Itinerary at a glance

• Day 1

  Lima - Welcome to Peru - Lima City of Kings

• Day 2

  Lima - Lima and its authentic local districts

• Day 3

  Nazca - Flight over the enigmatic Nazca lines and visit the oasis of Huacachina

• Day 4

  Paracas - Ballestas Islands, bird watching, and return to Lima

• Day 5

  Cusco - Lima to Cusco, the Imperial City of the Incas

• Day 6

  Sacred Valley - The Sacred Valley of the Incas - Pisaq, the archaeological jewel

• Day 7

  Sacred Valley - The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Chincheros, Maras/Moray, and Ollantaytambo

• Day 8

  Machu Picchu - The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

• Day 9

  Cusco - Return to the imperial city of Cusco and cooking classes

• Day 10

  Lima - Lima Flight and International Flight

• Day 1

  Lima - Welcome to Peru, Lima City of Kings

  Lima (Sea Level) 

  
  

  When you arrive to Lima, your private transport will be waiting for you to take you to your previously selected hotel. We will welcome you to Peru and make sure that you have a warm and comfortable welcome.

  

• Day 2

  Lima - Lima and its authentic local districts

  Lima (Sea Level) 

  
  

  Early in the morning, we will take you on a private tour of Lima, where you will enjoy the best of colonial and modern Lima. We will walk around the San Martín Plaza, where you will pass through the pedestrian zone of the Jirón de la Union which leads to the central plaza of Lima. This street was constructed in 1535 and its old charm is still preserved with shops and restaurants in a mixture of old and new buildings. Later, we will arrive at the central plaza, a beautiful space surrounded by majestic palaces. The colonial part of Lima is filled with history and your guide will give an introduction to the current capitol of Peru. After visiting the central part of Lima, we will go to the more local and authentic area of Chorrillos, a district famous for its fishing. Here, you will see local fishermen and you will explore the real local side of Lima. After that, we will continue through Barranco, where we will have a short stroll through this bohemian and old district of Lima. Barranco is located in an impressive cliff that dominates the Pacific Ocean. After your experience in Lima, you will return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day as you choose.

  

• Day 3

  Nazca - Flight over the enigmatic Nazca lines and visit the oasis of Huacachina

  Overnight in Ica / Paracas (Altitude: Sea Level) 

  
  

  Early in the morning, you will be guided towards Ica. The trip will last approximately four hours, starting from the city, passing through the coast, and ending in the desert. Upon your arrival to Ica, around noon, we will take you to the Ica airport where you will board your flight of 1.5 hours to fly over the marvelous Nazca and Palpa lines, a series of old geoglyphs in the desert made by the Nazca culture (approximately 400 - 650 AD). Currently, it remains a mystery as to why the Nazca culture created these geoglyphs. During the flight, you will see fascinating figures like a monkey, hummingbird, tree, parrot, astronaut, dog, condor, among others. After your flight, we will take you to the Huacachina oasis, a paradise for nature lovers. It is a beautiful oasis surrounded by sand dunes. If you are an adventurer, you should try to surf on the sand or ride in a sand buggy; it is an unforgettable adventure (both are additional activities). After an exciting day, you will be taken to your hotel.

  

• Day 4

  Paracas - Ballestas Islands, bird watching and return to Lima

  Overnight in Ica / Paracas (Altitude: Sea Level)

  
  

  In the morning, we will take you to the port of Chaco in Paracas for an extraordinary trip by boat to the Ballestas Islands, three small islands filled with animals close to the coast. In the boat trip to the islands, you can see the “Candelabro”, a gigantic geoglyph in the form of a candlestick. Upon arriving to the islands, you will stay in the boat to see a large number of surprising animals, including loud and playful seals, a lot of marine birds including Humboldt penguins and pelicans. We will navigate close to the islands to have a great view of the animals in the waves, those that fly above, and those that swim below the water. After traveling around the islands, we will take you to enjoy a delicious lunch next to the ocean before starting our return journey to Lima.

  

• Day 5

  Cusco - Lima to Cusco, the Imperial City of the Incas

  Cusco (Altitude: 3350 m. - 10991 ft)

  
  

  Beginning the day, we will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the Lima airport to travel to Cuzco. You will travel to the navel of the world and the imperial city and your private guide will welcome you once you arrive. Your private driver will take you to one of the best hotels, previously selected. We will begin in the San Blas neighborhood, the oldest in Cuzco. It is the neighborhood of artists and artisans where the history of imperial Cuzco is revealed. Following this, we will visit the famous 12 angled stone, known for its perfect edges and finish and as an example of Inca architecture. We will later enter the principal plaza of Cuzco and visit the Cathedral, the most important religious monument in the city, where we will find the most famous works of art from the Cuzqueña school. After that, we will visit the Qoricancha, or the Temple of the Sun. It was one of the most adored and respected temples in the Inca Empire. To end the morning, we will guide you to the famous San Pedro market where you will see a large variety of Andean products (potatoes, cheese, corn, fruit, etc.). We will then guide you to one of the best restaurants. After lunch, we will move to explore the city limits (the fortress of the Inca, or Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapukara, and Tambomachay).

  

• Day 6

  Sacred Valley - The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Pisaq the archaeological jewel

  Pisaq (Altitude: 2972 m. - 9751 ft.)

  
  

  In the morning, after a pleasant breakfast in your hotel, your guide will pick you up and start the first leg of your private tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Your adventure begins on the same route, surrounded by the impressive landscape of the Andean countryside, the imposing sacred mountaintops rise in the distance, while at the entrance of the Sacred Valley, the Vilcanota river greets you. We will arrive at the colonial town of Pisaq and you will walk through the narrow stone streets, the plaza, and the traditional market. After, you will pass through a beautiful native community where the warmth of the locals will make you feel at home. Our hosts will demonstrate how to make Andean textiles and what the manual manufacturing process is like. To continue, they will teach you about the types of Andean potatoes in the area (in Peru, there are more than 5,000 types of native potatoes) and try your selection. We will start with the local cuisine, trying dishes made with products of the earth that our hosts have cultivated. After a short rest, you will go to the archaeological jewel of Pisaq, known for its great view of the andenes, or sets of stepped terraces built on the slopes of the Andes and fantastic Inca structures while listening to the sound of a quena (an indigenous musical instrument), played by a local. Later, you will go to the Inkariy Museum. Its exhibitions are unique and are divided into 8 pavilions, showing you the Prehispanic cultures that gave rise to the largest ancient empire in the Western hemisphere. The cultures include Chavin, Wari, Paracas, Caral, Mochica, Nazca, Lambayeque, Chimú, and Inca. To finish the day, we will let you enjoy one of the best hotels of the valley.

  

• Day 7

  Sacred Valley - The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Chincheros, Maras/Moray, and Ollantaytambo

  Ollantaytambo (Altitude: 2972 m. - 9751 ft.) 

  
  

  The day will start early and promising as we pick you up for the second part of the private tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will take you to the Archaeological Park of Chinchero where we will find the old palace. It was once the residence of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui and is now the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrate due to the process of syncretism. We will guide you to the atrium finely made of pan de oro, where the Virgin of the Nativity rests. You can also see the local market, Andean stairs, Inca walls, beautiful terraces, and a textile center where they make clothing and other goods out of alpaca and llama wool by hand. Afterwards, we will take a special detour where the locals will teach us about their customs. Afterwards, we will take you to Maras, a plateau with an enormous overlook where one can see the beautiful chain of mountains such as La Verónica, Chicón, and others. After that, we will go to Moray, an impressive agricultural experimental site. The stepped levels generate thermal gradients and affect the climate for each level. Now, they go towards the salt mines in Maras where one can see various salt wells that the locals take to sell to the community and to others in Cuzco (it’s recommended on red meat). To finish the day, we will take you to the Inca city of Ollantaytambo.

  

• Day 8

  Machu Picchu - The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

  Machu picchu (Altitude: 2430 m. - 7972 ft.)

  
  

  Prepare yourself for an incredible adventure! In the morning, your guide will pick you up from your hotel to guide you to the train station in Ollantaytambo where you will board the train to Aguas Calientes. In this 1.5 hour trip, you can observe a beautiful landscape. Upon arriving at Aguas Calientes, your private guide will take you to one of the transports and will accompany you to the citadel of Machu Picchu, “the Lost City of the Incas”. During your visit to this sacred site of the Incas, you will learn about the history of the citadel and visit the Sun and Condor templates. You will also see the aqueducts and houses while learning about the history behind the sacred terraces of the Inca. After your guided visit, you will have enough time to explore this amazing place on your own. There are many options to walk along short trails, like that of the Puerta del Sol for an impressive view of Machu Picchu, or the trail that leads to the Inca bridge, a secret entrance for the Inca army. In the afternoon, you will return to Aguas Calientes, where you will have the rest of the afternoon to spend as you wish. Don’t miss the opportunity to bathe in the hot springs or have a good dinner in one of our recommended restaurants. To finish the day, we will let you enjoy one of the best hotels in the valley.

  

• Day 9

  Cusco - Return to the imperial city of Cusco and cooking classes

  Cusco (Altitude: 3350 m. - 10991 ft.)

  
  

  Early in the morning, you will be taken to the train station in Aguas Calientes to board the return train to the city of Ollantaytambo. After an hour-and-a-half of travel on the train, you will meet your driver to get to the imperial city of Cusco. Here, you can enjoy cooking classes where you can prepare your own food and enjoy Peruvian food with a professional Peruvian chef. The chef will show you how to prepare the most popular and delicious dishes from the Peruvian Andes. The classes include a refreshing beverage, an appetizer, a main dish, a dessert, and of course, the famous pisco sour.

  

• Day 10

  Cusco - Lima Flight and International Flight

  Lima (Sea Level)

  
  

  Today, your private driver will take you from your hotel to the Cuzco airport to take your domestic flight to Lima. You will arrive in Lima in time for your international flight. We hope that you have a wonderful experience in Peru!