Itinerary

Day 1 – Evening Arrival
Upon arrival at the Lima airport, you will be met by a local represenattive and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at Casa Andina Private Collection.

Day 2 – Lima
The morning is at your leisure to relax after a late arrival the night before. Afternoon visit to the Larco Herrera Museum, where galleries provide an overview of 3,000 years of Peruvian history. You’ll also stop at the Barbosa-Stern private collection to learn about unique colonial Peruvian art. Dinner that night will be held at Casa Aliaga, built in 1536, where historian and archaeologist Luis F. Villacorta will join you for an introduction to pre-Hispanic Peru and the Incas. Overnight at Casa Andina. (B,L,D)

Day 3 – Lima – Cuzco – Urubamba Sacred Valley
After breakfast, return to the airport for your flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival, transfer to the Urubamba Sacred Valley where you’ll tour what was once the private estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. A leisurely afternoon follows, allowing you to adjust to the altitude change. Enjoy a private dinner at Hacienda Huayoccari, a 3-century-old mansion. Expedition guide Peter Frost provides an oration on early years in Peruvian exploration. Overnight at Casa Andina Private Collection in Urubamba. (B,L,D)

Day 4 – Urubamba Sacred Valley
In the late morning, partake in a visit to Ollantaytambo, the largest and most strategic settlement in the valley and gateway to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch while witnessing a centuries-old Andean religious ritual – “Tribute to the Mother Earth”. In the afternoon, you wander through the mirage of the Maras Salt Mines. There, local people happily demonstrate ancient techniques used by Incans to extract salt through a series of glistening wells, even allowing visitors to participate. Return to Casa Andina for the night. (B,L)

Day 5 – Urubamba Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu
Board the first-class Vistadome train for your scenic ride through the dramatic landscapes of the Sacred Valley to the town of Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. You have the next two days to explore the ruins with Peter Frost as he leads the expedition through Bingham’s discovery process and the mysterious theories surrounding who built the ancient city and why. Overnight at Machu Picchu Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 6 – Machu Picchu – Cuzco
Wake up for an early return to the Incan citadel, just in time for sunrise and continued guided insight from Frost throughout the day. After lunch at the hotel, you once more board the train back to Cuzco. Overnight at Libertador Hotel. (B,L)

Day 7 – Cuzco
Mid-morning you head to Sacsayhuaman, located on the outskirts of Cusco. After a “novo-Andean” lunch at Green’s Organic Restaurant, you visit the city’s majestic Cathedral and Korikancha via a walking tour. That evening, you stop by the world famous Martin Chambi Archives – vintage images from the Machu Picchu discovery with guides Teo Chambi (Martin Chambi’s grandson) and photographer Adam Weintraub. A final, farewell dinner is hosted with Frost, Chambi, and Weintraub at the renowned BACCO restaurant, to celebrate a wonderful trip. The night will be spent once more at the Libertador Hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Cuzco – Lima
Breakfast is provided before transport to the airport in Cuzco, where you catch a flight back to Lima. Once you have arrived at the Lima international airport, you will be assisted in finding your gate for your return flight home. (B)

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