Culinary Tour of Peru in 11 days
Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

Overview

Journey through Peru tasting the delectable fusion cuisine which reflects the diversity of a nation that has blended its native traditions with the ingredients of Europe, the Middle East, China, Africa and Japan. Delight in the different exquisite dishes throughout this tour savoring the unique flavors while also enjoying Peru’s cultural sites.

11 days – 10 nights

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11

Arrive in Lima

Lima – Culinary tour

Lima City - Lunch in Chorrillos

Lima / Arequipa - City Tour - Picanteria – Juanita "The Ice Maiden"

Arequipa / Cusco City Tour

Sacred Valley and special Andean Cuisine in an Andean Community with Pisac ruins

Moray - Maras Salt Mines – Ollantaytambo

Sacred Valley – Ollantaytambo station – Aguas Calientes Machupicchu Tour

Hike to Huaynapicchu - Cooking class in the heart of Machupicchu

Free Day in Cusco - suggestions for restaurants and optional tours

Cusco / Lima - Afro Peruvian lunch - international flight

Departures:

Daily departures year round

Destinations:

Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

Reservation code:

SP-GT2

Arrive in the Lima airport and our staff will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the exclusive Miraflores district.

Lima is one of the world’s best food city. Known for a great number of restaurants that top the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the city has been considered Latin America‘s Gastronomic Capital.

Lima was founded on January 18, 1535 by the conqueror Francisco Pizarro and was considered, for almost three centuries, as the Vice-Royal Capital of South America. This fantastic city is nowadays an immeasurable mix of cultures, ethnicities, races and bloods. A festival of colors and customs, an immense wealth of folklore and Creole, between the ancient and the modern.

Overnight in Lima
No meals included.

This morning we will start tasting Peru, our first visit takes us to a local roastery, Tostaduria Bisetti, where they hand-pick the coffee beans daily, for an organic Peruvian coffee. We will visit the colonial streets of the bohemian district, Barranco, home to artists, musicians and the city’s top art galleries. Enjoy an exotic fruit smoothie made from lucuma at the garden cafe, La Bodega Verde. Then off to a traditional market in the San Isidro district to try exotic fruits and local products and learn about its culture.

We continue to the city’s top seafood restaurants (cebichería), Embarcadero 41 Fusión, where you will discover the secrets to the perfect Cebiche and Pisco Sour. You will prepare the cebiche dish and cocktail yourself with the head chef and bartender. Our final stop is for lunch at la Huaca Pucllana, a restaurant within a pre-Incan archeological complex – undoubtedly a highlight of tourism in Lima Peru. Savor a variety of gourmet Peruvian dishes as well as four different desserts and another pisco-based cocktail.

Return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Overnight in Lima
Breakfast and lunch Included.

This morning we will start our tour of the city of Kings. Our tour will take us through three historical periods: modern, colonial and pre-Columbian. We start off visiting the modern suburbs of San Isidro and Miraflores where we will see the Financial Center, the San Isidro Golf Course and the Olive Grove Park. The drive passing the Huaca Pucllana, a pre-inca pyramid shape temple dating back to 200 AD and 700 AD. We will stop at Parque del Amor (Love Park) and enjoy a nice view of the Pacific Ocean, as we drive down the Miraflores Malecon, a road along the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Then we will enjoy the Colonial district visiting the downtown historical center, a Unesco Heritage site. You will see what once was the center of the 16th century Spanish colony. Pass by the Plaza Mayor, the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop`s Palace, the City Hall and the Desamparados Train Station. See the Plaza San Martin, a large park surrounded by old colonial buildings still displaying beautiful carved wood balconies and other landmarks.

Finally, we will visit the San Francisco Monastery and its famous underground crypts known as the Catacombs. At the end of the tour we will drive to Chorrillos to enjoy a typical meal prepared by a fisherman’s family or you can choose your preferred restaurant (on your own expenses). After a delicious lunch we will drop you off in Miraflores where you will have free time to explore the many typical Peruvian restaurants and see the city lifestyle.

Optional: Dinner & Show
At the end of the tour we will stop at a famous restaurant in Miraflores to enjoy a buffet lunch that will include a variety of dishes and desserts of one of the richest, most exquisite and original cuisines in the world, while you are entertained with a spectacular show of traditional folk dances from the Coast, Highlands and Jungle of Peru. After the show we will drive you back to your hotel.

Overnight in Lima
Breakfast Included.

This morning we will pick you up from your hotel to take you to the airport for your flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival we will transfer to your hotel and freshen up.

Then we will begin the tour of the “White City”, a colonial legacy declared by UNESCO, a World Heritage site. You will admire the surrounding volcanoes of El Misti (5,825m) and the Nevado Chachani (6,075m) hovering over the city. We will walk to the monastery of Santa Catalina), the cathedral, and La Compañia church. We will visit one of the oldest historic markets of San Camilo, where we will see the local produce including fruits, vegetables, aromatic herbs and much more.

Then we will visit a Picanteria to taste the regional delicious cuisine of Arequipa like, rocotos (large chili peppers), fresh water prawns, lamb and other sumptuous dishes.

Afterwards we will drop you off to your hotel to enjoy the rest of the day.

Lodging in Arequipa
Breakfast included.

You from the airport and take you to your hotel. The rest of the morning is free to relax.

Cusco once the capital of the Incas Empire where you will learn more about the Andean culture as the city itself represents the center of indigenous Quechua culture.

In the afternoon we will pick you up for your City Tour. First, we will visit the Cathedral of Cusco on the Plaza de Armas and continuously the temple of Qoricancha, also known as the temple of the Sun. After these visits, we will continue to the upper part of Cusco to visit several archaeological sites. The first stop will be at Sacsayhuaman, a ceremonial complex of the Incas. We will also visit Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. At the end, we will return to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.

Note: In private service you will first have a tour by foot through the city, visiting Qoricancha the Inca Sun Temple, the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral, enjoying the atmosphere of the city by observing the well-preserved colonial architecture that conserves Incas original stone walls, evidence of a rich and complex history. We will continue our way until we get to San Pedro Central Market where the locals shop for Andean grains, fruits, natural medicine plants and more. Afterwards, drive up above Cusco for a visit of the spectacular Sacsayhuaman Inca complex with stupendous stonework, Qenko a place of rituals and then we will visit the house of Sulca to see the lovely textiles made by hand.

Return to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Overnight in Cusco.
Breaksfast included

This morning we will drive to the Sacred Valley arriving in the indigenous community around 9:30am. Reception by the locals and start our cultural experience. We will be put in groups with guides and learn how to prepare an ancient delicious Pachamanca meal that is prepared in the ground. Then we will feast on this unique buffet prepared by our host.
After our typical Andean lunch, we will enjoy a weaving demonstration using ancient techniques where they explain the different natural dyes made of natural plants, insects, and minerals.

Then we will dress in the ancestral dresses and dance their farewell ancestral dance called the Cacharpari. We will say farewell and continue to the Pisac ruins for a visit of the Sun Temple and catch spectacular views of the valley below and admire the many terraces.
After that, we will continue our journey along the Sacred Valley of the Incas until arriving to our hotel.

Lodging in Sacred Valley of the Incas
Breakfast and lunch included

This morning we will driåWe start off from your hotel and drive up to Moray sitting on a high plateau. Tour the agricultural circles resembling an amphitheater. From there we drive down a dirt road to the town of Maras and on to the Salt mines. The salt evaporates from the side of a mountain and fills the pans. The families gather the salt by hand using no machinery.

Afterwards, we drive to Urubamba and enjoy a buffet lunch in Urubamba or optionally lunch at the Wayra Restaurant while watching a Peruvian Paso horseshow. Wayra offers seasonal dishes that are impossible to pigeonhole into a culinary style, the dishes pay tribute to Andean ingredients grown by local farmers, and highlight the rich and varied flavors of the Sacred Valley when cooked in traditional wood-fired ovens, also it is an excellent location to enjoy a glass of wine at the sunrise.

Then off to one of the original Inca towns of Ollantaytambo to be amazed by the ruins that sit in front of the quaint town. After a wonderful day you will return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

Overnight in Sacred Valley
Breakfast included.

ve to the Sacred Valley arriving in the indigenous community around 9:30am. Reception by the locals and start our cultural experience. We will be put in groups with guides and learn how to prepare an ancient delicious Pachamanca meal that is prepared in the ground. Then we will feast on this unique buffet prepared by our host.
After our typical Andean lunch, we will enjoy a weaving demonstration using ancient techniques where they explain the different natural dyes made of natural plants, insects, and minerals.

Then we will dress in the ancestral dresses and dance their farewell ancestral dance called the Cacharpari. We will say farewell and continue to the Pisac ruins for a visit of the Sun Temple and catch spectacular views of the valley below and admire the many terraces.
After that, we will continue our journey along the Sacred Valley of the Incas until arriving to our hotel.

Lodging in Sacred Valley of the Incas
Breakfast and lunch included

This morning you will ride on the train from Ollantaytambo with breathtaking views to Aguas Calientes. You will check into your hotel and then take the bus to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

In your way up to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu you will have spectacular views from the Mountains and the typical flora and fauna of the mysterious Cloud Forest. It is highly recommended to have lunch in Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant located in the entrance of the Citadel, enjoying the atmosphere of this magical place and then have a quiet guided tour after noon, with less crowds and the chance to see the amazing sunrise.

With your Official guide you will visit the enigmatic Citadel of Machu Picchu following a specific route where you will walk through the different sectors such as the Urban and Ceremonial and other places of interest. You will also have time for taking memorable pictures. We are sure that this will be a unique experience!

The Citadel of Machu Picchu was declared by UNESCO a world heritage in 1983. It is believed to have been built in the 15th century and abandoned by the Inca Empire when the Spaniards conquered them. The locals always knew about the ruins and some locals lived around it. The ruins were brought to the world’s attention in 1911. Visit the Sun Temple, the Room of the Three Windows, the Royalty sector and more.

Note: New regulations have been stablished for the visit to Machu Picchu since 2019, according to these statements there are certain schedules for the visit, with the Machu Picchu ticket you can stay 4 hours as maximum in the Citadel. Please notice that Machu Picchu is open from 6:00 am to 5:30pm. aumentar

Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Breakfast and lunch included.

Today you will have free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own pace.

You have the option to return to Machu Picchu Sanctuary and explore the site for a second time with a private guide or you can choose to visit the waterfalls of Mandor. Optionally you can choose to climb one of the Mountains in Machu Picchu: Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain Peak:

These short treks inside the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu will make your day spectacular! You will hike up through Inca’s original paths that will lead you towards magical places within the Cloud Forest. With every step you will get fascinated by the beautiful views of the famous Andean Mountains. You can have a taste of the real Inca Trail doing this trek and appreciate the architectonic magnificence of the Incas. You have to see it with your own eyes!

If you are staying at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel (4 stars category), you can opt to do one of the various excursions on the hotel grounds which include bird-watching, orchid and nature hikes with specialist guides as the Hotel is located inside the cloud forest, also you can enjoy the Unu Spa, characterized by a mystical Andean approach. The natural products are derived from local botanical extracts (mint, eucalyptus and orchids), offering a spiritual, sensual and relaxing experience.

Please make sure you check out of your hotel before you leave for the Sanctuary and to pick up your luggage and to be at the train station half an hour before your train’s departure.

In the afternoon you can optionally enjoy a cooking class in the Sumaq Restaurant using fresh ingredients with a professional chef. Enjoy your delicious lunch prepared by your own hands.

Return to Aguas Calientes and enjoy lunch on your own. Then board your train to the Poroy or Ollantaytambo station. Private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Note: Tickets are subject to availability. There are schedules for the visit to one of the Mountains, with the Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu tickets you can stay inside the Park for 6 hours and with the Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain Peak ticket for 7 hours maximum. The visit for one of the mountains has a moderate grading that requires a good physical condition although effort is well worth it. The Huayna Picchu hike is easier and takes less time than Machu Picchu Mountain Peak.

Overnight in Cusco
Breakfast included

Today enjoy a free day in Cusco visiting museums or simply walking down the picturesque streets around the City center. You can get to know the typical neighborhoods of San Cristobal and San Blas where Artisans congregate their shops and galleries, the cheerful and energy of this walk will make you feel the real essence of the City.

It will be a great chance to do shopping as Cusco is well known for its world-famous Alpaca wood clothing not only for their quality but for their design, also you will find Silver and gold shops for fine jewelry and a great offer for handicrafts.

At the end of the afternoon, we recommend you to make a stop to drink a refreshing and delicious Pisco Sour, Peru’s National cocktail. All around Cusco’s city center you will find numerous Bars, Cafes and Restaurants to have a taste of the Peruvian cuisine within a nice atmosphere.

Overnight in Cusco
Breakfast included

Today we fly to Lima and transfer in to your hotel in Miraflores.

Depending on your flight schedule, you will have plenty of options for lunch in the city. We recommend you the ¨El Rincón que no conoces¨restaurant to enjoy the Afro Peruvian delicious combination of ingredients in the creole food, the restaurant was founded by Teresa Izquierdo who was a noted Peruvian Master cheff, affectionately known as «the mother of Peruvian food». At a proper time, transfer to the Lima airport for your international flight.

Breakfast included.
Good bye!.

Included

Hotels included:
Three nights in Lima, one night in Arequipa, three nights in Cusco, two nights in the Sacred Valley, one night in Aguas Calientes

Entrance tickets:
All entrance tickets for the places to visit mentioned in the program

Excursions:
All excursions, as mentioned in the program

Guide:
Official guides during excursions

Machupicchu:
Roundtrip bus tickets and entrance tickets to the Sanctuary on day 8

Meals:
Meals as mentioned in program

Tips:
Tips at airports, hotels and tips for guides, drivers or other personal

Train:
Train to Machupicchu by Vistadome (roundtrip)

Not Included

International flights
Two domestic flights Lima/Cusco/Lima
Flight taxes: National and international departure airport taxes
Tips at airports, hotels and tips for guides, drivers or other personal.
Insurance: Travel insurance

HOTELS

Choose your hotel category

Prices

* Prices for 2022 (we are working on it) Contact one of our Experience Travel Consultants to tailor this trip for you or if you have any questions, we are here to help you and strive to respond the same business day.