Best of Peru

Welcome to Peru!

On arrival at Lima Airport, after passing customs area an andBeyond representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel.

Today enjoy of a full day Culinary Traditional and Historic City, a great combination of our culture and cuisine.

Our tour will start with a visit a market to know the most used Peruvian native products in our gastronomy where you will taste and appreciate our local products.

We will then head to the Historic Center of Lima to Lima Chinatown to learn about the mixture of the Peruvian and Chinese cultures and gastronomy. After brief walk through the historic center of Limawe will meet an award-winning chef who will teach how to prepare the famous ceviche. Lunch.

After lunch explore Barranco, the bohemian district in Lima, its architecture, charm streets and beautiful stores and art galleries.

Our tour today will end with a visit a local restaurant to taste the traditional Peruvian dessert picarones made of squash and sweet potatoes

Morning private transfer to Lima Airport for flight to Iquitos

Iquitos–Nauta–Embarkation–Marañon River

Arriving on a noon flight, receive a warm welcome at IquitosInternational Airport by our crew. Board our private transfer todowntown Iquitos, for a panoramic city tour and a welcome lunch.Then transfer to Nauta port for embarkation.Settle into your generously sized suite as you begin one of life’sgreatest adventures.

Following an introduction to our naturalistguides and a routine safety drill, gather at the restaurant for thefirst of many Amazonian cuisine experiences created byAriaAmazon’srenowned consulting chef, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino

 Clavero Lake–Ucayali River–Yarapa River

We start the day searching for incredible wildlife along the UcayaliRiver,includingparrots, egrets, hawks,and monkeys. Afterbreakfast, choose to go canoeing, kayaking,or swimming on theblack water ClaveroLake,or visit an Amazonianvillage, where youcan interact with native riberenos (people of the river).At dusk,explore the Yarapa Riverin search of exotic nocturnal wildlife

Amazon River–TahuayoRiver-San Pedro Forest

As the day begins, embark on a morning wildlife excursion on theextraordinary Amazon River. After breakfast, explore the TahuayoRiver, a black water tributary of the Amazon River, while ournaturalist guides share stories of Amazonia. After lunch, we take ajungle walk at San Pedro or Puerto Prado’sforest to learn aboutthe Amazonianflora and fauna

 Nauta Town–Manatee Rescue Centre–Transferto the Airport

In the morning, take a guided visit to the local market and marvelat the regional produce of the Peruvian Amazon.Return to Aria Amazon for breakfast before disembarkation. Enroute to the airport, visit the Manatee Rescue Center, whereorphaned Amazonian manatees rehabilitate before they arereleased back into the wild

Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions.

Transfer to  Iquitos Airport for your flight o Cusco via Lima. 

On arrival in Cusco your guide will be waiting for you, and you’ll be treated to a private 1 ½ hour scenic drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. 

At this lower elevation you’ll have time to relax, acclimatise, and enjoy your scenic surroundings. 

Time permitting (depending on flight schedule) you will visit the local village of Pisac, famous for its colourful market which attracts travellers from all over the world. Try your hand at bartering for local sweaters, ponchos, wall hangings, jewellery, local handicrafts, and unique souvenirs. 

You’ll then be driven to your hotel for check-in , rest of the day will be at your leisure for an easy acclimatisation to altitude.

Today, you will visit Chinchero, a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta. The village mainly comprises mud brick (adobe) houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress.

There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Its major atraction is its colourful market. 

Your full day tour today will continue with a visit to Moray. The main feature that impresses visitors, is its system of circular agricultural terraces, which are up to 100m (330 feet) deep. They are built using retaining walls connected by an irrigation system. Moray can be considered a crop lab, they used the terraces to create micro-climates and grow various products. 

We will continue on to Maras, the salt mines, or the famous "salt pools". The salt mines of Maras are still in use today. These days there are thousands of pools, or pocitos, with each pocito yielding around 150 kgs (23 stone, 8 lb) of salt per month. You can visit the salt mines and explore them along narrow paths. It’s fascinating to watch locals harvest the salt, a process that hasn’t changed in thousands of years.

This morning please meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel, who will  transfer you to Ollantaytambo Train Station.

Before boarding the train to Machu Picchu, you will have the opportunity to  visit the town of Ollantaytambo, with its Inca streets of stone, traditional square homes and small markets. You will also have time to explore its ruins and hike up to an Incan temple for a majestic view of the town.

Departure from Ollantaytambo train station to Machu Picchu on the Vistadome  train. Vistadome train offers a unique and different way to travel to Machu Picchu. Each of the cars features panoramic windows, enabling you to feel part of your surroundings. 

Reception at the train station by the hotel’s representatives that will take care of your luggage. Your guide will accompany with a short walk to the buses that leads to the citadel and board the 30-minute ride to Machu Picchu Citadel. (8000 ft. – 2432 m.a.s.l.)

Explore the enigmatic citadel of Machu Picchu accompanied with your guide for three hours.  Your expert guide will lead you through the site, providing archaeological and historical information on key areas of interest, including Intihuatana (the Sun Dial), the Sacred Plaza and the Temple of the Sun.

This is an opportunity to revel in the energy and atmosphere of one of the most significant and spectacular archaeological sites on the planet, surrounded by the cloud forest, Wayna Picchu and Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), the entrance to the Machu Picchu Inca trail.

Dinner will be at your hotel

This morning rise early  and enjoy the prospects of a walk through Machu Picchu at sunrise, something which people of strong spirituality believe to be the highlight of a visit to Machu Picchu.

Today you will have the option to do one  of these hikes:

• Huayna Picchu, one of the highlights of a visit to Machu Picchu. The views of the Citadel and surrounding landscape are extraordinary from the top and well worth the climbing effort.
• Machu Picchu Mountain, large granite steps comprise most of its trail and wind all the way to the top. The steep climb is a challenging but rewarding hike and the 360-degree views at the top are a gorgeous reward.

Rest of the morning  continue touring Machu Picchu with your guide.

Bus transfer to Aguas Calientes train station to board the Deluxe Hiram Bingham train to the Sacred Valley Station (dinner and entertainment on board). Travel on the exclusive and luxurious Hiram Bingham train and enjoy the elegant dining car, the bar car, and the observatory, where you can take in the unmatched scenery in the open air while sipping on a traditional Peruvian cocktail and listening to live local music.

Arrival at Sacred Valley  train station, private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

This morning enjoy of a unique culinary experience while enjoying breathtaking views of downtown Cusco from a beautiful Rooftop Kitchen  with individual cooking stations where you will prepare your  own creations with the freshest regional ingredients and experience a new way of learning, sharing and enjoying Peruvian cuisine.

The experience starts with a visit to traditional open air San Pedro market.  Here you will  learn about our regions culinary history and the unique ingredients.  

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 still easy to find anywhere in the world.  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 addition to our famous Peruvian pisco sour cocktail.

This afternoon, you will embark on a guided city 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. Finally a visit to the surrounding ruins: Puka-Pukara, Saqsayhuaman, Qenqo y Tambomachay.

Private transfer to Wanchaq train station to board the Belmond Andean Explorer train.

Depart from Cusco on the Belmond Andean Explorer train, first luxury train in Southamerica and explore the natural wonders and ancient kingdoms on a two-night trip.

Lunch will be served on board.

Afternoon we will stop at La Raya Pass,  the highest point of the Cusco Puno route (4 338 m.a.s.l.), this place is the limit between the regions of Cusco and Puno, from this point it is possible to see part of Bomboya snowy that is part of the Andes mountain range,

Continue to Puno, train travels along one of the highest train routes in the world, crossing through breathtaking cities on its way from Cusco to Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Pre-dinner cocktails and dinner on board

Arrival at the Titicaca Lake Station - Puno Dock,  overnight at Titicaca Lake Station.

Sunrise at Titicaca Lake

After breakfast disembarkation.

Depart by boat to the Uros Islands, where their people use the totora reed, which is plentiful along the edges of the lake, to make their homes, their furniture, their boats, and the islands they live on.

 Return to Puno. Lunch.

Embarkation and depart to Arequipa.

Pre-dinner cocktails and dinner on board

Arrival at Saracocha, observation of stars and constellations(subject to weather conditions)

Overnight at Saracocha

After breakfast you will have the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful lake scenery in Lagunillas (Saracocha), a beautiful blue lake where you can lookout of Andean birds.

Visit Sumbay Caves, an important shelter of the Paleolithic cave legacy, in addition to being recognized, since 2000, as Cultural Heritage of the Nation. The Rock Art found in the caves of Sumbay, would have an approximate age of 8,000 to 6,000 years 

Continue your journey to Colca train station through Salinas and Aguada Blanca Reserve, a natural protected área with impressive landscape of volcanoes, rivers, salt flats, and odd rock formations. You will be able to enjoy beautiful landscapes and to observe Andean camelids as vicuñas, alpacas and another species.

Disembarkation, private transfer to your hotel.

During the journey you will be able to see some rocky formations that resemble a stone forest.

Departure at 06:15 am to visit Cruz del Cóndor, where the depths of the canyon can be seen, which is considered to be deeper than the Colorado Canyon. In addition, you can appreciate the majestic flight of the condors in their natural habitat. (It is possible to go trekking for an hour from Cruz del Cura to Cruz del Condor). The trip goes on until the town of Cabanaconde, a town that produces corn and that is also the second most important town in the Valley.

Transfer to Arequipa, on the way you will  visit the towns of Macca and Yanque and its churches of colonial times.

Arrival at Arequipa,  rest of the day will be at leisure.

This morning  enjoy a tour of Arequipa, Arequipa is known as the White City (Ciudad Blanca) due to its many colonial-era buildings made from sillar, a white volcanic rock; admire these buildings and more.

You’ll see the city’s top historical attractions, including the colonial districts of St Lazarus and Yanahuara, the Monastery of Santa Catalina and the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa, as well as two locations that provide excellent views of the city and its surrounds – Carmen Alto and the Mirador de Yanahuara.

Afternoon rivate transfer to Arequipa Airport for your flight to Lima.

Upon arrival at Lima Airport you will be met and ássisted to connect with your international flight.