8 Days: Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Pisac, Machu Picchu

Tour Overview:
Two empires meet in this beautiful, mystical land. You’ll explore Lima, the colonial capital of South America and then soar to the heights of Machu Picchu aboard the luxury HIRAM BINGHAM TRAIN to explore the mysteries and magnificent vistas of this world wonder. Luxury accommodations include an oxygenated room at the Monasterio Hotel in Machu Picchu.

Day 1 – Arrive Lima

Arrive at Lima Airport. A transportation service and a representative will pick you up from the airport at the scheduled time to transfer you to your hotel in Lima. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history, currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes.

Day 2 – Lima – City Tour &Larco Herrera Museum

In the morning. Explore Lima’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, packed with fascinating historic buildings. Visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains, Jeronimo de Aliaga. This is the only house from that time, still belonging to the same family. See the Main Square, where you can appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire. Admire Lima’s Cathedral, built during the 16th century. Continue to the traditional Pueblo Libre district, where you visit the Larco Museum, located in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid from the seventh century. The museum boasts a complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver objects, as well as pieces of erotic art. At the end of the tour, enjoy a tasting lunch at Café delMuseoLarco. (BL)

*Optional at Additional cost: Meet a curator at Larco Herrera Museum for visit

Day 3 – Lima / Cuzco / Sacred Valley

At the agreed time, you will be transferred from the selected hotel to Lima airport. Once you arrive to the Imperial City, a guide will meet and greet you at Cusco Airport and then transfer you to the selected hotel in the Sacred Valley. En route visit Awanakancha, an exhibition center of textiles and South American camelids located at kilometer 23 of the road to Pisac. It is considered a living museum and here you can see Andean camelids, learn about the techniques to take their wool and finally acquire finely spun garments. You will then visit the Pisac market, consisting of dozens of stalls displaying and selling goods crafted by residents of the area. You can find textiles, carvings, and replicas of ancient Inca pieces. Located 33 kilometers from the city of Cusco, it is a town built as a partridge, also known for hosting one of the most important archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley on the slopes of the hills. It is perhaps the largest complex of platforms in the area. Lunch at Casa Hacienda Orihuela, where the Orihuelas, a family of great collectors, will be your hosts. The house has a varied collection of popular and colonial art ceramics, paintings, weapons, photography, ceremonial vessels and the ceramic bulls of Pucara. The environs include a forest of eucalyptus trees and other native species and here the famous giant white corn is cultivated for export. (BL)

Day 4 – Sacred Valley

During the morning, you are picked up from your hotel to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban centre located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archaeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then, you are transferred to the Living Museum of Yucay, a centre Andean traditions interpretations, where demonstrations of the elaboration of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are carried out in the same way in which they used to in antiquity; an original recreation of Inca traditions. Also, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Upon arriving in Ollantaytambo visit its town, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, and have a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant, where the true spirit of the Sacred Valley is transmitted in a cosy atmosphere! Later, climb the iconic fortress, built next to a mountain and then you are transferred back to your hotel. *On Sundays, also visit the local market. Lunch at Rancho Wayra. Delight yourself with the surprising variety of recipes prepared under the careful tutelage of renowned chefs. The ingredients used come from the fertile Sacred Valley of the Incas, and are rich in nutrients and flavour. Enjoy The Peruvian Paso horse show, renowned for the smoothest gait in the world. Stunning equestrian demostrations, to the rhythm of marinera music will render the environment favorable for tasting the quality of their cuisine. (BL)

Day 5 – Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu

Board the Hiram Bingham train, the most luxurious train that travels between Cusco and AguasCalientes. It was named after the American explorer who rediscovered Machu Picchu more than 100 years ago. The train offers Peruvian gourmet food served on tables with a spectacular view and a scenic wagon with a bar in which musical concerts are eventually performed for the passengers. You will then arrive at Machu Picchu, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture which is believed to have been used as a sanctuary and leisure residence for Inca Pachacútec (1438-1471). Machu Picchu, which means Old Mountain, is a World Cultural Heritage listed by UNESCO and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. After the guided visit check-in at your hotel. A la carte dinner at hotel is included. (BLD)

Day 6 – Machu Picchu / Cuzco

After breakfast at the hotel. We strongly recommend waking up early today to spend the morning over Machu Picchu and discover its secrets. Return to the hotel and enjoy a la carte lunch at hotel. Later, in the afternoon, transfer to the Aguas Calientes station and take the train back to Ollanta station. From here you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco. (BL)

Day 7 – Cuzco / Sacsayhuaman

AM or PM The tour starts at Sacsayhuaman, one of the most emblematic constructions of the Incas (located just minutes from the city, it is a World Cultural Heritage Site listed by UNESCO) built by Pachacutec in the 15th century. It is a huge fortress made of large stones which transportation is still a mystery. Return to the city to continue your tour along the San Blas neighborhood, originally inhabited by the Inca nobility who built impressive stone constructions within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas. Unmistakable Inca walls can still be seen at the base of many buildings. Today the neighborhood is a delightful cluster of cobblestone streets popular among artisans who sell their handcrafts on the street. Continue to the cathedral. This is the most impressive monument in the Plaza de Armas. Its construction began in 1560 and ended only in 1654. It took nearly a century to complete. For this purpose hundreds of stones were extracted and transported from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman under the command of the Ecclesiastical Council and the burden of thousands of Indians. The tour ends at the Coricancha also known as “The Temple of the Sun”(or QuriKancha ‘Golden Temple’), was built by Inca Pachacutec (1438- 1572) becoming the base of the Santo Domingo Convent at the arrival of the Spaniards. At the Coricancha homage was paid to the Sun (“Inti”) during the Inca Empire, a time when the whole building was covered with gold.

At night, enjoy dinner at MAP Café restaurant located in the courtyard of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.Immerse yourself in a world of art, color, flavor and perfection. (BD)

*Optional at Additional cost:AM Visit San Pedro Market in Cusco, accompanied by an experienced chef, to choose local ingredients, where you will learn to select local vegetables and herbs for your delight. With the best and freshest ingredients, you will start your cooking lesson to prepare delicious Peruvian recipes, from traditional to molecular cuisine. Enjoy your lunch overlooking the hotel eucalyptus forest or the Main Square of Cusco.

Day 8 – Cuzco / Lima

Morning at leisure. Lunch at Inka Grill restaurant. A vehicle will transfer you from the selected hotel to the airport. A representative will assist you along the way. (BL)

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