Wake Up in Machu Picchu

Upon arrival on the first day of your trip to Peru, you will be welcomed by our personnel at Lima airport and transferred to your selected hotel.

Today, you’ll discover the historical essence of Lima through its UNESCO-listed historic center. You will be transported to the colonial era as we walk through its streets and plazas, admiring iconic landmarks such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop’s Palace. You will have the opportunity to visit one of Lima’s most iconic ecclesiastical sites, the Convent of Santo Domingo, also declared a World Heritage Site, where the relics of three Peruvian saints are kept: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres, and San Juan Macías. The tour wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country for showcasing a valuable collection of nearly 45,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts, especially from the Mochica culture. This museum stands out for being one of the first in the world to have visitable storage rooms and to provide virtual access to its entire collection. You will be amazed by the quality of its jewelry, textiles, and its enigmatic erotic room, dedicated to ceramics related to fertility.

At a coordinated hour, you will be transferred to Lima Airport to take your flight to Cusco. We suggest planing your arrival flight in Cusco before 11:30 am, so you can make it in time for your first adventure in the city. Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will be able to appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and the present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. You will arrive at the center to walk the halls of the San Pedro market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of merchants selling local products. You will also visit the Koricancha Temple, which during the Inca Empire was a major center of Sun worship and later became the site of the Santo Domingo Convent, built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque style façade built on solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cusco. To appreciate the greatness of the Incas, you will ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which with its enormous carved stone walls, constitutes one of the best examples of Inca military architecture. Next, you will tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial place where the sun, the moon and the stars were worshiped. And you couldn’t take a tour of the city without visiting the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city, built by the Spanish on top of the palace of the Inca Huiracoha. Its interior houses a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases of the Cusco School of Art. Return to your hotel after your tour.

Breakfast at the hotel, then visit Chinchero, a place where many communities are still organized under the Inca system of “ayllus” and proudly wear their typical costumes. You will take the opportunity to visit the Parwa cultural center. Here you will learn about the textile processes, the products from which the vibrant natural dyes are obtained, and the traditional weaving techniques used to manufacture them. In addition, you’ll be able to watch the artisans at work and, if you’d like, purchase some of their handcrafted pieces as souvenirs. After a short walk, you will pass in front of the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat and reach the archaeological complex. During the Tahuantinsuyo empire, this complex was an agricultural and livestock center with terraces and aqueducts. You will also discover the archaeological site of Moray, which also functioned as an agricultural research center, akin to a laboratory. Its enormous concentric terraces and the variety of microclimates they created allowed the growth of a wide variety of crops. In the valley, you will also enjoy a typical lunch and visit Ollantaytambo, an ancient military, religious and agricultural center of the Incas. Strategically located on a mountain, it offers an unbeatable view of the town. It is the only one that maintains the original Inca urban design and which can also be visited to see its stone streets, its market and breathe in the spirit of the Andes.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station to board the tourist Class Train to Machu Picchu, a great World Heritage Site. This archaeological site was hidden for centuries, until it came to light during the early 1900s by the famous discoverer Hiram Bingham. It is impossible to describe in words how you will feel when faced with the citadel, a huge complex located between the mountains and the jungle, and a wonderful challenge to your imagination. Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, you will be received at the train station and transfered uphill to Machu Picchu (approximately 20 minutes). On arrival to Machu Picchu, you will begin your tour of the Citadel where you will be able to appreciate the history of this enigmatic and impressive place. The citadel was built on a very special spot covered in vegetation between two mountains: the Machu Picchu (old mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain), at the foot of which meanders the Urubamba or Vilcanota River (lower jungle), featuring abundant flora and fauna.

The morning will be yours at leisure. You may choose to revisit Machu Picchu for the second time*, and walk around on your own, relax on-site, or take impressive photos. Afterwards, descend again to the town of Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, board the train that will take you back to Cusco through the corresponding station. Upon arrival, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

*Optional second entrance to Machu Picchu is not included. Price available upon request.

Enjoy your last breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima.