11 Day Private Highlights of Peru

Welcome to Lima! On arrival at Lima Airport, you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your accommodation in Lima.

Check-in: if arriving prior to standard check-in time, which is generally 2pm local time, you are welcome to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available, as there are generally no scheduled activities on Day 1 of the itinerary.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before joining your local guide on a walking tour around Miraflores taking you through some of the most popular sights and experiences that this area has to offer. Start your tour at Parque Kennedy, a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists alike. Take a stroll around the park and see the famous cat sculptures that are located here, then continue Avenida Jose Larco, a bustling street that's lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes. Continue walking down Avenida Jose Larco to see many of the major landmarks in Miraflores, including Parque del Amor and the Miraflores Boardwalk. Arrive at Larco Mar, a modern mall built into the side of a cliff that offers stunning views of the ocean. You can find a variety of shops, restaurants, and cafes to explore. Following our tour, return to the hotel or continue exploring this lively area on your own. 

Tonight, enjoy an Inspiring Taste with a welcome dinner at one of Lima’s best Peruvian restaurants. Relax with a welcome Pisco Sour (Peru’s national drink) and then enjoy a culinary journey through Peru’s culture with a three course meal including a glass of wine.

Note: Above itinerary may vary depending on the day of the week or at the discretion of your local guide to ensure that you are seeing the best that this area has to offer. 

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your included flight to the Peruvian jungle town of Puerto Maldonado – gateway to the Amazon.

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and taken to a nearby office where your luggage will be securely stored as you take your overnight bag for your journey into the Amazon jungle. You will take a 45 minute road transfer and then board a motorboat for a 30 minute ride along the warm, calm waters of the Tambopata River. Enjoy a packed lunch as you admire the incredible sites and sounds of the jungle around you before we arrive at our ecolodge.  Explorer’s Inn Tambopata Ecolodge is an award-winning eco-lodge located inside the Tambopata National Reserve, regarded by some scientists as the most biodiverse place on Earth. The lodge is 100% owned by the local community and was founded with the mission of promoting sustainability through ecotourism and conservation efforts. All staff are members of the community and all income generated goes directly to support this indigenous community in one of Peru’s most remote corners.

After an opportunity to relax and settle in, your naturalist guide will give an informative presentation about the distinct species of caiman that can be observed in the Tambopata National Reserve, in order to allow guests to learn more about this endangered species.

Following dinner at the lodge, take a night cruise in search of caymans and other nocturnal reptiles and animals that inhabit the Tambopata River. Accompanied by a naturalist guide, learn of the conservation efforts used by the lodge to preserve this pristine ecosystem. 

In order to have the best chance of observing endangered Giant River Otters, it is necessary to wake up very early to board the boat for a 20 minute ride to the Tres Chimbadas Lake. Along the way your naturalist guide will explain the principal ecosystems of the tropical forest, as well as the diverse species of fauna that we see on the way. While we keep an eye out for the River Otters, we will enjoy a snack and a short journey around the lake on small catamarans to best enjoy the variety of wildlife that can only be found in this ecosystem. Also we will do Piranha fishing, before we return to the lodge by boat to enjoy lunch. .

This afternoon, we will visit a local farm close to the lodge, which belongs to a member of the local community. This activity directly supports the economic development of the La Torre community and gives us the opportunity to see and try various natural products of the area. 

We will return to the lodge in time for dinner.

Wake early and take a 40 minute walk to visit the parrot claylick - an exposed area of clay with higher concentrations of salts and other important minerals, where masses of parrot species converge to eat. We will then walk back to the lodge and along the way we may see other animals in their natural habitat.

After returning to the lodge for breakfast, you will transfer by boat and road back to Puerto Maldonado for your included flight to the beautiful city of Cusco. 

Welcome to Cusco! Upon your arrival, you will be met at the airport by your local guide and transferred to your hotel located in the heart of the city. After check-in, the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy this historical city on your own. 

The city itself is the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city and was the home of the Inca Empire for two centuries before the Spanish built their first capital here. Today Cusco is a fascinating combination of both cultures. Inca-built walls line the central streets and many of the elegant colonial buildings are built on or around Inca foundations. This is a city steeped in history, tradition and legend and is a perfect base for explorations into the Inca world or to enjoy a range of outdoor activities and incredible cuisine.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before meeting your guide for a walking tour of Cusco. Visit some of the most characteristic places in the centre of Cusco, such as the Stone of Twelve Angles at the Inca Roca Palace.  You’ll walk by the Qoricancha temple, considered the most sacred Inca building. According to archaeologists it housed over 1000 priests and attendants. It was built over an Inca palace dedicated to the worship of the Sun. 

Then, you will visit the heart of the city, the Plaza de Armas, surrounded by colonial arcades and four churches. Pass by the beautiful “Cathedral” of Cusco. This enormous Cathedral was built in the XVI. It contained nearly 400 colonial paintings, including many from the Cusco School, which was prominent in the 17th century. The cathedral is a fine example of colonial baroque art. 

Finally, explore the San Pedro Market where you will find vegetables, meats, local cheeses (which you should certainly try), local chocolates, herbal medicines and many local handicrafts. It’s a great place to purchase some souvenirs.

In the late afternoon, enjoy an Inspiring Taste as you learn all about one of the most traditional drinks of South America, the Pisco Sour! We’ll visit a local venue to learn about the distillation process, before learning what it takes to blend the perfect Pisco Sour – and yes, you will get to savour the frothy result of your hard work.

In the morning, travel approximately 2 hours through the Sacred Valley on the outskirts of Cusco. Known as Wilcamayo to the Incas, this lush, fertile valley has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces carved high into the valley walls.

Visit the Chichubamba community to gain a greater insight into the local lifestyle with a traditional Andean lunch and a visit to a local workshop. If your visit coincides with market day you can spend time browsing the stalls in search of hand-painted beads or warm ponchos and maybe practise some of the local language. 

Later you will continue the tour visiting the town of Ollantaytambo which has been built over an ancient Inca town. This is a magnificent example of Inca urban planning and one of the few places where the Incas defeated the Spanish. Ollantaytambo's archaeological site is located to the east of the Plaza de Armas. The upper terraces of this site offer great photo opportunities of the squared grid town below. Following the tour, you will travel to Urubamba and check-in to our accommodation for the night.  The rest of the day is at leisure.

Today you will be transferred to Ollantaytambo train station where you will board the tourist train towards Aguas Calientes, a little town close to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. 

The train ride to Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful journeys you can experience in Peru. The journey, which takes approximately two, passes through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, then descends gradually along the edge of the Urubamba River, before finally reaching the cloud forest. The train reaches its last stop in Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly Aguas Calientes), on the foothills of Machu Picchu. 

On arrival, check into your hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.

Today is an early start. By 6.30am you will board a bus for the 20 minute ride to Machu Picchu - one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a jewel in South America’s crown.

At 2430 metres above sea level, Machu Picchu is in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing creation of the Inca Empire at the height of their reign. The stonework has to be seen up close to truly comprehend its intricate beauty. Giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.

Upon arrival, enter the archaeological zone of Machu Picchu where your guide will show you the most important sectors of this great Inca City, such as the great Intiwatana (solar clock) and the Sun Temple, among others. Machu Picchu is divided into two sectors, the urban sector in the northern part and the agricultural sector on the south-east side.

After the tour,  return to Machu Picchu Pueblo by bus before taking the tourist train back to Ollantaytambo and a bus ride to Cusco where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.

Today is free for you to recover from a busy day and to enjoy the stunning town of Cusco at our own pace.

If you are feeling active, perhaps consider taking an optional tour to the ever photogenic Palcoyo Mountain, commonly known as the Rainbow Mountain. Your local guide is at hand to assist you with suggested options today. 

Tonight, enjoy an Inspiring Taste at a final night dinner located in one of Cusco’s traditional eateries in the heart of the majestic Inca city of Cusco. Toast the night with a welcome Pisco Sour followed by a 3-course dinner showcasing Peruvian flavours with a glass of wine accompanied by an artistic folkloric show.

Your tour concludes at the hotel after breakfast. At an appropriate time you will be transferred to Cusco airport for your departing flight.