LUXURY MACHUPICCHU AND BEYOND
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
Lima – The Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu – Moray – Maras – Lima
This sample tour encapsulates the best of Peru. Over the course of nine days, you will immerse yourself in all things Peruvian, experiencing the rich history, mouth-watering cuisine, and multi-layered culture, as well as witnessing the soul-stirring landscapes and landmarks of the Andes Mountains. The luxury kicks off in Lima, the gastronomic capital of the Americas. From there, you’ll journey via Cusco into the Sacred Valley, a serene and wonderfully slow-paced region that’s studded with Inca ruins, time-worn towns, and authentic markets. It’s here where you’ll get your first taste of the local warmth and hospitality. Next, you’ll travel in style by luxury train up to Peru’s superstar attraction: the famed “lost” Inca citadel of Machu Picchu – a sight so stunning that even the most jaded of travelers can’t help but go weak at the knees. After a tour of Machu Picchu with your expert private guide, it’s on to Cusco, a city that the Incas called the “Navel of the Universe.” Lose yourself among its colonial churches and ancient Inca-era pathways before returning to Lima. In this luxury tour, a true Peruvian experience is calling!
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at your hotel in Lima after your international flight to Peru!
Lima is a metropolitan city known for its colonial architecture and mouthwatering ceviche!
Welcome to Lima
When your international flight arrives in Lima, look for your Saga host holding a sign with your name on it! We know you’ll most likely be a little tired after your long flight, so we’ll save you the stress of trying to navigate and bring you straight to your hotel where you can shake off that icky flight feeling with a shower and a sleep. Relax into the evening and enjoy a good night’s rest.
Day 2: Arrival in Cusco and transfer to the Sacred Valley
Fly to Cusco to tour an ancient local hacienda, the Pisac Market, and the Peruvian countryside.
This morning we’ll escort you back to the airport for your morning flight to Cusco. Watch the windows as the desert coast rises into the snow-capped peaks of the Andes! Just 15 minutes outside of Cusco, true Peruvian countryside will stretch away on either side of you, sheep grazing tranquilly road-side. Impossibly steep peaks rise in the distance. Your journey will take you to an ancient hacienda, nestled in the fertile valley next to the pueblo of Pisac. Step onto the family-owned hacienda grounds and step into centuries past while your hosts expound upon the growing process of Giant White Corn and its profound cultural significance in the Andes Mountains. This hacienda dates back generations, and you’ll immediately be immersed in local customs steeped in the spirits and mysticism of the Andes, and embraced by the warmth of local Peruvians.
Relish your time on the farm with a delicious multi-course lunch with sample dishes featuring none other than the “white gold” giant-kernelled corn, and make sure to visit the on-site stables housing the renowned Peruvian Paso horses. Watch the horses dance with their human counterparts in a “marinera” demonstration, and even go for a quick trot yourself if you feel up to the task!
From there, your exclusive tour of Peru will take you to another valley town – Pisac – where you’ll have the chance to rub shoulders with locals as you survey the artisan offerings of the market. Vegetables, textiles and silver jewelry are just some of the items that are sold here.
Later, return to the hotel of your choice.
Day 3: Exploring the Sacred Valley
Hike to Ollantaytambo’s iconic ruins & Explore the Sacred Valley
Today’s journey through the Sacred Valley of the Incas will start with a drive through the breathtaking Patacancha Valley. At the ruins of Pumamarca we’ll begin our hike down a pre-Columbian trail, following irrigation canals that line terraced fields still in use today.
After approximately two hours of easy hiking, we’ll find ourselves in the Incan town of Ollantaytambo, where the centuries-old influence of the Incas is still very much visible: water from the mountains trickles down to the Inca-built street canals, while original Inca walls and trapezoidal doors are still found here.
With your guide by your side, ascend beyond the stepped, slope-side terraces to the ruins of a centuries-old fortress above town, where the Incas secured an important victory over the Spanish conquistadors. Inspect the intricately hewn stone constructions and have your guide show you the distant quarries from where the Incas sourced these huge stone blocks. This site also afford fabulous views of the valley and the Urubamba River that meanders through it.
Upon completion of your tour, we will bring you back to your hotel for an evening spent at leisure.
Day 4: Machu Picchu excursion
Enjoy a morning train through the cloud forest on the luxury Hiram Bingham train and visit the Machu Picchu Citadel!
Today will be a day that remains permanently etched in your mind, long after you’ve returned from your personalized trip of Peru, for today will be the day you finally set eyes on the storied city of Machu Picchu!
We’ll travel to the fabled citadel first by rail, boarding the Belmond’s luxury Hiram Bingham train, watch the cloud jungle pass by through the large glass windows and enjoy a gourmet lunch on-board! Make sure to take advantage of the open-air observatory car in this 1920’s Pullman-inspired train.
After a brief chartered bus journey, you’ll be dropped off at the gates to Machu Picchu. As you trek up the entrance’s stone steps, heavy foliage hides the surrounding views until you emerge at what seems like the top of the world, with Machu Picchu spread out below. You’re sure to reach for your camera to try and capture the vista, but before you do, be sure to take a moment to stop and truly appreciate this staggering site.
Upon conclusion of your tour, retire to your hotel for the evening, and enjoy a satisfying dinner on site at the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel before falling asleep to the sounds of the humming cloud forest around you.
Day 5: Machupicchu and Huaynapicchu
Hike one of the coveted, limited-entry hikes, Huayna Picchu and return to Sacred Valley on the Hiram Bingham!
Today you have the option to hike two different trails – Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, so it’s completely up to you on how you would like to culminate your Machu Picchu luxury tour. Feeling adventurous? Consider hiking the steep slope of neighboring Huayna Picchu, which offers unrivalled views over Machu Picchu. Lunch will be on-site at the Sanctuary Lodge whenever you get hungry.
Please note that only a limited amount of hikers are allowed to climb Huayna Picchu each day and tickets will need to be purchased in advance along with your Machu Picchu entrance.
In the afternoon, after high-tea at the Sanctuary Lodge, descend to Aguas Calientes for your return Hiram Bingham train. Once onboard, you will be served a delicious dinner accompanied by live Andean musicians.
Your Saga host will meet you at the station and bring you to your hotel for a well-deserved good night’s rest.
Day 6: Cusco city tour
Explore the hidden cobblestone streets of historical Cusco and taste your way through the most iconic Peruvian products.
It’s time to get acquainted with Cusco, a gorgeous city that wins the heart of most every traveler that passes through it. Get to know the real Cusco during a private tour. After breakfast, meet your guide and wander among the archaeological remains of Sacsayhuaman, where the Incas staged a great battle against the conquistadors. Return to the city and roam the atmospheric streets of the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, which is known for its free-spirited scene. Explore Qoricancha and the Santo Domingo monastery (a colonial structure built on top of the ancient Inca temple of the sun); see where the locals make their grocery runs at the open-air San Pedro market and pass the famous 12-angled stone, whose image appears on the bottle of the local Cusqueña beer.
At the end of the tour, your guide will suggest places to enjoy a delicious light local lunch, but make sure to save some room for the snacks that await you in your Peru culinary tour this afternoon!
First make your way to the Coffee Museum, just a ten minute walk from your hotel, where a stimulating aroma will welcome you in. After a workshop detailing coffee’s history as well as how it is grown, sorted, and roasted, you will be whisked away to the Chocolate Museum. Did you know that Peru is the birthplace of chocolate? Here you will learn about its spectacular history and the unique process that chocolate undergoes from plant to plate. Best of all, make your own chocolate truffles to bring home with you! Lastly, you will find yourself in the Republica del Pisco to taste an assortment of the country’s spirit-of-choice paired with Peruvian fusion appetizers.
Day 7: Maras and Moray
Visit the Agricultural Lab of the Incas – Maras and Moray and Our Friends in a Local Community!
After breakfast, you’ll be taken to see the ancient agricultural site of Moray. Experts today believe these grassy amphitheaters served as a farming laboratory, with the varying temperatures and soils of the ascending terraces providing different growing environments. We’ll pass through the town of Maras – known for its beautiful colonial doorways – before arriving at the town’s still-in-use salt pans. The small white evaporation pools that cover the hillside are still harvested by locals in a traditional manner. We’ll pause for a delicious local lunch, where you’ll be able to sample some regional fare.
Post lunch you’ll have a chance to mingle with the locals during a visit to an off-the-beaten-track highland village on the shore of the icy blue Lake Piuray. This rural community subsists on agriculture and many of the women are master weavers, creating exquisite textiles using generations-old techniques. You will have the opportunity to communicate with the residents, visit their houses and fields, and experience what day-to-day life is like in the Andean highlands.
Day 8: Tour the inspired streets of bohemian Barranco and bid farewell to Peru!
Tour the inspired streets of bohemian Barranco and bid farewell to Peru!
Going home is the worst part of any private Peru vacation, but at Saga Machupicchu, we’ll do our best to make it as smooth and hassle-free as possible. First, we’ll bring you to Cusco airport for your return flight to Lima. In Lima, a Saga Machupicchu host will meet you and take you to the seaside bohemian district of Barranco. See the streets of Barranco come alive as you visit a number of local art galleries and shops that support local artisans. Finally, enjoy a first-class gourmet meal featuring world-renowned Peruvian flavors in a restaurant of your choosing before returning to the airport for your journey home! Buen viaje!
Notes: There are many additional activities that can be added to the Signature Peru & Beyond private tour, as our tours are entirely customized to your interests, hobbies, and expectations! Please note that Huayna Picchu has a limited entry quota per day and needs to be booked months in advance.
Include
Include
- Personalized itinerary planning: Work with a Saga Travel Designer to create a southern Peru tour of your dreams.
- Saga hosts take the hassle out of traveling. We’ll be there to assist you – whether with luggage, check in, transport, or translating – at every destination during your private tour of Peru.
- Got a question or query? Saga operates a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week customer service operation and will provide updates and assistance whenever you need it.
- With Saga, you’ll never be bundled in with big groups; each visit, activity, tour and experience will be completely private and conducted by your very own expert, English-speaking guide.
- Our private tours of Peru are fully flexible, which means we can modify them to suit your travel mood. If you want to cut an activity or add a new one, just say the word!
Can be added
Can be added
- Sit down with a shaman for a private meditation ceremony.
- Trot around the Sacred Valley on a Peruvian Paso horse, with an authentic “chalán” (Peruvian horseman) leading the way.
- Take a day hike along part of the famed Inca Trail and arrive in Machu Picchu via the iconic Sun Gate.
Not included
Not included
- International flights to and from your home country
- Travel insurance
- Meals not specified
- All gratuities
Price reference
Price reference
An exemplary way for any adventure seeking traveler to experience the best of the region! This sample itinerary is just the way for you to get inspired.
Accommodations
Accommodations
Our staff handpicks the best hotels to ensure you get ultimate comfort and character during your stay.
Talk with your Saga expert to help find the right hotels for you during your personalized luxury tour.