Gastronomic and Historic Peru 10 days

After breakfast, we will collect you from your hotel and we will head to the local market to begin our gastronomy Tour. Here we will be able to appreciate an incredible variety of fresh products from the coast, Jungle and mountain regions and which we will use for our traditional dishes. We will also have the opportunity to sample some of the typical fruits of the country.

 How to prepare Ceviche and Pisco Sour: Continuing on our journey, we will take you to a famous restaurant where we will have a cooking demonstration by a specialist chef, trained in the art of traditional Peruvian cuisine and a barman who will show us how to prepare ceviche and pisco sour, the national dish and drink of Peru.

Lunch: We will finish our gastronomic adventure sampling a variety of traditional Peruvian dishes and desserts direct from the Peruvian kitchen. After this culinary experience, you will have the option to stay at the restaurant and enjoy the spectacular views and amazing atmosphere or we can take you to your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel  in Lima
• Meals: breakfast, lunch

Our staff will be waiting for you at the Cusco Airport, to take you to your hotel, just let us know your exact arrival time and flight number. Here, you will be welcomed with a hot cup of the famous coca tea. You will have a free afternoon to acclimatize, as the city of Cusco is at an altitude of 3,399 m (11,151 feet). 

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Check in: 12:00pm/Check out: 09:00am
• Meals: breakfast in Lima hotel

NOTE: If your arrival time is earlier than the check-in time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.

This day you will know the best places in Cusco and the surrounding area.

We will start with the Cathedral , located in the Plaza de Armas, it is the main church of the imperial city, it was built on the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. The Cathedral has more than 300 paintings from the Cusco art school.

Then we will visit the Qoricancha , in the Quechua language means “temple of gold”, it was the first temple built by the Incas, it was formerly covered with large amounts of gold and silver.

We will leave the city of Cusco and arrive at the Saqsayhuaman complex , famous for its huge lithic blocks of more than 150 tons. In the Inca era the temple was considered to lightning, “the god Illapa”.

Next, we will visit the temple of Q’enqo , a place dedicated to the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) where you can appreciate carved stone constructions.

Then we will arrive at the impressive Inca fort Puka Pukara , in the Quechua language it means Red Fortress.

Finally, we will arrive at Tambomachay , where we will see the sacred temple dedicated to the cult of water that probably also had a purification bath function for the Inca rulers.

At the end of the afternoon we will return to Cusco, where we will leave you at your hotel or if you prefer in the Plaza de Armas.

• Overnight : Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: breakfast

OnThis day we will visit beautiful Inca towns with their colonial houses, on this unique and pleasant tour we will be able to appreciate the treasures that this sacred land hides. We will start the day visiting the experimental agricultural terraces of Moray. Groups of circular terraces that measure up to 150 meters deep. According to historians, these constructions constituted an important Inca agricultural laboratory. Since their platforms are built with their respective irrigation channels and each of them constitutes a microclimate. What draws most attention is the large difference in average annual temperature between the top and bottom of the depressions, a difference of up to 15°C. Next we will go to the colonial town of Maras, a town that still preserves its Andean traditions and customs. We will be able to appreciate its beautiful architecture and its houses with colonial-style stone doorways. Finally we will visit the Salineras De Maras. These mines continue to be exploited today, where farmers have worked every day since Inca times. At the end of the tour we will return to Cusco, where we will drop you off at your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: Breakfast

Today you will discover the incredible Sacred Valley of the Inca, also called the Vilcanota Valley after the river that flows through it. After breakfast, we will first head to the artisan centre of Awanacancha, where we can see up close the famous llamas. You will also have the opportunity to chat with the local craftsmen and learn about the techniques and appreciate the intricacy of their Peruvian textiles and artwork. This is the perfect place to buy souvenirs for your loved ones back home and contribute to local craftspeople and artisans of The Andes, as well as purchase an intricate and authentic piece of fine textile, with an original beauty that can only be found in this region. We will then head to the archaeological site of Pisaq, situated on the mountain top. This magnificent site is composed of many sections of terraces and archaeological structures, built on the hillside of the high mountain. The perfect example of stunning countryside and impressive stonework, which combine to make this spectacular site. We will then head down to the town of Pisaq and its famous handicraft market, where local people sell their variety of handmade products, using techniques dating back to ancestral times. We will then head along the Sacred Valley to the town of Urubamba, where we will stop for lunch and where we will have the opportunity to sample some of the local delicacies, of the Peruvian kitchen including salads, soups, ceviche a variety of main courses and delectable desserts. After lunch, we will visit the impressive archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, quite probably constructed to monitor the entrance into this part of the valley and protect the Incas from possible invasion. We will have the opportunity to walk through its narrow, cobbled streets and gain a better idea about how this site functioned during Inca times, as a strategic military outpost as well as a religious and cultural centre. After the visit, we will then board the train that will take us to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. On arrival, the hotel representative will be waiting for us to take us to the hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

In the morning, according to the scheduled time, our guide will pick you up at your hotel to go to the bus station where you will climb 400m along a winding path for 20min to reach the incredible wonder of the world “The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu”, also known as “The Lost City of the Incas”. Upon arriving at the Machu Picchu citadel with our guide, we will pass through the entrance and begin the tour of the entire citadel. For around 2h30m we will visit the main places in Machu Picchu.

We return to the town of Aguas Calientes in the afternoon, where you will have free time to enjoy lunch in one of the many restaurants (lunch not included). After lunch, we will take the train to Ollantaytambo (depending on train departure time availability). The return will follow the same route as the departure. Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, the train representative will be waiting to take you to the bus heading to your hotel in Cusco.

• Overnight : Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: breakfast

Early in the morning, we will collect you from your hotel to head to the bus terminal for our journey along the “Route of The Sun” along which, we will visit the most impressive sites between Cusco and Puno. Our first stop will be at the Temple of Andahuaylillas, where we will visit the famous 16th century church, known as “The Sistine chapel of The Americas” due to the massive number of religious paintings on the walls and roof. The church is home to an ornately decorated organ, with angels and surrounded by the prodigious murals painted by the famous artist, Tadeo Escalante. We will then continue along our way to the archaeological site of Raqchi, which was a temple built in honour to the pre-Inca deity, Wiracocha. Here we will be able witness remains of the Inca Civilization and the Wari Civilization. Our next stop will be at Sicuani, where we will enjoy a traditional lunch of the region. After lunch, we will head to “La Raya” which is the highest section of the journey to Puno, and marks the official border of Cusco and Puno. Here, we will make a brief stop to appreciate the magnificent views of the surrounding snow-caps.  Our final stop along the journey, will be at Pukara, where will learn all about the ancient civilization of the same name, who lived there. We will also visit the church in the village and the attached museum.  We will arrive at the City of Puno, early evening, where our transfer will be waiting to take you to your hotel for the night.

• Overnight: Hotel in Puno
• Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

At about 06:45 hrs, we will make the transfer from the Hotel to the Port. At approximately 07:15 hrs we will leave by boat ” Titicaca Express ” south of the island of Taquile , where we will arrive at a white sand beach paradise.

We will walk through spectacular Pre-Inca landscapes and meet local families, their crafts, their culture and their textile activities.

At approximately 11:00 a.m. we will arrive at the community of Santa María , in the Capacheca Llachón peninsula , where we will be introduced to a cultural experience, we will see their dances, traditions and we will be able to participate in an ancestral ceremony. Next, we will participate in the preparation of the ” Pachamanca “, which is a traditional way of cooking meat, fish and potatoes, where we will observe the different way of cooking in this town, with an underground oven.

For adventure lovers, optional to kayak along the coasts of Llachón .

We will depart from Santa María and at approximately 2:30 p.m. we will arrive at the island of Los Uros Titono , located in the Titicaca Lake Reserve, considered one of the last floating islands. The inhabitants of the islands of “Los Uros” are descendants of one of the oldest cultures in South America.

Optional ride on rafts of ” Totora “.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. we will be back to Puno, where we will leave you at your Hotel.

• Overnight : Hotel in Puno
• Meals: breakfast, lunch

Depending on the time of your flight, we will collect you from your hotel and take you to the Juliaca airport. This marks the end of our services. 

• Check in: 12:00pm / Check out: 09:00am
• Meals: Breakfast 

NOTE: If your arrival time is after the hotel check-out time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.