Learning from the Ancient to Modern Peoples of Peru

Arrival Lima. Transfer to Miraflores district

Briefing

Political and Economic lecture by an expert

Welcome lunch at local restaurant

Pm you will embark on a guided city tour of Lima’s historic downtown, beginning with a visit to the Main Plaza and the surrounding monuments:  the Cathedral, built in 1534 and an architectural masterpiece; the Presidential Palace, where the soldiers guarding the palace offer an excellent photo opportunity; the Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall, the Desamparados train station, and the Moorish-style houses and balconies along Lima’s old streets.

Then, we will continue with a visit to the Aliaga House, a beautiful colonial house built in 1535 for Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of Pizarro’s followers, and which has been occupied by 16 generations of his descendants.

Dinner on your own

*on Sundays visits to the Cathedral will be only panoramic.

Visit Chorrillos fish market to learn about Peru Biodiverisity and Humbolt Current by an expert

Lunch at local restaurant with seafood products.

 Our meal will also include a demonstration on how to make Peru's signature drink--the pisco sour.  

In the afternoon visit The Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum (Museo Arqueolegico Rafael Larco Herrera), founded in 1926, is the world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian art; with an astonishing array of gold, silver, semi-precious stones and textiles. The collection's predominant strength is in Mochica ceramics, from the north coast of Peru, of which the erotic ones are the most famous. Their notoriety ought not to obscure the fact that the museum presents a complete view of the cultural development of ancient Peru through a selection of its 45,000 pieces, housed in a colonial building of the 18th century. 

Dinner on your own

Transfer to the airport for flight to Cusco

On arrival to Cusco transfer to the Sacred Valley   acclimatize to the altitude.

 En route visit Awanakancha Center to learn about South American Camelids and products made using traditional and modern techniques such as dyeing, spinning, and weaving. The Center's objective is to protect and disseminate their cultural heritage, in this case represented by the original varied and rich textile tradition of Peru, emphasizing the use of ancestral techniques for spinning, dyeing and management of the South American Camalid fibers

After lunch continue on to the massive fortress of Ollantaytambo, a formidable stone structure that climbs massive terraces to the top of a peak. This was the valley’s main defense against the Antis and was the site of the Incas’ greatest victory against the Spanish during the wars of conquest.

This morning you will depart for a full day visit to the Potato Park, guided by specialist Maywa Blanco. Maywa Blanco, born and raised in Cuzco, holds a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy from Cuzco´s San Antonio Abad University and a Master's degree in Science from Michigan State. A college professor, Maywa will masterfully guide us through this community, explaining how the lifestyle of these agricultural based communities revolves around the potato and what the role of women is in the social structure. The Potato Park is a conservation initiative located in Sacred Valley where local people are managing and protecting local genetic resources and traditional knowledge about their health, food, and agriculture. The organization seeks to achieve food security, increased well‑being, and gender equity for poor people in the developing world. During your visit you will have the opportunity to visit the six Quechua communities residing in the park, visit Kinsaqocha Lake, and see handicrafts and medicinal plants workshop

This morning visit  Moray Terraces and continue to Maras, where you will visit local houses and farms and meet with residents. While there participate in a community project. End the day with an ancient Pachamama ceremony.

Dinner at the hotel

Transfer to the train station to take the train to Aguas Calientes. Arrival and transfer to bus station.

Visit to Machu Picchu, the impressive Inca citadel located 113 Km. from Cusco at 2400 meters above sea level. This complex has several stone constructions that leave the tourist breathless because of the amazing design. Accompanied by your guide, explore the city's ruins, and feel its pulse as you visualize the lives of the priests, craftsmen, and servants who inhabited this seemingly uninhabitable citadel. Excavations at the site have revealed skeletons, artifacts and woolen clothing, but no gold. The same precision of assembled stones exists here as in other Incan sites. Overlooking the raging Urubamba River and discovered in a hidden tangle of vines and trees atop the mountain, the city of Machu Picchu will forever hold the secret of its destruction - the Incas left no written record.

Lunch at Tampu restaurant.

In the afternoon, return to Aguas Calientes.

Dinner at Hotel Restaurant 

This morning, you will have a guided second visit to the Machu Picchu complex.

Lunch on your account.

Return to Aguas Calientes for your train to return to Cusco.

Photography in Cusco lecture by an expert.

This morning we will learn about the historic Cusco Photography  

Discover the city of Cusco from a different perspective, through the eyes of a local photographer.

Then, you will embark on walking tour of Cusco, visit the most important places of the Archaeological Capital of America which was the capital of the Inca's Empire. Observe the mixture of the 3 cultures: the native quechuas Indians, the Spanish conquerors and the actual people. We include the visit of the Main Square, the Cathedral, the church of "La Compañía", the attractive neighbourhood of San Blas and the Santo Domingo Church former Koricancha Temple.

Afternoon enjoy a cooking class with a panoramic view

The experience starts with a visit to the traditional open air San Pedro market, here you will  learn about our regions culinary history and the unique ingredients, later you will learn to cook exotic, delicious and healthy dishes with Red Quinoa, Yellow aji and other ingredients that are a distinct part of our culture and heritage, but easy to find anywhere in the world. the sophisticated, but easy to preapare dishes let you experience rich Peruvian flavors while providing you the expertise to demonstrate your new cooking skills back home. You will take recipes home for the two dishes you prepare, in additions to our famous Peruvian pisco sour cocktail. 

*San Pedro Market visits are at the moment on stand by due to the Covid-19, but as soon as the authorities approve the visits, they will start again. 

This day  travel to Wasau, which is the shamanic capital of the world. You will meet a shaman ‑ learn of his life and ways of his world.

Afternoon lecture about Religious  Syncretism by an expert

Day at your  leaisure 

Late afternoon enjoy Andean Music Lecture followed by typical dances show 

Transfer to the airport for flight out Cusco.

End of services