The window to the heart of the Andes

Peru: Six Day Luxury Journey
by luxury hiram bingham train

Experience the best of Peru by journeying to the heart of the land of the Incas, staying in the finest accommodation and visiting the attractions of Peru’s Inca and colonial past

Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley of the Incas (Urubamba) – Machupicchu – Lima

Day 1: Arrival to Lima

On arrival in Lima you will be met by our representative at the airport and transferred to the Miraflores Park Hotel, located in the Miraflores district, which is one of the most prosperous commercial and residential districts of Lima, with a lively cultural and tourist scene.

Day 2: Cusco city tour

Transfer to the airport for the one-hour flight to Cusco. On arrival you will be transferred to the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco and have time to rest before you begin your stay in Cusco with a sightseeing trip to the city’s beautiful historic center.

The tour includes visits to the following places of interest: the Qorikancha, or Temple of the Sun, which was the most important temple of the ancient Inca empire, with its finely-worked stone walls now housed within the Spanish church of Santo Domingo; the cathedral, decorated with many fine pieces of colonial art, including more than 300 paintings from the 17th century Cusco School of Art; the Inca museum, with its chronological display illustrating the development of Andean culture in the Cusco valley.

You will be able to enjoy your evening meal in the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art restaurant (MAP-Café), which features fine Novo-Andean cuisine on its menu.

(Overnight at the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco)

Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Incas – Urubamba

We will have an 8:30 am departure for a full day tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which is home to many Inca archaeological sites. The hills around the valley floor are covered with ancient agricultural terraces, while the valley itself is dotted with Spanish colonial villages where the people of the Andes live traditional lives based on agriculture and continue to wear traditional dress. Our expert guide will share with you his knowledge of archaeology, culture, Andean traditions and beliefs. The tour will include a visit to Saqsayhuaman, which is the largest surviving Inca architectural monument in the Andes. Saqsayhuaman’s monolithic walls are divided into three levels and some of the blocks used in the walls weigh more than 100 tons. We will also visit Awanacancha, a privately-owned farm where the four members of the American camelid family can be seen (llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas) and weavers demonstrate their traditional weaving, spinning and dyeing techniques. In the Sacred Valley we will visit the village of Pisaq, with its colorful local market where the inhabitants of the valley gather to trade their goods and offer their handcrafts to visitors. We will lunch at the Casa Hacienda Orihuela, which is a private house with an interesting collection of art and Inca and colonial artifacts. In the afternoon you will visit the impressive Ollantaytambo archaeological site at the other end of the Sacred Valley, overlooking the village of the same name which is the last remaining example of an Inca settlement in Peru.

(Overnight at Sol y Luna Hotel in Urubamba)

Day 4: Urubamba - Machu Picchu

Today we take a one-hour bus journey to the Poroy train station to board the luxury Hiram Bingham train to Machupicchu. This three and a half hour train ride is one of the most spectacular in Peru, passing through Andean valleys, deep canyons and cloud forest vegetation as far as the village below the ruins of Machu Picchu. A three course lunch is served onboard. Upon our arrival in Aguas Calientes we will make a 25 minute bus journey to the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel, located at the entrance to the ruins of Machu Picchu. After checking in our guide will share his enormous knowledge with you on an afternoon tour of this new wonder of the world known to millions around the world as the Sacred City of the Incas or the Lost City of the Incas and famous for the mystery surrounding its original purpose, its almost inaccessible location and the superb mountain forest scenery that surrounds it.

(Overnight at the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel in Machupicchu)

Day 5: Machu Picchu – Cusco

We will wake up early to enjoy the sunrise over Machupicchu, a privilege granted to us by the fact that the hotel is just a three-minute walk from the entrance to the ruins. All you need to do is grab your camera and start taking pictures!

Led by our guide, today you can opt to hike up the mountain known as Huayna Picchu, located behind Machupicchu and offering spectacular views, or walk to the Inca drawbridge located just 30 minutes away. Alternatively, you might opt for the easy one-hour walk along the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate, or Inti Punku.

(Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel)

In the evening you will take the luxurious Hiram Bingham train back to Cusco. A four course a la carte dinner will be served onboard. On arrival at Poroy station you will be transferred by private vehicle to the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco.

Day 6: Lima

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. You will be provided with a day room at the hotel in Lima and then you will be escorted by one of our expert guides on a tour of the highlights of this huge city which is the gastronomical capital of South America. Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro; we will begin by driving through the districts of San Isidro and Miraflores districts, which form the modern part of the city, before continuing to the historical centre, where you will see the city’s beautiful main square, bordered by the government palace and the cathedral. You will also visit San Francisco church and convent, which is the oldest religious building in Lima and was founded in the 17th century. After the tour of the city the bus and driver will remain at our service to take you wherever you would like to go.

In the evening you will diner at La Rosa Nautica, a charming restaurant located on a pier stretching out into the Pacific Ocean, where you will have the opportunity to try the traditional cuisine of the Peruvian coast which has given Peru its reputation as one of the world’s great culinary centers.

(Transfer to airport for international return flight)