The best of Peru in 10 days

Day 1: Arrival to Lima

Lima airport pick up and transportation to your hotel

No meals included

Day 2: Lima city + culinary tour

We will pick you up from your hotel and start the tour by learning about Peruvian gastronomy.

Our gastronomic adventure begins by visiting in a typical Peruvian market. Here, you will be able to see a great variety of Peruvian products, we will visit stands where we will see the variety of products, vegetables and the main ingredients of Peruvian cuisine.

You will also be able to taste unique fruits such as cherimoya, lucuma, aguaymanto and pacae.

We will then visit an exclusive restaurant, a place where  you will learn how to prepare the flag drink of Peru, our famous Pisco Sour and the delicious and unmatched Ceviche.

Then you can enjoy an exquisite lunch that includes the most representative dishes of our gastronomy.

In the afternoon we will continue our tour of the city of the Kings. We will begin our journey heading towards the Historic Center of Lima, declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1991, where the center of the Spanish colony was stablished  in the 16th century and the first buildings were erected.

We will visit the Plaza San Martín, its balconies and old mansions, the Plaza Mayor and its most important buildings such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral of

Lima, the Archbishop’s and Municipal Palace, the Desamparados Station, among others.

Then, we will go to the Convent and Catacombs of Saint Francis; We will enter one of the most important convents of the 17th century. We will visit the old Library, the Choir, the Main Cloister and the underground crypts known as Catacombs.

Later we will go to the modern residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro where we will be able to visit ‘El parque del amor’ .

We will then drop you off at your hotel

This tour lasts about 7 hours. Starting at around 10:30 am

Meals: Lunch

Day 3: Full day tour to Paracas & Huacachina

We will pick you up from your hotel and  leave for Paracas Beach Resort, (trip duration approximately 3 hours). We will make a stop in Chilca to enjoy a delicious breakfast of pork, and tamales (not included in the price).

09:00 am. Arrival at the Paracas Beach Resort, you will go to Puerto El Chaco accompanied by the tour guide, here you will have a wonderful tour to the Ballestas Islands, you will be able to see all the wild life in the area, such as sea lions, Humboldt penguins, black or guanay cormorants, flamingos, parihuanas and various sea birds.

The sea lions as well as the penguins will probably approach our boat and you will be able to see the, close. Thousands of seabirds fly between the islands and their nests can be seen on the rocks. You will also see the Candelabra. The tour guide will tell you about the different hypotheses about its formation (approximately 01:40 hours).

At the end of the excursion there will be time to buy some snacks and drinks. After this, we will go to a candy store, where we will taste the traditional artisanal chocoteja, as well as alfajores, jams, artisanal cookies, stuffed mouse, etc.

11:00 am. Departure to the city of Ica.

12:00 pm. Arrival and excursion to the Oasis of La Huacachina, which is located just 5 km from the center of the city of Ica. In this beautiful lagoon you can enjoy the peace of the place and have some free time to walk and take some pictures.

Dune buggy tour and sandboarding in the Huacachina sand dunes. This tour is both thrilling and beautiful, transporting you at high speeds deep into the desert to see the huge sand dunes on the coast. These mountains of sand are beautiful and surreal.

02:30 pm:The guide will take you to the Restaurant where the worldwide known Pisco, is made.

The Winery of Piscos and Wines was founded in 1856. Very old facilities that reflect the history of Pisco and the artisanal tradition of making Pisco since the 16th century. After visiting the winery facilities, visitors will be invited to taste and/or try the main products made in the winery: Wines, Piscos, Pisco Creams, Macerados and Mistelas.

04:30 pm: Departure to Chincha.

05:30 pm: Stop in Chincha at La Bodega – wine and pisco tasting along with a live show of folk music and dance to the sound of Cajón, dance competition.

06:00 pm. Departure to the city of Lima.

09:00 pm. Arrival to Lima

Duration :Full Day approximately from 4:30 am to 9:00 pm

Day 4: Lima – Cusco, Cusco city tour

Transportation to Lima’s airport

Lima – Cusco flight

Cusco airport pick up and transportation to your hotel

Cusco city tour:

We will pick you up from your hotel and drive to our first stop which is the Qoricancha temple. A legendary Temple of the Sun and the main ceremonial place of the Inca Empire, along with the Convent of Santo Domingo, they show a fascinating combination of Inca and colonial architecture.

We will then visit the impressive archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, one of the best structures made by the Incas, where gigantic walls were perfectly placed together. From here, you can see the best views of the city of Cusco.

After this, we will visit  Qenqo, an ancient place of ceremonies and sacrifices, we will then head to the Inca military post of Pucapucara (or red stone) specifically used for military purposes, this was the control point for entry to Cusco and also served as a resting place. Our last stop will be Tambomachay, which was a place of worship for the Incas.

We will take you to your hotel in Cusco.

The tour is about 4 hours long

Day 5: Sacred Valley tour

We will pick you up from your hotel between 8:00 and 8:30 am

Our first stop will be Pisac, an important archaeological complex located at the top of a steep hill, with enormous platforms (or terraces) and Inca temples of solid and perfect construction.

We will then visit Pisac artisan market, one of the best-known in Peru. At noon we will have buffet-style lunch in Urubamba. We will continue to the town of Ollantaytambo, a place with great walls and ancient canals, considered one of the few towns that has been continuously inhabited since the time of the Incas.

There you can explore the impressive fortress, once the site of legendary battles and ancient religious ceremonies. The tour concludes in Chinchero, a place with a beautiful plaza, ancient Inca walls and a beautiful landscape of agricultural fields, peaks and snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera.

We will return to your hotel in Cusco around 7:00 p.m.

Meals: Buffet lunch

Day 6: Machu Picchu

Hotel pick-up (the time we pick you up will depend on your train schedule)

From your hotel, we will drive you to the train station.

You will then take the Peru Rail Expedition train from the station to Aguas Calientes (or Machu Picchu Pueblo).

Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, a member of staff will pick you up from the station and take you to the bus station.

Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu bus (30 minute ride)

Upon arrival at the world famous Machu Picchu, you will have a professional guided tour. You will have free time to explore the ‘Wonder of the World’ at your own pace and take all the pictures you can! In the afternoon, you will have time to explore the town of Aguas Calientes and get some lunch before then heading back to the city of Cusco.

Train from Aguas Calientes to train station

Upon arrival at the train station, a member of staff will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Cusco.

Meals: Lunch

Day 7: Rainbow Mountain

We will pick you up at around 4 am from your hotel in Cusco. We’ll depart heading south from Cusco and drive for approximately 2.5 hours until we get to Cusipata where we will have breakfast at around 7:20 am. After breakfast, we will head towards Llaqto, passing through various small towns. At this point you will have the opportunity to rent a horse to help you during the walk. This is when the extraordinary ascending trek starts, we will walk for approximately 1.5  hours towards the mountain Vinicunca, also called the rainbow mountain, located above 5200m (17,060 ft). During the tour you will have great views of the amazing landscapes of the Ausangate area.

Once at the peak, you can enjoy the mountain in all its splendor, have a rest and ensure you get all the photos necessary! The mountain’s variety of colours are a result of the different minerals contained within it. Afterwards, we will head back to Llaqto where we will have lunch. Afterwards, we will make our way back   to Cusco (3 hours), arriving back at the city at approximately 5:30  pm.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 8: Cusco – Puerto Maldonado (day 1)

Cusco – Puerto Maldonado flight

Arrive into Puerto Maldonado, coined the Capital of Biodiversity. Transfer by road to the pier and begin your Amazon adventure with a 45-minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios river that splices through the rainforest. The motorized wooden boat hugs the meandering riverbanks to reach your eco-lodge, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, in the middle of the rainforest. After a short breafing, settle into your palm-thatched cabaña set within Peru’s first ever private ecological reserve; established by Inkaterra in 1975, to protect this sensitive environment. After lunch, retreat to your rustic-luxury cabin for a nap or a swing in your hammock before choosing from the wide range à-la-carte guided excursions with your expert Inkaterra Explorer Guide. We recommend walking along the Trail System for an immersive introduction into the intricate biodiversity of the Amazon basin and the layers of the rainforest. Walk along towering trees, like the Shihuahuaco, as your ears tune in to the croaks, rustles and calls of the exotic wildlife inhabiting this rich ecosystem. There are excellent opportunities for birding and observing an abundance of flora. Keep your camera ready just in case sloths or monkeys appear on the treetops. In the late afternoon, we highly recommend taking our gentle Twilight River excursion to witness the jungle transform from a diurnal to a nocturnal world: where daytime animals and birds give way to species specially adapted to the darkness of the night. You may also be able to spot the likes of nightjars, owls, capybaras and caimans lurking on the riverbanks. Amazonian-inspired dinner is served in the main dining room from 19:00-22:00 where we invite you to enjoy a complimentary Pisco Cocktail. Back in your comfy cabaña, listen to the intriguing sounds of critters that inhabit the rainforest surrounding the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9: Cusco – Puerto Maldonado (day 2)

The sunlight squeezes through the dense trees as jungle inhabitants awake from their slumber. Optionally join them in the early hours, with buffet breakfast served from 05:00. Visit Lake Sandoval this morning, a glassy, ox-bow lake located inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve, reached via a sun-dappled rainforest trail. Board a dug-out wooden canoe to quietly paddle through a stream and glide onto Lake Sandoval, flanked by picture-perfect palms. This serene lake is home to many species of birds, the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles, black caimans amongst others. Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we recommend climbing the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. The Canopy Walkway is a sophisticated and safe network, distributed over ecologically constructed hanging suspension bridges, strung between eight treetop observation platforms above the forest floor. This is an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from the rooftop and gain a sense of its size. Ascend the first vertiginous tower 42 meters (138 feet) above ground, keeping an eye out for bright toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys and the three-toed sloth. It’s possible to extend your elevated stay with sunset drinks from atop a tower, – or spend a once-in-a-lifetime night in a specially designed treehouse cabin with surprising comforts (additional cost applies) After descending, enjoy a 30-minute Anaconda Walk that follows a 200-meter (656 feet) raised wooden platform over a flooded aguajales swamp. In this lush ecosystem you may observe various species of amphibians, birds, mammals, abundant flora and interesting trees. Under the cover of darkness, venture out for the Rainforest by Night excursion through Inkaterra’s Ecological Reserve. Armed with flashlights, duck under tree boughs as your senses heighten to the movements in the undergrowth and nocturnal forest sounds that appear in different directions around you. With your Inkaterra Explorer Guide, encounter animal activity and spot species that only emerge with the veil of nightfall. Back at the lodge, you can opt to book yourself an indulgent spa treatment in our refreshing ENA spa. À-la-carte dinner is served from 19:00.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10: Puerto Maldonado (day 3) – Lima

With a staggering roster of wildlife found in and around Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica -540 bird species have been inventoried in the grounds of the lodge- enjoy your last morning in this natural wonderland as parakeets chatter away in the trees and agouti mammals scurry between the cabañas. Check-out is at 10:00; depending on your departure flight time lunch can also be arranged today (additonal cost applies). Embark your ready-waiting boat for the 45-minute return trip along the snaking Madre de Dios River until arriving at the airport. Please note that this three-day journey is a suggested itinerary. Activities and excursions can be chosen on an à-la-carte basis on arrival at the lodge and are subject to change depending on weather conditions at the time of your visit, until arriving at the airport.