Inca Treasures Exploration

Upon arrival at Lima Airport, our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in the city. Lima, Peru’s capital, is a vibrant metropolis blending modern life with a rich historical heritage, currently experiencing dynamic cultural and economic growth. You may choose to rest and recover from your journey or explore the city at your leisure to get your first impression of this sprawling capital. Alternatively, you can join our optional Magic Water Circuit with Dinner – a shared evening tour beginning at 17:30, lasting around four hours. This includes pick-up and drop-off, a bilingual guide, admission to the world’s largest fountain complex as certified by Guinness World Records, and a dinner at a local restaurant. Please note this option is unavailable on Sundays and Mondays. Overnight accommodation is in Lima.

After breakfast at the hotel, we explore Lima’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in colonial architecture. Begin with a scenic tour of the downtown area, including the Main Square, where the grandeur of Spanish Empire architecture is on full display. Visit Lima Cathedral, dating back to the 16th century, followed by Casa Aliaga—a colonial mansion granted by Francisco Pizarro to Captain Jeronimo de Aliaga, and still owned by his descendants. Next, we head to the traditional district of Pueblo Libre to visit the Larco Museum, housed in a restored viceregal mansion built atop a 7th-century pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum showcases an extensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold and silver artefacts, as well as notable pieces of erotic art. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Overnight in Lima.

After breakfast, we transfer you from your hotel to Lima Airport for your flight to Cusco. Please note that your domestic flight must arrive in Cusco by 10:30am at the latest, as later arrivals are not suitable for this itinerary. Upon arrival, a representative will meet you and escort you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. The afternoon is yours to relax or explore the area independently. Please be aware that your flight to Cusco is not included. Overnight accommodation is in the Sacred Valley.

After breakfast, we collect you from your hotel to visit Chinchero, a traditional town perched high above the valley with stunning views. The local community preserves Inca artisan traditions, visible in their clothing and customs. Here, you will also see archaeological remains and a seventeenth-century church, one of Peru’s earliest Catholic buildings. Next, we transfer you to the Living Museum of Yucay, where you can observe demonstrations of traditional Andean crafts such as textile weaving, adobe construction, pottery, and silverwork, all recreated using ancient techniques. The museum is also home to llamas, sheep, and alpacas, which you are welcome to feed. Later, arrive in Ollantaytambo, a town continuously inhabited since Inca times. Explore its streets and climb the iconic fortress built against the mountainside. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant offering authentic Andean cuisine in a warm, inviting setting that reflects the spirit of the Sacred Valley. On Sundays, the visit includes time at the local market. Afterward, we return you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley for the evening.

After breakfast, we will transfer you to Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway town to Machu Picchu. The journey offers stunning views of the Andean landscape as you travel through the mountains. Upon arrival, you will take a 25-minute coach ride up to Machu Picchu. This remarkable Inca citadel, believed to have been constructed in the 1450s by Emperor Pachacuti as a royal retreat, was abandoned within a century and remained hidden from the Spanish conquistadors. A guided tour will reveal the history and significance of the site, highlighting its key structures. Afterwards, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch at Café Inkaterra, a charming thatched-roof restaurant nestled between the railway and the mountain. The afternoon is then yours to relax or explore at leisure. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning at your own pace. We suggest returning independently to Machu Picchu to explore further – a second entrance ticket and bus transfers between Aguas Calientes and the site are subject to availability. Spend the morning discovering additional highlights, such as Huayna Picchu, which rises about 360 metres above the citadel and features an underground temple complex, or Inti Punku, the ‘Sun Gate’, offering panoramic views from approximately 390 metres above Machu Picchu. In the afternoon, transfer to Aguas Calientes station to board the train back to Ollanta station. From there, we will transfer you to your hotel in Cusco for your overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, we begin a guided tour of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. Our first stop is the Santo Domingo Convent, a grand Renaissance-Baroque complex built atop the Inca Coricancha temple. This temple was once one of the most important sites dedicated to sun worship, with its foundations still visible beneath the convent. Ancient accounts describe it as being covered in gold leaf and adorned with golden representations of nature. Next, we visit the Cathedral, the most impressive building on the Main Square. We then travel to the hills overlooking Cusco to explore the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, known for its massive stone walls and commanding views of the city. Nearby, we visit Qenqo, a site believed to have been used for agricultural rituals, featuring a temple and amphitheatre. Our final stop is Puka Pukara, or ‘Red Fortress’ in Quechua, an Inca military complex with well-preserved dwellings, baths, aqueducts, walls and towers. After the tour, we return to your hotel in Cusco.

After breakfast, we will transfer you from your hotel to the airport for your onward journey.