Flavors of Peru

Trip Highlights

Peru, a land full of contrasts, tastes and colors, merits a journey of its own. Possessing an incredibly varied natural biodiversity coupled with its rich history and ethnic make-up, Peru is unquestionably a culinary powerhouse. Your palette will begin in South America’s gastronomic capital, Lima, which is home to three restaurants on the World’s Best 50 Restaurants List. You will learn about Lima’s food markets as you explore them with your private chef and tour the historical highlights of this vibrant city, before enjoying dinner at Central Restaurante, currently ranked as no.6 in the world. 

Save your appetite as you head to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, offering incredible scenery and historical sites for discovering Inca ruins, while learning about century-old traditional cooking methods and meeting local farmers. Save the best for last as you visit the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, arguably the most majestic archaeological site of Latin America.

Hotels and lodges described in the itinerary are recommended by Craft Travel but there are numerous options in each destination and we will customize your itinerary based upon your preferences. With your feedback, we will similarly customize suggested activities, time spent in each location and trip extensions to additional destinations of interest nearby.

Detailed Itinerary

Arrive at Lima International Airport where one of our representatives will be waiting to greet you and provide you with your customized welcome pack with a booklet of your trip itinerary and useful information, before transferring you to your hotel. You will be assisted with check-in procedures.

Depending on your arrival time, we recommend dining at one of Lima’s top restaurants. Lima is home to four of the World’s Top 50 Restaurants (2018-2019) and Peru proudly claims to be the ultimate culinary destination in South America. Ask your Travel Designer for one of our favorite restaurants and we’d be happy to make a reservation on your behalf.

Overnight at Hotel B (no meals)

This morning learn about Peru's world-famous food through a hands-on culinary experience with a professional and star chef. Scour local markets before cooking together at her family home in bohemian Barranco. Our selected chef will introduce you to all things Peruvian cuisine and tailor the experience to your interests - from being more hands-on to a more informative demonstration.

Alternatively, visit a local market and take a cooking class at Urban Kitchen (supplement applies) in a professional kitchen workshop led by a Peruvian professional chef, who has worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant and under the famed Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio.

In the evening enjoy the five-course Chef's Table dining experience with acclaimed Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino at his leading restaurant Malabar. Known for championing Amazonian ingredients, Pedro is charismatic character who will prepare a gourmet meal in front of you.

Overnight at Hotel B (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

In Lima, not only do the origins of the city pre-date the Spanish foundation of the city by several millennia, but its museums are full of the artistic treasures of magnificent pre-Columbian civilizations. Begin to unravel this multifaceted history accompanied by our specialist guide with a professional background in history, architecture or art. Visit an ancient adobe pyramid right in the middle of the city which dates back to around 200 BC, take in the colonial area of Lima including the Cathedral, Convent of Santo Domingo, the Main Square and Casa Aliaga, reportedly the oldest home on the Continent - and still family-owned after 17 generations.

In the afternoon explore Lima's local food scene with a 'friend in the city', as opposed to tour guide, on our authentic sampling food tour. You will visit popular local eating spots to sample Peruvian classics and criollo dishes.

In the evening dine at Central Restaurant. frequently recognized in the top five on the World's Top 50 Restaurants List. Central delivers ambitious and worldly fusion from chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz, who has crafted a series of modern, molecular dishes using ingredients native to Peru.

Overnight at Hotel B (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

You will be transferred to Lima’s International Airport for your flight to Cusco, where you will be met on arrival to drive to the Sacred Valley. Visit Pisac's market and ruins. The Inca masonry here is of superlative quality, matched by views of the stunning mountain terraces.

Drive to Hacienda Sarapampa, known for producing giant corn which is endemic to the valley. Greeted by the owners, they will take you on a private tour of the working farm and cornfields, showcasing the different stages and processes in cultivating corn. You will then enjoy a private seven-course lunch in the gardens and treated to a traditional Peruvian Paso Horse demonstrarion.

Overnight at Sol y Luna (Breakfast & Lunch)

This morning we will visit Maras salt pans, which have been in use since pre-Columbian times. Nearby Maras lie the enigmatic Inca terraces of Moray. Likely used for agricultural experimentation, Moray consists of several enormous circular terraces. Afterward, we will head to an organic farm to try a traditional Pachamanca lunch, cooked under the earth. Located in the midst of Inca terracing, the farm affords impressive views towards the snow-capped peaks of mount Veronica and Ollantaytambo ruins. Round off your day at Cerveceria del Valle, a family-owned craft brewery producing Andean-inspired ales and lagers. One of the founders will guide you around the brewery before you sample a selection of beers on tap, made using high quality ingredients and glacial spring water from over 13,000 ft. above sea level.

Overnight at Sol y Luna (Breakfast & Lunch)

In the morning, you will visit Ollantaytambo town and its ruins, which is an ancient Inca temple and fortress. It was here that one of the greatest battles of the Conquest was fought and one of the few where the Incas defeated the Spaniards. From here, we will board the Vistadome train, featuring spectacular panoramic windows with incredible scenic views (journey approx 1.5hrs) to Aguas Calientes, where you will board a bus to reach the entrance of Machu Picchu. Alternatively you can upgrade to the Hiram Bingham luxury train to Machu Picchu and private charter train services can be arranged as well.

In the afternoon, we will visit the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu, one of the world's most important archaelogical sites. Set among mist-shrouded mountains, this man-made marvel has become a symbol for the ingenuity and prosperity of one of the most expansive empires in Latin American history: The Incas. Your expert guide will explain the history and purpose of this awe-inspiring site. In the evening, you will begin your transfer back by train to the Sacred Valley, followed by your transfer to the hotel in Cusco.

Overnight at El Mercado Cusco (Breakfast)

Since its narrow alleyways were originally designed by the Incas as a city for walking, start your exploration of Cusco on foot. Begin at the Plaza de Armas, the Main Square and visit Koricancha, the “Sun Temple”, the Cathedral - a repository for Cusco’s colonial art - and Sacsayhuaman, an Inca citadel atop a hill, on the outskirts of the city.

In the late afternoon enjoy a sampling food tour to learn about the many influences on Peruvian food that have helped position Peru as one of the world’s top culinary destinations. Then, head to a restaurant to learn to make a Pisco Sour at the bar, followed by a mini-ceviche cooking class.

Overnight at El Mercado Cusco (Breakfast & Dinner)

You will be privately transferred to Cusco’s Airport for your departing flight home via Lima.

(Breakfast)

• 7 nights accommodation (based on double/twin occupancy)

• Daily breakfast

• Meals as specified in the itinerary

• Scheduled guided touring as specified

• All ground transfers between airports and accommodations (internal flights not included)

• All entrance fees as mentioned on tour

• *Not included: gratuities, visas (if applicable), international or internal flights, meals and drinks not described above, items of a personal nature

• In the Andes, the rainy season runs from November to March, and the dry season from April to October. The wettest months tend to be January/February. The heaviest rain tends to be in February, which is when the Inca Trail is closed annually for maintenance. If you’re travelling in the rainy season, you still have a chance of seeing blue skies at Machu Picchu – and we recommend visiting the site twice on two consecutive days to increase your chance of good weather. This time of year also brings its benefits – it’s orchid season, with the hundreds of beautiful varieties endemic to the area flowering from October/November, right through till March. The site also takes on a mystical appearance when the clouds roll in! The busiest period at Machu Picchu, based on visitor arrival numbers, is between June and August. This coincides with the most favorable, dry weather conditions. If you’re happy to risk the possibility of a bit of rain, you can be rewarded by fewer visitors at other times of the year, and visit during the shoulder months, such as in May and October.

• To continue your culinary experience, venture to the deserts in the south, home to Peru’s national drink, Pisco. Discover the traditional methods for crafting this drink and enjoy a private flight over the famous Nazca Lines. 

• For travelers concerned about altitude, Sol y Luna is the perfect base for exploring the region as the lower elevation of the Sacred Valley makes it the ideal place for acclimatizing.

• For those that would like to spend a night in Machu Picchu in order to do a morning visit to the ruins, or a hike to Huayna Picchu, an additional night at the tail end of the trip can be added in Machu Picchu, followed by your transfer to Cusco’s airport for your departing flight home.