Treasures of Peru

After proceeding through immigration, please collect your bags and continue through customs. A representative of Journeys in Peru will be waiting in the arrivals hall to escort you to your driver/vehicle for your transfer to your hotel. The journey time will take approximately 1 hour, depending on local traffic conditions.

This morning you will enjoy cooking lesson. Considered as the Gastronomic Capital of South America, Lima has a lot to offer when it comes to food and we offer a tour that will get you to enjoy and taste delicious Peruvian dishes made with native Peruvian products.

The tour starts with a visit to a local market and then to a well-known restaurant where the chef will show you how to make ceviche and will introduce you to other meals with a seafood base.

You will taste the emblematic Peruvian cocktail “Pisco sour”, a “Causa” made with mashed potatoes and Peruvian tuna and/or crab. You will also get to taste the “Lomo Saltado”, typical Peruvian dish made with beef and sauteed onions/tomatoes. Finally, drink our Chicha Morada and our famous soda Inca Kola.

This afternoon you will meet your guide to begin your Lima city tour. You will start to visit the Plaza Mayor, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You will continue on to the Cathedral, with its splendid carved stalls, silver covered altars surrounded by fine woodwork, the Government Palace, the City Hall and the Archbishop's Palace. Continue on your tour to the San Francisco Monastery which houses the largest exhibition of Colonial religious art in America. Continue sightseeing through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.

This morning you'll meet your Journeys in Peru representative in the lobby for your private transfer to Lima Airport for your scheduled flight to Cusco. On arrival you will be transferred to the hotel, on route enjoying a scenic drive through a stunning landscape to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Visit Awanakancha Center, where weavers of more than 12 communities of Southern Peru exhibit the spinning, dyeing and weaving of Andean traditional textiles helping to preserve the traditional costumes. Your visit includes the opportunity to observe an exhibition and explanation of the four types of South American camels. Here you will find the finest of the traditional and industrial Andean textiles in South America.

Continue to the town of Pisac, renowned for its colorful market where the local Indians meet to sell their merchandise as they have done for centuries. The handicraft market is open every day and is famous for its ceramic beads made into necklaces, earrings and other Peruvian artifacts.

Balance of your day at leisure

Today you will visit Chinchero, a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta at 3762m above sea level, about 30km from Cusco. 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. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow.

Enjoy a delicious lunch in the charming Hacienda Huayoccari where you will be able to appreciate a valuable collection of Colonial and folk art.  Located on the summit of a hill sheltered amidst Andean peaks, enjoy one the finest views of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

In the afternoon visit the town of Ollantaytambo, the site of one of the great Inca fortresses and sacred areas in the Urubamba Valley. The town is one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the Americas. The sixteen massive terraces spread before you are a testimony to the magnificent Inca masonry.

Climb the steep stone steps up to the imposing fortress at the top of the mountain -around 260 steps! From here the view down the valley is superb and you can admire the huge monoliths that form the Temple of the Sun.

DAY 1 SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS | EXPLORING PISAQ

Hotel pick up: Begins at 7am. At the trip briefing the night before your guide will coordinate your specific pick-up time, depending on the hotel where you are staying at.

Activity Menu (morning to noon):

• Cultural activity: Visit Awanakancha (an Andean camelid exhibition and traditional weaving center), the town of Pisaq and local market, and experience an encounter with members of the local community of Viacha.

OR

• Hike: From the local community of Amaru to the local community of Viacha / Duration 2.5-3 h. / Moderate / Mountain pass at an elevation of 14,200´ - 4,328m.

Group Activity: Group lunch at the local community of Viacha. In the afternoon, the whole group visits the archeological site of Pisaq, before heading to the lodge.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner.

Overnight: Lamay Lodge (el. 9,705’- 2,958m.), located in the town of Lamay, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

DAY 2 LARES VALLEY | INCA SITES AND VILLAGES

Group Activity (morning to noon): In the morning, explore the town of Lamay and visit the archeological site of Ancasmarca.

Activity Menu (afternoon, after the group activity)

• Cultural activity: Visit the town of Choquecancha, meet with local weavers and experience an encounter with members of community.

OR

• Hike: From Quelqena to Huacahuasi / Duration 2-2.5 h. / Easy to moderate / Mountain pass at an elevation of 12,595´- 3,839 m.

OR

• Hike: From Cuncani to Huacahuasi / Duration 3.5-4 h. / Moderate / Mountain pass at an elevation of 13,838´- 4,219m.

Note: Guests that opt for the cultural activity will have lunch at the local community of Choquecancha. Guests that opt for the hikes will have lunch en route.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Overnight: Huacahuasi Lodge (el. 12,585’ - 3,835m.), located in the local community of Huacahuasi, in the Lares Region.

DAY 3 SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS | HIKING AMONG AUTHENTIC INCA TRAILS

Activity Menu (all day):

• Cultural activity: Drive back to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, visit a local farmer’s market and a Pre-Inca and Inca cultural museum. Enjoy a Barbeque for lunch at Kuychi Rumi Lodge and in the afternoon explore the town of Ollantaytambo.

OR

• Inca Trail hike: Beautiful hike from Lares pass to the village of Totora / Duration 3 hrs. / Easy to moderate. Enjoy a Barbeque for lunch at Kuychi Rumi Lodge.

OR

• Hike: From Huacahuasi to Patacancha / Duration 7 h. / Moderate to challenging / Mountain pass at an elevation of 14,646’ - 4,464m. Route lunch at Ipsaycocha lake. Afternoon arrival in Ollantaytambo.

Optional bike excursion (afternoon): Drive back and explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas on mountain bike / Duration 2 h. / Easy to moderate. This activity has an additional cost of US$80.00 per pax (minimum 2 pax). Afterwards, enjoy a visit to an artisanal brewery in which many of their beers are made with local products. (The brewery is closed Mondays and Tuesdays)

Note: Guests that opt for the cultural activity and guests that opt for the Inca trail hike excursion will meet for lunch in Urubamba at a countryside restaurant and visit the town of Ollantaytambo together in the afternoon. Guests that opt for the Huacahuasi to Patacancha hike will meet up with the rest of the group late in the afternoon at Kuychi Rumi lodge in Urubamba.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Overnight: Kuychi Rumi Lodge, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas (el. 9,284’ – 2,830 m.)

DAY 4 SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS | DISCOVERING OLLANTAYTAMBO

Activity Menu (early morning, before the group activity):

• Hike: Lower Pinkuylluna Mountain above Ollantaytambo / Duration 1-1.5 h. / Moderate.

OR

• Hike: Higher Pinkuylluna Mountain above Ollantaytambo / Duration 2-2.5 h. / Moderate to challenging.

Group Activity: In the morning, after the optional early morning activities, explore the archeological site of Ollantaytambo, before boarding the train to the town of Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Train: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes / Late morning train / Duration 1h30m approximately.

Overnight: Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel, located in the town of Aguas Calientes (el. 6,232´- 1,900m.), the base town of Machu Picchu.

DAY 5 MACHU PICCHU | THE SANCTUARY

Group Activity: Early in the morning, visit the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

Activity Menu (late morning, after the group activity):

• Cultural activity: free time to explore the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu (el. 7,872´ - 2,400m.).

OR

• Hike: Guided hike of Huayna Picchu Mountain / Duration 2-2.5 hs. / Moderate to challenging / Mountain pass at an elevation of 8,924´ - 2,720m.

Tonight you will spend the night at the magical Sanctuary Lodge. 

Today we will visit the Machu Picchu citadel. We will have a complete guided tour of the site and then free time to explore by ourselves. Optionally, we can climb to the top of Huayna Picchu, from where we will see a unique view of the citadel, from a different angle, with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain peaks and the great canyon of Urubamba.

This afternoon you will board the bus to Aguas Calientes where you will take the Vista Dome train to Cusco. Snacks and hot and cold refreshments are included on the journey while you are entertained by our staff.

Transfer from Poroy train station to the Hotel.

Today, you have the day at leisure to do some exploring of Cusco or take in a cooking class. 

This morning, please meet your Journeys in Peru representative at the lobby of the hotel for your private transfer to Wanchaq train station.

Depart on the Belmond Andean Explorer train to Puno.

From Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire—traverse the highest plains of the Andes—to the reflective beauty of Lake Titicaca.

After lunch on board, we will stop in Raqchi, also known as the Temple of Wiracocha. We will visit the Inka site at Raqchi, which was a primary control point on a road system that originated in Cusco and expanded as the Inka empire grew.

In the afternoon, our next stop will be at La Raya.  La Raya marks the border between the regions of Cusco and Puno and it is a typical natural area of the zone known as "Puna" whose surrounding flora is mainly formed by "ichu" and its fauna by "alpacas", "llamas" and vicunas.

Enjoy cocktails, dinner and entertainment on board.

Enjoy breakfast and disembark at Puno Train station where you'll be met and transferred to Lake Titicaca. Enjoy the list of activities offered at the lodge. 

Today, you will take a private tour through some colonial towns of Peru before getting to Bolivia where you can get your Passport stamped. This tour takes a half day. In the afternoon, choose from other activities the lodge offers.

Today, you will transfer to Puno where you will take a flight to Lima. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to one of the famous Chef's restaurant for dinner. After dinner, return to the airport for your flight home.