Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley Tour

Escorted Tour Highlights

• ● Visit Chinchero and join a local weaving family for an overview of the Andean weaving process
• ● Visit the Salt Mines of Maras and Moray in the Sacred Valley
• ● Visit the Andean community of Misminay for a traditional lunch and enjoy spectacular views
• ● Board the Vistadome train through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
• ● Guided tour of the Machu Picchu citadel
• ● Explore Cusco on foot, including the San Pedro market, La Compañia de Jesús church, and Hatunrumiyoc Street
• ● Visit Inca ruins such as Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay
• ● Explore Lima's modern districts, historic center, Santo Domingo Monastery, and the Larco Herrera Museum

 Your Tour Itinerary in Detail

‣ Day 1: Callo Cruise Port

● Disembark Azamara Onward at Callao Cruise Port, Lima. Meet the representative and transfer to Lima Airport to take your flight to Cusco.

● Arrive in Cusco and meet your guide to start your journey to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. On the way, you stop at Chinchero to join a local weaving family in their courtyard for an overview of the Andean weaving process. Chinchero is renowned for the production of textiles on backstrap looms. You watch as wool is carded, spun, and dyed and learn about the different techniques used to create belts, ponchos, and shawls.

‣ Day 2: Sacred Valley

● Start your day off by visiting the Salt Mines of Maras. Its intense white shine appears to glisten on a sunny day - an impressive sight for any visitor. Salt was extracted from these mines during Inca times and the same method is still being to this day. You then head then to Moray, with its circular terraces hidden among the hills, similar to that of a Greek amphitheater. Surrounded by an impressive backdrop of snow-covered mountains, Moray was used as an open-air agricultural lab for adapting crops to different environmental conditions.

● Afterward, you will visit the Andean community of Misminay near Maras. A warm welcome with traditional dance and music awaits you. Enjoy a three-course lunch at Misminay. Lunch is cooked by the families of the community with naturally cultivated ingredients from their fields. On a clear day view at Misminay are truly phenomenal. You can see most of the snow-capped mountains of the Sacred Valley and the surrounding farmlands.

 Breakfast & Lunch Included

‣ Day 3: Sacred Valley | Cusco

● Your luggage will be transferred from the Sacred Valley Hotel to your Cusco Hotel, please indicate if you have anything fragile to take into account.

● At the scheduled time, transfer to the Ollantaytambo train station to board the Vistadome train ride that takes you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas up to Machu Picchu.

● Upon arrival, a small coach takes you up the steep roads to the entrance of the citadel. For centuries Machu Picchu remained undiscovered by the Spaniards and has only been found in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. During a guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction, making this Inca site one of the seven new wonders of the world.

● At the proper time board, the return Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes to Ollanta.

● Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your Cusco Hotel.

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 4: Cusco

● Exploring on foot is the best way to experience the magical flair and cultural richness of what was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Your walk begins with the San Pedro market, where you will immerse yourself among the locals and witness their everyday life. You will see beautiful colonial houses on Plazoleta Regocijo and in Café Carbel you will learn the story of a pioneer who collected the finest coffee beans and was one of the first to install a roaster in Cusco, a tradition full of passion that has lasted for over 50 years. Enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee from the region! Time to visit one of the gems at the main square of Cusco, the Jesuit church La Compañia de Jesús, one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in the Americas. The choir balcony on the second floor offers a great view over the Plaza de Armas. Then you walk along Hatunrumiyoc Street named after the 12-angled stone clearly visible in the remaining walls of what used to be Inca Roca’s Palace. You make a last stop in San Blas artisan quarter with its steeped cobblestone alleys and spectacular views of the city.

● Later today, we visit the Inca ruins near Cusco. The tour starts with Sacsayhuaman, a hilltop fortress that overlooks the city of Cusco. The largest stones used in its construction are nearly 8.5 m (28 ft) high and weigh 360 tons, fitting so perfectly together that a single piece of paper would not fit between two stones. Then we are driven to Kenko, the temple dedicated to Mother Earth. Before we head back to Cusco we stop at Puka Pukara (the red fortress) and Tambomachay (the resting place of the Inca).

 Breakfast Included

‣ Day 5: Cusco | Lima

● At the scheduled time, transfer to Cusco airport to board your flight to Lima.

● Upon arrival, transfer to your Lima hotel.

● Your sightseeing tour explores the modern districts of Lima and its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. As you wander the main plaza and Plaza San Martin it is hard not to wonder about its diverse architecture. Your guide will introduce you to the city’s architectural heritage. You then proceed to Santo Domingo Monastery boasting fine carved choir stalls, the oldest of Lima. It was here that San Marcos University, the first in South America, was founded in 1551. Your next stop is at the Larco Herrera Museum. The collection allows the understanding of 3,000 years of the Peruvian pre-Columbian history in an intuitive way. Its masterpieces are considered worldwide icons of pre-Inca art and have been displayed in the world's most renowned museums.

Breakfast Included

‣ Day 6: Lima

● At the proper time, transfer to Lima Airport to board your flight back to the UK.