Journey to the Center of the Inca Empire

Day 1: Arrival in Lima

Welcome to Peru
Upon arrival in Lima, you will be escorted to the Costa Ramada el Sol Hotel in the Lima airport by your Kuoda host. Most international flights arrive late in the evening and your morning flight to Cusco will leave early, so we recommend a good night´s sleep.

Day 2: Lima to the Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley / Inca Ruins at Sacsayhuaman / Living Museum of Awanakancha
Your Lima host will take you from the hotel lobby to the airport for your direct flight to Cusco, a spectacular 45 minutes that will take you over the glaciated peaks of the Cordillera Vilacabamba and Vilcanota and the quilt of Andean fields, tiny hamlets and red-tiled roofs that make up the Sacred Valley.

Your Cusco host will take you to the archeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, perched just above Cusco, where you can wonder at how Inca engineers so perfectly fitted the huge stones that make up the complex walls.
The final stop of the day takes you to the Living Museum of Awanakancha where you will see Incan agricultural terraces, interact with traditional weavers and feed South American camelids, including the Vicuña, Guanaco, Llama, and Alpaca.

Day 3: Exploring the Sacred Valley

Pisac Archaeological Complex and Market
Day three takes you to the colonial town of Pisac and the Inca ruins that sit on a mountain spur 1900 feet above the town. You will first stroll through the ruins, taking in the tremendous views of the agricultural terracing that wraps around the mountain and the valley below. Note the Inca crosses representing the three levels of existence and the sun temple.

Afterward, there will be ample time to explore the town with its small adobe homes and peruse the lively market for handmade textiles, ceramics, jewelry and crafts.

You will enjoy lunch at the Tres Keros Restaurant – one of the best gourmet experiences in the Sacred Valley – and will then return to your hotel.

Day 4: Machu Picchu

Train Journey to Aguas Calientes / Private Visit to Machu Picchu
After breakfast, your guide will accompany you for the early-morning train to Aguas Calientes and will then take you on a private guided tour of the incredible ruins at Machu Picchu. Enjoy the complicated history of the site, note its exceptionally fine stonework and take in the awe-inspiring scenery.

After a complete overview of the site, you will lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge and will then be able to explore the site alone or with your guide for the remainder of the day.

Day 5: Machu Picchu

Free day to explore on your own.
A day of leisure to enjoy Machu Picchu on your own. For the energetic, there are numerous short hikes to be done in and around Machu Picchu, the most popular being the climb up Huayna Picchu.

Day 6: Machu Picchu to the Sacred Valley

Moray Agricultural Terraces / Maras Salt Mines / Visit to a Local Community
After taking the Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo, your personal guide and driver will start your day with a visit to Moray – Inca ruins shaped like an amphitheater that may have been an experimental agricultural station. You will continue to Maras, a small town renowned for its colonial doorways; finally, you will descend an ancient path to salt mines that have been in continuous use since pre-Incan times. They are truly unique.

You will lunch at Casa de Barro and will then visit a small village nestled among Andean peaks at the edge of Lake Piuray, where the inhabitants continue to live much as they did one hundred years ago. The women of this village practice traditional, Incan weaving techniques – some of the oldest in the Americas – and the more than 50 unique designs produced here have spread throughout the region. This visit is far off the beaten path and gives you the opportunity to experience the hospitality of Peru´s Andean people.

Day 7: Cusco

Private Walking Tour of Cusco
On day seven, you will take a private walking tour of one of Peru´s most attractive, fascinating cities: Cusco.
Your guide will illuminate past and present, from the Inca walls and sun temple to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum to the ancient churches and cathedrals to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas to the bustling modern market in San Pedro.

The afternoon will be free so you can explore Cusco on your own.

Day 8: Cusco to Lima and Home

Return Home
Today you will be transferred to the airport to board your direct flight from Cusco to Lima. You will be met at the Lima airport and transferred to Miraflores, the principal shopping district of Lima. You will have a car at your disposal in case you would like to explore more of Peru's capital.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred back to Jorge Chavez Airport for your international flight home.