Discover Peru Peru

Lima

On arrival at Lima International Airport a Belmond representative will be waiting in the arrivals hall to escort you to your driver/vehicle for your transfer to your hotel. The journey time will take approximately 1 hour, depending on local traffic conditions.

Board Basis: Breakfast

Lima

At 09:30hs  meet your Belmond guide to begin your Lima city tour including the Larco Museum.

Afternoon at leisure.

Cusco

In the morning you will meet your Belmond representative in the lobby ready for your private transfer to Lima Airport for your scheduled flight to Cusco.

Upon arrival in Cusco, after collecting your luggage you will be met by the Belmond representative and transferred to the hotel.  

Board Basis: Breakfast

Cusco

At 09:30hs your morning tour starts with a visit to what we consider an essential stop on any cultural travel itinerary: the local market. This single destination can tell you so much about Andean culture. Cusco's central market, located west of the Plaza de Armas, near San Pedro train station, is a vibrant spot that can keep you entertained for hours. Witness first-hand the day-to-day life of local residents, away from the tourist zones.

Continue to the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and the Santo Domingo Temple, a Dominican church and convent built on the foundations of the Koricancha, an important Inca temple devoted to worship of the sun.

At 14:30hs visit the magnificent Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which overlooks the city of Cusco. Marvel at the beauty and monumental scale of the construction. The outer walls consist of three massive parallel walls that zigzag together for 400 metres, a device to foil attackers. Continue to Qenqo, an outstanding example of artfully carved rock showing complex patterns of steps, seats, geometric reliefs and a puma design. Visit the red fortress of Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay, commonly referred to as the Inca baths. The high-quality stonework suggests its use was restricted to the higher nobility, who may have used the baths on ceremonial occasions.

Sacred Valley

At 09:00hs meet your Belmond representative for your next excursion. Enjoy a scenic drive through stunning landscapes to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Arrive at the town of Ollantaytambo. The village is home to one of the area’s most impressive Inca fortresses, while the town is one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the Americas. Marvel at the 16 massive terraces spread before you, testament to the precision and longevity of Inca masonry. Climb the steep stone steps (around 260!) to the imposing fortress at the top of the mountain. From here, the view down the valley is unparalleled, as is the sight of the soaring Sun Temple.

Stop for a delicious lunch in the charming Hacienda Huayoccari

In the afternoon, visit the town of Pisac, renowned for its bustling market where you can buy handicrafts ranging from ceramic beaded necklaces and earrings to ponchos, hats and textiles. After your market tour you will be driven up to the explore the ruins of Pisac, where you can enjoy stunning views over the valley. 

Board Basis: Breakfast & Lunch

Sacred Valley

At 09:00hs visit Chinchero, a picturesque Indian village high up on the windswept plains of Anta, 3762 meters above sea level. It’s one of 12 Andean communities that has retained the traditional social structure and urban design of Inca times. Local weavers have revived pre-Hispanic techniques featuring natural dyes and motifs inspired by daily life and the surrounding natural environment. Admire many examples in the market.

Visit the textile center of Andean weaver Nilda Callañaupa. Enjoy a demonstration of local techniques and an insight into the importance of weaving in contemporary culture. Learn about other aspects of the creative process, such as spinning, braiding and dyeing, using natural materials from the Andean highlands. The techniques developed in Peru over millennia are among the rarest and most treasured in the world. Most are unknown outside of the country. They are handed down from generation to generation through the time-honored methods of communication, observation and practice.

We continue to Maras, driving through a patchwork of fields that blend into the snow-capped peaks of the Urubamba and Vilcabamba mountain ranges. The colonial village of Maras is known for its nearby salt pans, which have been harvested since pre-Columbian times. Today we’ll see locals collecting the salt in much the same way as their ancestors would have done 400 years ago. We’ll also explore Moray, an intriguing Inca site where terraces are arrayed in concentric circles. Apparently, it was used as an agricultural laboratory, testing growing conditions for different crops.  A picnic will be served for lunch.

Machu Picchu 

At 09:50hs meet your Belmond representative in the hotel lobby for your private transfer to Ollanta train station; from where you will travel to Machu Picchu aboard the luxurious Hiram Bingham train. 

Enjoy a private guided tour of the Inca citadel and its surrounding complexes. Machu Picchu stands 2,430m above sea level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest. It was probably the Inca Empire’s most amazing urban creation; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been carved out of the rocky escarpments. The extraordinarily beautiful setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the Upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Entrance to the citadel is included.

After your tour, return to the hotel for afternoon tea and a peaceful night.

Board Basis: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Macchu Picchu 

This morning you will have the chance to hike up to Machu Picchu Mountain with your guide. From here you gain breathtaking views of the surrounding area and the magical lost city. The hike is strenuous and recommended only for travelers comfortable with heights and who have a good fitness level. A fair amount of climbing is required. (approx. 3.5 hours for Machu Picchu Mountain).

Machu Picchu / Cusco

This morning you will have the chance to hike up to Huayna Picchu Mountain with your guide. From here you gain breathtaking views of the surrounding area and the magical lost city. The hike is strenuous and recommended only for travelers comfortable with heights and who have a good fitness level. A fair amount of climbing is required. (approx. 2.5 hours for Huayna Picchu Mountain).

In the afternoon you will board the bus to Aguas Calientes, where you will take the Hiram Bingham train to Cusco. An elegant dinner is served on board (including soft drinks, Peruvian wine and pisco), while lively musicians entertain you.

Upon arrival, meet your Belmond representative at Poroy train station for your private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Board Basis: Breakfast

Cusco

At 10:00hs join the Chef on a discovery tour of San Pedro market and its delicious Andean produce. Back at the hotel, enjoy a cooking lesson using the ingredients you chose at the market, and then indulge in a sublime three-course dinner. The bartender will also prepare a cocktail for you using local fruits.

Puno

In the morning meet your Belmond representative in your hotel lobby for the private transfer to Wanchaq train station to board the Andean Explorer.

Your journey today departs from Cusco, ancient capital of the Inca Empire, and courses along the highest plains of the Andes to reach the reflective beauty of Lake Titicaca.

Arrival at La Raya, which marks the border between the regions of Cusco and Puno. This is a typical Puna landscape with feathery grassland called ichu and alpacas, llamas and vicunas grazing on the slopes.

Board Basis: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Puno

In the morning watch the Sunrise at Lake Titicaca then depart by boat to the Uros floating Islands. The indigenous Uru people belong to a small ethnic group that once co-existed on Lake Titicaca with the Incas, Aymaras and possibly even older civilizations.

In the afternoon Departure to Saracocha

Colca Canyon

Admire Lake Lagunillas and the ancient Sumbay Caves, these feature more than 500 paintings and engravings of local wildlife, including herds of guanaco, a relative of the llama that still lives in Peru’s high sierra, before disembarking the train for a private transfer to Las Casitas, A Belmond Hotel.

Board Basis: Breakfast

Colca Canyon

Depart in the morning for a visit to the Condor Cross, where you can appreciate just how staggeringly deep the canyon is. This is also a good vantage point for watching the majestic condor in flight. We’ll then continue to the remote village of Cabanaconde, known for its corn production. We will also visit picturesque Maca and Yanque with their striking colonial churches before stopping at the Antahuilque Viewpoint to soak up the awe-inspiring panoramas.

Day 15

Arequipa

Today we will explore some of the tranquil, friendly villages on the other side of the valley, such as Coporaque, Chinina, Uyu Uyu and Ichupampa, before driving back to Arequipa. 

You will then take a flight from Arequipa to Lima. 

Upon arrival in Lima, please collect your bags and head to the exit gate, when leaving, look for the Belmond representative who will be waiting outside of the arrival's door, to assist you connecting with your flight back home.