PeruSignature: Peru's Lima, Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley
Welcome to Peru. Your expedition begins in Lima, where the desert crashes into the Pacific. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in Miraflores, a district perched on cliffs above the ocean. The air here carries the scent of salt and the hum of the city. If you arrive early, stroll the promenade of the malecón to watch the sunset turn the cliffs gold, browse the shopping complex overlooking the sea, or sample fresh ceviche at a local restaurant before settling in for the night.
Arrival Transfer
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Arrival Day
The adventure begins tomorrow. Feel free to explore on your own before your welcome meeting on the morning of day two. Check for the meeting time in the welcome note at the hotel.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
JW Marriott Hotel
Meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and Expedition Expert for a welcome briefing before visiting the Museo Larco. Here, you will be led by a museum curator on a private tour of an impressive collection of pre-Colombian ceramics and art. Spanning 5,000 years of history in a beautiful 18th-century mansion, this visit offers a fascinating gateway into ancient Peru and its diverse cultures. After lunch, enjoy a scenic drive past a pre-Columbian adobe pyramid and along the cliffside to Love Park. In Bohemian Barranco, cross the Bridge of Sighs to the private home of the artist Víctor Delfín, for an intimate tour of his gallery and workshop. Cap the day at a culinary studio, where the scent of lime and chili fills the air as you learn to craft causa and pisco sours before a Peruvian feast.
Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group
Your opportunity to meet your Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group on the morning of day two.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Signature Moment: Museo Larco Tour Led by a Curator
Receive a private tour of the mansion-turned-museum, which showcases more than 5,000 years of Peruvian art. The museum's curators are young professionals from diverse disciplines who share a deep passion for ancient Peru and have been trained in heritage mediation and interpretation, enabling them to translate their academic knowledge into an accessible, engaging, and meaningful experience. Prepare to be inspired, moved, and an experience an authentic connection with ancient Peru. Your curator will highlight the fascinating connection the ancient Peruvians had with the forces of nature.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Private Casa Taller Víctor Delfin Visit & Reception
Immerse yourself in the world of Peruvian artist, Víctor Delfín, with a private tour of his magical exhibition. The tour includes large-format sculptures of horses and huerequeques (a local bird). You will also see Víctor Delfín's actual working studio. His art transmits a unique personality influenced by pre-Hispanic cultures and diverse ethnic material. He uses various materials like iron, bronze, wood, scrap metal, and ceramics. Meet with the artist himself in an intimate setting.
Cooking Demonstration Welcome Dinner
Learn to prepare your own causa ccevichada and enjoy the classic flavours of Peru during this gastronomic experience and demonstration. You will learn the secrets behind this classic Peruvian dish, as well as dine on delicious lomo saltado accompanied by a pisco sour.
Accommodation
JW Marriott Hotel
Fly over the Andes to Cusco and head to the historic centre for a family-style lunch. Drive through the countryside towards the Sacred Valley and visit the Ccaccaccollo weaving cooperative. Here, meet a National Geographic Explorer and the indigenous women of the community who use traditional techniques to create their textiles. Watch as they hand-shear alpaca wool and dye it with native plants, transforming raw fiber into vibrant geometric patterns on backstrap looms. This intimate encounter connects you to the living culture of the Andes. Descend into the valley to your riverside lodge, settling in as the mountains turn purple in the twilight.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Signature Moment: Women's Weaving Co-Op Textile Experience
The Ccaccaccollo Community is a small, traditional Quechua village in the Andean highlands, near the Sacred Valley. It is primarily known for the Women's Weaving Co-operative, a highly successful community-based tourism initiative. The women of Ccaccaccollo preserve and practice ancestral Incan textile traditions. Witness the entire process: from hand-shearing alpaca wool, using native plants and insects for natural dyes, to the intricate spinning and weaving on traditional backstrap looms. This project empowers the women economically, sustains their cultural heritage, and provides vital income for their families.
Accommodation
Hotel Tambo del Inka
Travel to the Cuyo Chico community and join local hosts in baking empanadas, smelling the woodsmoke from traditional outdoor ovens. Continue to the archaeological site of Pisaq, where massive Inca terraces carve patterns into the hillsides. Next, enjoy lunch at a family-run hacienda, hearing from the owners about the vital role of corn in Andean agriculture. Finish the day at the studio of ceramicist Pablo Seminario in Urubamba. Tour the workshop to see how pre-Columbian motifs inspire modern art, and meet the artists keeping this tradition alive before returning to the lodge.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Cuyo Chico Visit
In the rural village of Cuyo Chico in the Sacred Valley, a group of families joined together to create a small business based on their traditional adobe ceramic crafts. Visit this community learn about the ceramics process and partake in an empanada making demonstration. Learn to make Peruvian-style empanadas from scratch using local ingredients. The experience typically involves a hands-on session preparing the dough and filling, cooking the empanadas in a traditional outdoor oven (horno), and enjoying the meal you helped create. This activity allows you to connect with local life and learn about the community's traditional cooking methods, directly supporting their economic well-being and preservation of Andean customs.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Pisac Ruins Guided Tour
Tour the fascinating hilltop citadel of Pisac, an Incan ruin with plunging gorges, a ceremonial centre, and winding agriculture terracing that's still in use today. Be captivated by this truly amazing site sitting amid sweeping green valleys and mountain peaks. Explore the back of the site to see a pocketed cliff across Kitamayo Gorge, which once contained hundreds of Inca tombs.
Farm-to-Table Lunch and Corn Lecture
Enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch at Hacienda Sarampampa, where three generations have kept the traditions of giant white corn farming alive.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Cerámicas Seminario
Visit Pablo Seminario's ceramic workshop in Urubamba and learn about ceramic-making that embodies the local spirit and is a tribute to generations past.
Accommodation
Hotel Tambo del Inka
Tour the impressive archaeological site of Ollantaytambo then walk the stone streets of town, one of the last Inca settlements still laid out in its original form. After lunch, board a scenic train that winds along the Urubamba River. Watch the landscape shift from dry, rocky peaks to the lush, green canopy of the cloud forest as you approach Aguas Calientes. Settle into your lodge, where your Expedition Leader may offer an optional nature walk to spot orchids and hummingbirds. In the evening, gather for an expert talk on the history and conservation of Machu Picchu, preparing for tomorrow’s ascent.
Transport
Settle in and scan the scenery as you journey to your next destination.
Ollantaytambo Ruins Visit
Explore this ancient site right in the heart of Ollantaytambo city. Learn about the principles of Incan architecture and get a first taste of climbing around a massive ruins site.
Train
Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Machu Picchu Expert-led Lecture
Learn about the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu from an expert before your adventure to gaze upon them with your own eyes tomorrow.
Accommodation
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo
Rise early to catch the bus up the winding road to Machu Picchu. Enter the Lost City of the Incas as the morning mist lifts, revealing the emerald terraces and stone temples against the dramatic backdrop of Huayna Picchu and the surrounding peaks. Explore the marvels of this UNESCO World Heritage site with your guide, learning about its rediscovery by Hiram Bingham on a National Geographic-supported expedition. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the train back to the Sacred Valley, reflecting on the day as the river rushes by.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Train
Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Machu Picchu Guided Tour
Set off with the local guide to explore Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. Learn about the history and gain insights into this massive mountaintop citadel while wandering through ancient dwellings, stone temples and along sculpted terraces. Feel the energy of this 15th-century site, now both a UNESCO World Heritage site and voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide internet poll.
Accommodation
Hotel Tambo del Inka
Ascend to the Maras salt pans, a dazzling patchwork of white pools carved into the mountainside. Continue to the agricultural terraces of Moray, deep circular depressions thought to be used by the Incas to experiment with crops. After a traditional lunch, drive to Cusco. Join your Expedition Leader for an orientation walk through the historic cobblestone streets built on Inca foundations. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, highlighting Peru’s agricultural heritage with a tasting featuring some of the region's 4,000 native potato varieties.
Cusco Orientation Walk
Set off on foot from the hotel with your Expedition Leader to get your bearings of Cusco. Head to the main plaza for essential things like ATMs and money changers, marvelling at the surrounding colonial architecture and Inca stonework. Pass by the many shops, restaurants and cafes and start to feel the energy of this incredible city.
Maras Salt Mines and Moray Visit
Tour the unique Inca ruins of Moray, consisting of circular terraces and a sophisticated irrigation system located at 3500m (11483 ft). Learn about the history and study of this fascinating site – speculation has it that it was an Inca agriculture experiment station. Then visit the impressive Maras Salt Mines and see thousands of individual ancient salt pools spilling over a hillside. Learn about the different varieties of salt, and try the renowned pink salt, famous worldwide.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Foodie Moment: Nuna Raymi Potato Experience Dinner
The Nuna Raymi Potato Experience in Cusco is a ceremonial tasting highlighting Peru's remarkable agricultural heritage, featuring over 4,000 native potato varieties. The restaurant sources rare, ancient tubers directly from local "seed guardian" farmers, presenting you with a rustic board of different native potatoes, whose varieties change seasonally. The presentation often involves a ceremonial element, such as lighting palo santo and grating salt, honoring the food’s cultural significance. The potatoes are served with traditional Peruvian dips like Andean Chimichurri. This experience supports Nuna Raymi's commitment to ethical tourism and crop preservation.
Accommodation
Monasterio Hotel
Explore Cusco’s layers of history, visiting the Cathedral, the sun temple of Koricancha, and the massive stone walls of Sacsaywaman that loom over the city. Pause for a gourmet picnic lunch at an exclusive tented campsite near the Temple of the Moon, soaking in views of the red-tiled roofs below. Spend the afternoon at leisure before an evening visit to the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Conclude your expedition with a private cocktail reception in the museum’s courtyard followed by a farewell dinner, celebrating the flavors and stories of Peru.
Expert-Led Cusco City Tour and Picnic
This morning takes you to all of the must-see highlights in and around Cusco, guided by experts to explain the history of each location. Begin at the Plaza de Armas, Cusco's 16th century cathedral, Qorikancha, and the Temple of the Sun before transferring to Sacsayhuaman. The tour ends at Templo de la Luna, or the Temple of the Moon, where a private gourmet picnic will be waiting for you.
Free Time
Spend a few hours exploring Cusco on your own before dinner with the group this evening.
Accommodation
Monasterio Hotel
Transfer to the Cusco airport for your flight back to Lima. For those with late international departures, a day-use room is available to relax and refresh as you prepare for your journey home.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Plane
Sit back and enjoy the views from above on a flight between Cusco and Lima.
