Discover Peruvian Cuisine

Upon arrival at the airport, there is a private transfer to your hotel. Your adventure begins in Lima, Peru's historic capital. Founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima served as the heart of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru for centuries. Renowned for its fame in the world of gastronomy, Lima features a celebrated culinary scene known for its creative fusion dishes. Fresh, local ingredients are blended with worldwide influences, particularly Asian and European. After settling in, the remainder of the day is yours at leisure to explore the city's extensive network of restaurants and bars at your own pace. With several restaurants consistently placing high on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, including world-renowned establishments like Astrid y Gaston or Central, Lima offers an unparalleled culinary scene for discerning gourmands. Without a doubt, a food-lovers paradise!

Lima

Peru Flag

Fine Dining

Peru Coffee

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The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center

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Based on the theory that food is the way to someone's heart, today is a chance to dive further into Lima's traditional cuisine. Start the day with a visit to Surquillo Market for its selection of fish, fruit and vegetables. Visit "La Gran Fruta" (The great fruit), who specialize in healthy homemade juices, taste-test a few and guess which fruits they include, making use of what you have learned in the market. Then to Barranco, the bohemian district of Lima. One of the icons of this neighborhood is El Puente de los Suspiros (The bridge of sighs), it was the inspiration to Chabuca Granda, the singer who composed 'La Flor de la Canela' (the cinnamon flower). Your guide will explain about local traditions and typical dishes, such as Ceviche and Picarones. There will be a stop for a Peruvian coffee extraction demonstration and informative talk, lasting about 30 minutes, including a hot or cold coffee drink. You will also visit the very traditional cevicheria 'Canta Rana', to taste the national dish, Ceviche. Many different dishes of fish and seafood are offered here. After this you continue on to Isolina for a great casual dining experience with traditional Peruvian criollo dishes in a laid-back restaurant. Here, you will taste Chilcano, a drink made with Pisco the Peruvian alcoholic beverage. A culinary tour can't end without a sweet finale, so try some of our local desserts at one of the typical restaurants in Barranco.

Lima Market

Fruit Stall

Ceviche

Pisco Cocktail

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The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center

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In the morning, a private transfer will escort you to Lima airport for your flight to Arequipa, Peru's second-largest city nestled in the Peruvian Andes. After freshening up at your hotel, explore the city's second-largest status and stunning views of El Misti volcano. The culinary adventure begins with a visit to Picanterias in Cayma, where you'll savor the local specialty Adobo, a slow-cooked pork dish. Next, travel to Yanahuara to enjoy the Main Plaza's views and "Queso helado," a sweet fresh cheese dessert. Wash it down with "Chicha de Jora," a fermented corn drink. Another Picanteria visit offers more local dishes before a walking tour through the traditional streets to the city center. The grand finale is a unique lunch experience featuring small portions of traditional dishes with explanations from your guide. The afternoon is free to explore highlights like the Santa Catalina Monastery or the Cathedral.

Arequipa

Arequipa Landscape

Arequipa Volcano

Traditional Food

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Casa Andina Premium Arequipa

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This Arequipa walking tour combines history and food. Your guide will meet you at your hotel and start with a visit to San Camilo Market, the local marketplace established in 1881. Explore the sights, sounds, and variety of goods, from local produce like 56 varieties of potatoes to handicrafts and flowers. Next, travel to the Plaza de Armas and La Compañia Church, offering a glimpse into colonial architecture and history. The tour continues to the Santa Catalina Monastery, a vast complex showcasing colonial heritage and the lives of nuns who resided there. El Tambo neighborhood, with its beautifully restored colonial buildings, provides another look into Arequipa's past. The walking tour concludes with a hands-on experience at the Workshop of Queso Helado, learning the secrets and techniques behind making this traditional frozen milk dessert.

Queso Helado

Arequipa Market

Arequipa City

Traditional Food

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Casa Andina Premium Arequipa

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This action-packed day starts with a private transfer from your hotel to the airport and then a flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, another transfer takes you to the Sacred Valley. Dive right in with exploration of Moray's ruins, including enormous circular depressions that may have been Inca agricultural terraces. Next, head to Maras to witness the Salineras salt mines, a marvel of engineering with stunning views. These white salt pans, nestled in the mountains, reflect the sunlight like gold. Afterward, you'll be transferred to your Sacred Valley hotel, located at a lower altitude to aid acclimatization. The charming boutique hotel allows you to relax and enjoy the peacefulness of the valley, while providing a base for further exploration of Incan history and life. The evening is free for you to unwind at your leisure.

Moray Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley Town

Salineras

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Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness

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Set out on a full-day excursion through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, following the Vilcanota River, where traditional communities, ancient terraces, and significant archaeological sites await. Your first stop is the Pisac Indian Market, one of the most popular in the Cusco region, where travelers can browse a wide selection of textiles, ceramics, jewelry, ponchos, rugs, Andean instruments, and alpaca and llama woven clothing. Next, visit the Pisac ruins, dramatically positioned at the entrance of a deep gorge. Overlooking the Urubamba Valley and the town below, this site played a key role in the Inca Empire, serving as a strategic link between the highlands and the eastern jungles. The engineering and agricultural terraces showcase the civilization’s remarkable advancements. In the afternoon, explore Ollantaytambo, a well-preserved Incan town with original streets, homes, and an imposing fortress that rises above the village. Before returning to your hotel, stop in a local neighborhood to try chicha, a traditional fermented maize drink that remains a favorite among locals.

Pisac Ruins

Ollantaytambo

Tapestry Market

Chicha Morada

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Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness

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You will be collected from the hotel for a romantic journey on the Hiram Bingham train from the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes. The train has a glass viewing dome, with large windows allowing you to see from the peaks of the Andes as they drop into flowing rivers on the valley floor, all from the 1st Class comfort of your seat. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town), we suggest having an early dinner tonight as tomorrow you'll have an early start heading out to Machu Picchu at sunrise.

Train to Machu Picchu

Sacred Valley

Machu Picchu

Llamas at Machu Picchu

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Casa del Sol Machupicchu

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Start your journey to Machu Picchu early to arrive as the National Park opens, offering a chance to see the morning clouds lift from the ruins—one of the most atmospheric times to visit. Your private guide will take you to the Guard Shack, the best vantage point to watch the sun rise over the surrounding mountains and illuminate this world-famous site. You'll then enjoy an in-depth guided tour covering the history, surrounding areas, and the sacred legends of Machu Picchu. For those looking for an additional challenge, a hike up Machu Picchu Mountain offers breathtaking views of the ancient citadel from above. The ascent takes about two hours, with the descent taking roughly one hour. After your visit, begin your journey to Cusco, traveling on the Hiram Bingham train from Aguas Calientes through the dramatic landscapes of the Sacred Valley. Having spent the last few days adjusting to higher elevations, Cusco’s altitude (11,150 ft. above sea level) should now feel comfortable, allowing you to explore the town in the evening or simply relax at your hotel.

Machu Picchu Peak

Machu Picchu Peaks

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu Steps

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Inkaterra La Casona

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Begin your day in Cusco at the local market, where you can experience daily life and explore an array of fresh vegetables, breads, and fruits, including the traditional Oropeza bread. The market also offers herbs used for centuries in traditional medicine and cocoa beans, the foundation of chocolate production. Next, visit Cusco’s impressive Colonial Cathedral, home to over 400 paintings from the Cusqueña School and beautifully crafted altars. From there, head to Koricancha, the religious center of the Inca Empire, where the Temple of the Sun once stood in honor of Inti, the Sun god. The name Koricancha comes from the Quechua words "qori," meaning goldwork, and "kancha," meaning enclosed space. Continue to the artisan quarter of San Blas, known for its local workshops where artisans create religious paintings and intricate crafts. Then, explore Cusco’s nearby archaeological sites, starting with Sacsayhuaman, a remarkable stone fortress once known as the Royal House of the Sun. Visit Qenqo Amphitheater, an important Incan temple, and Tambomachay, an ancient sanctuary dedicated to water and reserved for Inca royalty. Its name comes from the Quechua words "tampu" (collective housing) and "machay" (resting place). Finally, pass by Puka Pukara, or "Reddish Fortress," named for the distinctive color of the soil in the area.

Cusco Town

Cusco Traditional Clothes

City of Incas

Cusco Ruins

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Inkaterra La Casona

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After your flight to Lima and transfer to Paracas, you have the afternoon and evening free to relax at your hotel. The Paracas Bay Reserve, established in 1975 and covering 340,000 hectares, protects both marine and bird life. Located 15 km south of Pisco on the Paracas Peninsula, the reserve is home to millions of seabirds like flamingos, pelicans, and Humboldt penguins, all sustained by the rich Pacific fishing grounds. The reserve also houses a museum showcasing textiles and funerary bundles of the Paracas culture (c.700 BC), known for their advanced weaving and fascinating mummies with trepanned skulls, evidence of their medical practices. Interestingly, guano, the fertilizer made from seabird droppings, was once Peru's main source of income, with vast quantities exported to Europe in the mid-19th century.

Paracas Dunes

Pelicans of Paracas

Humboldt Penguin

Paracas Bridge Cliff

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Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas

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At Libertador hotel's dock you will board a boat for a ride to the Ballestas Islands. Along the way you will see the famous figure known as The Candelabro, an enigmatic design etched on the desert floor hundreds of years ago. The Candelabro is overlooking the ocean, so here you will have the chance to take pictures, as well as to learn about the most popular theories about it. Afterwards, you will continue to the Ballestas Islands, which are inhabited by an amazing marine life, with over 200 types of migratory and resident birds, including Peruvian Pelicans, Belcher's gulls, Humboldt penguins, Guanay cormorants, and red-legged cormorants among others. In addition, you will also see around the Islands hundreds of sea lions resting at the beaches, sleeping on the rocks or swimming nearby. The Islands also provide shelter to the shy Humboldt penguins which are usually seen at the entrances of small caves near the cliffs. After touring around the islands for about 1 hour you will return to the Paracas harbor and the remainder of the day is yours to explore at leisure.

Blue Footed Booby

Peruvian Pelicans

Belcher's Gull

Sea Lions

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Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas

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You will sail on the Paracas National Reserve in a motorboat for an authentic shellfishing experience. The tour departs from the private pier of Hotel Paracas and after sailing for about 15 minutes, you will reach Atenas beach. You will learn about the collection process, lifetime and care of the scallops, followed by a tasting on board of the freshly gathered delights from the sea, accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine or water. Then, you head back to the Hotel Paracas to enjoy some more shellfish dishes: Aji Amarillo, Rocoto, Natural, Chalaca, Ponzu with Pisco butter; and of course a glass of white wine.

Scallops

Fresh Scallop

Rocoto Relleno

Scallops

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Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas

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It's time to hit the road again as you make your way homeward or onto your next destination if you plan to explore the beauty and culture of Peru further. A private transfer will take you back to Lima airport. The trip takes approximately 5 hours. We wish you safe travels!

Traditional Peruvians

Cusco Traditional Clothes

Historic Lima

Andes Mountains

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Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas

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