Center of the Inca Universe

Your Itinerary

Day 1 (Thursday) | Arrive in Lima, Peru 

Fly from your home city to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival, you will head to the hotel for check-in and overnight.  

Hotel: Hotel B or similar   

Day 2 (Friday) | Explore Lima 

Lima is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of over 9 million in its metropolitan area. It has flower gardens, grand plazas, awe-inspiring cathedrals, elegant colonial homes, vibrant nightlife, and some of the world's finest restaurants. A guided tour of Lima leads you to the Plaza de Armas, where you will see elegant carved wooden balconies and colonial architecture.  

From the Plaza de Armas, you proceed to Museo Larco to see an impressive pottery collection, along with beautiful displays of gold and silver artifacts. Lunch is at the charming Larco Museum café set on the museum's terrace. With expert chefs, it is the perfect place to enjoy Lima's famous Peruvian gastronomy in a magical and welcoming atmosphere.  

In the evening, you have time to explore Lima’s many art galleries and artisanal shops. Dinner is anywhere you want it to be, and if you need recommendations, we are happy to help. 

Hotel: Hotel B or similar 

Day 3 (Saturday) | Tour Pisac – Visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas 

A quick flight over the snow-covered Andes brings you to Cusco, your gateway to the Sacred Valley. After arrival, a short drive brings you to the mysterious fountains of Tambo Machay. On a scenic ride through rich fields of quinoa and amaranth you descend into the picturesque Urubamba Valley. Your ride takes you across the Vilcamayo river high into the surrounding mountains to explore the ruins of the Inca Fortress of Pisac.  

Following your visit to the Fortress, you have a short stop to explore the indigenous village of Pisac. If you are inclined, you may hike down from the Fortress through the terraces to the town.  

Hotel: Hacienda Urubamba or similar 

Day 4 (Sunday) | Visit Chinchero Market - Maras - Moray 

A morning climb brings you from the Urubamba Valley to a scenic 12,000-foot plain en route to the indigenous market at Chinchero. There will be time to visit the market before you view a weaving demonstration orchestrated by Nilda Challañaupa, the founder and director of The Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The organization is dedicated to preserving ancient Andean textile designs and weaving techniques, some of which are over 2000 years old and were thought to have been lost to history. 

Lunch is at a private Restaurant with magnificent views followed by an afternoon visiting the ancient archeological sites of Maras and Moray.  

Hotel: Hacienda Urubamba or similar   

Day 5 (Monday) | Explore Ollantaytambo – Train to Machu Picchu 

You begin the day with a visit to the spectacular temple fortress and village of Ollantaytambo. Cut into the slopes of the Andes, the fortress is little changed from the days of the Incan Empire. From Ollantaytambo you board one of the most breathtaking rail journeys in the world that takes you along the Vilconata River and its impressive canyon walls to the foot of Machu Picchu.  

Right beside the river, your room at Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is tucked into a vibrant cloud forest just a short stroll from into the town of Aguas Calientes. Following check-in, you board a bus and for your first glimpse of Machu Picchu.  

Your exploration of Machu Picchu begins with a walk through the ruins and an introduction into the marvel that is Incan architecture. A delicious lunch at The Sanctuary Lodge followed by an extended walking tour awakes all of your senses and gives you the chance to soak in the astonishing beauty of Machu Picchu.  

Hotel: Machu Picchu Pueblo; Sanctuary Lodge by request

Day 6 (Tuesday) | Full-Day Tour of Machu Picchu – Optional Mountain Hikes 

An early breakfast gets the day started, so you are able to make the opening at Machu Picchu. At this hour, mist often shrouds the peaks, and as dawn breaks into the valley, the rising sun casts a golden glow over the land.  

You have the option to go on the challenging but scenic Machu Picchu Mountain hike or take a different, somewhat difficult hike up to the top of Huayna Picchu.

The trail to Machu Picchu is a steady climb with gentle stairs to the mountain's summit. The view over the valley is awe-inspiring and worth every step of the journey into the sky. Your camera will give you astounding images, and lunch is at one of the most spectacular picnic sites in the world.  

The hike to Huayna Picchu takes you up a steep trail, hidden in crevasses and bushes, that leads to a different but also spectacular view. The path leads up to the slender granite peak that appears in every photo of Machu Picchu. On top, the ruins, the surrounding valleys, and the snowcapped peaks are truly breathtaking. The climb is impressive and requires no more than 1.5 - 2 hours, even if you are a slow hiker. The trail is quite challenging, but the reward of reaching the summit is a moment you will never forget! The steep descent is relatively quick and easy, leading you straight to lunch!  

After lunch, you may further explore the ruins with your guide or hike up to the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu and explore the Inca Bridge.  

Hotel: Machu Picchu Pueblo; Sanctuary Lodge by request   

Day 7 (Wednesday) | Machu Picchu – Mountain Train Ride to Cusco 

After breakfast, you will board a morning train to Ollantaytambo, where you will transfer by van to Cusco. Once the Center of the Inca Universe, Cusco was built for kings and made in the shape of the sacred puma. Today it is a bustling city that combines pre-Colombian history with Spanish Colonialism.  

After checking into your hotel, you begin your walking tour of Cusco, wandering along streets where the Inca and, later, the Spaniards imprinted on history.  

A visit to Coricancha, the partially restored Temple of the Sun at the Center of the Inca Universe, will bring you stories of the gold-covered walls that awe-struck Conquistadors stripped to send back to Europe. Along narrow cobblestone streets, you pass stone walls so precisely fitted that they remain in superb condition centuries later, even after many earthquakes. While you explore Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, you may wander into the surrounding churches, shops, and restaurants.  

Hotel: El Monasterio del Cusco or La Casona 

Day 8 (Thursday) | Tour Cusco – Explore Sacsayhuaman 

A visit to Cusco’s Market, Mercado Central, gives you a sense of the daily rhythm of life in the city. In the market's open-air stalls, vendors sell everything from coca leaves and local produce to live chickens, ducks, and cuys. The wide range of fruit and vegetable stands offer many familiar and unfamiliar products. Sales are sometimes made with cash and sometimes goods are traded.  

After the market, you can view an archbishop's private collection of colonial and Indian art before a traditional Peruvian lunch. An afternoon visit to the Inca Historical Museum is accompanied by a guide to give you an overview of the history of the Inca Empire from its beginning to its demise.  

As the sun heads towards the west, you will venture up to Sacsayhuaman to explore the ceremonial grounds used by the Incas for significant celebrations, pageants, and sporting events. Inti Raymi, the Incan Festival of the Sun, is still celebrated here every June 24. During Inti Raymi, Cusco fills with colorfully dressed, chicha-drinking people from villages all over the Andes. The week-long festival of folk dance competitions and pageantry is renowned for its lively debauchery.  

Hotel: El Monasterio del Cusco or La Casona   

Day 9 (Friday) | Return Home or to More Adventures 

Head to the airport approximately 2 hours before your flight's departure time.