Highlights

  • Uncover Peru's lost Incan treasures with luxury stays in Cusco and the Sacred Valley
  • Board the Hiram Bingham train as you travel in style to iconic Machu Picchu
  • Revel in the 1920s glamour of the Belmond Andean Explorer
  • Discover indigenous communities on the reed islands of Lake Titicaca

Explore Peru in unrivalled style, from a luxury train ride through its Andean peaks and a cruise to Lake Titicaca’s floating villages to a chef-led cooking course among Lima’s Spanish beauty and a private tour of Cusco’s competing heritage. Here, European churches squat on temple ruins. And, after visiting the Sacred Valley where ancient traditions live on in off-the-beaten-track communities and Incan archaeological sites dominate whole mountainsides, your tour will centre around an exclusive Machu Picchu experience. Arriving aboard a luxury mountain train, you'll enjoy privileged guided touring and an overnight stay at the only hotel adjacent to the ruins.


Day 1

Depart UK

At the airport you’ll relax in premium-lounge comfort before your day flight to Lima. On arrival you’ll be met and transferred to the all-suite indulgence of the Belmond Miraflores Park whose stunning rooftop pool looks out across the sparkling Pacific Ocean.


Day 2

The flavours of Lima

All the world is found in Lima – colonial palaces ring pretty squares, steel towers shoot skywards and ancient pre-Incan pyramids are formed from adobe. And, just as its architecture benefits from diverse influences, so does its famed gastronomy. On a half-day cooking course, you’ll discover how migrants from everywhere between Europe and Asia have left their mark on restaurant menus.

After touring a local market, a professional chef will guide you through the art behind creating a few of the country’s famous dishes, learning how best to prepare a seafood ceviche and how to properly sauté tenderloin strips. 

Breakfast & Lunch included

Plaza Mayor, Lima, Peru, South America

Plaza Mayor

Peruvian ceviche, Peru

Peruvian ceviche

Bronze Fountain, Lima, Peru

Bronze Fountain


Days 3 – 5

The Sacred Valley

Following a private transfer, you'll fly to Cusco, where you’ll delve into the rolling verdure of Peru’s Valle Sagrado, a land where Incan ruins punctuate indigenous villages. Here, you'll be staying at a luxurious spa hotel set among luscious gardens on the banks of the Urubamba River – a blissfully serene base for the adventures that lie in wait.

The following morning, you'll explore three jewels of the Sacred Valley of the Incas: Maras, Moray and Chinchero. You'll be treated to magnificent views overlooking the Maras salt mines and thousands of pools which formed an integral part of the imperial economy during Inca times. Moving on, you'll visit the concentric terraces of the Moray archeological site, which resembles a natural amphitheatre and once functioned as a laboratory and agricultural research centre. Enjoy a delicious lunch here before continuing to the Chinchero archaeological complex, which offers a fascinating insight into the area's agricultural past. 

The next day presents an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Andean lifestyle as you meet the local community of Misminay, who will greet you with traditional music and dancing. On the way, a stop at the Raqchi viewpoint offers stunning views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Enjoy an authentic lunch sourced from local produce with your friendly hosts before bidding farewell and returning to the hotel with a deep appreciation of the region's cultural heritage and traditions. 

Breakfast & Lunch included

Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru

Sacred Valley of the Incas

Woman Weaving Fabric, Huillos, Sacred Valley, Peru

Woman Weaving Fabric


Day 6

Machu Picchu

Today you’ll get up close to one of man’s most impressive creations – an ancient citadel hidden among mist-shrouded mountains. You’ll board the exclusive Belmond Hiram Bingham train to sip cocktails and tuck into a gourmet lunch as the Andean scenery drifts past. On arrival, your expert guide will lead you through royal quarters, temple ruins and tiered defences to reach spectacular views over its mountainous mantelpiece, bringing to life the mysteries of this lost city in the process. You’ll stay at the luxurious Sanctuary Lodge whose jungle-fringed indulgence is the only hotel adjacent to Machu Picchu itself. From April onwards your stay will be at Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, Peru

Belmond Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge

Belmond Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge


Days 7 – 8

Huayna Picchu hike & exploring Cusco

Your morning begins with the chance to climb to the top of Mount Huayna Picchu (2667 meters altitude) for stunning panoramas of the Cordillera Central. You'll then return to the hotel for lunch before boarding the Belmond Hiram Bingham train to Ollantaytambo, from which a private transfer will take you to your palatial accommodation in Cusco – the Belmond Palacio Nazerenas. Hidden behind the city’s main square, its opulent spa, exceptional restaurant and stunning pool make it one of the finest hotels in the city.

On a private guided tour the next day, you’ll discover Cusco’s diverse beauty – imposing Incan ruins rub shoulders with colonial grandeur. It’s a unique contrast best felt at the Santo Domingo – a 16th-century church built atop an Incan temple. After taking in the cathedral-lined Plaza Mayor, turn out to Sacsayhuaman – a great Incan fortress built entirely out of giant stone blocks. You’ll also have time to visit a range of archaeological sites, from cave house to lithic ceremonial labyrinths, and an art collective, where artisans carve silver and wood using techniques that date back to the Incas.

Breakfast included

Morning sun over Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru

Morning sun over Plaza de Armas


Day 9

A luxury mountain rail journey

Board the Belmond Andean Explorer train to a traditional performance by local musicians as you settle into luxuries of your wood-panelled, 1920s-inspired cabin for an overnight journey across the Andes. You’ll skirt the gurgling rivers and towering peaks that characterise the mountains’ dramatic beauty as you wend your way south to Puno. Along the way, you’ll stop off at the walled ruins of Incan temples and stretch your legs at giant plains dotted with alpaca and framed by snow-capped crests.

In between, you’ll recall the golden age of rail travel with gourmet cuisine in the restaurant carriage, a series of cultural performances and the chance to take in the breathtaking views from the open-air observatory car.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru

Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru

Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru

Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru


Day 10

Lake Titicaca’s floating communities

After breakfast on board, you’ll enjoy a private tour of the floating civilisations of Lake Titicaca, believed by the Incans to be the birthplace of the sun. Visit local communities to see how traditional life continues unchanged in this remote part of the world before you sail to the Uros Islands. Built from layers of totora grass, these man-made islands are home to the houses and trade centres of the region’s native peoples.

Watch as they punt across the lakes in curved boats woven from reeds before spending the night at the GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca, whose contemporary rooms all overlook the lake. Perhaps drink in the sweeping sunset panoramas with a glass of South American red.

Breakfast & Lunch included

Lake Titicaca, Peru

Lake Titicaca, Peru

Titicaca lake, Bolivia

Titicaca lake, Bolivia


Days 11 – 12

Return to the UK

A final private transfer will bring you to the airport for your flight back to Lima and onwards, overnight, to the UK. 

Breakfast included


About the itinerary

"Peru is much more than its highlights of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Even adding in a stay at the magical Lake Titicaca or an overnight journey aboard Belmond’s new Andean Explorer luxury train doesn’t truly grab the real essence of the country – it's only when you immerse yourself in local culture, participate in a cooking course, bargain at an indigenous market or float across the world’s highest navigable lake, then you really understand what Peru is all about"

Katrin Rummer

Destination Specialist

Pricing information

Guide price from £9,440 pp incl. flights

Low Season from: £9,440 pp
High Season from: £9,820 pp

Includes:

  • Complimentary UK airport lounge access
  • All return international and domestic flights
  • Private transfers
  • 10 nights accommodation in 5* (Deluxe hotels) on a B&B basis
  • 1 night accommodation aboard the luxury Belmond Andean Explorer train on a full-board basis
  • Hiram Bingham train round trip with lunch
  • Private touring throughout
  • Lunch on all private full day excursions
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