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Luxury Peru & Machu Picchu, as Seen in Condé Nast Traveler
Type of Trip: Cultural Length: 9 days Season: April-December Rating: Grade II
This is an upgraded version of our classic World of the Incas adventure, including an optional 1-day hike on the Inca Trail.
Explore Peru’s most entrancing ancient Incan wonders, along with its blend of traditional and contemporary culture. Centuries ago, the Incas governed this vast realm, which was connected by thousands of miles of stone-paved highways, from their cultural and religious center in Cusco. Many stone monuments stand today, a testament to the skill of their master architects.
Designed for those who wish to deepen their appreciation of the Incas with a luxury Machu Picchu experience, this exciting cultural and archaeological adventure takes us into the very heart of the ancient empire, while enjoying present-day Peru at the same time. Well-paced and well-planned for gradual adjustment to the highlands altitude.
Trip Highlights:
- Join Quechua villagers at the traditional market in Pisac
- Visit a family in Chinchero, enjoy a weaving demonstration by master craftswomen
- Take a one-day hike on the Inca Trail to arrive to Machu Picchu on foot
- Wander the cobbled streets of Cusco and visit the nearby pre-Columbian sites
- Enjoy upgraded lodging at the Monasterio boutique hotel in Cusco
- Take in the sights and sounds of Lima, including the magnificent Larco Herrera Museum
Brief Itinerary
DAY 1: USA / LIMA OR CUSCO
Arrive to Lima this evening and spend the night.DAY 2: LIMA / CUSCO / SACRED VALLEY
Fly to Cusco, and descend into the Sacred Valley to the town of Pisac.DAY 3: CHINCHERO / OLLANTAYTAMBO
Deepen exploration of the Sacred Valley in two of its traditional towns.DAY 4: MACHU PICCHU
Arrive by train or on foot via the Inca Trail to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu.DAY 5: MACHU PICCHU
Spend a second day at Machu Picchu for early morning light and optional hiking.DAY 6: MACHU PICCHU / CUSCO
Return by train from Machu Picchu to the colonial city of Cusco.DAY 7: CUSCO
A private tour of Cusco’s best markets, squares, and nearby pre-Columbian sites.DAY 8: CUSCO / LIMA OR USA
Flight to Lima and guided sight-seeing before boarding an overnight flight home.DAY 9: USA
Make your onward connections home.Detailed day-by-day itinerary (PDF)
With full trip profile, difficulty rating, weather, and other planning details.Departures
On request any week throughout the season. April-May or September-October are ideal months in the Andes of Peru. January-March is the rainy (but less crowded) season.
Note: The Km 104 hike requires hiking permits that can sell out 3-4 months in advance, so plan early.
2024 Land Cost
4-6 participants: from $7,500 p.p.d.
7-12 participants: from $7,000 p.p.d.
Single Supplement: from $2,850p.p.d. = per person based on double occupancy. Price does not include international or local flights. Southwind ticketing affiliate helps coordinate flights to match your itinerary.
Detailed day-by-day itinerary (PDF)
With full trip profile, inclusions/exclusions, estimated airfare, and other info.Lima: Costa del Sol
After a long flight to Lima travelers can step out of the International Terminal, walk a short distance, and enter the lobby of Ramada’s newly constructed Costa del Sol Hotel. This stylish four-star, 130 guest room hotel is the perfect place to unwind before exploring the wonders of Peru.
Sacred Valley: Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado
Belmond – the luxury travel brand formerly known as Orient Express – is pleased to introduce its resort and spa Hotel Rio Sacrado to Peru’s Sacred Valley. Set on the banks of the Urubamba River, it is built with natural materials to resemble an authentic Andean village.
Machu Picchu: Inkaterra Pueblo
The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel is a unique, 4-star ecological hotel situated in a cloud forest above the Urubamba River. Featuring 83 spacious, sunlit rooms, the style is Spanish colonial with stone archways and red tiled roofs. Cottages and gardens are reminiscent of a traditional Andean village.
Cusco Upgrade Option: Monasterio Hotel
Built in 1592, the original monastery was given the seal of royal approval in 1692. The San Antonio Abad Seminary and was converted into Cusco’s best and most delightful 5-star hotel in 1995. Only two blocks from Cusco’s main square, the Monasterio Hotel features 109 guest rooms.
Lima Upgrade Option: Miraflores Park Hotel
Located on the Malecon de la Reserva, the 5-star Miraflores Park Hotel has 81 suites offering guests the ideal space for work and rest. Enjoy ample private bathrooms in marble and granite, comfortable king-size beds, and a splendid ocean view.
Lima Upgrade Option: JW Marriott Hotel
Enjoy a view of the Pacific Ocean against the shoreline at one of Condé Nast Traveler’s Top-20 Latin American hotels, the JW Marriott Hotel Lima. This 5-Star facility has prime location near the Larcomar shopping and entertainment center, and luxurious amenities.
Sacred Valley Upgrade Option: Libertador Tambo Del Inka
Tambo del Inka, an exclusive Starwood property, is the Sacred Valley’s premier resort and spa. It is the only hotel in Urubamba with a private train station to Machu Picchu, and one of only two with a heated indoor/outdoor swimming pool.
Machu Picchu Upgrade Option: Sanctuary Lodge
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, by Belmond, enjoys a unique position at the entrance of the Inca Citadel ruins. The unequaled location of this upscale 4-star hotel allows guests easy access to Machu Picchu, as well as breathtaking scenery and bird watching.
Cusco Upgrade Option: Palacio Nazarenas Hotel
Meet Cusco’s newest boutique hotel: Palacio Nazarenas by Belmond. The finest in its class, Nazarenas offers 55 Suites housed in 18th century convent that has preserved traditional courtyards and frescoes. It is also home of Cusco’s only outdoor heated pool.
Amazon Lodges
Length: 4 Days/3 Nights from Cusco or Lima
Season: April to December
Families and travelers with limited time, who want a taste of the Amazon Basin rainforests, will enjoy the Reserva Amazonica or Sandoval Lake lodges, 45 min by motor boat from Puerto Maldonado.Lake Titicaca Tour
Length: 4 Days/3 Nights from Cusco
Season: April to November
For those who want to experience authentic Quechua culture first-hand and feel like you’ve traveled back in time, nothing beats a visit with a family on Taquile Island.Arequipa and Colca Canyon
Length: 5 days/4 nights from Lima
Season: Mid-April to mid-November
Twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, Colca in southern Peru is one of the deepest canyons in the world. Since its walls are not as vertical, the valley is filled with small towns that preserve their traditions.Paracas Reserve
Length: 4 Days/3 Nights from Lima
Season: Year-round
A visit to Paracas is a journey to one of South America’s most important protected coastal-marine systems. Whales, orcas, dolphins, sea lions and sea otters are just a few the 36 species of marine and land mammals found in the reserve.Manu Biosphere Reserve
Length: 5 Days/4 Nights from Cusco
Season: April to October
For travelers wanting to maximize their wildlife viewing opportunities in a short extension, few places in the Amazon Basin can compete with Manu National Park in southeastern Peru. It is considered to be one of the most pristine and important rainforest reserves on the planet!Northern Peru
Length: 4 days/3 nights from Lima
Season: Year-round
Long before the Incas controlled the country, sophisticated cultures existed along the Peruvian coast; and northern Peru is one of the best destinations for visiting the remains of their cities. Moche sites including the renowned Lord of Sipan and the pyramids.Nazca Lines Tour
Length: 3 days/2 nights from Lima
Season: Year-round
The mysterious lines etched into the coastal plains near the town of Nazca have fascinated scientists, archaeologists and visitors for decades. Best viewed from the air, Nazca figures such as the monkey, fish, hands and whale are highlights.Caral Ruins
Length: 2 days/1 night from Lima
Season: Year-round
In 2001 researchers stunned the archaeological community by carbon-dating the ruins at Caral back to 2627 BC. Step back in time to an early civilization while touring this UNESCO World Heritage Site.Testimonials
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“We had a great trip. We especially liked our guide, Ronny. He was very easy going, on the ball and so knowledgeable – around everything from Inca and Spanish history, geology, politics and economics. He also suggested great restaurants in Cuzco. All of the connections went very smoothly and the staff who met us at the airports were great as well. The hotels were lovely and the service was always excellent.”
Risa Shames – Newton, Massachusetts
★★★★★ -
“I’m very pleased that I got to see more of Peru than Machu Picchu & Cusco. Lake Titicaca and Taquile Island were exceptional. This was a great itinerary and a well-planned and organized trip. I had a wonderful time and I would definitely travel with Southwind again.”
Michelle Wilson – San Francisco, CA
★★★★★ -
“The trip was outstanding – truly spectacular from beginning to end, and I feel elated and enriched and enthralled, all at once. Transfers were smooth, the planning and arrangements of activities were well-considered and led flawlessly to the culmination at Machu Picchu. We were not tourists watching the Andean world; we were visitors, invited by our guide Francis, to the hearth of the land.”
Charlie Holmes – Hollywood, CA
★★★★★