Journeys: Explore Machu Picchu

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included. Get ready for a very busy tour exploring the best of Peru in a week. We recommend booking a pre-night in Lima (in particular if your flight arrives into Lima in the evening) to recover from international flights and rest up before the excitement.

Please note that if you booked the Lima Cooking Class it does not include extra time in Lima and we highly recommend booking pre-trip accommodation. You will be picked up from your hotel at approx 10:00 am (10:30 from Aug-Dec) and taken to a local market and restaurant to prepare and enjoy a traditional Peruvian meal. You will return to your hotel around 13:00. Please note that hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common in Peru (even in upgraded hotels and private homes). We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control.

Included Experiences

• Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting: The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

Optional Experiences

• Lima Cooking Class (4hrs): Get a taste of Peruvian cuisine, visit local markets, sample exotic fruit, select fresh ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes influenced by China, Italy, West Africa, and Japan. Please note that if you are travelling with a family there is no age restriction on this activity and the cooking class is acceptable for children.
• Lima City Tour: Discover Lima’s cultural and culinary highlights on this half-day guided tour. Visit the Santo Domingo Monastery, walk around Plaza de Armas, marvel at the Bodega y Quadra Museum, and get to know some of Lima's lovely neighbourhoods. Stop to enjoy some authentic Peruvian tapas and be introduced to Pisco Sours during a demonstration and tasting.

Board an early flight to Cusco, once the capital of the Inca empire, then drive to Urubamba through the scenic Sacred Valley. Explore the terraced salt pans of Maras, which have been used for salt extraction since pre-Inca times, and tour the Inca site of Moray—believed to have been an agricultural laboratory where priests would test soils and crops. Later, we’ll enjoy a meal of local specialities, prepared by chefs in this region for a millennium.

There are some very early morning starts on this trip to make the best use of our time and see as much as we can of Peru in a week.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Moray Ruins Guided Tour: Explore the ancient site of Moray, which archeologists believe was used to conduct agricultural experiments. Walk down through the great circular terraces and notice how the temperature shifts with the depth – sometimes as much as 15°C (27°F)!
• Las Salineras Pre-Incan Salt Pans Guided Tour: Visit the pre-Incan salt pans of Las Salineras – still in use today. Marvel at the terraced pools set amongst the beauty of the Sacred Valley.
• Traditional Pachamanca Dinner: The thousand-year-old tradition of pachamanca is typically prepared in an underground oven using hot stones, earth, and aromatic herbs. For this experience, you will enjoy pachamanca a la olla, a variation prepared in a pot. Using the same local ingredients and seasonings, meats such as lamb, pork, chicken, or guinea pig are slow-cooked with vegetables to recreate the rich, earthy flavors of the original method. Savour this traditional meal, prepared by an experienced chef.

Continue exploring the Sacred Valley with a visit to the G Adventures–supported Parque de la Papa, or Potato Park, a rural Andean community working to preserve hundreds of varieties of native potato. During this exclusive experience, you'll walk through the park with a local guide to learn about potato cultivation, traditional weaving, and the importance of both these practices to Andean culture. We’ll also tour the fascinating Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo and Pisac and enjoy a meal at the G Adventures–supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo.

Included Experiences

• Traditional Andean Experience: In Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Inca, six communities of approximately 6000 indigenous people are working together to preserve over 700 species of potato – a cornerstone of life here. As part of an experience exclusive to National Geographic Journeys travellers – and part of our G Adventures for Good program – visit this area, named “Parque de la Papa” (“Potato Park”), to learn about life in an Andean agricultural community. Walk through the park here with a local guide, dropping by the seed bank (which has direct ties to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway) and then head out to the fields to watch the planting or harvesting process, depending on the season. After, enjoy some of the delicious varieties of potato and visit the small stone hut where traditional weaving takes place. Learn about the natural dyeing process and witness alpaca wool strands being transformed into beautiful textiles through a centuries-old backstrap weaving style. Your visit to this special community means this local enterprise can continue earning an income that supports their development and conservation goals.
• Parque de la Papa (Potato Park): Parque de la Papa (meaning "Potato Park") serves two important purposes for the community of Pampallacta: the preservation of agricultural biodiversity and economic opportunity. National Geographic Journeys travellers visit the park to learn about life in a rural agricultural Andean community and take a tour of the seed conservation program, which is preserving heritage potato species. They also learn about traditional planting, harvesting and indigenous weaving practices. With G Adventures' support, the community is able to create jobs in the area and invest in local businesses, which helps the community preserve their culture.
• Pisac Ruins Guided Tour: Tour the fascinating hilltop citadel of Pisac, an Incan ruin with plunging gorges, a ceremonial centre, and winding agriculture terracing that's still in use today. Be captivated by this truly amazing site sitting amid sweeping green valleys and mountain peaks. Explore the back of the site to see a pocketed cliff across Kitamayo Gorge, which once contained hundreds of Inca tombs.
• Parwa Community Restaurant the Sacred Valley: Contribute to sustainable tourism in Huchuy Qosqo, a small village of 65 families in the Sacred Valley, by eating at the Parwa Community Restaurant. Learn how the resident-run restaurant was kickstarted by G Adventures and the Multilateral Investment Fund, to become a successful farm-to-table program that boosts the local economy and several spin-off microenterprises.
• Ollantaytambo Ruins Guided Tour: Tour the town and fortress of Ollantaytambo with a local guide. Take a step back in time at this Inca archaeological site; it still shows signs of its former glory, including agricultural terraces, a Temple Hill, and storehouses. Learn how the area, overlooking the Urubamba River Valley, was an important stronghold during warfare between the Spanish and Incas.

Catch an early transfer to the Ollantaytambo station and board a train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Ride through lush Andean scenery, enjoying breathtaking views of ancient ruins and everyday life. Settle into your hotel in Aguas Calientes, and choose from a variety of optional activities: take a relaxing soak in the local hot springs, visit a beautiful botanical garden, or wander the handicraft stalls in town as you prepare for an early start the following day to go up to Machu Picchu.

Please bear in mind that the town has several amenities, but is also geographically remote meaning services are sometimes more basic than one would assume. As the only option for travellers visiting Machu Picchu, the development of infrastructure has happened quite quickly, much without proper planning, and the focus on providing quality service may not be up to the standards experienced in other parts of the country.

Included Experiences

• Train: Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Optional Experiences

• Butterfly House Visit: Learn about the four stages of a butterfly’s life at this learning centre and breeding project. Observe varied species of butterflies, some unique to the area.
• Mandor Gardens Visit: This botanical garden boasts a beautiful waterfall, varied wildlife and lush scenery. Walk along one of the trails and admire the many orchids.
• Hot Springs Visit: Soak your sore muscles in the local hot springs for which the town, Aguas Calientes, was originally named.
• One-Day Inca Trail Hike: Traverse cloud forests while enjoying spectacular views on this '1-day Inca Trail' trek. Start by disembarking the train at km 104. Follow the local guide as the trail rises steeply up into the mountains and winds past the archaeological sites of Wiñay Wayna and Inti Pata. Gain insight into the fascinating culture of the Incas en route to the trek's culmination at the Sun Gate. Enjoy a packed lunch along the way, and reach the Sun Gate in the late afternoon. Enjoy free time to explore a bit of Machu Picchu before the guided tour the following day. After, take one of the blue buses from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes to spend the night in a hotel in town. Opt to visit nearby hot springs to soak sore muscles, if time permits. **Please note this must be pre-booked as it requires an Inca Trail permit. Travellers completing this trek will be assigned Circuit 3 for their guided visit of Machu Picchu, but will also have access to the panoramic viewpoint upon arrival via the Sun Gate. Please speak to your GCO or travel agent for more information.

This morning, embark on a guided tour of Machu Picchu—the 15th-century Inca citadel famously introduced to the world by archaeologist Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine. After being taken through the temples and terraces of this awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage site, return to Cusco by train.

Included Experiences

• Local Bus: Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
• Machu Picchu Guided Tour: Set off with the local guide to explore Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. Learn about the history and gain insights into this massive mountaintop citadel while wandering through ancient dwellings, stone temples and along sculpted terraces. Feel the energy of this 15th-century site, now both a UNESCO World Heritage site and voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide internet poll.
• Train: Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Spend the day exploring charming Cusco. Opt to visit Plaza de Armas, the historic main square; the 15th-century Sacsayhuaman fortress; or some of the city’s museums and ornate churches. This evening, we’ll head to the Cusco Planetarium to learn about the importance of astronomy to the ancient Inca and, weather permitting, look out at the glittering, starry sky through telescopes. Please remember that star gazing is completely weather dependent and sometimes there can be cloudy skies.

Please note: if you pre-book the Cusco Cooking Class you will be picked up from your hotel at approx 12:30 and taken to a local market and restaurant to prepare and enjoy a traditional Peruvian meal. Return back to your hotel around 16:00.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Take in the sights on horseback or rent a motorbike for a more thrilling ride. Looking to learn more about Cusco? Head to one of the many museums in the city.
• Cusco Planetarium: Look to the night sky for a different view of the city. Explore the Cusco Planetarium surrounded by the serene nature of the Llaullipata Ecological Reserve. Enjoy a presentation on the southern sky, contemporary astronomy, and the ancient Incas’ relationship with the cosmos. Check out the on-site museum and use the telescopes to admire the stars (weather-permitting).

Optional Experiences

• Cusco Cooking Class: Channel your inner chef and get a taste of Peruvian cuisine. Learn all about the essential ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes with a local expert
• Inka Museum: Get ready to explore the artifacts from the Inca Empire, including mummies, jewelry, skulls, and ceramics at this museum of archaeology.
• Cusco City Tour: Enjoy a half-day tour of Cusco's main sights. Walk around the Plaza de Armas (main square) and explore this city steeped in one of the world's most alluring and ancient cultures. Visit Qenqo, Koricancha, the Cathedral, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, and the archaeological site of Sacsaywaman.

Fly back to Lima. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure in the Peruvian capital. Visit the San Francisco Monastery, part of Lima’s World Heritage-listed historic center, and descend into its famed catacombs. Wander across Plaza Mayor, the city’s oldest public square, and enjoy Peruvian tapas and a tasting of pisco sours before returning to your hotel.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Optional Experiences

• Huacas and Larco Museum by Night: Tour three different Huacas in the city which were built during pre-Inca times in the middle of Lima. Then, visit the Larco Museum where you will enjoy a 3-course dinner in the restaurant there.

Depart at any time.

Your Expedition Leader can help arrange an optional transfer to the airport.

Optional Experiences

• Lima Cooking Class (4hrs): Get a taste of Peruvian cuisine, visit local markets, sample exotic fruit, select fresh ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes influenced by China, Italy, West Africa, and Japan. Please note that if you are travelling with a family there is no age restriction on this activity and the cooking class is acceptable for children.