Charming Peru

Make your own way to your gateway airport for your international flight to Lima. Enjoy inflight meals and services. Arrive in Lima, the \"City of Kings\" which is famous for its Spanish Colonial architecture, extraordinary museums, and delicious cuisine. Lima is internationally recognized as the \"Gastronomic Capital of the Americas\", and its cuisine is considered among the most diverse and exquisite in the world on par with French cuisine. Upon arrival at the Lima International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Lima. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Lima

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to the airport for your domestic flight to Cusco. Prepare for a short but spectacular flight over the snow-capped Andes Mountains to Cusco, the oldest inhabited city in the hemisphere, at an elevation of 11,440 feet. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. Drive through the fertile countryside of the Urubamba Valley to the colonial village of Pisac where an Indian Market takes place every day. During your visit to the marketplace, you will get the opportunity to bargain with the natives for many different types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewelry. Continue to the Ollantaytambo Archaeological Complex, built by the Incas as a fort that included a temple, agricultural terraces, and an urban area. There are two distinct sectors: The religious and worship zone, and the residential area. Ollantaytambo was an important administrative center with probable military functions if one considers the walls and towers. There are also traces of ancient roads and aqueducts. The town of Ollantaytambo is called a \"Living Inca Town\" since the inhabitants maintain very old practices and customs. You will enjoy lunch at the “Tunupa Valle” Restaurant, a beautiful country estate on the shores of the Urubamba River.

Overnight in Urubamba

In the morning you will travel on the Premium Economy train of the “Inca Rail” company through the sacred Urubamba Valley to the \"Lost City of the Incas\" — Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, the site was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical jungles for 400 years until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca \"Virgins of the Sun\" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here. Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, you will transfer to shuttle service for a drive up the switchback road to the ruins. A knowledgeable tour guide will share the history of this mystical place of the Inca. You will enjoy a buffet lunch in a local restaurant in Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, take the train back to Ollantaytambo Rail Station, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. 

Overnight in the Urubamba

Optional: Upgrade to Vistadome Train Service
The price for this upgrade includes the separate transfer and a driver to the train station.

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Cusco. Head on a walking tour of Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere and its nearby ruins. You will get the chance to see how the Andean and Spanish cultures co-existed and influenced this city. The tour will start at the Santo Domingo Convent, built on the site of Koricancha, which was an important ancient Inca palace and center of worship of the Sun God. The tour will continue to the Main Square and the Cathedral from the early 17th century and is a fine example of colonial baroque art. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Cusco

Optional: Dinner & Show at Tunupa Cusco Restaurant
An escort will guide you to the restaurant where you will enjoy your evening (no vehicle included — this is a walking escort). Renowned for its variety of dishes and regarded as a gastronomic destination in Cusco, the Tunupa Cusco Restaurant is situated three blocks from the Plaza de Armas with breathtaking views of the city and the Andes. Delight your senses with a mouth-watering buffet, the exotic fusion of flavours, and experience a truly unique Peruvian dining experience. Make your own way back to the hotel (no escort or vehicle included).

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and a full day at leisure or consider the optional tour below.

Overnight in Cusco

Optional: Half Day Nearby Inca Ruins of Cusco
Just outside the city lies Sacsayhuaman ("speckled falcon"), the fortress above Cusco whose precise zigzags of massive stone remain unmoved by the centuries. This is the center of the ceremonies for the famous Inti Raymi Festival. Heading away from the city, we will visit the labyrinthine ruins of Qenqo ("zigzag"), Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay ("cavern lodge") where fountains built by the Incas capture the waters of a natural spring. 

Today you will be transferred to the Cusco Airport for your flight back to Lima. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Then, start your half-day tour of Lima. The tour will visit the colonial and modern sections of the city. Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace and City Hall (outside views), and entry to the Cathedral of Lima and the convent of Santo Domingo. The Santo Domingo Convent is a religious and architectural gem that houses holy paintings, images, and relics of Peruvian saints, as well as written accounts of the endeavors of the Dominican Order across the country. Visit modern-day Lima and drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro.

Overnight in Lima

Optional: Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant (private transfers and escort)
The Huaca Pucllana Restaurant is situated within the ancient ruins of Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological site constructed 1500 years ago. Overlooking the illuminated ruins at Huaca Pucllana, this restaurant serves an array of contemporary Peruvian dishes.  Huaca Pucllana offers a mouth-watering selection of Peruvian Criollo cuisine, cleverly put together by the head chef Marilú Madueño (Cordon Blue Paris), using her skills to mix local ingredients and flavors with modern cooking techniques. The menu includes Ceviches, soups, pasta, meats, and traditional Peruvian dishes such as Creole-style Chupe.