Sacred Valley to Amazon
Machu Picchu, Andean Culture & Rainforest Wonders
Peru holds worlds within worlds: the ancient stones of Machu Picchu, the living culture of the Sacred Valley, and the teeming biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest. This journey connects them all—from the heights of the Andes to the depths of the jungle, with Lima's world-class cuisine bookending the adventure. You'll walk where Incas walked, float where pink dolphins swim, and taste flavors found nowhere else on Earth.
This itinerary is a starting point. Every element can be adjusted—add days, change hotels, swap experiences, alter the pace. We'll craft the final journey around your preferences, travel dates, and dreams.
Your Journey Unfolds
Arrival in Lima
Arrive in Lima, Peru's capital perched on cliffs above the Pacific. Transfer to your hotel in the bohemian Barranco district. This evening, dinner at Central or Maido—Lima is now a global culinary capital.
Lima was founded by conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, but the area has been inhabited for 4,000 years. Today it's a city of 10 million, with cuisine that rivals any food capital on Earth and a creative energy that's just beginning to be discovered.
Stay: Hotel B or Titilaka Casa
Lima: Culture & Coast
Morning exploring the historic center—Plaza de Armas, colonial churches, the catacombs of San Francisco. Afternoon at the Larco Museum, then sunset pisco sours overlooking the Pacific.
The Larco Museum houses 45,000 years of Peruvian history, including erotic pottery that makes visitors blush and laugh. The pre-Columbian cultures of Peru were sophisticated, artistic, and utterly unique—long before the Inca arrived.
Stay: Hotel B or Titilaka Casa
Lima to Sacred Valley
Fly to Cusco, then descend into the Sacred Valley—lower altitude, warmer weather, and the heartland of Inca civilization. This afternoon, visit the Maras salt mines, in use since Inca times.
The Maras salt mines are 3,000 terraced pools fed by a natural spring. Families have harvested salt here for over 500 years, each pool owned by a different family, the tradition passed from generation to generation.
Stay: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba or Explora Valle Sagrado
Sacred Valley: Markets & Ruins
Morning at the Pisac market—a kaleidoscope of textiles, ceramics, and Andean produce. Afternoon at Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca town, where streets still follow the original plan and water still flows through Inca channels.
Ollantaytambo was a royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti. When the Spanish invaded, it was here that Inca forces won their only major victory—rolling boulders down on conquistadors and flooding the plains. The fortress still stands, defiant.
Stay: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba or Explora Valle Sagrado
Machu Picchu
The Vistadome train climbs to Aguas Calientes, then a bus switchbacks up to Machu Picchu. Enter through the Sun Gate as morning mist lifts to reveal the Lost City. Your guide brings the stones to life.
Machu Picchu was never "lost"—local farmers always knew it was there. But when Hiram Bingham arrived in 1911, guided by an 11-year-old boy, he introduced it to the world. The city he found had been abandoned for 400 years, reclaimed by jungle, waiting.
Stay: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel or Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
Machu Picchu at Sunrise
Return to Machu Picchu at dawn for sunrise over the peaks. Optional hike to Huayna Picchu for panoramic views. Afternoon train and transfer to Cusco, the ancient Inca capital.
The Inca believed Cusco was the navel of the world, designed in the shape of a puma. The fortress of Sacsayhuamán forms the head; the two rivers that flowed through the city were its veins. Even the urban plan was sacred.
Stay: Belmond Palacio Nazarenas or Inkaterra La Casona
Cusco: Imperial City
Full day exploring Cusco—the Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), the massive stones of Sacsayhuamán. Lunch at a picantería, dinner at one of Cusco's creative new restaurants.
Qorikancha was once covered in gold—sheets of gold on the walls, a golden garden with golden plants and golden llamas. The Spanish stripped it all, but the Inca stonework beneath remains, fitted so precisely you can't slip a knife between the blocks.
Stay: Belmond Palacio Nazarenas or Inkaterra La Casona
Cusco to Amazon
Fly over the Andes and descend into the Amazon basin. As the green carpet of jungle unfolds below, you're entering one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Boat transfer to your lodge; afternoon jungle walk.
The Peruvian Amazon contains more species of birds, butterflies, and plants than anywhere else on Earth. New species are discovered every year. When you walk these trails, you're walking through a library of life that scientists are still cataloging.
Stay: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica or Refugio Amazonas
Amazon: Canopy & Creatures
Dawn walk to spot monkeys and macaws. Climb to the canopy walkway, 90 feet above the forest floor, for a bird's-eye view of jungle life. Afternoon paddling oxbow lakes, searching for giant otters and caimans.
Giant river otters can reach 6 feet long and hunt in family packs. They're called "river wolves" and fear almost nothing—except humans who once hunted them nearly to extinction. Seeing them today is witnessing a conservation success story.
Stay: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica or Refugio Amazonas
Amazon: Community & Rainforest
Visit a local indigenous community to learn about traditional medicine and sustainable living. Afternoon with the lodge's sustainability team, seeing how ecotourism protects this irreplaceable ecosystem.
The indigenous peoples of the Amazon have accumulated botanical knowledge over thousands of years. A single shaman may know the medicinal uses of hundreds of plants. This wisdom, passed orally, is a treasure that's only now being documented.
Stay: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica or Refugio Amazonas
Departure
Morning flight back to Lima via Cusco. If time allows, a final lunch of ceviche before heading to the airport. Peru has given you altitude and jungle, ancient stones and modern flavors—a journey of contrasts.
The Quechua word "ayni" means reciprocity—the obligation to give back what you receive. Peru has given you its mountains, its ruins, its rainforest, its culture. The gift you can give in return is to remember, and to tell others what you've seen.
Stay: Day use available
Ready to Begin?
This journey is waiting to be shaped around you. Tell us your dates, your preferences, your dreams—and we'll craft something extraordinary.