Peru: Lima, the Sacred Valley & the Inca Trail

Take in a lungful of ocean air on arrival to Lima and keep your eyes out for surfers riding the waves as you follow the coastal highway to your hotel. The district of Miraflores is bustling with trendy restaurants, bars and shops in all directions and there are great views of the ocean from the cliffside boardwalk, or malecón. We welcome you to Lima, and invite you to bring your appetite for incredible food and adventure that awaits you in Peru. Arrive to Lima at any time and transfer to your hotel. Meet your fellow group members at the welcome meeting in the evening and get all the important information about the adventure ahead. Afterwards, head to a nearby restaurant for a delicious welcome dinner with new friends.

The neighbourhoods of Lima and Barranco may be right next to each other but they feel quite different. Fashionable Miraflores contrasts with the more bohemian Barranco in the most wonderful of ways as the bustling commercial area gives way to quaint cafés, art galleries and historic buildings. Both lie on the coast which offer amazing views over the Pacific Ocean and of Lima's sprawling coastline. Set off to explore Miraflores and Barranco by bike and on foot before stopping for a typical lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy a free afternoon before meeting the group for a sunset drink on the rooftop terrace of the hotel.

Watch the ocean disappear in the horizon as you head high up in the sky towards the Andes where magic awaits in Cusco. Feel the energy and see the mix of Spanish colonial architecture with ancient Inca stonework all around you. Take it slow as you begin to explore in order to get the most out of the city and to acclimatize to the altitude. Fly to Cusco and then take a CEO-led orientation walk of the historical centre with a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy dinner out in the city with new group members joining the next portion of the tour.

The Sacred Valley is aptly named for its importance to the people who have lived there and it is also stunningly beautiful with mountain scenery and colourful farmland along the Urubamba River. You'll see the massive ruins of Pisaq perched up above the town as you approach and you'll get to spend time with a local community on the way up to the site. Lunch is an experience unto itself at a community-run restaurant, using locally-grown ingredients for a delicious and traditional meal. Back at the hotel for dinner, feast on a traditional pachamanca meal consisting of various types of meat, potatoes and vegetables cooked for hours in the ground under hot stones. Travel from Cusco into the Sacred Valley. Visit the Cuyo Chico community for a snack and to learn about their traditional ceramics and adobe before taking a guided tour of Pisaq archaeological site. Continue to the hotel after lunch. In the evening enjoy a pachamanca dinner.

Sitting at a slightly lower altitude than Cusco, spending time in the Sacred Valley helps to get you used the altitude in these parts. Choose from a scenic acclimatization hike to a waterfall or get the adrenaline flowing by scaling a via ferrata network of rungs and ladders for lunch with a view. Choice of activity in the morning, both options including lunch.

The Inca Trail has become one of the most well-known treks in the world and with good reason. Hiking past ancient ruins through incredible mountain scenery and to finally arrive to Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a very satisfying accomplishment. Start the first day of the trek at a gentle pace to warm your legs up for the days to come, allowing yourself to take in the views of the valley and river below. Depart for the km. 82 marker to set off on the Inca Trail. Porters will carry the majority of your gear and you'll be able to focus more squarely on the task at hand with included trekking poles and a more comfortable camping experience at night, sleeping on cots with air mattresses and blankets.

Awake at the mountain campsite and enjoy a cup of tea and a warm shower without any need to rush up the mountain. The morning mist and the joviality amongst the porters make for a homely atmosphere as you get ready for the day and prepare your things to walk. Warm up your legs, eat a delicious and hearty breakfast and prepare for the ascent of the first portion of Dead Woman's Pass.

Open your tent to the cool air and see some warm washing water and a cup of tea waiting for you. You'll get wafts of something delicious being cooked and the increasing murmur of the cooks and porters going about their morning. Savour the moment and be present to your surroundings. Dead Woman's Pass is nothing you can't handle today. Ascend up the first challenging pass of Warmiwañusca (aka. Dead Woman's Pass), passing by several Inca sites and another mountain pass before reaching camp for the third night on the trail.

Wake up next to beautiful Inca ruins known as the "town above the clouds" and take the time to enjoy them without many others in the morning hours. Pack away some of the extra layers as you prepare to descend into cloud forest and with the anticipation of finally reaching the ultimate goal, Machu Picchu. Descend through cloud forest to the Sun Gate for the first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Walk down through the site and catch a local bus to the valley floor and the town of Aguas Calientes to spend the night in a hotel.

Exploring the mountaintop Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is a magical experience, no matter how many pictures you may have seen of it. The history of the ancient Inca that you've heard in the days leading up to this moment seem to all come together as you wander the site's temples and terraces. Relive the memories and take in the views as you return by train on the way back to Cusco. Take an early bus up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour of the ruins followed by lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. Return by train and bus to Cusco and enjoy a farewell dinner in the evening.

Your adventure comes to an end, and you can depart at any time. Depart at any time.