Eight Unforgettable Nights Through Time

The City of Kings – The Gastronomic Capital of the Americas – Capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru – The City Crowned Three Times

Welcome to the Capital of Flavors – Arrival in Lima

Lima is renowned for its colonial architecture, museums and celebrated cuisine, which rivals French haute cuisine and is considered among the most diverse in the world.

Private transfer to the hotel. The evening is free to enjoy the local cuisine. Dinner at award-winning restaurants in Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley is at your own expense. These exclusive restaurants are in high demand and have limited seating, so reservations should be planned up to six months in advance.

Peru stands out in global fine dining thanks to visionary chefs who transform each ingredient into a work of art and have earned international acclaim. Among the world's best restaurants are Central, led by Virgilio Martínez (The World's Best Chef) and Pía León (The World's Best Female Chef), and Maido, celebrated for its Nikkei cuisine.

This culinary circuit also includes Astrid y Gastón, founded by pioneers Astrid Gutsche and Gastón Acurio (Lifetime Achievement Award), who introduced Peruvian flavors to the international market from the historic Casa Hacienda Moreyra.

Finally, enjoy Tragaluz at Belmond Miraflores Park, where contemporary art meets the cuisine of chef Ricardo Ehni.

The majestic 'City of Kings' opens its doors to us. Begin in the historic Plaza Mayor, the colonial heart of Lima, where independence was proclaimed and a beautiful central fountain stands.

Admire the Government Palace, seat of the executive branch, with its striking Neo-Baroque architecture and ceremonial changing of the guard. Then discover the mystical Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, a monumental Baroque complex acclaimed around the world.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its legendary library, tiled cloisters and mysterious colonial underground catacombs.

After this journey through history, transfer to an exclusive traditional estate outside the city. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, enjoy an exquisite lunch of refined Creole cuisine.

At your table, the arena becomes the stage for a living tradition: the majestic Peruvian Paso horse show.

This unique breed captivates audiences with its 'Paso Llano', a smooth, rhythmic four-beat lateral gait that redefines equestrian elegance. The horse and its chalán come together in a graceful dance.

After the show, transfer back to your hotel in Lima.

If time allows, visit Pachacamac, the most important pre-Hispanic sanctuary on Peru's central coast. Explore its imposing adobe pyramids and temples dedicated to the creator god, and experience the mysticism and living archaeology of this sacred site.

Cusco – Capital of the Inca Empire, Abode of the Gods and Navel of the World. Upon arrival, transfer to Terra Andina Mansión Colonial in Cusco's historic district, built in the early 19th century during Spanish colonial rule.

Enjoy an included, exceptional lunch at the distinguished In-Terra restaurant. Its contemporary cuisine honors local ingredients, masterfully combining Andean and Creole flavors as part of today's curated experiences.

Meals are presented as sacred nourishment, a direct reflection of the Inca worldview, in which the earth (Pachamama) provided food to be treated with almost religious respect.

Menu Design and Connection to Local Ingredients

The chefs received professional training, and the menu was developed with guidance from Le Cordon Bleu-trained experts.

In the afternoon, transfer to the Sacred Valley to acclimatize gradually, with a brief stop at the interactive Yucay Living Museum.

More than a visit, this is a complete immersion. The Living Culture Museum is a magical, interactive setting where history can be touched and experienced.

See the ancestral process of naturally dyeing wool up close, meet friendly alpacas and vicuñas in an idyllic setting, and discover the agricultural knowledge that sustained the Inca Empire.

Free evening: discover the cuisine of the Sacred Valley. The valley is home to some of the continent's most exclusive luxury lodges and hotels, with culinary offerings that are works of art.

The Andean heart of the Sacred Valley – Pisac Artisan Market offers a wide range of handcrafted goods. On Sundays, the Varayoc, traditional mayors and leaders of Indigenous communities (ayllus), gather here. Chosen for their wisdom, they carry the Inka Varayoc, a sacred silver staff symbolizing order, justice and a connection with their ancestors.

Visit the Pisac Archaeological Site, known as 'Little Machu Picchu', on a hilltop. It features an irrigation system, an observatory and a sun dial (Intiwatana). Its slopes display active Inca terraces. The site served military, religious and agricultural purposes, functioning as an estate and protecting the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley.

Huayoccari Estate

A retreat where art and flavors tell the story of Peru. Arrival: a tree-lined avenue leads to a courtyard that feels worlds away.

A journey through history: the estate's rooms form an intimate museum, with art from pre-Inca, Inca, colonial and republican periods.

A window onto infinity: large windows frame the vast green Sacred Valley as you enjoy lunch in a historic treasure tucked into the Andes.

Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site – the Fortress of Ollantaytambo, the Royal House of the Sun. The Incas built a fortress with a temple, agricultural terraces, an urban area, a religious and ceremonial zone, and a residential sector. Ollantaytambo was an administrative center with a military role, walls and towers. Remains of ancient roads and aqueducts can also be seen.

The site is also distinguished by its monumental Temple of the Sun.

The Maras Salt Mines in the Sacred Valley are a remarkable sight. More than 3,000 salt pools are fed by a mineral-rich underground spring. Salt is harvested using a pre-Inca method: water evaporates under the Andean sun, and local families from Maras and Pichingoto scrape off the fine pink salt by hand. This prized product helps sustain this living landscape.

The Moray terraces are another highlight. Their concentric circular terraces served as an Inca agricultural laboratory. The design creates temperature differences of up to 15°C between levels, simulating several ecological zones. An effective drainage system prevents flooding, making this natural amphitheater a testament to the Incas' advanced understanding of the land.

Lunch at the El Huerto-Muju Garden.

Enjoy lunch in the garden at El Huerto-Muju, where fresh produce honors the Andean pantry. Savor your meal to the sound of the river and birdsong, with beautiful views of the Andes in a peaceful setting that brings local tradition together with fine dining.

Enjoy a free afternoon in the Sacred Valley. Take a relaxing walk by the water, unwind with a spa treatment or swim in the pool overlooking the mountains. Stroll through lush vegetation to the sounds of local wildlife or find a quiet place to reflect and immerse yourself in this extraordinary natural setting.

You may also visit Mayu Willka – Andean Therapies Spa, which offers holistic treatments and relaxing massages based on Andean traditions.

Free evening. Dinner is at your own expense.

Take a guided walk through Ollantaytambo, the 'Living Inca Town', an ancient village in Peru's Sacred Valley that has been continuously inhabited since the 13th century. It preserves its original Inca street plan and stone architecture, while residents maintain longstanding customs and practices. Ancient water channels still form part of everyday life, creating a distinctive, authentic atmosphere. The World Tourism Organization recognized Ollantaytambo as one of the world's 'Best Tourism Villages', honoring its cultural identity, heritage preservation and sustainable tourism model. Walking through the village means sharing the peaceful rhythm of Andean life, sensing history at every turn and meeting a community proud of its traditions. See the clay ovens where age-old techniques produce bread that nourishes the community each morning. This genuine, inspiring and deeply human experience invites you to pause, look around and say, 'I want to experience this.'

Inca Pachamanca – An Ancestral Culinary Ritual in Ollantaytambo

After exploring the majestic Inca town of Ollantaytambo, enjoy an intimate culinary experience rooted in Andean traditions before boarding the train to Machu Picchu. In the gardens of the historic El Albergue Ollantaytambo, take part in a Pachamanca, an ancestral cooking method whose Quechua name means 'earth oven'. Chicken, pork, lamb and Andean vegetables are slowly cooked underground on hot stones, following pre-Columbian methods still practiced in the Andes. The experience includes a guided visit to the organic farm, Andean craft distillery and coffee roastery, as well as a demonstration of traditional Pachamanca preparation before lunch. The meal is served outdoors in a privileged natural setting with views of the Andean landscape and surrounding mountains. The menu features chicken, pork and lamb, native potatoes, sweet potatoes and organic vegetables, served with homemade salads, traditional sauces and refreshing purple-corn chicha morada. This authentic, unforgettable celebration of ancestral Peruvian cuisine is the perfect finale to your visit to Ollantaytambo before continuing by train to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of the ancient citadel. As the train winds through the Sacred Valley, the landscape transforms into lush high-jungle scenery on the way to the Inca gateway.

Tonight, settle into the lively town of Aguas Calientes, surrounded by murmuring rivers and emerald peaks.

Rest well tonight. Tomorrow you will stand before Machu Picchu, the legendary Lost City of the Incas, and feel the ancient energy of a sanctuary that has captivated the world for centuries.

Transfer to the bus station in Machu Picchu Pueblo. Climb to the legendary Lost City of the Incas along a narrow, winding gravel road built to overcome the considerable elevation difference between the town and the archaeological site.

Machu Picchu, Historic Sanctuary Citadel – the legendary Lost City of the Incas, Sacred City in the Clouds, UNESCO World Heritage Site and 'Old Mountain' – was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. This masterpiece of Inca architecture and engineering was built in the 1400s on a mountain ridge where the Andes meet the Peruvian rainforest.

Under Inca Pachacutec, the site served as an important ceremonial, political and religious center, as well as a private retreat for the imperial elite. The complex is precisely divided into two main sectors: an agricultural area of imposing terraces and an urban area with plazas, royal mausoleums and palaces. Its remarkable stone walls fit together perfectly without mortar, and its temples were designed for astronomical observation and alignment.

After the fall of the empire, this architectural jewel remained hidden beneath dense vegetation for 400 years until American explorer Hiram Bingham introduced it to the world in 1911. Today, its mystical atmosphere and spectacular natural setting make it Peru's most important and most visited cultural symbol.

Enjoy a delicious lunch at Sanctuary Lodge and discover the local cuisine. Lunch is included in the itinerary.

At the end of the visit, board the train back to Cusco.

Optional Huayna Picchu hike: Your guide can accompany you on a morning walk up Huayna Picchu's steep, stone-paved 1.9 km trail. This pyramid-shaped mountain rises above Machu Picchu and offers an extraordinary panoramic view of the site.

From the summit, enjoy a moving view of how carefully Machu Picchu was integrated into its natural surroundings.

Imposing Andean peaks rise in the distance while the winding Urubamba River almost completely encircles the main site. Do not miss Huayna Picchu, 'what most people miss at Machu Picchu' (BBC Travel).

Hikers can also visit the Temple of the Moon. Hidden in a cave complex away from the main ruins, this extraordinary sanctuary, possibly a burial site, is built directly into the mountainside. It contains some of the finest stonework at Machu Picchu.

It is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful landscapes in the world!

The secret to climbing Huayna Picchu is to walk for 10 minutes, rest for 5, then walk for another 10 minutes and rest for 5, and so on...

If time allows, enjoy a complimentary guided visit to the Aguas Calientes open-air market before taking the train to Ollantaytambo station and continuing to Cusco.

On this tour of Cusco, visitors can experience the excitement of exploring the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, a charming blend of Inca and colonial architecture.

The tour visits important landmarks such as Cusco Cathedral, the Plaza de Armas and Koricancha—the Temple of the Sun and the Incas' greatest temple, the most sacred in the Inca Empire—then continues along Intik'ijllu, or Sun Alley. Also known as the Alley of Inca Walls and the Street of the Virgins of the Sun, Intik'ijllu was one of the best-preserved urban and religious thoroughfares of the Tahuantinsuyo. In Cusco, the 'navel of the world,' it was reserved strictly for the Inca, the royal families and the elite. This exclusive pathway was historically important for its architecture and security.

Korikancha—the Temple of the Sun, the Golden Enclosure, the Golden Site and the Incas' greatest temple—was not a king's palace but the sacred religious and political temple of the Inca Empire. It is one of history's greatest physical ironies.

The Spanish conquerors believed strong structures had to be rigid, heavy and cemented to last. The Incas understood that the Andean earth is constantly moving, and that true strength comes from flexibility and interlocking stones.

This tour of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere also includes the monumental Inca archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman.

The Sacsayhuaman Fortress—the Satisfied Falcon, the Place Where the Falcon Is Sated, the Puma's Head—is an imposing example of Inca military architecture.

The walls of Sacsayhuaman are the stuff of legend, but one myth deserves to be dispelled: the Incas did not rely on disorganized brute force, but on astonishingly advanced physics. The blocks weigh 125 tons and fit together so perfectly that not even a pin can pass between them. This is the pinnacle of pre-Hispanic stone engineering, achieved in an original way without European technology.

Cahuide, the Tower's Titan

In a desperate hand-to-hand battle on the zigzag terraces, the Spanish managed to corner the last Inca defenders. There, atop the cylindrical tower of Muyucmarca, an imposing figure emerged: an Inca noble captain (an orejón), whom popular history came to call Cahuide.

He ran from one side of the tower to the other like a caged lion. Completely alone, he was surrounded and covered in the blood of his enemies and his own.

He realized he had no stones left to throw and no men left to command. He leapt from the top of the tower, choosing to be shattered against the ancient rocks of Sacsayhuaman rather than see his hands bound in foreign chains. Enjoy a delicious box lunch and explore the exquisite local cuisine. Today's lunch is included.

Tipón—the Water Route, Sanctuary of the Masters of Water. In the afternoon, we head south toward the Sacred Valley and Tipón, a masterpiece of Inca hydraulic engineering. This impressive Inca archaeological complex is renowned for its advanced network of water channels, agricultural terraces and ceremonial enclosures.

More than an archaeological site, Tipón—the Sanctuary of the Masters of Water—is a celestial masterpiece of hydraulic engineering that defies time. Here, the Incas achieved the impossible: they sculpted the mountain to tame water, turning a natural resource into a spectacle of art, mysticism and science that still works perfectly after more than 500 years. There is no silence at Tipón. Water sings as it descends the mountain, and the site is alive with the constant murmur of sacred springs flowing from the rocks through precisely cut channels of polished stone. Without modern technology, Inca engineers calculated exact gradients so the water would flow without eroding the stone or overflowing.

Today, the channels still pour out crystal-clear water with the same force and precision as in the days of the Empire. Twelve perfectly symmetrical agricultural terraces embrace the ravine. They were not just for cultivation: they served as climate laboratories and places of worship for Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Unu (Water), with retaining walls that absorb the sun's heat to create microclimates.

We continue to Andahuaylillas, the 'Sistine Chapel of the Americas' and 'Golden Temple of the Americas,' a charming, peaceful traditional town in Cusco's Southern Valley, renowned around the world. There we visit the monumental Church of Saint Peter the Apostle, rightly called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas for its Baroque murals, gilded altars and colonial paintings. Its beauty lies in its mystical colonial religious architecture and the deep serenity of the Andean landscape. The interior is covered in multicolored frescoes, including works by the renowned Cusco School and the iconic mural depicting the Path to Heaven and Hell. The main altar is covered in gold leaf, mirrors and embossed silver.

Evening at your own expense.

In the morning, visit La Cuesta de San Blas—the Slope that Tires the Fox—and the Artisans' Quarter. Discover Cusco's magical gateway and prepare for an experience that will transform the way you see the world. Leave behind the bustle of conventional tourism near Triunfo Street and get ready to cross a truly emotional threshold.

As you walk, the outside noise fades away, inviting you to match your pace to the mystical silence of the Andean stones. This is more than a walk; it is a chance to disconnect and reset.

A Journey Through Time and Living Architecture

A Journey Through Time and Living Architecture

Walking along this iconic slope reveals a visual dialogue found nowhere else on Earth. The perfect, enduring rigidity of the Inca walls supports the delicacy of white adobe and carved colonial wooden balconies. It is the perfect setting for memorable photos: a beautiful historical seam where two opposing worlds met to create Cusco's most bohemian, photogenic and vibrant neighborhood.

Where Art Comes to Life and Invites You to Stay

Beyond its charming shops and specialty coffeehouses, San Blas envelops you in the energy of a living artisan workshop that has been active for centuries. As you walk its streets, you will feel the walls themselves breathe with the creativity of legendary Cusco image-makers, in an atmosphere steeped in history, fine woods and ancient pigments.

Forget the rush, pack your bags and discover why walking up San Blas Slope is not simply reaching a destination, but experiencing the true heart of the Andes.

La Cuesta de San Blas is like a 'Stone Clock': it ceases to be a street and becomes an emotional gateway, the backbone of Cusco art.

La Cuesta de San Blas does not simply climb toward a neighborhood; it climbs back through time. As you ascend and the air grows thinner, the stone seems to awaken.

What You Will See on San Blas Slope

'Long-Neck' sculptors: heirs to the Mendivil family style, creating virgins and saints with elongated necks.

Ceramic artists: master potters who create everything from pre-Hispanic replicas to the 'Mérida' style.

Woodcarvers: specialists in gold-leaf colonial frames and fine furniture.

Painters of the Cusco School: artists keeping alive the 17th-century oil-painting technique enriched with gold leaf.

Textile artists and jewelers: although more workshops are found on the side streets, the slope itself features silver jewelry set with Andean stones.

You will also find renowned galleries and white facades with blue doors housing the workshops of prominent families such as the Mendívil, almost at San Blas Square. Contemporary jewelry is strongly represented, along with small art displays that make use of the Inca walls serving as foundations along this side of the slope.

The San Blas Pulpit – A Masterpiece in Wood:

The San Blas pulpit is more than a liturgical furnishing; it is a cedar tree that learned to speak Quechua and Latin at the same time. It is the exact reflection of two worlds colliding and reconciling through an artisan's hands. The Solomonic columns do more than twist around their axes: they support the structure with visual tension that defies gravity. It is a play of light and shadow in which empty space works as much as the relief. You will then see cafés with balconies overlooking the street.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and connection to your international flight. Return home with unforgettable memories of Lima's rich colonial heritage, the towering snow-capped Andes, the lush valleys and the winding route to the spectacular view of Machu Picchu, the astounding Inca legacy.

If time allows during your Cusco–Lima–home connection, we recommend lunch at Café del Museo followed by a visit to the Larco Museum. Lunch at Café del Museo, a garden-surrounded space where you can enjoy a unique blend of culture, history, modernity and good food.

Visit to the Larco Museum – Guardian of Pre-Columbian Art and Home of the Open Storage Gallery

The open storage gallery is one of the museum's best-known and most distinctive features. Visitors can walk among the shelves where more than 30,000 pre-Columbian ceramic archaeological pieces are stored and classified.

The Gold and Silver Gallery

This dazzling gallery displays the most important collection of precious-metal garments and jewelry worn by rulers of ancient Peru. Crowns, ear ornaments, nose ornaments and breastplates reveal the exceptional skill of goldsmiths from cultures such as the Moche, Chimú and Sicán in honoring their gods. Founded in 1926, the Larco Museum features remarkable chronological galleries offering an excellent overview of 3,000 years of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. Housed in a distinctive 18th-century viceregal mansion built over a 7th-century pre-Columbian pyramid, it is surrounded by beautiful gardens. The museum also holds one of the finest collections of gold and silver from ancient Peru and its famous erotic archaeological collection, one of the country's most visited tourist attractions.