If The Mountains Could Sing – Best Of Peruvian Folklore

• Experience a signature Peruvian tour with cultural and musical elements provided by the insider access of a local expert guide
• Tour an exclusive studio and get an insider perspective of Peru’s musical culture through a fascinating encounter with renowned musicologist Kike Pinto
• Marvel at the folklore sounds of a traditional music ensemble from Cusco as you trek the mystical path of Pumamarca
• Savor a one-of-a-kind lunch in Cusco’s only Relaix & Cheateau property: Inkaterra La Casona
• Witness the variety of colorful dances Peru has to offer at the Center of Native Arts of Cusco
• Experience the hidden secrets of Machu Picchu on two separate days to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime journey

Day 1: Arrival in Lima – Welcome to Peru!
Day 2: Discover Lima, the “City of Kings” – Musical Presentation, Historic Colonial Center
Day 3: Lima to Cusco/Sacred Valley – Awanakancha Living Museum/Pisac Market
Day 4: Trek the Sacred Valley – Hike Ancient trail accompanied by a traditional Andean musical ensemble
Day 5: The Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu – Discover the Hidden Secrets of Machu Picchu with your expert guide
Day 6: Machu Picchu on Your Own Terms – Private Tour of Machu Picchu / Climb to Huayna Picchu
Day 7: Salt Mines and Moray, Ancient Laboratory – A friendly visit to our community friends
Day 8: The Ancient Incan Capital of Cusco – Explore the hidden gems of Cusco and visit the Center of Native Arts of Cusco for a lively show
Day 9: Cusco to Lima to Home – Take a one-of-a-kind tour through hip Miraflores and bohemian Barranco, catch your last fine meal before your international flight home. Buen viaje!

DAY 1: Arrival in Lima

Welcome to Peru!

You will find us waiting for you when your international flight arrives in Lima. Look for the Kuoda sign with your name and the smile. We will escort you to your hotel in Miraflores, check you in, and help you get settled. You’ll then be able to rinse away the feeling of a long flight and enjoy a good night’s rest!

DAY 2: Discover Lima, the “City of Kings”

Musical Presentation, Historic Colonial Center

At the appropriate time this morning, we’ll collect you and bring you to the heart of Peru’s “City of Kings,” where you’ll visit the Plaza Mayor, featuring the current President’s palace, the Convent of San Francisco (including subterranean catacombs!) and the Casa Aliaga, which is the western hemisphere’s oldest mansion and still owned and inhabited by the 17th generation of the Aliaga family.

Next, we will make our way to the Pueblo Libre neighborhood, home to the Larco Herrera Museum. Housing the country’s largest collection of pre-Columbian artifacts (including extensive gold and silver collections, as well as the infamous erotic archaeological collection) and providing rare open access to their exquisitely catalogued storage area, this museum is the perfect introduction to Peru’s multi-faceted cultural history. Here, you’ll begin your visit with a delicious lunch enjoyed on the vine-covered terrace of the Museum’s café, and then you’ll have time to explore the exhibits.

Finally, after some time in Larco Herrera, you will meet Kike Pinto Cárdenas, a renowned musicologist from Peru, who will transport you to Pre-Colombian Peru through music and his varied collection ancient instruments. Many instruments in his collection are original pieces and others
are carefully constructed replicas that he has fashioned himself. After about a forty minute fluid demonstration of how each instrument is played, you will be able to ask any question you would like about these fascinating remnants of authentic Peruvian music.

DAY 3: Lima to Cusco/Sacred Valley

Awanakancha Living Museum/Pisac Market

You will wake up refreshed and enjoy a complimentary breakfast in your hotel before we 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! We will be waiting for you when touch down at our. Andean airport and will bring you to the historic city center of Cusco for a delicious lunch. Then, before you can feel the altitude, we’ll whisk you into the Sacred Valley.

Just 45 minutes outside of Cusco, true Peruvian countryside will stretch away on either side of you, cows and sheep grazing tranquilly road-side. Impossibly steep peaks rise in the distance. Your journey will take you first to the Awanakancha Living Museum, where you will see traditional weavers at work and come face to face with llamas, alpacas and other Andean camelids. Next, you’ll stop at the vibrant market in the pueblo of Pisac, where locals come from miles around to sell their wares. Upon conclusion of your market visit we’ll bring you to your hotel in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

Remember, your Kuoda guide and driver are at your disposal today – please feel free to stop for photos, stretch your legs and breathe in the clear mountain air!

DAY 4: Trek the Sacred Valley

Hike Ancient trail accompanied by a traditional Andean musical ensemble

Today, you will experience the breathtaking setting of the off-the-beaten-path Patacancha Valley. We will take you through the town of Ollantaytambo, up along the Patakancha Valley. You will leave your driver at the seldom-visited Pumamarca ruins, which was a community religious center for the Incas.

After visiting the ruins, hike down the valley with your guide to return to Ollantaytambo. In your descent, you will be met by Cusqueñan musicians waiting to accompany you with a soothing traditional soundtrack of both ethereal Quena flute and interlacing string melodies. Andean music can be explained by many sub-genres, each one with its own social function. Often for ceremonial treks, in communion with the mountain valleys, musicians and dancers will accompany pilgrims to their final destination. In this way, you will be able to enter into an authentic sensory ritual.

Upon arrival to Ollantaytambo, if you’re feeling up for an extended tour, your guide will bring you to the impressive Incan Fortress perched on the hillside. Here, you will stand in the footsteps of the last great Incan emperor when he conducted a pivotal battle during the Spanish Conquest. You will also learn about Incan archaeology and city planning, as Ollantaytambo is one of the few remaining towns that maintain their original Inca layout – cobblestone streets, trapezoidal doorways, and water canals.

Upon conclusion of your tour and hike, you will return to your hotel to spend a relaxing evening.

DAY 5: The Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu

Discover the Hidden Secrets of Machu Picchu with your expert guide

Prepare for a climactic day! In the morning, we will board the train in Ollantaytambo for our journey to Machu Picchu. Watch the cloud jungle pass by through the large glass windows! Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes, we’ll take a bus ride to the gates of this wonder of the world and tuck in an early lunch in order to refuel before entering Peru’s lost citadel.

After lunch, you will pass through the main gates with your private guide to finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu. The incredible Inca stone construction will be spread below, alternately hidden and revealed by clouds. Your expert guide will give you a private tour of the ancient city.

Upon conclusion of your tour, return for an evening in Aguas Calientes. Enjoy an excellent dinner on-site at your hotel and fall into bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the cloud forest around you.

DAY 6: Machu Picchu on Your Own Terms

Private Tour of Machu Picchu / Climb to Huayna Picchu

At the appropriate time this morning, board the bus with your guide and return to the front gates of Machu Picchu.

We have secured hiking permits for you to scale the iconic sugarloaf peak in the background of the classic Machu Picchu postcard photo – Huayna Picchu! Delight in an alternate perspective of Machu Picchu from the top of what is certainly a true feat of engineering.

Descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch and your return train to Ollantaytambo. We will be waiting in the station for you and will bring you to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

DAY 7: Salt Mines and Moray, Ancient Laboratory

A friendly visit to our community friends

Today you will weave through the Sacred Valley’s most fertile agricultural lands and experience an unforgettable blend of the past, present, and future.

Your first stop of the day will be revisiting centuries past at the ancient Inca ruins at Moray. Some experts still believe these concentric circles served as an agricultural laboratory, though nobody has yet been able to confirm their true purpose. Form your own hypothesis as you peer deep into these beautiful feats of engineering and stonemasonry. We will then transport ourselves to the present and continue through the small town of Maras before arriving at iconic salt pans carved into the mountainside. In use to this day, each of thousands of flat white pools terracing the hillside has been passed down through generations since pre-Incan times, providing sustenance and income. The intricate network of waterways and white evaporation pools seem like a work of modern art. We will then pause for a locally-prepared lunch enjoyed with panoramic views.

After lunch, we will take you to visit our friends in a small village and glimpse the promising future that awaits the rural Sacred Valley. Surrounded by towering mountains and hugging the shore of the breathtakingly blue Lake Piuray, agriculture dominates life in this close-knit place. The women of the village are weaving masters that use Incan techniques, materials, and patterns, and have formed a weaving association providing community development through sales and teachings. You will also meet some of the local children who attend Kuoda’s after-school program, which provides a much needed haven of extra school supplies, homework help, and perhaps most importantly, encouragement to stay in school. The kids love to show off their drawings and computer skills!

This town is far off the beaten-track, so you won’t see other travellers here. You will get to meet some of the friendliest people in Peru and witness how a more traditional way of life is adapting to the passage of time. Finally, after experiencing first-hand the past, present, and future of the Sacred Valley, we will bring you to your hotel for the evening in Cusco.

DAY 8: The Ancient Incan Capital of Cusco

Explore the hidden gems of Cusco and visit the Center of Native Arts of Cusco for a lively show

This morning you will experience the lay of the land as only true world travelers know how: traversing hidden alleyways, historic plazas, and local treasures. After breakfast on your own, your private guide will proceed to illuminate Cusco’s rich tapestry woven by its inviting cobblestone streets, charming neighborhoods, and astounding landmarks.

Your first stop of the day will be to the Santo Domingo monastery, perched atop the most sacred of Incan sites, the Qoricancha temple of the sun. Once bathed in 24-karat gold long-since pilfered by Spanish conquistadors, this temple is now an astounding blend of Incan stonemasonry and colonial architecture. From there you’ll stop in at the colonial Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, then climb up to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, known for its whitewashed adobe buildings and quaint blue balconies, home to generations of renowned Cusco artisans. Top off your tour with a visit to a local indigenous market brimming with a rainbow of local fruits and traditional remedies, and make sure to pause to marvel at the incomparable Incan foundations supporting each building in the area, in particular at the 12-angled stone nestled in a wall that has withstood the test of time (as well as a couple of earth-shattering earthquakes!).

Finally you will visit the museum of Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo. Founded in 1924 during Peru’s formidable Indigenism, this museum champions the countless local dances featured in regional festivals and celebrations.

Upon conclusion of your tour your guide will leave you with suggestions as to where you find a delicious, local lunch, and you’ll have the remainder of the afternoon to explore the Imperial City at your leisure!

DAY 9: Cusco to Lima to Home

Take a one-of-a-kind tour through hip Miraflores and bohemian Barranco, catch your last fine meal before your international flight home. Buen viaje!

At the appropriate time late this morning, we will escort you to the Cusco airport for your return flight to Lima. Watch the windows as the snow-capped peaks of the Andes become coastal desert!

Your Kuoda Lima host will meet you upon arrival and bring you to the bohemian Barranco neighborhood, one of Lima’s up-and-coming artsy areas. You’ll start off on foot and visit such highlights as the Barranco boardwalk and the famous “Puente de los Suspiros”, which has been a meeting point for young lovers for decades and has inspired many famous Peruvian poets and singers. You will visit the renowned MATE museum home to the collections of Peruvian photographer Mario Testino, in addition to the Pedro de Osma art museum. You’ll also wander past local art galleries, window shopping or ducking inside for a better look at their treasures, and visit the picturesque main plaza in Barranco. Be prepared for some delicious snacks and maybe even a taste of locally-brewed Peruvian craft beer!

Upon completion of your tour in Barranco, your private vehicle will bring you to a restaurant of your choosing, where we will have secured reservations for you. Savor the flavors of an award-winning national cuisine and reflect upon your journey over the last nine days discovering the different facets of Peruvian folklore.

At the appropriate time, we will bring you to the airport for your journey home. We will help you check in for your international flight and wish you buen viaje!

• Personalized itinerary planning: Work with a Kuoda Travel Designer to create the trip of your dreams.
• Kuoda 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? Kuoda operates a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week customer service operation and will provide updates and assistance whenever you need it.
• With Kuoda, 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!
• All necessary adventure and trekking equipment will be provided so all you need bring is yourself.
• Receive a customized Kuoda Travel kit upon arrival.