Day 1: Welcome to Lima!
Welcome to Peru! Our team will receive you at Jorge Chávez International Airport, holding a sign with your name, for a smooth and easy transfer to your hotel in Lima. We recommend your flight lands before 10:00am, so you can settle in comfortably and enjoy the rest of the morning at your own pace.
In the afternoon, we’ll head out to discover Lima’s Historic Center, known as the “City of Kings” for having been the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. We’ll begin at the Basílica de La Merced, one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the city. We’ll continue to the Plaza Mayor, the heart of Lima’s colonial past, where you’ll admire the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop’s Palace, and the City Hall. On our way to the Monastery of San Francisco, we’ll pass by the Historic Library and the traditional Bar Cordano, before concluding with a visit to the monastery and its intriguing underground Catacombs.
Meals: Not included Overnight: Lima
Day 2: Off to Cusco
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. Upon arrival, our team will be waiting to take you to your hotel.
The rest of the day is free so you can take your time acclimatizing to the city’s altitude (3,400 m / 11,150 ft), and enjoy some leisure time to explore Cusco’s streets and Plaza de Armas at your own pace.
Meals: Breakfast (With Hotel option) Overnight: Cusco
Day 3: Full Day Machu Picchu
Today’s the big day. Hotel pickup will be at 6:30am to head to the Poroy train station. From there, we’ll board the Expedition Train departing at 7:35am, enjoying a scenic ride along the Urubamba River until arriving in Aguas Calientes around 10:52am.
Upon arrival, we’ll head to a local restaurant to enjoy a traditional Peruvian lunch. Afterward, at 12:30pm, we’ll board the bus that will take us up the mountain to the Machu Picchu citadel. The guided tour of the citadel will begin at 1:30pm and will last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, taking you through its plazas, temples, and terraces while you learn about the history of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Around 4:00pm, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have some free time before boarding the return train at 5:23pm to Poroy station, with an estimated arrival of 8:52pm. From there, our team will transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco, with an estimated arrival time of 9:55pm.
Meals: Breakfast (With Hotel option), Local Lunch Overnight: Cusco
Day 4: Full Day Sacred Valley
Hotel pickup will be between 7:30 and 8:00am to begin the drive toward Pisaq. Along the way, we’ll make a short stop at the Ccorao market to admire local crafts and a panoramic view of the Sacred Valley. Once in Pisaq, we’ll visit its archaeological complex and its well-known artisan market.
We’ll continue to Urubamba, where you’ll enjoy a buffet of traditional Peruvian food. From there we’ll head to Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca town, to explore its impressive archaeological complex and its cobbled streets that still follow their original layout. We’ll close the day in Chinchero, famous for its textile art, where you’ll meet local weavers and learn about their traditional dyeing process, as well as visit its colonial church and Inca walls.
Return to your hotel in Cusco will be around 6:30pm.
Meals: Breakfast (With Hotel option), Local Lunch Overnight: Cusco
Day 5: Half Day Cusco City Tour
After a relaxed breakfast, we’ll head out to explore the highlights of the Imperial City. We’ll visit the Cusco Cathedral and the Church of the Triumph, the oldest in the city, followed by the Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun, where you’ll learn about the Incas’ connection to Andean astronomy.
We’ll continue by tourist transport to the outskirts of the city, visiting the Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park and its impressive stone walls, followed by Q’enqo and its ceremonial huaca, Tambomachay with its ceremonial fountains, and finally Puka Pukara, a former military fortress with beautiful panoramic views.
The tour lasts approximately 6 hours.
Meals: Breakfast (With Hotel option) Overnight: Cusco
Day 6: Half Day Maras & Moray and Farewell
Hotel pickup will be between 7:30 and 8:00am toward the Sacred Valley. Along the way, we’ll make a brief stop in Chinchero, where local artisans will give a short demonstration of their traditional dyeing techniques using natural pigments. We’ll continue to Moray, striking circular terraces once used by the Incas as an agricultural laboratory, and then to the Maras Salt Mines, over 3,000 salt pools in use since pre-Inca times.
We’ll finish with lunch in Urubamba before heading back to Cusco, with an estimated arrival around 2:00pm.
As this is your departure day, you’ll have free time until your transfer to Cusco’s airport for your return flight to Lima, scheduled after 6:30pm.
Meals: Breakfast (With Hotel option), Local Lunch Overnight: N/A (Departure day)
