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Avanti Destinations
OFFER ID 1523505
Culinary and Cultural Peru
See the unmissable highlights of Peru, through a lens of culture and culinary delights. Hit all the hotspots, including Lima, Cuzco and of course Machu Picchu, while immersing yourself in Peruvian life and flavors through special experiences only available in this package. Enjoy a cooking demonstration after a visit to the main market in Lima; paddle board or kayak on a tranquil lagoon in the Sacred Valley; visit an Andean community to see the current way of life in this ancient Incan empire, dining with your hosts and enjoying a traditional musical performance. Through cultural exchange and a deep dive into the world-famous foods of Peru, get to know this spectacular country like the locals do.
Includes:
7 nights | Call for pricing
Avanti Destinations: Culinary and Cultural Peru
Day 1 Lima
Upon arrival at Lima Airport, meet your English speaking guide for your transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or explore your surroundings. Dinner on your own this evening and your hotel can assist with some recommendations.
Centrally Located Hotel In Lima, ( )
Day 2 Lima
After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the lobby for an unforgettable culinary adventure, beginning your tour at a typical Peruvian market. There you will find a broad variety of national ingredients, among which you will find traditional Peruvian fruit like cherimoya, lucuma and aguaymanto. If you love sea food, there's no doubt you will be surprised by the extent of fish and shellfish species that the market has to offer. Then, visit an exclusive restaurant in Lima where you see a demonstration on how to prepare a pisco sour and ceviche; two great representatives of the Peruvian flavor. Finally, you will enjoy a delicious lunch with Peru's most important dishes. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. Tonight you'll enjoy a visit to the remarkable Larco Museum, which boasts an incomparable collection of treasures from ancient Peru. This impressive collection of more than 45,000 exhibits- inspires visitors to discover, understand, and enjoy more than five thousand years of Peruvian history. At the end of the visit, enjoy a delicious dinner in the museum's restaurant before returning to your hotel.
Centrally Located Hotel In Lima, (B, L, D )
Day 3 Lima, Sacred Valley
At a scheduled time, you'll have a transfer to the airport to board the short flight to Cuzco, and then proceed to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. En route to the village of Pisac, you'll stop at the Hacienda Sarapampa, a hidden magical place that time has forgotten. The owners still produce the famous Giant Corn of the Andes and will be pleased to prepare a Farm-to-Table lunch for you. Then it's on to Ollantaytambo; an Inca military, religious and agricultural center built on a mountain summit. There you can see the narrow streets of the eponymous village, together with canals unchanged since the Inca Empire. Upon arrival at your hotel, the evening is at your leisure and dinner will be on your own.
Centrally Located Hotel In Sacred Valley, ( B,L )
Day 4 Sacred Valley
After breakfast, your guide will meet you in the lobby for your departure to the Piuray Lagoon, where your sport and adventure day will begin. First, you'll have the option of selecting a stand up paddleboard or kayak, followed by a safety talk and technical practice of paddling on land. While moving through the lagoon, you can appreciate the great natural landscapes of the area. At the end of your experience on water, enjoy a snack surrounded by the beauty of the lagoon. Then you'll continue to the Misminay community, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Upon arrival, the townspeople will give you a warm welcome with typical music and dances. Here, you will experience the Andean lifestyle up-close, and explore local botanical plants through a wonderful cooking class. You'll begin with the planting and harvesting of some products, according to the season. Then along side your hosts, you will prepare a delicious traditional dish using only local products, and then enjoy them for lunch. In the afternoon, your hosts will guide you with music and chants towards the Moray Viewpoint, where you will have a privileged view of this important Inca agricultural center and the Sacred Valley. When this amazing cultural exchange experience is over, you will return to your hotel.
Centrally Located Hotel In Sacred Valley, ( B,L )
Day 5 Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
After breakfast, transfer to the train station for a visit to one of the most important archaeological sites in the world: Machu Picchu. The excursion will be via the Vistadome Train with a private local guide, and starts with a trip to the intriguing town of Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. Your larger luggage will stay at your hotel in the Sacred Valley, as only overnight bags or back packs are allowed on the train. You'll meet back up with your luggage after your return from Machu Picchu. The natural beauty of the surroundings makes the train the best way to start your visit. When you arrive, you will start the ascent to the ruins by bus, which will be without a doubt, one of your most unforgettable experiences. At Machu Picchu enjoy a guided tour where you will view one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World and take some impressive photos. Then it's back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch in Cafe Inkaterra. After this exhilarating trip, you can relax at your hotel, or soak in one of the warm medicinal pools before enjoying Peruvian specialties at your dinner this evening.
Centrally Located Hotel In Aguas Calientes, ( B,L )
Day 6 Machu Picchu, Cuzco
Enjoy the buffet breakfast and relax as the morning is at your leisure. For the adventurous, there is an optional morning visit to the archeological complex on your own. The second entrance to Machu Picchu includes round trip bus ride; however does not include guide nor lunch. You can verify the schedule of your entrance with a maximum 4 hours in the citadel. In the afternoon, you'll board the train back to Ollanta, and transfer to Cuzco - stopping at your original Sacred Valley hotel to collect the rest of your luggage. After checking in to your hotel, you'll be treated to a luxurious cheese & wine tasting at Baco, a restaurant located in the downtown area. You'll have the opportunity to sample some of the best national and international wines, as well as trying some exquisite varieties of cheeses. With its rustic wood and iron decorations, as well as its colorful paintings, Baco creates a relaxed and welcoming environment. Afterwards, there is still time to explore the nearby sites before dinner on your own this evening.
Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, ( B )
Day 7 Cuzco
After breakfast, meet your guide for a walking tour of Cuzco, and learn about the coexistence of the Andean and Spanish cultures. We'll begin at the Koricancha; an ancient, sacred space that the Incas dedicated to the worship of the sun and the moon. And over which the order of the Dominican friars built the Santo Domingo Temple. Then, a visit to the Main Square, located across the imposing Cathedral and the magnificent Jesuit Church. We'll view additional historic colonial buildings, which together compose some of the most beautiful and captivating scenery in Peru. After working up an appetite, our next stop takes us to the restaurant at the Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art (MAP). Located in the beautiful courtyard of a colonial mansion, we'll experience a lesson of the best examples of Andean cuisine. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious lunch in a sophisticated, yet relaxed atmosphere. But save room for dessert, as there is an optional chocolate making class. Peru is a producer of many of the fine cacao varieties in the world. Learn all the steps to make chocolate, from harvesting of the cacao in a plantation, to the production of a chocolate bar. You will roast the cacao beans, peel them and grind them to produce a paste. This cacao paste was used to prepare the first known cacao drink, the traditional hot chocolate. In addition, you will be able to take your own chocolate home! Dinner will be on your own this evening.
Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, ( B,L )
Day 8 Cuzco
After breakfast, meet your driver for your transfer to Cuzco Airport, and onward to your next Avanti Destination!
Centrally Located Hotel In Cuzco, (B)
CUZCO: Pottery workshop by Totemiq - 3 hours
Let your imagination soar in two magnificent workshops offered by Totemiq, an artistic and cultural development project where Cusco traditions are rescued and given new life in artistic sessions. In the first activity, Cusco Colonial Glazed Ceramics, learn how to make a horse or bull of Pucara, a traditional Cusco figure, and apply fine finishes with a layer of enamel, giving it a glazed effect. In the second, the Colonial Gold Leaf application, enjoy painting with the characteristic colours of the mountain range and then finish decorating your work with gold leaf, a traditional technique that Art Trail has recovered and applied to contemporary crafts. Both workshops are taught by renowned Cusco artists. By the end of the sessions, you’ll have two personalised works that will be delivered to your hotel the following day. After the workshops, return to your hotel.
Tour duration: 3 hours
Tour can operate: Morning / afternoon
Wheelchair accessible: No
Physical activity level: Moderate
Included: Private guide and transportation, materials and souvenir
Not included: Tips for guide and driver.
SACRED VALLEY: Hat making lessons at Maras community - 1 hour
Mrs. Grandonia and Mrs. Álvarez, the renowned hatters of Maras, run an attractive crafts shop that produces top hats. They want to share their art with the travelers who visit their town. Dare to learn this ancient Andean activity.
Tour duration: 1 hour
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair accessible: No
Physical activity level: Moderate
Included: Private guide and transportation, participatory classes
Not included: Tips for guide and driver.
LIMA: Lima´s boardwalks and gastronomic experience - 4 hours
Start with a scenic tour of the boardwalk, crossing the bohemian district of Barranco and the modern district of Miraflores, passing by Love Park where you can admire an imposing view of the Pacific Ocean. After the tour, arrive at a thematic restaurant and participate in a cocktail demonstration class, learning how to prepare the famous pisco sour. Then, enjoy a demonstration cooking class, learning how to make a delicious, typical Peruvian dish. After both classes, enjoy a tasty lunch overlooking the sea. At the end of your tour, transfer back to your hotel.
Tour duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair accessible: No
Physical activity level: Moderate
Included: Private guide and transportation, gastronomic experience
Not included: Tips for guide and driver.
LIMA: Participative cocktail class offered by Hotel B - 1.5 hours
Learn to prepare some of the most representative cocktails of Peru in a participatory class at the elegant Hotel B. The class is carried out by an experienced bartender who explains the history of the drinks and the elements used for each one. Each cocktail will be accompanied by a tasty pairing. Take advantage of this experience to learn about local cocktails in this luxurious hotel, located in a mansion of the early twentieth century.
Tour duration: 1 hour 30
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair accessible: No
Physical activity level: Moderate
Included: Private guide and transportation, seasonal cocktail accompanied by a pairing
Not included: Tips for guide and driver.
Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)
Lima is a big and modern city, it has been in continuous occupation for almost 2,000 years. Scholars have found more than 30 archaeological sites at different locations within the city limits. “HUACAS” are pyramidal constructions with superimposed platforms ending on a flat top, they were used for religious and administrative purposes by prehispanic civilizations along the Peruvian coast.
Our specialized Guide and his assistant will pick you up at the hotel with the bikes and the necessary equipment for the activity. After the briefing you will ride along one of the principal avenues of Lima towards the heart of Miraflores while enjoying the architecture and everyday life of the city folks. The first stop is at Huaca Pucllana, built 1,300 years ago, this visit is a great introduction to the history of Lima, traditions, cuisine and economic activities of ancient inhabitants. Then, we continue to the commercial and financial district, San Isidro, to visit Huaca Huallamarca, which has been through a magnificent restoration by the City Hall, you´ll appreciate the contrast between history and modern life. Finally, we return to the hotel completing a 12 km circuit on the bike. This activity is offered for mornings and afternoons. It lasts for 4 hours. The advantage of being at sea level and our moderate weather is that we can provide it all year round. We include a vehicle as support in case someone in the group decides to stop biking during the tour.
Highlights:
Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)
Highlights:
The south limits of Lima house two important sanctuaries for the visitor: Villa Wetlands, a natural reserve holding a great variety of flora and fauna, its bodies of water attract a good array of biodiversity, they have identified more than 200 species of resident and migratory birds. And Pachacamac, historical sanctuary and important ceremonial center of the central coast in Perú, it was occupied by 4 consecutive civilizations before the arrival of the Spanish.
Our specialized guide and the vehicle will pick you up at the hotel. It´s necessary to reach Villa Wetlands early in the morning to enjoy the ecosystem. You walk for 2 km. around a lagoon facing the ocean with good opportunities for pictures and a clear understanding of the migratory patterns. The next stop is Pachacamac, the highlights of this massive archaeological site are visited. You will also enter the Site Museum displaying important pieces found during excavations, one of them is the wooden idol of Pachacamac, the most important prehispanic god in this area, carved in local wood more than a thousand years ago.
Return to the hotel is after noon, the activity takes almost 6 hours and you walk almost 5 km during the visits.
Tour Duration: 6 hours
Tour can operate: daily (excepts Monday)
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)
WHAT YOU'LL VISIT
Depart the pier to Lima's main square where the Spanish conqueror, Francisco Pizarro, founded the "City of Kings" in 1535. The Government Palace, Lima City Hall, Archbishop's Palace, and the Lima Cathedral surround the square.
Lima was founded to be the capital and most important town of the Spanish domain in South America until the 18th century. The Historical Center represents the model of architecture and urban planning of Spanish colonial cities with high political, economic and cultural importance, as devised by Charles V in 1542.
Our expert Guide will take you to the colonial section of Lima, you will walk among historical monuments, religious and political buildings located within the perimeter declared Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1988. This learning experience will allow you to appreciate typical examples of Hispanic American baroque style as well as some other different styles like Art Nouveau.
Besides the stops for great pictures of Limenian architecture, you will have the opportunity to visit Casa de Aliaga, a mansion still inhabited by the same family since the foundation of the city, an extraordinary experience that will take you back in time. To finish the experience, we will visit the Dominican Convent, which was the first catholic order to arrive in Perú with Francisco Pizarro and they have a lot of history, traditions, and sainthood to impress our travelers.
Highlights:
The Amano Textile Museum (4 hours)
WHAT YOU'LL VISIT
This excursion brings us to the Amano Textile Museum, renowned globally for its extensive collection of archaeological artifacts from pre-Columbian Peruvian civilizations, as well as the significant efforts of Mr. Yoshitaro Amano in safeguarding the world's global textile heritage. The museum's inception followed Mr. Amano's decision to settle in Peru, leveraging his success as a Japanese entrepreneur.
During his journeys across Peru, Mr. Amano encountered relics abandoned by grave robbers. Recognizing their cultural importance, he dedicated a substantial portion of his time to recovering and preserving these artifacts scattered throughout Peru's coastal deserts. These treasures were then exhibited in his residence in Miraflores.
The Amano family remains deeply committed to advancing conservation and research initiatives centered on Peru's textile legacy, in accordance with the vision of the museum's founder, while also paying homage to his memory.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate level of activity (easy walking for short distances/stairs)
DURATION: 4 Hours
(Suggested) Departure Time(s) 10:30 and/or 14:30
Note: Filming and photography are not permitted in the Amano Textile Museum, we suggest leaving your cameras in the bus.
WHAT YOU'LL VISIT
This excursion brings Larco Museum, founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926, to showcase ancient Peruvian history through its extensive collection of artifacts spanning 5000 years. Housed in an 18th-century viceroyalty mansion built atop a pre-Columbian pyramid, the museum is renowned for its erotic pottery, accessible archives, and beautiful gardens. Andres Alvarez Calderon, actual owner of the collection, emphasizes the importance of museums in preserving humanity's heritage and engaging the public through immersive experiences.
Since it was established in 1926, the Museo Larco has been acknowledged as a pioneer in terms of public access to its collections. It was one of the first museums in the world to open its storerooms to the public, and to provide online access to its entire collection, encouraging in this way the multidisciplinary research first promoted by its founder.
Larco Museum in focused on storytelling, allowing visitors to connect with Peru's ancient civilizations and their profound relationship with nature and the cosmos.
After this stop reboard the motor-coach to return to the pier.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE ALONG THE WAY
Museo Larco´s collections
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate level of activity (easy walking for short distances)
DURATION: 4 Hours
(Suggested) Departure Time(s) 09:00 and/or 14:00
Flash photography is not permitted in the Museum.
Includes:
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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