FRISCO´S TRAVEL - TA_11D Peru Culinary Rafael Gomez de la Torre 2025 - v2

Arrive at the Jorge Chavez International Airport. Upon arrival to Lima our representative will meet you at the airport escort you during the drive to your hotel.

Peru has been continuously awarded as the World´s leading culinary destination by the Word Travel Awards, and Lima is with no doubt the food capital of South America. The city is constantly visited by foodies from different countries just to explore the local culinary scene. Amazing biodiversity, a huge variety of local ingredients, pre-Columbian and Spanish culinary traditions mixed with influences from all over the world and the creativity of local chefs are some of the elements that have and are still building a fantastic local cuisine. 

Your host-chef meets you at the hotel to start this day of experiences, where you will be able to have a glimpse of the Peruvian lifestyle from the perspective of food, art and people.

A visit to one of our favorite markets allows you to mingle with the locals and explore with all your senses the mix of exotic fruits, vegetables, herbs and products on display. Surrounding the market we find interesting crafts that you may want to see. After this visit we go back to our private vehicle and head towards Barranco bohemian district where your guide takes you for a walk through the charming streets, art galleries and shops. The walk ends at your host´s private apartment, strategically located facing the ocean. Here you have the chance to participate in a hands-on cooking class using a variety of fresh seasonal ingredients. If not interested in actually cooking, you are free to relax in the terrace while having a Pisco Sour and some Peruvian snacks while lunch is ready. Finally it is time to sit at the table and enjoy!  

After lunch, your private guide will pick you up and drive to the Larco Museum. Founded in 1926, the Larco Museum showcases remarkable chronological galleries providing an excellent overview on 3000 years of development of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. Located in a unique vice-royal mansion of the 18th century built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid is surrounded by beautiful gardens.  Features the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru and a world-famous ceramic collection, one of the most visited Peruvian tourist attractions.  Larco is one of the few museums in the world where visitors can also choose to enter the storage area with its 45.000 classified archaeological objects.  Its masterpieces are considered worldwide icons of Pre-Columbian art, after being exhibited in the world's leading museums. Return to your hotel.

Tonight´s dinner will be at "La Rosa Nautica" restaurant. A private transportation will take you to the restaurant.

At the indicated hour, we will drive you to the airport for your flight to Arequipa.

Arrival to the airport, meet your guide and drive to your hotel.

One of the most deeply rooted traditions for “Arequipeños” is to go out for lunch in a picantería.

Arequipa 's picanterías are mostly run by creative and generous women - the “picanteras”, authors of the unity between the Andean and Hispanic culinary traditions. They knew how to make the family food a democratic event by wisely using the products of the coast, the valleys and the Andes. We will visit the Cau Cau run by Saida, our host and heir of the Arequipa culinary art; together with her we will taste and get to know the jayaris, - like snacks dishes- and the cuy chactado, the breeding of the guinea pig dates back to 4000 years BC, it was one of the main dishes on the daily menu in ancient Peruvian times. And, still being in our tables.

Although there are many types of chicha in Peru, the so-called "chicha de güiñapo" (germinated and ground black corn) is essential as a drink and ingredient in Arequipa cuisine.

Lunch at a picantería with a good chicha de güiñapo.

After lunch transfer or walk to the plaza in Yanahuara for a dessert taste with a typical “picarones”, have them on the street, taste them on a bench in the plaza. There is no better experience than enjoying the locals.

The afternoon meets us and our final destination in the day will be Mundo Alpaca, a small but interesting museum tells the story of the beginnings of the Alpaca Industry in Arequipa to this day.

The place holds an interesting exhibition showing the history of more than 2,500 years, reflected in textiles. A special attention is paid to culture Siguas, which took place within this region.

Walk back to your hotel located in the nice neighborhood of San Lázaro, first settlement in Arequipa.

Tonight´s dinner is not included - we would be more than happy to suggest nice alternatives in the city.

Today we combine two leading cultural highlights of Arequipa: its architectural legacy and its gastronomic staple, with the San Camilo market and the history back in time by visiting Museum Santuario Andinos where one of the most interesting discoveries in Arequipa is shown, the Juanita Mummy, also known as the Ice Girl, is the frozen body of an Inca girl who was given to the Apus as a sacrifice between the years. 1450 and 1480. It was discovered in the Ampato volcano. The mummy is very well preserved, being chosen by Time magazine in 1995 as one of the most interesting discoveries of the moment.

Lunch at La Nueva Palomino picantería.

Afternoon visit to Santa Catalina Monastery. Walking inside its walls feels as you are being transported 400 years back in time. Return to your hotel.

Tonight´s dinner is not included - we would be more than happy to suggest nice alternatives in the city.

Early this morning , you will be driven to the airport to board your flight to Cusco.   

Upon your arrival, your guide greets you in the Arrivals Hall. You’ll hop in the van & head out to the Sacred Valley. On the way we will pass through the picturesque village of Pisac with a stop in Awanaqancha, an exhibition Centre of Textiles and South American Camelides. You will be shown the different methods of processing the alpaca fiber, from the animal to the final product. Then, we will continue driving through the Valley to find our lunch spot,  a private hacienda, where you will learn about the famous giant Peruvian corn. After lunch, our private vehicle drives us back to Pisac, where we find the chance to walk through the  archeological site, with its magnificent terraces and Inca buildings. Time allowing, we drive back to Pisac town, a typical Andean village with colonial architecture and cobble stone streets. Here you are free to spend some time visiting the local market.  Finally, we drive for another 45-minute drive to your hotel, for a relaxing evening.

Tonight, we suggest to dine at your hotel (not included).

In the heights of the Sacred Valley there are humble and hospitable people who maintain traditions that have survived for thousands of years. They live in community and know how to read the signs of nature. They are sensitive people who own mysterious textile iconography, have unique flora and fauna, prepare exotic cuisine with delicate products, and share a common past linked to pre-Hispanic cultures.

This morning your guide and transport take you visit a Quechua Andean Community located in the heights of The Sacred Valley. After a warm welcome, the community members will invite you to participate in their daily activities. We will spend the morning with women and men doing traditional farming, animal breeding and astonishing weaving. You will be able to participate in what is going on according to the season. Finally, enjoy lunch at the community and get ready for the return.

Dinner is not included but you may enjoy one of the restaurants in Urubamba – we would be happy to assist you with a dinner reservation for you (Transport from/to hotel is included)

Today you will do a walking exploration in the village of Ollantaytambo, a still living Inca village set below ancient ruins retaining the stonework, narrow streets, and family courtyards of pre-Columbian times. Much of the Inca history in Peru was destroyed by the Spanish, but Ollantaytambo is an important ceremonial site and scene of a few battles between the Incas and the Spanish conquerors. Here you will also have the chance to walk the Inca-Ruins uphill steps; this is a steep ascent, offering great views to the valley as a final reward to the effort.

Then you will stop at Folk-art Alqa museum for a brief immersion in traditional Peruvian Folk-art.

Today’s lunch is a whole experience during which we will visit an organic farm set on an old Inca Terrace and participate on the preparation of a traditional Pachamanca. The Pachamanca is an ancient Peruvian cooking technique consisting in an earth-oven in which native ingredients such as different kinds of tubers, vegetables and meats are wrapped in local herbs and cooked underground using wood-fire heated stones. The owner of this place just started a tiny traditional distillery, where he is developing fascinating products using different Andean ingredients. You may want to have a look at it and perhaps try one or two sips of the Andean Whisky! Return to your hotel to relax.

Dinner is not included but you may enjoy one of the restaurants in Urubamba – we would be happy to assist you with a dinner reservation for you (Transport from/to hotel is included)

During the morning your guide meets you at the hotel to lead you board the Expedition train or similar. The train-ride to Aguas Calientes lasting about 2 hours gives you the opportunity to admire how the landscape changes dramatically; from the typical Andean Valley, surrounded by might snow-capped mountains such as the Veronica, to a cloud-forest valley, full of exuberance and life. Your guide leads you straight to the bus station to take the bus up to the Machu Picchu citadel.

Lunch is included at Tinkuy restaurant by the Sanctuary Lodge.

The afternoon is definitely the best time of the day to explore Machu Picchu Inca Citadel, especially because by this time of the day most people have already left the area, which together with the wonderful afternoon sunlight allows you to appreciate one of the 7-modern-wonders of the world in a very particular way. Your guide will slowly lead you through the citadel, explaining the different theories about the buildings and temples. Then, you will board a bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you are led to the train station to board the train back to Ollantaytambo. Your private transport will be waiting to drive you all the way back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

This morning you will be driven to the Maras "salt works", also called "salt mines". Here we find nearly 3000 small pools with an average area of 5 m² (53.8 ft²), constructed in a slope of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain. People fill up or "irrigate" the pools during the dry season every three days, with salty water emanating from a natural spring located on the top of the complex, so that when water evaporates the salt contained in it will slowly solidify. That process will be carried out approximately for one month until a considerable volume of solid salt is obtained. 

Then, we will continue to Moray, a site which is neither the vestige of a city or a fortress, but an earthwork that served as an experimental agricultural station for the development of different strain of crops. This was possible thanks to the discovery of a fascinating phenomenon: the climates of many different ecological zones were present in one single site. After this visit we will continue to Maras town.

Today´s lunch will be at a charming local restaurant near Maras town. 

After lunch,  your guide and transport will take you to Chinchero Andean town. Beyond its Inca origins and its pictures streets, Chinchero is very much known for the extraordinary textile art developed by its inhabitants. Here you have the time to appreciate how this people are devoted to recover some of the extraordinary techniques used by their ancestors.

Finally, we will continue to Cusco city. Check in at your hotel.

Although Machu Picchu is to be considered the symbol of the Inca Empire, reputation earned thanks to its spectacular location and architecture, the true Inca jewel is Cusco, ancient capital of the Empire, where the Incas did rule and were considered god-kings. In addition, the arrival of the Spanish Conquerors and the Catholic faith brought another huge architectural transformation, resulting in a completely unique City.

We will start visiting the San Pedro Market, Cusco's main market, where you will be able to experience the real Cusco and its people’s customs. Then, we will continue to the Santo Domingo Convent, once the Sacred temple of the Sun, also known as the Qoricancha, which inner walls were, according to the chronicles, once completely covered in gold, housing natural-size gold statues.

Then, we will continue our drive to Sacsayhuaman. On the way you find the opportunity to watch Cusco from above, clearly appreciating the original Inca design of the City, over which the Colonial and Modern Cusco have been built.

Sacsayhuaman, commonly called "fortress", because of the huge stone blocks that make up its walls, but really not designed for the purpose of being a fortress, but an important worship area. Return to the city for lunch.

After enjoying some free time for lunch (not included).

Visit the “Chocolate Museum”, where you will participate on a hands-on workshop making your own chocolate. This activity will allow you to learn the entire process from the Cacao seed all the way to the chocolate. Consider that Peruvian Cacao is recognized for being one of the best quality organic coffees in the world.

Tonight, we will enjoy a farewell dinner at "Cicciolina´s restaurant".

Morning at leisure to enjoy the city on your own. Today you may want to walk the City, perhaps visit the local market, visit a museum, enjoy the local food in a nice restaurant, make some shopping, or just relax. 

When the time comes your transport and guide will drive you to the airport for your flight.

Upon arrival in Lima, your representative will assist you at Lima airport to connect your international flight.