The Culinary Traditions of Lima and Cusco

Urban Kitchen cooking lesson

Immerse your senses in an exquisite culinary experience through collaborative cooking. Here, you will learn to cook different Peruvian dishes in a social and fun environment, with the aid of an experienced chef.

This experience begins with a visit to a local market where you will help the chef buy the ingredients for the lesson. As you make either traditional ceviche, or lomo saltado, you will get to know the history behind the ingredients and dishes which now make Peru one of the top culinary destinations in the world. Finally, you will get to eat what you cooked.

Half-day Lima City tour & Larco Museum (private)

On this day, enjoy a half-day guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in the “City of Kings”. In the Historical Center, see Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral, either the Religious Art Museum or the Santo Domingo Convent, and San Francisco Monastery, with its famous underground crypts.

The tour continues through the residential Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, visiting the Central Park of Miraflores and El Parque del Amor (Love Park). You’ll also stop by the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site, which dates to the II Century AC and was considered by the Incas as a Sacred Town.

Our last stop is the Larco Museum, where you’ll get to admire one of the best collections of pre-Columbian art in the country

At the end of the tour, you’ll be transferred to your hotel.

Optional Additional Activity: Dinner at Astrid & Gaston

To keep experiencing the wonders of Peruvian gastronomy, enjoy a Dinner Tasting Menu at Astrid & Gaston. Make the most out of this tour by trying different dishes at this delightful local restaurant. This activity includes roundtrip transfer with our representatives.

Overnight in Lima.

Transfer Hotel / Lima International Airport (private)

Our representative will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to the Lima International Airport to board your next flight. Once you arrive in Cusco, you will be transferred to your hotel to begin your tour of the Sacred Valley.

Pisac Ruins en route (private)

On the way to the Sacred Valley, we’ll visit the town of Pisac, famous for its ruins lying on top of a hill at the entrance to the valley, which are separated along the ridge into four groups: P’isaqa, Inti Watana, Q’allaqasa, and Kinchiraqay.  You’ll will visit the Inti Watana group, which includes the Temple of the Sun, baths, altars, water fountains, a ceremonial platform, and an inti watana —a volcanic ritual stone used as an astronomic clock, or Inca calendar, to determine the seasonal changes.

Overnight in Sacred Valley.

Ollantaytambo Fortress and Pablo Seminario’s Ceramic Workshop (private)

Today, you will visit the Ollantaytambo Fortress and Citadel. This fantastic site was constructed with the purpose of guarding the valley and preventing invasions from other tribes. Here, you’ll get to learn about some of the most important aspects of the Inca Empire’s history and culture.

Our next stop is the Pablo Seminario’s Ceramic Workshop, where you can observe the ceramics process and perhaps meet artist Pablo Seminario, as this is his year-round studio.

Set menu lunch at El Huacatay Restaurant

Enjoy a delicious meal at this small restaurant in Urubamba, where the atmosphere and aesthetics are part of the charm. With one of the most creative cuisines in the region, every dish you’ll try here is a unique experience.

After lunch, we will return to the hotel. Spend the afternoon at leisure enjoying activities on your own.

Optional Additional Activities 

Andean Horse Back Riding

Enjoy a unique horseback ride experience, visiting villages and agriculture crops in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This is a perfect opportunity to engage in an outdoor activity, while admiring and learning more about the Sacred Valley. Includes transportation transfers.

Biking in the Sacred Valley

For those who love sports, another way to experience the Sacred Valley is by bike. Engage with the valley by going off the road, across agricultural fields, Andean terraces, and villages. This activity includes transportation transfers.

Overnight in Sacred Valley.

Half-day kayaking adventure in Piuray Lake with deluxe picnic lunch (private)

We will start this day with a transfer into the Piuray Outdoor Center, where we will welcome you with a station of hot drinks, water, and snacks. This is an ideal moment to relax, admire the landscape and take photos.

Next, you’ll engage in a new and exciting way of exploring the Sacred Valley that combines kayaking and spectacular scenery. An assigned guide will provide you with all the equipment to kayak, a safety briefing, and paddling lesson, if needed. To close, we will do an optional breathing session and immersion in ice water.

Deluxe Picnic Lunch (Private)

After kayaking, you will experience a different kind of lunch, surrounded by peaceful and beautiful landscapes, that range from mirror-like lakes to magnificent mountains. As you enjoy a traditional Andean picnic sipping wine, you’ll admire the stunning views the Andes offer.

Transfer hotel in Urubamba / Ollantaytambo Train Station (private)

To end the day, we will transfer you to the Ollantaytambo Train Station to board your train to Machu Picchu Town (Aguas calientes).

Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Full-day excursion to Machu Picchu (private)

On this morning, you’ll hop aboard a bus that will take you on a 20-minute ride to Machu Picchu (3,400masl/11,15ft), or Lost City of the Incas. Here, we take a guided tour of the Citadel, probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire, with its giant walls, terraces, and ramps, which appear as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.

Lunch a la Carte at Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel.

In the afternoon, we return to Ollantaytambo by train. Upon arrival at the train station, you will be met by our representatives and driver for the transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.

Andean Flavors (private)

Today is the perfect experience for avid foodies. We start with a guided tour of the Santo Domingo church, built on the foundations of the Inca temple Koricancha, dedicated to worship the Sun God.

We continue with a walk to the San Pedro Market, a popular place for locals to eat a hot meal or drink fresh juice. They offer almost all the regional products, ranging from fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats to hand-woven clothes and crafts.

Next, you’ll stroll through beautiful cobblestone streets to reach either the Chocolate Museum or the Museo del Café (Coffee Museum). Here, you’ll do some tasting of either cacao or coffee and learn more about the origins of these products. This is the perfect opportunity to get souvenirs or some delicious snacks for the rest of your journey.

This visit is followed by a walk around the city’s most important historical monuments, including the Main Square, where you’ll admire the finest examples of Inca history and architecture.

Our next stop is the San Blas District, with its winding streets and whitewashed houses with blue balconies. This bohemian neighborhood is full of artisan workshops, where we can find everything from ceramics and sculptures to textiles and, if we’re lucky, even find the artists themselves working on new creations.

We finish the tour with a lunch at Pachapapa Restaurant, offering traditional dishes from Cusco and Peruvian cuisine that has been passed down from generation to generation. The restaurant’s aesthetic pays homage to the region’s customs, art, and local handicrafts.

After the tour, we return to the hotel.

Dinner a la carte at Cicciolina restaurant

At night, enjoy a delightful dinner at Cicciolina restaurant. Our representative will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you there and back.

Transfer Hotel / Cusco Airport (private)

Our representative will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to Cusco Airport to board your flight back home. They will assist you with check-in procedures and all departure formalities.

Farewell!