Cultural Discoveries & Epic Landscapes from Cusco to Machu Picchu

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You're out of breath. But that's okay. It gives you an excuse to stop and gaze. At the stunning views. At the incredible Inca stonework. At the kids enraptured. Not that you need an excuse. It's only human to pause in the presence of natural beauty, of engineering genius, of youthful wonderment. You'd better get used to it. It'll happen time and again this week. From Sacsayhuamán to the Inca salt pans, from Cusco's market to Ollantaytambo's school. All the way to magical Machu Picchu it'll happen. Long after you're used to the altitude.  

Permits to hike the Inca Trail are extremely limited. We recommend booking a minimum of 4-6 months prior to departure in order to significantly increase your chance of securing a permit. If permits are unavailable during some seasons, you will take a train to Aguas Calientes, bus to the entrance and hike into Machu Picchu.

Days 1-2 Local guides share deep insight into Peru's culture and ancient civilizations  Explore Cusco, once the center of the pre-Columbian Inca Empire  Visit Coricancha, a Spanish Colonial church built atop the ruins of an Inca temple Kids make traditional Andean pan flutes (zamponas) with a local Cusqueño musician in his instrument workshop  Our local guide shares deep insight into Peru's culture and ancient civilizations as we journey through Puca Pucara, Q'enko, Temple of the Moon and Sacsayhuamán  A long-time friend and Quechua shaman will teach us the meaning of his indigenous "Pago a la Tierra" ceremony A private live performance of Andean folk music accompanies our picnic in a secluded mountain meadow  Discover the superb collection at Cusco's Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.

Day 3 Las Salineras, a stunningly beautiful honeycomb of tiered pools, where salt has been raked and gathered by families for generations  Check out the Colonial church in Chinchero, at 12,400 feet, where residents still wear traditional clothing and live in ancestral homes Bike along dirt roads through the altiplano and Sacred Valley amid a panorama of snowy peaks and traditional villages In Moray, learn how the Inca ingeniously farmed using high-altitude terraces.

Days 4-5 Engage with Quechua culture in a weaving community well off the beaten path, where master weavers work While grown-ups explore Ollantaytambo's enigmatic ruins, youngsters visit a school and its students  Visit the world-renowned ceramics studio of Pablo Seminario  Adults enjoy a private dinner at the historical Hacienda Huayoccari while kids participate in an interactive mask-making activity with artisans, followed by dinner at a local home Pedal on paved and dirt roads through the Sacred Valley  Explore the ruins at Pisac offering sweeping vistas  Kids take part in a fun market challenge Interested in shopping for alpaca sweaters or decorative gourds? You'll find plenty to choose from at the Pisac market  A culinary highlight is our exclusive Peruvian cuisine cooking class with Sol y Luna's chef.

Days 6-8 Machu Picchu: the incredible "Lost City of the Incas" After a train ride, hike the Gate of the Sun trail for a bird's-eye view of Machu Picchu (you may have the option to take the famed Inca Trail)  Spend a second full day exploring the "Lost City," contemplating its exquisite stonework and mysterious astrological designs Spend a second full day exploring the "Lost City"  A local expert provides insight into the exquisite stonework and mysterious astrological designs of this sacred site Stroll through the grounds of the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel with a local naturalist to learn more about the local flora and fauna.