Itinerary
Day
1
LIMA
Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. This evening, jump start your culinary extravaganza with a delicious dinner at one of Lima’s finest restaurants, Cala’s. After dinner, you will be transferred back to your hotel. (D)
Day
2
LIMA
After breakfast, join in a half day luxury culinary experience with an acclaimed local chef. You will visit the bohemian and artistic district of Barranco, where a renowned Peruvian chef will accompany you in discovering Peru’s fascinating gastronomy. The tour will start with a visit to a local market where you have the opportunity to chat with suppliers while shopping for the ingredients to be used during your cooking class. Next, take a stroll through Barranco’s colorful streets and get inspired by the many modern restaurants, art galleries, and artisan shops. Then, join in a hands-on cooking class and enjoy a tasty pisco sour and some tapas before reveling in your handcrafted meal. This afternoon, discover the Secrets of Ancient Peru as you visit the Larco Museum, featuring an unsurpassed collection of treasures of Ancient Peru. At the end of the visit, you will enjoy a delicious dinner at the museum’s restaurant. (B,L,D)
Day
3
LIMA
Have breakfast at your hotel before embarking on an insightful city tour of Lima, known as The City of Kings. Head to the historic center, where you will visit the impressive Santo Domingo Convent; Casa de Aliaga, the historic home of the conquistador Jeronimo de Aliaga where his descendants still live today; the Main Square with its surrounding colonial architecture; and the Renaissance Cathedral. Savor lunch at one of the chicest area restaurants, Amoramar. Early this evening, you will be transferred from your hotel to join in a Pisco “cocktail clinic.” Learn from the experts, and toast to life! Your cocktail class will be followed by an unforgettable “Farewell to Lima” dinner in the archeological site of Huaca Pucllana. Return to your hotel. (B,L,D)
Day
4
LIMA I CUSCO
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon, embark on a half-day walking tour of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire. The tour begins at the Koricancha Temple, an old Incan palace and main center for the worship of the sun god, Inti. Once the Spanish conquered Peru, the Dominican order built a church over this temple’s foundations: the church of Santo Domingo, that still stands today. Visit the Main Square, the Cathedral, and the neighborhood of San Blas where the finest artisans of Cusco live and work. The tour of Cusco will be followed by a private Cocktail Tour starting at the bar “La Taberna” of Pachapapa with an introduction to pisco, its history and description of the fermentation processes. Continue with the tasting of three pisco musts and sample the house cocktail – Cholo Sour. Then head further along to KION Peruvian Chinese Restaurant and prepare Ten’Cantalá, a cocktail based on pisco and kion. The experience concludes in Calle del Medio with a tasting of a pisco punch and a delicious piqueo. (B)
Day
5
CUSCO I SACRED VALLEY
Power up with breakfast at your hotel before departing on a full day tour of the Sacred Valley, Maras, Moray, and Misminay. Your first stop will be to the Maras salt mines. Then, visit Moray, a fascinating archaeological site in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will visit its impressive concentric terraces, used by the Incas as a botanical laboratory. Afterwards, you will visit the Misminay community, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Upon arrival, the residents will give you a warm welcome with local music and dances. There, you can learn about harvesting local products and the art of textiles from local experts, followed by a typical lunch. (B,L)
Day
6
SACRED VALLEY I MACHU PICCHU I SACRED VALLEY
After a bountiful buffet breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel to Ollantaytambo railway station for a visit to one of the most important tourist destinations in the world: Machu Picchu. The excursion starts with a train trip to the town of Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. When you arrive, you will be met by a professional private local guide and will start your ascent to the ruins. Explore Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch in a local restaurant then board your train for the journey back to Sacred Valley. This evening you will be transferred to Cicciolina restaurant for dinner. (B,L,D)
Day
7
CUSCO
Have breakfast at your hotel then transfer to the city of Cusco for a cooking class at the MAP Café in the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. The restaurant at the Museum is located in the beautiful patio of a colonial house, and features elegant preparations of classic regional dishes and international preparations of local ingredients. Join in a cooking class and learn about the preparation of Andean food. Then, visit the museum to appreciate its fabulous collection of pre-Columbian art. Finally, enjoy a delicious lunch in this sophisticated and cozy atmosphere. After lunch, its time for Chocolate making class where you will learn all the steps to make chocolate – from harvest of the cacao in a plantation to the production of a chocolate bar. You will roast the cacao beans, peel them, grind them to produce a paste, and you can even take your own handmade chocolate home. (B,L)
Day
8
CUSCO I LIMA TO USA (OR EXTEND YOUR STAY)
Enjoy time at leisure before transferring from your hotel to the airport for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima there will assistance to help you with your connecting flight. (B)
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