Luxury Tailor Made Journeys depart on the dates that work for you and feature expert local guides throughout your journey. The itinerary below can be customized to your interests.
Arrive Lima, Peru
Arrive in Lima, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Founded in 1533, this “City of Kings” brims with colonial structures, pre-Columbian sites and modern influences.
Lima | Museums & Artifacts
Enjoy a leisurely morning. This afternoon, set out to discover Peru’s capital, visiting the Plaza Mayor and Cathedral of Lima. Continue to the Church of San Francisco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, seeing its stunning library and collection of distinctive paintings and frescoes. Also explore the Larco Museum, one of the city’s best museums for pre-Columbian artifacts. Set in a majestic, 18th-century mansion surrounded by gardens, the museum houses over 45,000 pieces of ceramics as well as mummies, a gold room and textiles made of feathers.
Sacred Valley | Meeting Camelids
Fly to Cusco, perched over 11,000 feet above sea level. Upon arrival, journey to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where an ancient way of life lives on. En route, visit Awana Kancha, a center where South American camelids (llamas, alpacas and vicuñas) are bred. Learn about the valuable fibers created from their coats as well as the ancient weaving techniques still used today. Relax and acclimatize to the altitude.
Sacred Valley | Journey Back in Time
Begin your exploration of the Sacred Valley of the Incas with a visit to a remote village seemingly frozen in time. Discover the ancient agricultural methods used for centuries in this challenging, mountainous environment. Proceed to Moray, a very different Inca site that was used as an agricultural experimentation center. It is thought that each level of the hillside here was used to develop new crop strains for growth in different altitudes and locations. Then, delve deeper into local culture with lunch at a local hacienda. Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
Machu Picchu | Exploring the Lost City
Continue exploring the Sacred Valley with a visit to the imposing fortress of Ollantaytambo, a formidable stone structure of massive terraces that hug the mountain slopes. Then, journey deep into the Andes toward Machu Picchu via the Vistadome train, gazing out at the spectacular Peruvian countryside passing by along the way. Arrive at Machu Picchu with plenty of time to begin exploring the breathtaking Incan city. Overlooking the Urubamba River and discovered in a hidden tangle of trees atop the mountain, Machu Picchu forever holds the secret of its passing — its Incan inhabitants left no written records of its purpose or its flawless construction. After exploring the magnificent ruins with your expert guide, there is time to explore on your own. Tonight, stay at the only accommodations available on site to enjoy more time roaming the citadel, when fewer visitors are present in the late afternoon and early the following morning.
Cusco | Mountain Vistas
Rise with the sun to walk through Machu Picchu in the early morning mist before the crowds arrive. You may opt for a hike to Inti Punku (Sun Gate), the entry point to the ruins from the Inca Trail, or make the steep trek up to Huayna Picchu, the high mountain that forms the backbone of the ruins. After your explorations, have lunch at a local restaurant. Then, journey back to Cusco aboard the Vistadome train, savoring incomparable views of the mountain scenery.
Cusco | Sacsayhuaman
Discover Cusco, touring the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and the Santo Domingo Temple, a Dominican church built on the foundations of the Koricancha, the Incas’ principal religious building. Later, explore the awe-inspiring ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a testament to Incan architectural skill. Comprised of gigantic stone blocks, some estimated to weigh up to 120 tons each, the walls were cut and placed together with incredible precision and without a single drop of mortar. Return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Depart Lima
Enjoy a morning at your leisure, sleeping in, visiting shops or simply relaxing. Then, fly back to Lima, where you are assisted with your international flight and depart.
