7-Nights Culinary and Cultural Peru: Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu & Cuzco — CALL

Avanti Destinations

OFFER ID 1523505

Culinary and Cultural Peru
See the unmissable highlights of Peru, through a lens of culture and culinary delights. Hit all the hotspots, including Lima, Cuzco and of course Machu Picchu, while immersing yourself in Peruvian life and flavors through special experiences only available in this package. Enjoy a cooking demonstration after a visit to the main market in Lima; paddle board or kayak on a tranquil lagoon in the Sacred Valley; visit an Andean community to see the current way of life in this ancient Incan empire, dining with your hosts and enjoying a traditional musical performance. Through cultural exchange and a deep dive into the world-famous foods of Peru, get to know this spectacular country like the locals do.

Includes:

2 Nights Accommodations Lima
2 Nights Sacred Valley
1 Night Machu Picchu
2 Nights Cuzco
All Ground Transfers + Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu
Flavors of Lima Tour with Cooking Demo and Lunch
Evening Larco Museum Tour with Dinner
Ollantaytambo Tour with Farm to Table Lunch• Piuray Lagoon Adventure and Misminnay Community Tour
Guided Tour of Machu Picchu with Lunch + Extra Entrance• Wine and Cheese Tasting
Cuzco Walking Tour + Cooking Class with Lunch
Chocolate Making Class
Daily Breakfast

7 nights | Call for pricing

Itinerary

Avanti Destinations: Culinary and Cultural Peru

Day 1 Lima
Upon arrival at Lima Airport, meet your English speaking guide for your transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or explore your surroundings. Dinner on your own this evening and your hotel can assist with some recommendations.

Centrally Located Hotel In Lima, ( )

Day 2 Lima
After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the lobby for an unforgettable culinary adventure, beginning your tour at a typical Peruvian market. There you will find a broad variety of national ingredients, among which you will find traditional Peruvian fruit like cherimoya, lucuma and aguaymanto. If you love sea food, there's no doubt you will be surprised by the extent of fish and shellfish species that the market has to offer. Then, visit an exclusive restaurant in Lima where you see a demonstration on how to prepare a pisco sour and ceviche; two great representatives of the Peruvian flavor. Finally, you will enjoy a delicious lunch with Peru's most important dishes. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. Tonight you'll enjoy a visit to the remarkable Larco Museum, which boasts an incomparable collection of treasures from ancient Peru. This impressive collection of more than 45,000 exhibits- inspires visitors to discover, understand, and enjoy more than five thousand years of Peruvian history. At the end of the visit, enjoy a delicious dinner in the museum's restaurant before returning to your hotel.

Centrally Located Hotel In Lima, (B, L, D )

Day 3 Lima, Sacred Valley
At a scheduled time, you'll have a transfer to the airport to board the short flight to Cuzco, and then proceed to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. En route to the village of Pisac, you'll stop at the Hacienda Sarapampa, a hidden magical place that time has forgotten. The owners still produce the famous Giant Corn of the Andes and will be pleased to prepare a Farm-to-Table lunch for you. Then it's on to Ollantaytambo; an Inca military, religious and agricultural center built on a mountain summit. There you can see the narrow streets of the eponymous village, together with canals unchanged since the Inca Empire. Upon arrival at your hotel, the evening is at your leisure and dinner will be on your own.

Centrally Located Hotel In Sacred Valley, ( B,L )

Day 4 Sacred Valley
After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the lobby for your departure to the Piuray Lagoon, where your sport and adventure day will begin. First, you'll have the option of selecting a stand up paddleboard or kayak, followed by a safety talk and technical practice of paddling on land. While moving through the lagoon, you can appreciate the great natural landscapes of the area. At the end of your experience on water, enjoy a snack surrounded by the beauty of the lagoon. Then you'll continue to the Misminay community, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Upon arrival, the townspeople will give you a warm welcome with typical music and dances. Here, you will experience the Andean lifestyle up-close, and explore local botanical plants through a wonderful cooking class. You'll begin with the planting and harvesting of some products, according to the season. Then along side your hosts, you will prepare a delicious traditional dish using only local products, and then enjoy them for lunch. In the afternoon, your hosts will guide you with music and chants towards the Moray Viewpoint, where you will have a privileged view of this important Inca agricultural center and the Sacred Valley. When this amazing cultural exchange experience is over, you will return to your hotel.

Centrally Located Hotel In Sacred Valley, ( B,L )

Day 5 Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
After breakfast, transfer to the train station for a visit to one of the most important archaeological sites in the world: Machu Picchu. The excursion will be via the Vistadome Train with a private local guide, and starts with a trip to the intriguing town of Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. Your larger luggage will stay at your hotel in the Sacred Valley, as only overnight bags or back packs are allowed on the train. You'll meet back up with your luggage after your return from Machu Picchu. The natural beauty of the surroundings makes the train the best way to start your visit. When you arrive, you will start the ascent to the ruins by bus, which will be without a doubt, one of your most unforgettable experiences. At Machu Picchu enjoy a guided tour where you will view one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World and take some impressive photos. Then it's back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch in Cafe Inkaterra. After this exhilarating trip, you can relax at your hotel, or soak in one of the warm medicinal pools before enjoying Peruvian specialties at your dinner this evening.

Centrally Located Hotel In Aguas Calientes, ( B,L )

Day 6 Machu Picchu, Cuzco
Enjoy the buffet breakfast and relax as the morning is at your leisure. For the adventurous, there is an optional morning visit to the archeological complex on your own. The second entrance to Machu Picchu includes round trip bus ride; however does not include guide nor lunch. You can verify the schedule of your entrance with a maximum 4 hours in the citadel. In the afternoon, you'll board the train back to Ollanta, and transfer to Cuzco - stopping at your original Sacred Valley hotel to collect the rest of your luggage. After checking in to your hotel, you'll be treated to a luxurious cheese & wine tasting at Baco, a restaurant located in the downtown area. You'll have the opportunity to sample some of the best national and international wines, as well as trying some exquisite varieties of cheeses. With its rustic wood and iron decorations, as well as its colorful paintings, Baco creates a relaxed and welcoming environment. Afterwards, there is still time to explore the nearby sites before dinner on your own this evening.

Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, ( B )

Day 7 Cuzco
After breakfast, meet your guide for a walking tour of Cuzco, and learn about the coexistence of the Andean and Spanish cultures. We'll begin at the Koricancha; an ancient, sacred space that the Incas dedicated to the worship of the sun and the moon. And over which the order of the Dominican friars built the Santo Domingo Temple. Then, a visit to the Main Square, located across the imposing Cathedral and the magnificent Jesuit Church. We'll view additional historic colonial buildings, which together compose some of the most beautiful and captivating scenery in Peru. After working up an appetite, our next stop takes us to the restaurant at the Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art (MAP). Located in the beautiful courtyard of a colonial mansion, we'll experience a lesson of the best examples of Andean cuisine. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious lunch in a sophisticated, yet relaxed atmosphere. But save room for dessert, as there is an optional chocolate making class. Peru is a producer of many of the fine cacao varieties in the world. Learn all the steps to make chocolate, from harvesting of the cacao in a plantation, to the production of a chocolate bar. You will roast the cacao beans, peel them and grind them to produce a paste. This cacao paste was used to prepare the first known cacao drink, the traditional hot chocolate. In addition, you will be able to take your own chocolate home! Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, ( B,L )

Day 8 Cuzco
After breakfast, meet your driver for your transfer to Cuzco Airport, and onward to your next Avanti Destination!

Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, (B)

Featured Destinations

Cuzco

Machu Picchu

Sacred Valley

Lima

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Lima is a big and modern city, it has been in continuous occupation for almost 2,000 years. Scholars have found more than 30 archaeological sites at different locations within the city limits. “HUACAS” are pyramidal constructions with superimposed platforms ending on a flat top, they were used for religious and administrative purposes by prehispanic civilizations along the Peruvian coast.
Our specialized Guide and his assistant will pick you up at the hotel with the bikes and the necessary equipment for the activity. After the briefing you will ride along one of the principal avenues of Lima towards the heart of Miraflores while enjoying the architecture and everyday life of the city folks. The first stop is at Huaca Pucllana, built 1,300 years ago, this visit is a great introduction to the history of Lima, traditions, cuisine and economic activities of ancient inhabitants. Then, we continue to the commercial and financial district, San Isidro, to visit Huaca Huallamarca, which has been through a magnificent restoration by the City Hall, you´ll appreciate the contrast between history and modern life. Finally, we return to the hotel completing a 12 km circuit on the bike. This activity is offered for mornings and afternoons. It lasts for 4 hours. The advantage of being at sea level and our moderate weather is that we can provide it all year round. We include a vehicle as support in case someone in the group decides to stop biking during the tour.

Highlights:

Huacas, pyramidal constructions
Bike to admire the arquitecture

Tour Duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: the morning or afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Moderate/Heavy (we provide a vehicle as support in case someone in the group decides to stop biking during the tour)

Inclusions:

Transportation from/to hotel (as back up)
Guide
Bikes
Assistant
Bottle of water

Not Included:

Items not mentioned in the Included section

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

WHAT YOU'LL VISIT
Depart the pier to Lima's main square where the Spanish conqueror, Francisco Pizarro, founded the "City of Kings" in 1535. The Government Palace, Lima City Hall, Archbishop's Palace, and the Lima Cathedral surround the square.
Lima was founded to be the capital and most important town of the Spanish domain in South America until the 18^th century. The Historical Center represents the model of architecture and urban planning of Spanish colonial cities with high political, economic and cultural importance, as devised by Charles V in 1542.
Our expert Guide will take you to the colonial section of Lima, you will walk among historical monuments, religious and political buildings located within the perimeter declared Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1988. This learning experience will allow you to appreciate typical examples of Hispanic American baroque style as well as some other different styles like Art Nouveau.
Besides the stops for great pictures of Limenian architecture, you will have the opportunity to visit Casa de Aliaga, a mansion still inhabited by the same family since the foundation of the city, an extraordinary experience that will take you back in time. To finish the experience, we will visit the Dominican Convent, which was the first catholic order to arrive in Perú with Francisco Pizarro and they have a lot of history, traditions, and sainthood to impress our travelers.

Highlights:

Colonial section of Lima
Visit Casa Aliaga, a mansion still inhabited by the same family since the foundation of the city
Dominican Convent

Tour Duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: daily
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light/Moderate
Inclusions:

Transportation from/to hotel
Expert Guide
Entrance fees
Bottled water
Snack

Not Included:

Items not mention in the Included section

The Amano Textile Museum (4 hours)

Museo Larco (4 hours)

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

10/01/2023 - 12/31/2025

from $999,999,999 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

Call for pricing

Length

7 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

Land Only - All prices are per person based on double occupancy; price subject to availability; and does not include airfare. Price may vary depending on choice of accommodations and can change without notice. Pricing not available during holidays and trade fair dates. Note: Land Only-Price is Per Person based on double occupancy. Airfare not included in price. Availability and price may change at any time and without prior notice and will be unavailable on certain holidays.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1523505

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Los Gatos Travel

408.395.3811