Highlights of Peru

Welcome to Peru! Arrival in Lima, meet the local Spiced Destinations Representative and transfer to your hotel in the trendy Miraflores, Lima.

Begin your private tour of Lima’s historic center with the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, and the San Francisco Monastery. Enjoy a special visit to Casa Aliaga, the oldest continuously inhabited mansion in the Americas. Continue to the Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre to explore its remarkable pre-Columbian collection, including textiles, ceramics, and gold and silver pieces. Lunch at the Café del Museo is included. End the day in Barranco, Lima’s bohemian district filled with studios and art galleries. (b,l)

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco at 11,200 feet. Meet your guide and continue into the Sacred Valley at 8,000 to 9,000 feet, arriving in Chinchero with its colonial church built on Inca foundations and its lively Sunday market where bartering still thrives. After a picnic lunch, visit Moray’s impressive circular terraces followed by the Saltpans of Maras, where salt is still harvested using traditional methods. As the light softens over the pools, continue by vehicle to your hotel in Urubamba for the night. (b,l)

Visit the impressive Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo, where unfinished stonework offers a rare look at ancient masonry techniques. Explore the town’s original Inca layout, with its canals and narrow streets unchanged for centuries. Return to the hotel for an authentic Andean lunch paired with a Paso horse show. In the afternoon, visit the studio of renowned ceramic artist Pablo Seminario and try your hand at crafting and painting your own tile. In the evening, take part in a private Andean ritual led by a shaman, honoring the sacred spirit of Mother Earth. (b,l)

After breakfast, transfer to the Ollantaytambo station for a scenic 1.5-hour ride on the Vistadome Train to Aguas Calientes. Continue by bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu for a privately guided exploration of its terraces, temples, and remarkable Inca engineering at this UNESCO World Wonder. Take in the beauty of this ancient citadel, set high in the cloud forest and known for its precise stonework and panoramic views. Enjoy lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge before descending to Aguas Calientes and checking into your lush hideaway at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, where dinner awaits. (b,ld)

Enjoy a relaxed morning on the hotel’s nature trails, or take advantage of your included second entry to return for a sunrise visit to Machu Picchu. You may also choose a steep climb to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, which must be requested at the time of booking. In the late afternoon, board the Vistadome back to Ollantaytambo and continue by private vehicle to Cuzco at 11,200 feet, where you settle into your oxygenated room for the night. (b)

Meet your private guide for an engaging tour of Cuzco, starting in the artsy San Blas district before wandering through the vibrant Farmers Market filled with produce, flowers, and local specialties. Continue through the historic center, where Spanish colonial buildings rise over ancient Inca stonework, visiting the Cathedral and the Santo Domingo Convent built atop the revered Sun Temple. In the afternoon, head just outside the city to the remarkable ruins of Sacsayhuamán, known for its massive, perfectly carved stones. (b)
 

Spend most of the day at your leisure in Cuzco, with time to enjoy its cobbled streets, galleries, museums, designer shops, and handicraft markets. Your Cuzco Pass provides entry to several key attractions, and a late checkout is guaranteed to ensure full comfort throughout the day. In the evening, transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and onward connections. (B)