Enchanting Peru

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Arrive in Lima, the capital city of Peru, early this morning and meet our tour director at the airport. After breakfast, we'll start our guided tour of the modern side of Lima, visiting the districts of San Isidro and Miraflores which feature modern architecture, shopping centers, and beautiful parks overlooking the ocean like "El Olivar" and "Parque del Amor". Next, we'll visit the Larco Museum where we can appreciate a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics, textiles, gold, and silver pieces totaling over 45,000 artifacts. We'll enjoy a variety of regional dishes at the Café Del Museo in the museum's lovely terraced garden filled with colorful flowers. We'll drive through Lima's downtown where we can see several colonial buildings and monuments. In the historical center, admire the colorful colonial architecture around Plaza San Martín and the Plaza de Armas where we can also see the Government Palace, Cathedral, and Municipality. We'll visit the San Francisco Monastery, and explore its underground maze of tunnels and catacombs before we conclude at our hotel where we'll check in.

2024 Departures: These departures will start sightseeing after an independent lunch (not included) visiting the same sites but in a different order (San Isidro and Miraflores followed by the historical center followed by the Monastery and ending at the Larco Museum). 2024 travelers will enjoy their welcome dinner at the Café Del Museo.

After breakfast this morning, we'll fly to Cusco and then travel by bus onward to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Along the way, we'll enjoy a buffet lunch at Princesita Restaurant. In the restaurant's gardens, we'll experience a Shaman ceremony, introducing us to the ancient rituals of Peru. During the ceremony, the shaman will thank Pachamama, or Mother Earth, and welcome us to Cusco. After lunch, we'll continue through the Sacred Valley to Awanakancha, a weaving center that still uses ancient weaving techniques and traditions. Here, we'll also see the four camels of South America - llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos. We'll also learn more about how natural plants are used to dye the precious wool of these animals. Next, we'll check in at our hotel and enjoy some free time before we gather together for dinner at our hotel.

On today’s full-day excursion, we'll visit the world-renowned and colorful Indian market in Pisac where many beautiful crafts are traded. Later, we'll travel through the lush valley to Ollantaytambo and explore the splendid ruins of this massive ancient fortress. The village below is a fine example of the Incas incredible urban planning skills. This evening we'll enjoy dinner together at the hotel.

Embark today on an expedition to Machu Picchu. We'll travel by train through the lush Urubamba Valley passing along stunning scenery. We arrive in Aguas Calientes where we'll take a bus up the steep mountain to “the Lost City Of the Incas”. The beauty of its location and the genius construction make Machu Picchu travel the jewel of all Inca settlements and is theorized to have been an observatory. To this day nobody can explain how the Incas managed to transport the huge blocks of limestone for the city’s construction onto the mountaintop. Our expert guide will lead us through the ruins and share the amazing story of Machu Picchu. We'll have some free time to further discover the mystical ruins and absorb the beauty of this enchanting site. Later, we re-board the train to the Sacred Valley and from there, journey to magical Cusco by bus.

Cusco is a vibrant town, dotted with archaeological sites. This morning we'll enjoy a guided walking tour visiting the city's most important Incan and Colonial landmarks. We'll visit Qoricancha, the Incan temple of the sun which later served as the foundation for the Catholic monastery of Santo Domingo. Next, we'll visit the cathedral, considered the best repository of colonial art from the Cusco school. The cathedral was built over the palace of the Inca Wiracocha, which was considered the religious and political center of Cusco during the Inca era. We'll also walk through the Incan street of Loreto, which perfectly showcases Cusco's old town and remarkable Inca walls. This afternoon is free to explore Cusco independently! Consider a visit to the amazing ruins of Sacsayhuaman, an Inca architectural masterpiece with fabulous views of the city below.

Today is free to explore this magical city independently! Cusco has so much to offer from incredible museums like Museo de Arte Pre-Colombino (MAP) and the Museo Inka, or spend the day exploring local markets or the picturesque San Blas district! We may also consider joining an optional tour Moray with its unique circular agricultural terraces and the Maras salt ponds or a visit to the chocolate museum!

After breakfast this morning, we'll travel by bus through the Peruvian highlands along snow-covered peaks before we descend down to Puno located on the edge of Lake Titicaca. En route, we'll visit the colonial church of Andahuaylillas, nicknamed the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, with its lovely simple exterior and beautifully ornate interior.

Today we'll discover the uniqueness of the Uros, islands that literally float on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. We'll meet resident families dressed in traditional and colorful outfits who welcome us and show us their homes, boats, and islands made of totora reed. Every year, they replenish the islands with a new layer of reed and continue to maintain the Aymara language and other traditional ways of living. Next, we'll take a boat ride to the island of Taquile. Be amazed by this matchless island with elaborate pre-Inca terraces, unpaved roads where there are no cars, no electricity nor pollution. Learn about the people’s unchanged lifestyles for thousands of years and their unique traditions based on community collectivism. On the island, men are taught to knit and women weave and yarn, blending these crafts into their unique social arrangements.

After breakfast, we'll visit a local house where we'll learn how a local family works their fields and more about their daily life and customs. After our visit, we'll continue to Juliaca airport for our flight back to Lima. This evening, we'll share a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today! Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will return to the U.S. today.