Culinary Journey of Peru

Arrive at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport, meet your guide, and transfer to your hotel.

After breakfast, today is for experiencing the flavors of Peru. First, enjoy the Culinary Experience which includes a visit to the local market to observe the vast array of fruits and other produce grown in Peru. Then you will proceed to Urban Kitchen for an immersion on the history of Peruvian cuisine, the influence of other cuisines on Peruvian cuisine, and how Peruvian food came to be known around the world. We will discuss the historical, social, and cultural issues that make the experience not only focused on the kitchen, but also on Peruvian culture itself. The experience includes a demonstration of “Chilcano” prepared with pisco, then a culinary class with dishes such as: traditional cebiche, Salmon tiradito with ponzu sauce, Shrimp and limeña style causas and Lomo Saltado. (B, L) 

Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to the Sacred Valley. Enjoy lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari, one of the most exclusive restaurants in the Sacred Valley with a stunning view. The spacious halls have been filled with popular art and you will find the Lambarri-Orihuela Museum with genuine art pieces of the Pre-Inca, Inca and Colonial times. Enjoy exquisite dishes created with local ingredients, most of them coming from the Hacienda itself. Then continue the visit to the workshop of renowned ceramic artist Pablo Seminario, where you will learn about some of the techniques and designs used by ancient Peruvian cultures. Afterwards, transfer to your hotel and the afternoon is at leisure to rest and acclimate to the altitude. (B, L) 

After breakfast, we will visit the home of a local family and learn about their way of life, where the fire clay stove and farming tools are valued and necessary. Then, we will visit a typical Andean establishment, a "chicheria”, known for the home-brewing of chicha, the typical Andean drink made of germinated maize. Afterwards, experience From the Farm to the Table. This is a hands-on experience that will allow you to pick the best produce from an organic garden and then cook it, accompanied by the chef, over an open flame the banks of the Vilcanota River. Nothing beats eating outside surrounded by nature. After lunch, transfer to your hotel and spend the afternoon at leisure. (B, L) 

Following breakfast, meet your transfer to the train station and then enjoy spectacular vistas on your scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes. After lunch at Café Inkaterra, take a bus to the site of Machu Picchu. Unearthed for modernity by Hiram Bingham more than a century ago, Machu Picchu is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Its architectural beauty, spectacular natural setting, and the energy that radiates from its enigmatic buildings will take your breath away. We will follow in the footsteps of the ancient Incas as we take a tour of the mysterious city led by one of our guides. Afterwards, return to Aguas Calientes and have dinner at the hotel. (B, L, D) 

Following breakfast at the hotel, spend the morning at leisure. You may choose an optional second visit to Machu Picchu, an a la carte lunch at Qunuq restaurant, or other activities. In the afternoon, take the train to Cusco, then a private transfer to your hotel. (B) 

Following breakfast at the hotel, take a half-day private tour of Cusco. We will visit the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman a colossal structure built with huge carved rocks jointed with absolute accuracy, this astounding sample of the Incan military architecture is, undoubtedly, the greatest architectonic work of the Tahuantinsuyo. We will make a short stop at Cristo Blanco, a large statue where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Then, we will explore the San Pedro Market, Cusco’s main street market, inundated with aromas, tastes, sights, and colors of the local products of the Cusco region. Afterward, visit the Qoricancha (which means room of gold in Quechua), a temple dedicated to the Sun god. Legend has it that its inner walls were once completely lined with gold. Finally, will head to Cusco Cathedral to discover its mysteries and admire its lovely atria and priceless 17th and 18th century paintings of the Cusco school. Afterwards, return to your hotel and the afternoon is at leisure. In the evening, we will share a meal with a local family, enjoying a delicious dinner of traditional dishes from the region and sharing stories and history of daily life in Cusco. (B, D) 

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your next destination. (B)