Panoramic Peru

Fly to Lima, Peru's historical capital. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Tonight, enjoy your first taste of Peruvian cuisine at a local restaurant a pisco tasting, Peru’s national beverage.

Fly to Lima, Peru's historical capital. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Tonight, enjoy your first taste of Peruvian cuisine at a local restaurant a pisco tasting, Peru’s national beverage.

Originally named the City of the Kings, Lima is rich in heritage, which you’ll see for yourself today. Start in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic centre to admire the colonial magnificence. Explore the 17th-century San Francisco Monastery. Visit Casa Aliaga, a beautifully-preserved colonial mansion, and finish the day at Huaca Pucilana archaeological centre.

Fly to Cusco and transfer to the Sacred Valley. Begin in Pisac to see the ruins and explore the colourful market. Continue to Ollantaytambo where you will meet an Inca community. Here you will have the opportunity to interact with the town's inhabitants, as well as seeing the beautifully-preserved Inca houses and ancient Inca fortress.

Visit the remote village of Huilloc this morning, where you will gain a cultural insight into life of the indigenous Quechua community. Meet the villagers and learn about their ancient customs. Admire the beautiful textiles produced by the women of Huilloc, who have a rich tradition of weaving by hand. Finish the tour with a cooking demonstration of a typical Quechua dish before enjoying lunch with the community.

Leaving the Sacred Valley today, board the panoramic Vistadome train for your journey to Aguas Calientes, gateway to the world-famous Macchu Pichu. Transfer into a bus for your journey to the ruins. One of the world’s great archaeological discoveries, Machu Picchu sits on a mountain ridge 2430 metres above the Sacred Valley. Built around 1450, it was abandoned about 100 years later, and left ‘undiscovered’ (the local people knew of it) until 1911 when it was brought to international attention.

Enjoy the morning at leisure or choose one of these optional tours: take the challenging hike up to Huayna Picchu, a viewpoint overlooking Machu Picchu; Aguas Calientes’ thermal baths for a relaxing soak; or a second entrance to Machu Picchu for further explorations - perhaps even venturing up to the Intipunku or Sun Gate. This afternoon, return to Aguas Calientes and take the train to Cusco.

Home to an incredible Incan legacy, Cusco has some of the richest heritage in Latin America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour will include visits to the Plaza de Armas, once the heart of the Incan capital of Huacaypata; and Qoricancha, the temple of the sun. Head just out of town to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman and Puka Pukara, the ‘Red Fortess’. In the afternoon, you will have the option to take part in a chocolate-making tour, followed by a Peruvian dinner and folklore dance show.

Today take a train from Cusco to Puno. Journey through amazing Andean landscapes to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, passing through the spectacular Peruvian highlands. The train has 4 dining cars, a bar car and an observation car. Along the way you will enjoy a gourmet lunch prepared with exquisite Andean ingredients and there will be music and dance shows on board.

Journey by boat across Lake Titicaca to the floating islands of Uros, which are constructed entirely from reeds. Spend some time exploring and meeting the local Uros people before continuing to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taquile. Once a stronghold of the Inca, you'll find wonderful textiles here. After your tour of the island, head back to Puno.

Today travel to Colca, approximately a 5 to 6 hour drive, passing through Lagunillas and Tocra along the way. Keep your eyes peeled for flamingos, Andean ducks and llamas. Reach Pata Pampa at 4,820 metres altitude, where you can admire the volcanoes Ampato, Sabancaya, Hualca-Hualca and Mismi (the source of the Amazon River), as well as views of the Cordillera de Chila. Once in Chivay, enjoy the view of the terraces of the Colca Valley before time to bathe in the natural hot springs.

After an early breakfast, depart Colca and travel to Arequipa. En route, stop at Condor Cross for a picturesque view of the canyon, and hopefully a few sightings of the native condors gliding on the thermals. Hopping back in the bus, you’ll also visit the remote Andean villages of Maca and Yanque.