8-Nights Essential Peru: Lima, the Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu - Most Popular Vacations, Private Guided Experiences from $2,417

Day 1: Arrive in Lima

Transfer: Jorge Chavez Lima International Airportto Lima - Miraflores

Hotel: Aloft Lima Miraflores (4 Star Rating)

Feel the gastronomic, social and cultural pulse of the city at Aloft Lima Miraflores. With rooms overlooking the city, this hotel in Lima, Peru is strategically located near attractions such as the Larcomar Shopping Center and the Miraflores and Barranco boardwalk, where you can admire the best sunsets in Lima. It is surrounded by parks and shops, close to galleries and museums. The hotel has a varied gastronomic proposal, a restaurant bar and a snack shop open 24 hours a day. In addition, it has an on-site fitness centre, a swimming pool, and state-of-the-art event rooms.

Today you will learn about the two characters of Lima: the modern one, reflected in the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro; and the historic one, encapsulated in its historic center declared a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Along the tour through different districts of the city, you will see how the old and the modern coexist in buildings such as the Museum of Italian Art, Palace of Justice, Museum of Lima, Plaza San Martín, among others. With your private guide leading the way, you'll explore the center of Lima on foot, with the Main Square as the focal point: a beautiful colonial square worthy of photographs, surrounded by emblematic buildings such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace. You will also have the opportunity to enter one of the most iconic ecclesiastical spaces in Lima, the Convent of Santo Domingo, also declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and where the relics of three Peruvian saints are found: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres and San Juan Macías. The tour would not be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country, exhibiting a valuable collection of almost 45,000 pieces of pre-Hispanic cultures, especially the Mochicas. Marvel at the quality of its pieces of jewelry, textiles and its enigmatic erotic room, dedicated to ceramics alluding to fertility, and after exploring the museum, you will be returned to your hotel.

Transfer: Lima - Miraflores to Jorge Chavez Lima International Airport

Transfer: Cusco Airportto Sacred Valley

Hotel: Hotel La Casona de Yucay (4 Star Rating)

Surrounded by imposing mountains and snow-capped peaks, the hotel will amaze you with spectacular views and beautiful gardens where you can relax and experience the magic of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Located in Yucay, a picturesque town in the heart of the Sacred Valley, the land chosen by the Incas as their resting place, the hotel is the ideal location from which to visit major archaeological sites such as Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Maras, Moray, and Chinchero. This colonial mansion, built in 1810, will transport you back in time to a place where history, nature, and warm service come together to create unique experiences.

The Boleto Tourism Card (BTC) allows you to access archeological and cultural sites in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The BTC is a mandatory requirement for travellers visiting the area, and is included in your itinerary.

This half-day adventure will take you to see two of the most iconic places in the Sacred Valley of the Incas: Maras and Moray. The impressive archaeological complex of Moray, which resembles a natural amphitheater, will amaze with its enormous, concentric platforms. Here you will enjoy a guided tour to learn about the history of these fascinating ruins that are an excellent example of brilliant Inca engineering. After touring Moray, you will visit the famous ancestral salt mines of Maras, a place where - to this day - the finest salt in the world is harvested. With stunning panoramic views of the mosaic of terraces and ponds, Maras offers the perfect setting for photography enthusiasts. After touring Maras and Moray, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Your adventure today brings you to one of the most important places in the Sacred Valley of the Incas: the town of Ollantaytambo. A window to the country's Incan past, it is an emblematic place where Manco Inca defeated the Spanish in the year 1537. Begin by walking through its characteristic cobblestone streets, surrounded by adobe houses, before heading towards the fascinating archaeological complex, which was a military, religious and agricultural center. There, you will climb the steep stone steps to admire the monoliths that make up the Temple of the Sun, learning a little about Inca astronomy and the impressive architecture seen throughout the archaeological site. Ollantaytambo, its platforms and its fortress are a perfect testimony of the extraordinary skill of the Incas in construction and planning. Please note, the fortress of Ollantaytambo can be considered moderately challenging to explore and requires decent mobility and fitness levels. At the end of your tour, you will be delivered to Ollantaytambo train station or returned to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, pending on your onward travel plans.

As there are strict luggage restrictions in place on board the train to Aguas Calientes, a luggage transfer service has been arranged to bring your additional belongings to Cusco. Once you have completed your experience in and around Machu Picchu, your baggage will be ready and waiting for you in Cusco.

At the scheduled time, board the Expedition Train with service to Aguas Calientes, the penultimate stop on your way to Machu Picchu. The train cars of the Expedition Train are steeped in the designs of Incan culture, and along the winding route to Aguas Calientes, you will take in spectacular scenery; be sure to have your camera ready as there are seemingly endless opportunities for gorgeous panoramic pictures. As you travel to Aguas Calientes, you are able to purchase a range of food and beverages from the on-board service (additional cost).

Hotel: El Mapi by Inkaterra (3 Star Rating)

El Mapi by Inkaterra is located right at the foot of the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and just across from the train station for Cusco/Machu Picchu train. This is a very reasonably priced hotel for Machu Picchu with full amenities. While the ruins may be ancient this hotel has all the modern comforts.

On this circuit, you'll catch classic postcard perfect photos of Machu Picchu from the Guardian's House, which overlooks the primary citadel. Soon after, you'll go to the lower terrace, where you will have the chance to capture some fantastic panoramic pictures of the citadel. Next, you'll continue through the urban and religious sector where you can explore the main Inca Temples and precincts including the Main Temple, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Condor, the Water Fountains, and more. Widely considered to be among the most comprehensive circuits to tour Machu Picchu, you'll explore the complex for 2 hours and 30 minutes alongside your local private guide before completing the route.

On this circuit, you'll have the opportunity to catch classic postcard perfect photos of Machu Picchu from the viewpoint of the Guardian's House. You will also be provided access to Machu Picchu Mountain, and invited to hike up and down the trail, a journey that typically takes between one and two hours. Along the way, you will ascend some 650 meters (roughly 2,130 feet), with a particularly challenging stretch featuring large steps encountered toward the end of the route. Guests with a fear of heights, vertigo, or mobility issues may wish to forego this activity. Also worth noting is that while the trail is wide for most of the way, there are narrow, steep sections as you progress and climb higher. However, the rewards for your efforts are apparent from the moment you reach the top. The panoramic views of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu (further distant) are among the most impressive possible.

At the scheduled time, board the Expedition Train with service to Ollantaytambo. The train cars of the Expedition Train are steeped in the designs of Incan culture, and along the winding route to Ollantaytambo, you will take in spectacular scenery; be sure to have your camera ready as there are seemingly endless opportunities for gorgeous panoramic pictures. As you travel, you are able to purchase a range of food and beverages from the on-board service (additional cost).

Transfer: Ollantaytambo Station to Cusco

Hotel: Terra Andina Colonial Mansion (4 Star Rating)

Terra Andina is a colonial mansion in the historic district of the former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, Peru. The hotel is located half a block from the charming Plaza San Pedro, Eiffel's designed San Pedro Market, San Pedro Church, and the train station to Machu Picchu and only four blocks from the Main Square. It is a 31-room full-service hotel offering comfortable accommodation.

This charming half-day tour of Cusco offers history, living culture and art. You will be able to appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and the present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. Begin the day exploring the halls of the San Pedro Market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of merchants selling local products. You will also visit Koricancha Temple, which during the Inca empire was a center of worship of the Sun, and upon which the Santo Domingo Convent was later built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque style facade built on solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cusco. To appreciate the greatness of the Incas, ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which - with its enormous carved stone walls - constitutes one of the best examples of Inca military architecture. Later, you will tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial place where the sun, the moon and the stars were worshiped. The final stop of the day is one of the most impressive; the Cathedral, widely considered the most important temple in the city. It was built by the Spanish on top of the palace of the Inca Huiracoha. Its interior houses a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases of the Cusco School of Art. Following your private tour of the city, you will be returned to your hotel.

Transfer: Cusco to Cusco Airport