Treasures of Peru

October 1 – 9, 2024

Discover the cradle of the ancient Incan Empire with this tour to the Sacred Valley and Macchu Picchu. Explore the breathtaking site of Machu Picchu as the mist lifts off the mountains and the ruins. Immerse yourself in the fascinating Peruvian history, culture, Inca sites, traditional foods and today’s fusion culinary scene. There is so much to learn and experience in the Sacred Valley and this trip does it! Travel from Lima to the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu ending in Cusco and surrounding areas. Step back to the times of the Incan Empire!

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Walking tour of Lima’s bohemian Barranco District filled with art museums, galleries, cafes and shops
  • Lima’s Pacific oceanfront - Miraflores
  • Culinary walking tour of four of Lima’s best restaurants tasting at each one - experience Peru’s fusion culinary scene!
  • Taste Peru’s national drink and learn how it is made – the Pisco Sour
  • Sacred Valley’s Chinchero marketplace
  • Chinchero weaving demonstration at a women's weaving cooperative
  • Hands-on Andean cooking class at El Huacatay Restaurant in the Sacred Valley
  • Visit to Moray Agricultural Terraces thought to have been an agricultural experimental station in the Sacred Valley
  • Visit to the Maras Inca Salt Pans in the Sacred Valley
  • Guided tour of Machu Picchu; another 1/2 day at Machu Picchu with a guide or to hike on your own
  • Visit to the Ollantaytambo Inca Ruins
  • Pachamanca (traditional Peruvian meal cooked in a stone pit)
  • Cusco City Tour to include the Q’orikancha Temple & Sacsahuaman
  • Free time in Cusco
  • Lima’s Larco Museum entrance and dinner in their garden restaurant (on the day of return home; most flights leave late at night)
  • Built-in free time relax, shop or go out on your own

INCLUDES:

  • 8 nights of select accommodations (4* in LIma &  5* hotels in Ollantaytambo & Machu Picchu) featuring superb city, valley and cloud forest accommodations
  • 9 days service of  local certified guides who travel with the group
  • Guided excursions, per the Daily Itinerary
  • Breakfast in the hotel daily
  • Select gourmet lunches and dinners in Peruvian cafes & restaurants, per Daily Itinerary
  • Transportation via private chartered coach
  • Round trip VistaDome train ticket to/from Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)
  • Machu Picchu entrance and hiking permit fees
  • A traditional Peruvian pachamanca
  • All airport transfers

NOT INCLUDED:   

  • International and domestic airfare
  • Some meals during free time
  • Tour guide and driver gratuities
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Travel insurance

PRICE: $5823 per person based on double occupancy;  $ 7823 single occupancy

MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE: 15 guests + staff

*OPTIONAL 3-DAY ADD-ON TOUR TO LAKE TITICACA (visit the Home page for more information)

October 1-9, 2024

TUES, Oct 1: Travel/Arrive Lima

Travel from your home city to Lima, Peru. Welcome to the capital of Peru! Transfer to the hotel. Most international flights arrive in the evening.

Accommodations: Casa Andina Premium Miraflores

WED, Oct 2:  Lima Barranco District Walking Tour, Free Time, Evening Culinary Tour  

Today, take a walking tour of Barranco - one of Lima’s most interesting and colorful districts. This area is known for its Bohemian lifestyle and is a favorite among local artists. You will see colorful stately mansions, churches and the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean while learning about the history of the area. Visit the famous Bajada de los Baños Walkway. the romantic Bridge of Sighs and Plaza San Francisco. Afterward, enjoy the afternoon to relax. In the evening, take a culinary walking tour of Lima. Visit four select restaurants. The first stop will be at a top beachfront restaurant to see how a true Peruvian Pisco Sour is made. Enjoy it and the beautiful ocean views! Then, you’ll try a variety of Amazonian appetizers at an award-winning restaurant specializing in dishes from the jungle. The next stop is for a gourmet Peruvian dinner amid illuminated pre-Incan ruins at Huaca Pucllana. The evening will end with a typical Peruvian dessert.

Accommodations: Casa Andina Premium Miraflores

Meals: B, D

 

THURS, Oct 3: Transfer to the Lima Airport, Fly Lima to Cusco, Transfer to the Sacred Valley, Chinchero Visit & Weaving Demonstration

In the morning, you will fly to Cusco. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to the Sacred Valley of the Incas - a long fertile valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Then, you’ll head out for an excursion to Chincheros, a small town situated on a plateau overlooking the Sacred Valley. Chincheros is home to a local market and several highly-regarded weaving cooperatives known for their high-quality textiles. These intricate traditional weavings often use symbols to tell stories or depict daily life. You’ll observe a weaving demonstration at one of the cooperatives. Enjoy a traditional Andean lunch in Chincheros and return to the hotel in the later afternoon.

Accommodations: Sol Y Luna, Urubamba
Meals: B, L

FRI, Oct 4: El Huacatay Cooking Class, Lunch, Maras Agricultural Terraces, Moray Salt Pans, Free Evening

Today, join Pio Vazquez, owner of the restaurant El Huacatay, an Andean-style kitchen located in the town of Urubamba. You’ll participate in a hands-on cooking lesson to learn about local gastronomy and cooking techniques used in Peruvian cooking. You’ll prepare an appetizer, main dish and dessert – all inspired by traditional Peruvian cooking. That afternoon, visit Maras Agricultural Terraces - a fascinating archeological site in the Sacred Valley. These Inca ruins are a system of circular terraces each with their own microclimate. You’ll learn why the Incas constructed this which is thought to have been an agricultural experiment station. Nearby, you’ll stop at the Moray Salt Pans, a complex network of nearly 2000 salt pans or shallow pools that are filled by an underground spring. The naturally pink salt pans get their beautiful hue from the trace elements in the spring water. The salt in the pans is still harvested today as it was in Inca times. The evening will be at leisure.

Accommodations: Sol Y Luna, Urubamba
Meals: B, L

SAT, Oct 5: Train to Machu Picchu, Lunch, Guided Tour of Machu Picchu, Dinner, Free Evening  

You’ll start your journey to Machu Picchu by train - the only way to arrive (other than hiking the Inca Trail). Machu Picchu is arguably the most outstanding achievement of the Inca civilization. On the train ride, you’ll be treated to views of picturesque mountains and valleys from the VistaDome car. On arrival in Aguas Calientes, head to Machu Picchu and enjoy lunch at Sanctuary Lodge at the entrance to Machu Picchu. Afterward, take a guided tour of Machu Picchu to learn about this amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dinner will be at the hotel set in the cloud forest. Experience fine Peruvian cuisine that features dishes prepared with exotic, regional ingredients and innovative special touches.

Accommodations: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Meals: B, L, D

SUN, Oct 6: Morning Guided Return to Machu Picchu, Lunch in Aguas Calientes, Free Afternoon

This morning is free to make a guided return to Machu Picchu or to hike on your own. Your shuttle and entrance tickets are included today. Going early in the morning allows for time when there are fewer visitors. Take an easier hike to the Sun Gate or opt for a more challenging hike. You can hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or  Huchuy Picchu for aerial views of the ruins and surrounding mountains. (Note: permits are required for some hikes and are subject to availability). Afterward, enjoy lunch at a well-loved restaurant in Aguas Calientes. After lunch, the afternoon and evening will be free to relax at the hotel or participate in their local guided excursions (additional cost). Dinner is included tonight at your hotel located on its own 12 secluded and lush acres.

Accommodations: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Meals: B, L, D

MON, Oct 7  Train to Ollantaytambo, Ollantaytambo Ruins, & Town, Pachamanca, Arrive Cusco

Today, take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo where you’ll disembark. On arrival, visit Ollantaytambo - massive Inca ruins thought to have been a fortress or temple. Set on a hillside, the Incas constructed this site made of both stone walls and intricate cut field rocks. Visit the town of Ollantaytambo - one of the few to survive today in its original layout from Incan times. Then, enjoy a pachamanca feast for lunch in gardens overlooking the mountains. A pachamanca is a traditional method of cooking in the Andes where an oven of hot stones is created in the ground and layers of vegetables, corn, potatoes, fruit and meat are cooked inside it. Observe the preparation for the pachamanca which is part of the authentic experience. Sample artisanal coffees and spirits from a local roasting and distilling facility. Finally, transfer to Cusco where the evening will be at leisure.

Accommodations: Palacio Del Inka, Cusco
Meals: B, L

TUES, Oct 8: Half-Day Cusco City Tour, Q’orikancha Temple, Sacsahuaman Fortress, Optional Hike, Tour Farewell Dinner

Enjoy a half-day guided tour of the city of Cusco and the surrounding ruins. Visit Q’orikancha Temple - once the richest temples of the Inca empire. The ruins have some of the finest stonework in all of Peru. Visit Sacsahuaman, the massive fortress on the hill above the city where the Incans made their fiercest stand against the Spaniards. It is possible to hike back down to Cusco from Sacsahuaman for those that want to do so. Exploring these sites is a highlight of any visit to the highlands of Peru. In the evening, enjoy a tour Farewell Dinner at one of Cusco’s top restaurants.

Accommodations: Palacio Del Inka, Cusco
Meals: B, D

 

WED Oct 9:  Transfer to the Cusco Airport, Fly to Lima, Larco Museum, Dinner at the Larco Museum, Flight Home

Transfer to the Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima. Most flights home leave late at night or after midnight. Spend the afternoon at the Larco Museum in Lima. The Larco Museum houses more than 5000 years of Peruvian history and pre-Columbian cultures. Enjoy a visit to the museum with dinner in their garden restaurant.  Afterward, transfer back to the Lima Airport for your flight home.

Meals: B, D

PRICE:  $5823 per person based on double occupancy; $7823 single occupancy

 INCLUDES:

  • 9 day fully-guided small group tour
  • 8 nights accommodations in select city, valley & rain forest hotels (4* hotel in Lima & 5* hotels in Urubamba, Machu Picchu & Cusco)
  • 9 days service of a certified Peruvian tour guides who will travel with the group + specialist site guides
  • Transportation by private coach
  • Breakfast in the hotel daily
  • Lima City Tour of the Barranco & Miraflores Districts
  • Lima Culinary Walking Tour with stops at four select restaurants
  • Gourmet Peruvian meals showcasing artisan foods and local dishes, per Daily Itinerary
  • El Huacatay hands-on cooking class
  • Machu Picchu entrance fee & hiking permit (if needed)
  • Visit to Ollantaytambo Inca Ruins and the town
  • Round-trip Vistadome train ticket to/from Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)
  • Traditional Peruvian pachamanca
  • Cusco City Tour to include visits to Q'oricancha & Sacsahuaman
  • Larco Museum entry and dinner in their garden restaurant  (on the return day to Lima prior to flying home)
  • All airport transfers

NOT INCLUDED:

  • International and
  •  Domestic airfare between Lima & Cusco
  • Some meals during free time
  • Gratuities for guides and driver
  • Travel insurance

 

REGISTRATION: 

Registration for this tour can be done online via the Registration page of this website

 

TOUR DEPOSIT: 

A deposit of $1500 is requested to hold a spot on this tour.  The balance is due 90 days out from departure or July 1, 2024.  After July 1, 2024, full tour payment is required at registration.

 

TOUR PAYMENT:

Tour payment can be made by eCheck, credit card or bank transfer.

 

TOUR CANCELLATION:

This tour can be canceled through July 1, 2024.  A refund will be given less a $250 service charge.

If Pack A Fork cancels the tour, for any reason, all monies will be refunded.

We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to offset tour cancellation fees if something precludes you from taking this tour.  We recommend purchasing a travel insurance policy that includes coverage related to  COVID-19.

 

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS:

For the safety and health of all guests, we require the full COVID-19 vaccination and boosters. We will request a copy of your vaccination card at registration.

 

AIR RESERVATIONS

Pack A Fork! has partnered with Exito Travel for air reservations. We work with Leanne Reuss who is an international airfare specialist. Leanne can assist you with the best flights from your home city. She can be reached at 800-655-4053, Ext. 8528 or at leanne@exitotravel.com. Alternatively, you can purchase your own flights.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance will help protect you from trip cancellation fees, costs incurred due to trip delays/interruptions, lost or damaged baggage. Travel insurance may also give you medical protection during your trip. We recommend the website SquareMouth or InsureMyTrip for comparing policies. For those under 70, we recommend  World Nomads for travel insurance.

It is important to purchase travel insurance at the time of tour payment for more comprehensive coverage.

9-Day Tour

From $5823
$1500 deposit due at registration
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