Machu Picchu & Cusco: cultural legacy

Welcome to Peru, upon your arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight at selected hotel at Lima.

Explore Lima, a vibrant city formerly called the 'City of the Kings'. What is the origin of this name and how Lima came about, what changes this city has had over the centuries, what the Peruvians are proud of and much more you will learn from your guide today. Start with a walking tour in the historic center, UNESCO World Heritage, and admire its colonial architecture with some of the finest Baroque buildings and its wonderful carved dark wood balconies. Some of the highlights are the Convent of San Francisco, the Osambela House or Oquendo House, which stands out for its neoclassical style, its blue colored facade with five wooden balconies and pilasters, and a lookout with dome, from where the galleons of Callao were observed. You continue to Plaza de Armas and visit then the Convent of Santo Domingo, the site of the first university established in Peru and the oldest in the Americas.

You see some traditional cafés like the ‘Cordano', a popular meeting place of politicians, intellectuals, and bohemians in the past, such as of the Nobel Prize winner for literature, Mario Vargas Llosa. You cannot leave the center of Lima without having tried the Peruvian traditional drink, the Pisco Sour, and the most exciting will be the chance to learn how to prepare it by a bartender in a cozy atmosphere at ‘Museo del Pisco’.

Then the scenery changes by visiting the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco with its colonial homes, typical boulevards, and street art. You will do a stop at a lookout point for a view of the Pacific Ocean and go over the famous ‘Bridge of Sighs'. Barranco is well-known also for its selection of fantastic local eateries. From world famous restaurants like ‘Central' and ‘Isolina' to the much-loved ‘Crem de la Crem' ice cream shop or the traditional Tabern ‘Juanito' running since 1937, there is plenty of choice. At the end of the tour enjoy a cup of organic coffee sourced from Peruvian farmers at the Felicia & Domingo Café, which supports the fair trade.

Overnight at selected hotel at Lima.

Included: Batreakfast and dinner.

At proper time you will be transferred to the airport to take the flight to Cusco.

Sacred Valley tour: Your guide will meet you at the airport in Cusco to start your journey to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, en route we will make a stop in ’Awana Kancha (weaver's palace in Quechua)’, a breeding center of South American camels (guanacos, llamas, alpacas and vicunas). Artisans will demonstrate weaving and dyeing ancient Andean techniques from 12 communities still in use today.

Shortly after the ruins of Pisaq await, which are set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Pisaq's Incacitadel are magnificent. In the main ruins, you will find temples of the sun, moon, rain, rainbow, and stars, as well as a few Inca crosses rising from the ground.

Afterwards explore the vibrant Pisaq market in the Sacred Valley. Originally, a place where people from remote communities used to barter their products, Pisaq has evolved to one of South America's most famous souvenir markets. Make sure to sample some 'empanadas' baked in traditional clay ovens.

Overnight at selected hotel at Sacred Valley.

Included: breakfast and lunch.

At proper time, transfer from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to Ollanta train station.

The train ride takes you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas up to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu tour: Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes you will be greeted by your guide who will assist you onto the shuttle bus to the entrance of the citadel. For centuries Machu Picchu remained undiscovered by the Spaniards and has only been found in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. During your guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction. The duration of your magical trip to one of the seven new wonders of the world will be 2.5 hours, after which you will make your way back out of the citadel with your guide.

In the afternoon, return by train from Aguas Calientes to Ollanta. Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Overnight at selected hotel at Cusco.

Included: breakfast and lunch.

Exploring on foot is the best way to experience the magical flair and cultural richness of what was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Your walk begins with the San Pedro market, where you will immerse yourself among the locals and witness their everyday life. You will see beautiful colonial houses on Plazoleta Regocijo and in Café Carbel you will learn the story of a pioneer who collected the finest coffee beans and was one of the first to install a roaster in Cusco, a tradition full of passion that has lasted for over 50 years. Enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee from the region! Time to visit one of the gems at the main square of Cusco, the Jesuit church La Compañia de Jesús, one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in the Americas. The choir balcony on the second floor offers a great view over the Plaza de Armas. Then you walk along Hatunrumiyoc Street named after the 12-angled stone clearly visible in the remaining walls of what used to be Inca Roca’s Palace. You make a last stop in San Blas artisan quarter with its steeped cobblestone alleys and spectacular views of the city.

Overnight at selected hotel at Cusco.

Included: breakfast.

Enjoy your free time to go shopping or rest.

Transfer to the airport in Cusco to take the flight back home.

Included: breakfast.