Your Peruvian adventure begins the moment you land at Jorge Chávez International Airport, where a member of our team will be waiting to greet you and escort you comfortably to your selected hotel. Lima — the “City of Kings” — is a place of extraordinary contrasts: ancient pre-Inca pyramids rising from the heart of modern neighborhoods, world-class restaurants alongside centuries-old colonial churches, and the constant hum of a coastal megalopolis alive with culture and energy.

Today is entirely yours. Use this free day to settle in, recover from your flight, and begin exploring Lima at your own pace. Wander through the vibrant district of Miraflores, stop for a ceviche at a local market, or simply enjoy a coffee with a view of the Pacific Ocean from the cliffs of Barranco. Lima rewards the curious traveler at every turn.

An early start at approximately 4:00 AM marks the beginning of one of the most diverse and exhilarating days of your journey. Your private transport heads south along Peru’s dramatic Pacific coastline toward the Paracas Peninsula, where we board a motorized boat for the iconic excursion to the Ballestas Islands — home to thousands of Humboldt penguins, Peruvian boobies, pelicans, cormorants, sea lions, and even the occasional whale. Your naturalist guide will explain the ecological importance of this protected marine reserve as you navigate through rocky arches and sea caves.

We continue inland to the city of Ica, the heart of Peru’s wine and pisco-producing region, for a visit to a traditional vineyard. Witness the artisanal production process of pisco from vine to bottle, enjoy a guided tasting of selected varieties, and sit down to a typical regional lunch showcasing the bold flavors of the Ica Valley.

The afternoon brings one of Peru’s most surreal landscapes: the Huacachina Oasis — a shimmering emerald lagoon encircled by towering sand dunes rising up to 100 meters above the desert floor. Buckle up for an exhilarating dune buggy ride, then strap on a sandboard and carve your way down the slopes. The day ends with a spectacular desert sunset that paints the sand in shades of gold and amber before we continue to Nazca for the night.

This morning you’ll board a flight from Lima to Cusco, soaring above Peru’s diverse landscapes before descending into the legendary valley that cradled the heart of the Inca Empire. Upon landing at Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport, our team will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the morning is yours to relax, hydrate, and acclimatize to Cusco’s altitude of over 3,400 meters — a vital first step before exploring the city.

At 1:30 PM we begin an unforgettable afternoon through Cusco’s greatest archaeological and colonial treasures, starting at Qorikancha — the most sacred temple of the Inca Empire, once entirely clad in gold sheets. Following the Spanish conquest, the Convent of Santo Domingo was built directly upon its foundations, creating a remarkable fusion of Incan and colonial architecture that stands to this day.

The adventure continues to the breathtaking fortress of Sacsayhuamán — where massive stone blocks weighing up to 300 tons were assembled with extraordinary precision — then to the mysterious ceremonial site of Q’enqo, the strategic checkpoint of Pukapukara, and finally Tambomachay, the “Inca’s Bath,” where crystal-clear spring water still flows through ancient carved aqueducts. The tour ends near the Plaza de Armas at approximately 6:30 PM.

After breakfast at your hotel, we collect you at approximately 7:30 AM to begin a full day of exploration through the Sacred Valley of the Incas — a spectacular corridor of Andean landscapes, ancient ruins, and living indigenous communities stretching between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Our first stop is the magnificent Pisac Archaeological Complex, perched on a dramatic ridge overlooking the Urubamba River. Its vast agricultural terracing cascades down the hillsides in elegant curves, while the upper citadel houses temples and ceremonial spaces carved with extraordinary precision. We then descend to Urubamba for a generous buffet lunch featuring a wide selection of Andean and Peruvian cuisine.

In the afternoon, we visit Ollantaytambo — the only Inca city in Peru where indigenous people have lived continuously since pre-Columbian times — before boarding your selected train service through the spectacular Andean cloud forest toward Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, our team transfers you to your hotel, where your guide will provide a full briefing on the following day’s visit to Machu Picchu.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll board the buses that wind up the switchback road from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu. As the bus climbs through the cloud forest and the mist begins to part, the anticipation of what lies ahead is almost electric — you’ve earned this moment.

Your expert guide will lead you on a 2 to 3-hour private tour of the citadel, weaving together archaeology, history, astronomy, and Andean spirituality. You’ll explore the Temple of the Sun — aligned with the winter solstice sunrise; the Room of the Three Windows; the Intihuatana Stone, a carved ritual astronomical clock; and the agricultural terraces that kept this mountaintop city fed. Built around 1450 and hidden from the outside world until 1911, Machu Picchu continues to amaze all who visit.

After the guided tour, enjoy free time to explore at your own pace before boarding the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where lunch is included. In the afternoon, board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where our team will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.

Today’s adventure begins before sunrise at approximately 4:30 AM, when your transport departs Cusco toward the west through the dramatic Apurímac River Valley. After two hours of travel, we arrive in the charming village of Mollepata for a hearty breakfast — fresh bread, eggs, local cheeses, hot beverages, and seasonal Andean fruits — designed to fuel your body for the physical challenge ahead.

From the trailhead at Soraypampa, the hike to Humantay Lake takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes of steady uphill walking through pristine Andean wilderness. The trail climbs through puna grasslands dotted with wildflowers, with the imposing Humantay glacier growing ever larger above you. As you approach the summit, the lake suddenly reveals itself: a perfectly still sheet of turquoise water cradled in a natural amphitheater of granite and ice at approximately 4,200 meters above sea level.

Take your time here — photograph, meditate, and connect with one of the most spiritually charged landscapes in all of Peru. After soaking in the views, we descend back to Mollepata for a celebratory buffet lunch before returning to Cusco, arriving at approximately 6:00 PM.

Another pre-dawn start at approximately 4:30 AM takes you southeast from Cusco through the high Andean plateau. After two hours of travel, we arrive in the village of Pitumarca for a traditional local breakfast to fuel the body and warm the spirit before the climb ahead.

The hike to Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes of steady uphill walking through high-altitude Andean landscapes. Along the way, herds of alpacas and llamas graze peacefully in the surrounding pastures as traditional Andean communities go about their morning routines. Upon reaching the summit at 5,036 meters above sea level, you’re greeted by one of the most extraordinary natural spectacles on Earth: geological striations of red, ochre, pink, green, purple, and gold formed by the oxidation of different minerals over millions of years.

On a clear day, the view extends across a sea of Andean peaks in every direction — a moment worth every early alarm, every aching muscle, every breath of thin mountain air. After time at the summit, we descend to Pitumarca for a warm and comforting lunch before returning to Cusco, arriving at approximately 5:00 PM.

All great journeys must come to an end — but the memories you carry home from Peru will last a lifetime. After breakfast at your hotel, we’ll coordinate the ideal departure time based on your flight schedule and transfer you comfortably to Cusco Airport for your onward journey home.

It has been an honor to share the wonders of Peru with you — the wildlife of the Ballestas Islands, the magic of Machu Picchu, the turquoise serenity of Humantay Lake, and the geological miracle of Rainbow Mountain. Peru is not just a destination — it is a feeling. And we hope you take a little of that feeling with you wherever you go next. Until we meet again!