2027 Machu Picchu Incan Adventure

Fly from your hometown to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival and after clearing customs, you will be met in the Arrivals Hall and transferred to the JW Marriott Hotel Lima. Depending on your flight schedule, you may arrive either on August 26 or during the early morning hours of August 27. 

Please note that hotel check-in begins at 3 pm on August 26. As many flights from the U.S. and Canada arrive in Lima late at night or very early in the morning, we have secured your room beginning on August 26 to ensure you may check in immediately upon arrival and rest comfortably after your journey. 

Included Meals: None 

Today will be a day to rest and enjoy Lima independently. This evening, you will go by coach to the city center for dinner at Casa de Aliaga, the oldest colonial mansion in Lima. The house has been owned and lived in by the Aliaga family and their descendants since Francisco Pizarro granted the land to Jeronimo de Aliaga in 1535. Some say the house is as old as Lima itself! You’ll be met with a welcome cocktail and hors d’oeuvres to enjoy as you get a tour of the house before sitting for a three-course dinner. 

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Early this morning, after breakfast at the hotel, you will transfer to the Lima airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will meet your local guides who will assist with your luggage before beginning your journey into the breathtaking Sacred Valley of the Incas and onward to Urubamba. 

You will visit Hacienda Sarapampa, a beautiful working farm that offers a vivid glimpse into Peru’s rich agricultural traditions and the ancient importance of corn cultivation in Andean culture. 

While at Sarapampa, meet renowned master weaver Nilda Callañaupa and artisans from the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales, the non-profit organization she founded to preserve traditional Andean weaving techniques and cultural heritage. Discover the artistry behind Andean textiles, where every thread and pattern tells a story rooted in history, nature, and Inca tradition. Learn about the prized wool fibers of llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas, and watch demonstrations of ancient weaving methods still practiced today using traditional backstrap looms. 

There will also be an opportunity to shop for authentic handmade textiles and crafts, with proceeds directly benefiting the artisans and their communities. Cash is preferred, though Visa and Mastercard are accepted. 

Following the presentation, enjoy a delicious three-course lunch at Hacienda Sarapampa before continuing to the Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, for check-in. This evening, relax and enjoy dinner at the hotel surrounded by the stunning beauty of the Sacred Valley.  

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After breakfast, depart for the Andean village of Chinchero, known to the Incas as the “Birthplace of the Rainbow.” Set high in the Sacred Valley and framed by sweeping mountain views, Chinchero is a beautifully preserved community where Inca heritage and living Andean culture come together. 

Upon arrival, you will visit the archaeological site of Chinchero, once believed to be a royal estate of Inca emperor Túpac Yupanqui, featuring impressive stone terraces, ancient walls, and ceremonial structures with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. Atop the original Inca foundations sits the colonial Church of Our Lady of Monserrat, a striking blend of Inca and Spanish history, followed by time to explore the main plaza and local artisan traditions still practiced today. 

You will then continue to Moray, the Incan Ruins that sit almost 2,000 feet above the Sacred Valley, just outside of the town of Maras. Experts speculate that these ruins were an Incan agricultural experiment station used to cultivate resistant and hearty varieties of plants high in the Andes. The mysterious concentric terraces that remain serve as an agricultural research center for modern scholars. 

Your next stop will be the beautiful Iskay Maras Home which is surrounded by an impressive landscape of high mountains and green fields. Here, you will enjoy a farm to table buffet lunch, which varies according to the season. The ingredients come from a field of cultivation and an organic bio-garden located on the same property as the house to guarantee a unique culinary experience. 

After lunch, you will drive into the town of Maras, where you will visit the Salinas de Maras, the Salt Pans of Maras. Said to have been created by the Incas, these 3,000 pools provide the locals with salt and visitors with stunning views. These evaporation pools are fed by a small local stream and are still harvested by a community of local farmers who bag up the salt and sell it in the local markets. 

You will then return to the hotel for dinner. 

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After breakfast, you will start the day with a visit to the Citadel of Ollantaytambo. During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region, and built the town and a ceremonial center. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru, it served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance. Ollantaytambo was later the scene of Incan resistance in 1536, when Manco Inca’s forces defeated a Spanish expedition, blocking their advance from a set of high terraces and flooding the plain. 

Next you will walk from the Citadel of Ollantaytambo to the Ollanta station to board the Orient Express luxury train “Hiram Bingham.” The journey will take about two and a half hours. You will be able to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the changing landscape as you travel from the Andean highlands to the beginnings of the jungle. A delicious brunch will be served on board the train on the way to Aguas Calientes. 

You will arrive to Aguas Calientes at approximately 12:30 pm. You will board a bus that will take you to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, or lost city of the Incas. You will have a guided tour of the Citadel and walk through the different areas of the city; the agriculture and urban zone, featuring temples and dwellings.  

After exploring, you’ll enjoy an afternoon tea at the Sanctuary Hotel before returning to town. 

Check into your hotel room at the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel and enjoy a delicious dinner before retiring for the evening. 

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This morning, after breakfast, your guides will accompany you to the entrance of the Citadel for those who wish to climb Huayna Picchu. Known in Quechua as the “young mountain,” Huayna Picchu rises dramatically above Machu Picchu and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the ancient site and surrounding Andes. According to local tradition, it was once a sacred area used by high priests and chosen attendants for ceremonial and spiritual purposes, with rituals believed to mark the rising of the sun over the Citadel. 

Participation is optional, though entrance fees are included in your package and climbing times will be assigned closer to departure. Guests who prefer not to hike may relax at the hotel, explore Aguas Calientes, visit the thermal hot springs, or enjoy a spa treatment. Lunch will be served at the Sanctuary Lodge just outside the Citadel gates, followed by a return to Aguas Calientes for leisure time.  

This evening, dinner will be served at the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel.  

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This morning after breakfast, your guides will accompany you to the Citadel for a guided hike to the Sun Gate, known in Quechua as Intipunku. This ancient Inca gateway marks one of the most iconic viewpoints of Machu Picchu, where the Citadel is revealed dramatically against the surrounding Andes. The trail follows a section of the historic Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca road system, winding between mountains and offering increasingly breathtaking perspectives as you approach the gateway. 

In Inca times, Intipunku served as the main ceremonial entrance to Machu Picchu and a control point for those entering the sacred site. Aligned with the movement of the sun, it held deep spiritual significance and was closely tied to important seasonal and ceremonial events.  

Today, reaching the Sun Gate offers a powerful and memorable moment as Machu Picchu comes into view from above. Participation is optional, though entrance fees are included in your package. Lunch will be served at the Sanctuary Lodge outside the Citadel gates. 

After lunch, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes to freshen up before walking to the train station to board the Hiram Bingham train for Cusco. You will have a short time for shopping with local vendors before boarding the train. On board, you will be served a cocktail and be entertained by local musicians. You will then join the main dining car, where you will enjoy a four- course gourmet dinner. 

Greeting you at the Poroy train station in Cusco will be your tour guides, who will assist you to the JW Marriott El Convento Hotel. 

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After breakfast at the hotel, you will travel to Sacsayhuaman, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the emblematic buildings of the Inca Empire built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th century. It is a vast fortress built from huge stones; how they were transported and assembled is still a mystery. It has been calculated by experts that what can be seen today is only twenty percent of the original structure, because when the Spanish arrived, they used its stones for new buildings such as the Cathedral. 

Next you will travel back into the heart of Cusco, Plaza de Armas, to the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, also known as Cusco Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cusco. Construction started in 1560 and was completed in 1654. 

Your last stop in Cusco, before lunch, will be the Coricancha, also known as the “Temple of the Sun” (QuriKancha “golden temple”), built on the command of Inca Pachacútec (1438-1572). When the Spanish arrived, it was used as the base for the convent of Santo Domingo. During the Inca Empire the temple was dedicated to worshipping the sun (“Inti”) and was at times filled with gold. 

You will then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before having the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore Cusco on your own. 

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In the late morning you will be transferred to the Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima. You will be assisted in Lima from the domestic terminal to our hotel for the evening, the Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol, located right at the airport. 

You are free to leave either today after 9 pm or anytime on September 4. 

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For those that opt to fly out today, checkout is at 12 pm. The hotel is located directly across the street from the Lima International Airport. 

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