Friday, February 24:   Arrive Lima Peru, City of Kings
Welcome to Lima.  Flights arrive late evening. Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and escorted to your hotel.  Overnight at the Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores-Lima.
 
Saturday, February 25: Lima City Tour, Plaza San Martin (B,D)
We will meet as a group for a late breakfast to get acquainted and then depart for our city tour.  Lima has always been one of the most important cities in South America. Your sightseeing tour explores the historic quarter and modern districts of the city: the main square with beautiful buildings. The Government Palace, the City Hall, the Palace of the Archbishop and the Cathedral are still the most important places in town. You continue on to the San Francisco Monastery and then the most popular place, Plaza San Martin.
Continuing our visit we will go to Casa de Aliaga one of Lima’s most historic houses. It has been owned by the family Aliaga and their descendents since Francisco Pizarro granted this ancient temple to one of his followers. The Aliaga mansion is the oldest home on the continent occupied continuously by the same family.

In the evening we will enjoy a delicious dinner at Cala Restaurant. Sophisticated and creative  seafood dishes are served in a magical setting; the restaurant is perched on the ocean’s edge. Overnight at the Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores-Lima.
 
Sunday, February 26:   Lima/Cusco/ Sacred Valley (B,D)
An early morning flight brings you to the Inca capital of Cusco. Upon arrival, we proceed to the hotel at the Sacred Valley to have a welcome coca tea. On your way to the hotel, we will visit Awanacancha, a center where South American camels - better known as llamas - are bred.  Learn about the renowned fiber of llamas, alpacas and vicunas as well as the ancient weaving techniques, which are still used today. The remaining of the day is free to relax, and slowly acclimatize.  We will have dinner at the hotel.  Overnight Casa Andina Private Collection Sacred Valley.
 
Monday, February 27:   Sacred Valley (B,L)
This morning we drive to the valley of the Urubamba River the so called Sacred Valley of the Inca. We proceed then to Pisaq where hundreds of visitors and people from remote communities dressed in their traditional and colorful attires meet to market and barter their products.

Lunch will be served at Wayra restaurant. The countryside restaurant provides high-quality Cusqueno-style barbecue for lunch. Try the local ‘choclo’ or ‘Andean corn’, Cusqueno bread, different sorts of potatoes grown in the Sacred Valley and the popular maize beer or ‘chicha’. Lunch is accompanied by Peruvian Paso horse from the hotel’s own stables.

Afterwards, we drive along the valley to Ollantaytambo, where the Temple of the Sun (formed of six gigantic monoliths, whose total weight exceeds 50 tons) and the Terrace of the Ten Niches stand out.  Overnight Casa Andina Private Collection Sacred Valley.
 
Tuesday, February 28:   Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu (B,L,D)
Morning transfer to Ollanta train station. The 1 1/2 -hour train ride train takes you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas up to Machu Picchu. On arrival a small coach takes you up the steep roads to the entrance of the citadel. Machu Picchu remained for centuries undiscovered by the Spaniards, only to be found in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. The uniqueness of its location and the genius that went into its construction make this Inca archaeological site truly one of the great wonders of the world. After the guided excursion a well deserved buffet lunch will be served after the excursion in the restaurant of ‘Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge’, the only hotel located within the very sanctuary of the Machu Picchu Inca citadel.

In the afternoon, we will return to the town of Aguas Calientes to rest in our hotel. Dinner will be served at the hotel.  Overnight Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
 
Wednesday, February 29:   Machu Picchu/Cusco (B,L,D)
After breakfast we have the remainder of the morning free to roam around the majestic site of Machu Picchu, climb the Huayna Picchu or to explore the interesting town of Aguas Calientes. Other optional activities in Machu Picchu include bird watching, searching for orchids, trekking among nature and Inca ruins or a restorative session of aroma therapy. (Second entrances to the citadel and guide are not included).

Today we will enjoy lunch at the Café Inkaterra restaurant. That is one of the restaurants of Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo. The restaurant, located next to Machu Picchu train station, blends Andean food with contemporary cuisine. The decoration transmits the fusion of the two elements given in this place: Andean, Inca architecture legacy in the cloud forest.  On arrival to Poroy station transferred to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at the hotel. Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco
 
Thursday, March 1:   Cusco (B,D)
This morning, we walk through the major sites  in Cusco. We visit the famed Cathedral with its magnificently carved woodwork, ornate altar and many hundreds of canvases from the 17th-century ‘Cusco Painting School’. We continue exploring the cultural wealth of Cusco at the Temple of the Sun. Afterward we walk along Hatunrumiyoc Street which is named for the 12-angled stone clearly visible in the remaining walls of what was Inca Roca's palace. We make a last stop in San Blas artisan quarter. Its steeped cobblestone alleys not only offer spectacular views of the city but are lined with workshops and galleries.

The afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own.
This evening dinner will be at restaurant Incanto. From your table, you can see how expert chefs work on innovative dishes. The menu includes creative dishes of Peruvian, Italian and international cuisine.  Overnight at Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco.
 
Friday, March 2:   CUSCO - Lima; Farewell Dinner (B,D)
Enjoy the morning in Cusco.  Consider a a visit to the Center for Textiles in Cusco located in the popular ‘Avenida Sol‘. This center aims to recover and strengthen ancient textile traditions. As part of its activities it runs a local museum, which boasts an excellent display covering aspects of the history, archaeology and everyday life of the local communities.

Cusqueñan textiles, considered as precious as gold by the Incas, were in danger of extinction as the traditional Andean culture began changing. Different techniques and patterns dating back thousands of years are displayed in its rooms.  
 
Later today we will transfer to the airport for our flight back to Lima.  Upon arrival, we will have time to visit the Artisan Markets in Lima for some last minute shopping before we have our Farewell Dinner at Huaca Pucllana Restaurant. This restaurant is set in the archaeological complex Huaca Pucllana, whose highlight is an adobe pyramid built with small handmade, sun-dried brick 1500 years ago. ‘La Huaca‘ is definitely a unique place to taste the most popular specialties of Peruvian cuisine.

The tour concludes at the airport in the late evening (9:00pm) on 2 March.  Please make your return flight no earlier than 11:00PM.  Some flights will depart on 3 March - just after midnight - so please in sure that you have booked the correct day of departure.