Highlights
Cathedral of Lima: This morning, explore Peru's buzzing capital with your Local Expert, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall.
Lima: Discover Museo Larco with a Local Expert who will guide you through private museum's impressive collection.
Sacred Valley: The Maras Salt Mine will inspire the mind of any curious traveller. Learn how salt once harvested by Incas at this site is now exported to the entire world. Discover how the Incas found a water stream with high salt content and learned - in Pre-Incan times - how to build terraces to extract salt. You’ll be amazed at how, to this day, it is not known where the water actually comes from and has only been measured in the last 20 years during which the flow and intensity has not changed.
Sacred Valley: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveller. At the Moray Incan laboratory northwest of Cusco, learn how the Incas determined the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. You’ll be fascinated by how this ancient culture learned how to build these terraced circular depressions on a high plateau at an altitude of about 11,500 feet and experimented with different kinds of soils and temperatures to grow their crops.
Sacred Valley: On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, consisting of a large fortress built in the 1400s, a stepped terrace, and an area known as the Princess Baths, where ceremonial bathing took place. Later, stop by a a local house in the village and meet the family living there.
Machu Picchu: Walk in the footsteps of Inca engineers as you explore this majestic UNESCO World Heritage Site. With your Local Expert, uncover the astronomical precision of the solar observatory, the ceremonial significance of the Temple of the Three Windows and the ingenious design behind the ritual baths. Marvel at dry-stone walls so masterfully constructed they’ve resisted centuries of seismic activity. Learn how this 15th-century sanctuary, perched high in the Andes, eluded Spanish conquistadors, its secrets safeguarded by the cloud forest until its rediscovery.
Aguas Calientes: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveller. With a full day, you have the option to return to Machu Picchu for a different circuit. Or, take advantage of a day at leisure in Aguas Caliente – the town of Machu Picchu of 3,400 residents - to stroll along the river, go shopping for that perfect local souvenir or grab a coffee all midst the cloud forest.
Cusco: Once you arrive, head on a walking tour of Cusco with a Local Expert. Explore what's known as the "historic capital" of Peru as you discover its ancestral magic through visits to the cathedral and the Qorikancha temple.
Cusco: Start your day with a walking tour of Cusco, before heading to Sacsayhuaman.
Machu Picchu: Walk in the footsteps of Inca engineers as you explore this majestic UNESCO World Heritage Site. With your Local Expert, uncover the astronomical precision of the solar observatory, the ceremonial significance of the Temple of the Three Windows and the ingenious design behind the ritual baths. Marvel at dry-stone walls so masterfully constructed they’ve resisted centuries of seismic activity. Learn how this 15th-century sanctuary, perched high in the Andes, eluded Spanish conquistadors, its secrets safeguarded by the cloud forest until its rediscovery.
Aguas Calientes: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveller. With a full day, you have the option to return to Machu Picchu for a different circuit. Or, take advantage of a day at leisure in Aguas Caliente – the town of Machu Picchu of 3,400 residents - to stroll along the river, go shopping for that perfect local souvenir or grab a coffee all midst the cloud forest.
Cusco: Once you arrive, head on a walking tour of Cusco with a Local Expert. Explore what's known as the "historic capital" of Peru as you discover its ancestral magic through visits to the cathedral and the Qorikancha temple.
Cusco: Start your day with a walking tour of Cusco, before heading to Sacsayhuaman.
Itinerary
Uncover the wonders of Peru on this 10-day adventure, ideal for experienced travelers and seniors seeking a blend of culture and history. Start in Lima with a culinary journey, visit the revered Korikancha temple in Cusco, and explore the ancient Ollantaytambo ruins en route to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a private planetarium tour in Cusco, discover the salt pans of Maras, and engage with local Quechua weavers. The highlight is a guided exploration of Machu Picchu’s breathtaking ruins with a Local Expert. The unique selling point: immersive cultural experiences and exclusive local interactions that reveal the heart of Peru’s rich heritage.
day 1Welcome to Lima
Arrive in Lima, a capital shaped by history, culture and one of Latin Americas most influential food scenes. Home to a UNESCO-listed historic centre, Lima was once the seat of Spanish rule in South America and still carries that significance today. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and settle in before meeting your Travel Director and fellow small group travellers this evening for dinner with drinks, a relaxed first introduction to the journey ahead.
day 2Explore Lima
day 3Lima to Sacred Valley
day 4Explore Sacred Valley
day 5Explore Machu Picchu
day 6Machu Picchu at Leisure
day 7On to Cusco
day 8Exploring Cusco
day 9Leisure time in Cusco
day 10Depart Cusco
What's Included
Customer Reviews
This was one of our best vacation/trips. Insight Vacations did an excellent job with our itinerary and the amount of places we visited and things we did. Really saw a lot of the cultural that we would have missed as just a tourist on our own. Hotels and food were the best. Bring a 220V converter for the room and a phone charging cord with a USB end as that was what is available on most busses and train.
The itinerary was well-organized. We were able to see many different sights and sites. There was also a good amount of free time (not too much, not too little) and optional add-on excursions that gave us time to explore on our own.
It was an amazing itinerary. It could have included more archaeological sites.
Fantastic trip! Insight Tour Guide and all local experts were amazing.
There are so many different experiences - from quaint museums and restaurants to ancient ruins, salt mines, educational tapestry excursions, and exotic wildlife. The Peruvian people are so kind and welcoming. The accommodations were top notch, every detail seen to by the program director... all we had to do was enjoy the experience.
Good to Know
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