout of an Inca town. Visit the ruins with a Local Expert, then stop at a local home in the old town to meet the family who live there and learn more about daily life in the village. Later, enjoy your travels as you board IncaRail’s The Prime train to Machu Picchu Pueblo, traveling in superior comfort with an Andean-inspired tasting and live music on board. On arrival, visit Machu Picchu with a Local Expert, who will guide your Small Group through the 15th-century citadel and explain the significance of its architecture, engineering and mountain setting.
Take in the breathtaking landscapes of Machu Picchu for a second time. Spend your morning exploring at your own pace, with your Travel Director on hand to answer any queries you may have. The remainder of your day is at your leisure. Relax back at your hotel or perhaps explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own.
Board your IncaRail 360 train to Ollantaytambo after breakfast, then continue to Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire and still one of Peru’s most important historic cities. You’ll join a Local Expert for a walking tour through the old center, including Plaza Mayor, the 12-Angled Stone and Koricancha, once the most important temple in the Inca Empire. Enjoy an after-hours visit to the Cusco Planetarium to see the southern sky through dome projections, Inca constellations and Andean astronomy, with telescope observation when conditions allow.
Explore the Inca sites above Cusco this morning, where ceremonial spaces, defensive outposts and monumental stonework reveal how the empire shaped its capital. Visit Tambomachay, Puka Pukara and Qenqo before continuing to Sacsayhuaman, whose vast zigzag walls still overlook the city. After lunch, explore further with Insight Choice. Visit San Pedro Market with a Local Expert to one of Cusco’s most traditional market halls. Here, you’ll buy local food products that will later be donated to the community. Or step inside Cusco Cathedral on Plaza de Armas to see gilded altars, carved woodwork and paintings from the Cusco School, where colonial art and Inca heritage meet.
Spend the day at leisure in Cusco, with time to explore more of this historic Andean city at your own pace. You may wish to join an Optional Experience to ChocoMuseo to learn more about cacao and the chocolate-making process, or choose an Optional Experience to Rainbow Mountain for a striking high-altitude landscape beyond the city. You could also spend time around Plaza de Armas, browse the artisan shops of San Blas or visit San Pedro Market for a look at local produce and everyday life in the city. This evening, join your fellow Small Group travelers for dinner at Inka Grill and share memories of your journey through Peru and the landscapes of the Andes.
It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travelers as your trip comes to an end. Take a private transfer to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.
