Peru with Sarah Borgen

Let's raise a glass together to an exciting trip ahead during your welcome dinner! Tonight's gathering will take place at a local restaurant, just a brief 15-minute walk from the hotel. The evening promises a delightful 3-course set menu, offering a taste of the most authentic Peruvian flavors. Please note that beverages are not included and should be purchased at the venue.

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the town of Pisac to wander through the local market, known for its multi-coloured textiles, local foods, and indigenous clothing - a great opportunity to pick up some souvenirs as well as take some great photos. Then, take a private vehicle from the town to the ruins where you’ll see and learn about different aspects of Inca culture. You can see great fine art of stone works and impressive agricultural terraces all over the place.

Afterwards, head to the Amaru community, close to Pisac town. Here, you’ll learn about the weaving process where the women of the community will show you ancient techniques of weaving, dyeing, management and production of South American camelid fibers. With this activity, women can support and help their families, providing food, home, health and studies to their sons.

After departing from the Amarú community, a 1.5-hour journey leads to Urubamba town, where you'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The main dish is included, while beverages are available for purchase. Following lunch, your journey continues towards the Ollantaytambo ruins.

After lunch, a scenic one-hour drive along the Urubamba River leads to the captivating town of Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival, the magnificence of Incan urban planning becomes evident. Notably, Ollantaytambo stands as a historic site where the Incas successfully defended against the Spanish conquest. Your visit to the Ollantaytambo ruins reveals an essential Inca construction from their peak era. Ollantaytambo served not only as a religious and agricultural center but also stood as a strategic military fortress characterized by its remarkable stonework and towering 13-foot-high structures. Accompanied by your guide for approximately 1.5 hours, delve into the hidden narratives of this Inca marvel. Please be aware that this activity involves walking approximately 0.5 miles with several stairs amidst the mountainous landscape. Upon concluding the visit, a short 5-minute transfer returns you to the hotel, leaving the rest of the afternoon free for relaxation or personal exploration of the town at your leisure.

Overnight in Ollantaytambo.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Pakaritampu Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

Following an early breakfast, a brief 5-minute transfer will take you to the train station. Enjoy a comfortable 1.5-hour train journey from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, offering scenic vistas along the way. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, a short transfer will bring you to your hotel for check-in, bag drop-off, and a chance to freshen up. Please remember to leave your main luggage at the Ollantaytambo hotel. The train ticket permits only one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 17 lbs, so pack only your essentials only.

Your expedition to the 'Lost City of the Incas' commences with a 30-minute transfer from the hotel to the Machu Picchu site. Upon arrival, your guide will lead a 2.5-hour tour showcasing the highlights of this ancient town. The explorarion will cover the main attractions along a 2-mile trail, unveils awe-inspiring terraces and stone structures. Gain profound insights into the historical significance and architectural marvels. The tour offers stunning panoramas of the Andes Mountains and the Urubamba River, allowing visitors to explore at their own pace. Post-midday, return to Aguas Calientes by transfer, with a stop at a local restaurant for a delightful lunch. Restrooms are available at the site's entrance for an additional fee.

After your Machu Picchu tour, a short transfer returns you to Aguas Calientes, where a local restaurant awaits for lunch. The main dish is included, and beverages can be purchased at your own expense. Once done, you'll be taken back to your hotel, with free time in the afternoon to explore this charming town at your leisure.

After lunch and a brief 5-minute transfer will take you to the train station. Enjoy a relaxing 1.5-hour journey back to Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival, make your way to your hotel for the night.

Overnight in Ollantaytambo.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Pakaritampu Hotel's breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

Take a scenic 1.5-hour journey to our first stop at the Moray Terraces. En route, you'll enjoy breathtaking views of the valley from the comfort of your vehicle. The visit to Moray unveils a testament to Inca innovation and agricultural mastery. Nestled in the Andes mountains, this archaeological site showcases impressive concentric terraced circles, a testament to the Incas' advanced farming techniques. Each terrace creates distinct microclimates, highlighting the Incas' experimentation with crops and adaptation to varied environments. You'll explore these terraces, marvel at stunning landscapes, and gain insight into the ingenious agricultural practices that sustained the ancient civilization. Plan to spend around 1.5 hours at the terraces, covering approximately 0.5 miles on foot. Afterward, a 30-minute transfer will take you to the next highlight: the Maras salt ponds. As you travel from Moray to Maras, a planned stop is scheduled to enjoy a complete boxed lunch in a serene area along the road.

Upon arriving at the Maras Salt Ponds, embark on an intimate exploration led by your guide through this unique, centuries-old salt production site. Nestled within the Sacred Valley, these iconic terraced salt pans offer a mesmerizing landscape, featuring thousands of shallow pools adorning the mountainside. Discover the intricate process of salt extraction, dating back to pre-Incan times, observing locals employing traditional methods to harvest salt from the natural springs that nourish these ponds. Approximately 4,500 individual salt ponds line the steep hillside, each belonging to families within the community and passed down through generations. A fascinating aspect of this tradition is the creation of new ponds for newly married couples, highlighting the community's customs. These ponds, roughly 13 square feet each, are crafted with stone and mud mortar walls. Plan for about 45 minutes to explore these terraces, covering approximately 0.5 miles on foot.

Afterwards, you’ll be transferred to a local community in the rustic town of Chinchero. In this community, you’ll see how locals work in the farm, plowing the land. This is one of the most important activities in the Sacred Valley. The terraces were built for farming and agricultural purposes. The soil of Chinchero is some of the most rich and fertile in the Sacred Valley. The land is used to produce excellent potatoes, olluco, oca, quinoa and fava beans. Lunch is included at the community. Afterwards, continue travelling to Cusco. Arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon

Take part in the preparation of a Pachamanca, unique experience to learn an ancient cooking technique, you’ll try authentic flavors during lunch, food is cooked directly on the ground and most of these are local inputs. Then, enjoy an amazing view of the Piuray lake, surrounded by mountains and valleys on the way back to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

The epic journey begins with an early pick-up before sunrise, setting off on a three-hour transfer to the headtrail of 'Humantay Lake.' Throughout the journey, a packed breakfast will fuel you, with a planned stop in Mollepata town for refreshments and a brief rest. The hike commences at Soraypampa, situated at 12,800 feet, and under the guidance of your tour leader, a two-hour trek leads to the breathtaking Humantay Lake, nestled at 14,000 feet. The trail, with its gentle slope, offers captivating vistas of the snow-capped Salkantay and Humantay mountains. Upon reaching the lake, ample time is provided to unwind and marvel at the splendid water mirror amidst the Andean landscape. The descent back to Soraypampa takes approximately 1.5 hours and is more manageable than the ascent. Our transport will be ready for a short transfer to Mollepata. Afterwards, continue our return to Cusco, arriving in the late afternoon. Carrying a small backpack with water and snacks is recommended, and trekking poles can be helpful. Please be mindful that hiking activities are subject to weather conditions. Hikes at high altitudes like this can pose challenges. We highly recommend consulting a doctor before the trip to discuss altitude sickness prevention and possibly obtain prescribed medication. Distance: 9 miles | Duration: 4 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Elevation Gain: 1,150 ft

After concluding the Humantay Lake hike, a brief transfer will take you to Mollepata, where a stop at a local restaurant is planned for a buffet-style lunch featuring traditional Peruvian dishes. Following the meal, the transfer back to Cusco will commence.

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit.

After breakfast, meet your trekking guide in the hotel lobby for a brief 25-minute transfer to Tambomachay ruins, marking the start of your hiking adventure. Throughout the day, connect with four distinct archaeological sites on foot, traversing the hills surrounding Cusco. At Tambomachay, experience Inca water worship showcased through aqueducts and ceremonial baths. A mere 10-minute walk leads to Pukara Pukara, known for its red-hued defensive structures and strategic hilltop position, believed to have served as a military checkpoint, offering panoramic views. Descend for about an hour to reach Quinqu Qenqo, an enigmatic site featuring intriguing rock formations and ceremonial spaces with supposed ritual significance in Inca culture. Pause at a serene hilltop spot to savor a delicious homemade boxed lunch with stunning views. Next, a downhill hike of 25 minutes brings you to Sacsayhuaman, an impressive Inca site flaunting monumental stone walls crafted with astounding precision. Conclude the hike with an easy 30-minute walk back to the hotel, arriving early afternoon. Distance: 6.5 miles | Duration: 5 hours | Difficulty: Easy

After exploring Quinquenqo, the guide will choose a scenic spot in nature for a packed lunch, consisting of a sandwich, fruit, snacks, candy, and water. Following lunch, the hike will proceed to Sacsayhuaman.

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

This striking full day adventure starts bright and early, with a pick up before sunrise. The transfer lasts for 3 hours, with a short stop for photos and stretch your legs at Pomacanchi lagoon, and then a stop at Sangara to enjoy breakfast. The transfer finish when you arrive at Rinconada Community, you will leave the vehicle behind and start your hike to Waqrapukara site appreciating a lot of flora and fauna typical of the area. This is a 5 hours hike, with incredible views of Apurimac Canyon, one of the deepest in Peru. Once you reach our destination Waqrapukara, you will have a guided visit to the Intipunku (Sun door), main square, towers, terraces, enclosure Wiracocha and cave paintings with representation of llamas. After the visit to Waqrapukara and enjoying a complete lunch box with imposing views, you will take your journey back to cusco, with a 4 hours travel, arriving at the hotel in the evening. Distance: 4.5 miles | Duration: 5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Elevation Gain: 1,444 ft

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.

Your final hike in the Peru Andes commences with an early pick-up before sunrise, embarking on a scenic 3-hour transfer through various communities, offering picturesque farmlands, Andean landscapes featuring Alpaca farms, and breathtaking views of the red river. Midway, a planned stop in Cusipata Town provides restroom facilities and shopping opportunities. Continuing, we head directly to Palcoyo, situated at 16,000ft. Once on the trail, a 50-minute hike leads to a viewpoint revealing three rainbow mountains, a panoramic vista of the Red Valley, and the majestic Ausangate snow mountain. A further 20-minute walk takes you to the 'Stone Forest,' a captivating rocky attraction. Spend two hours exploring these stunning viewpoints and attractions. On the return journey to Cusco, stop by Combapata Community to witness the colonial Rumichaca bridge dating back to 1604. Finally, conclude the tour at Checacupe village, admiring three bridges from different periods (Inca, Colonial, and Republic times). A lunch stop in Cusipata town precedes the return to Cusco, arriving late afternoon at your hotel. Hikes at high altitudes like this can pose challenges. We highly recommend consulting a doctor before the trip to discuss altitude sickness prevention and possibly obtain prescribed medication. Distance: 2 miles | Duration: 2.5 hours | Difficulty: Difficult | Cusco Elevation: 11,150ft | Palcoyo Elevation: 16,070ft

After completing the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain hike and en route to Cusco, we'll make a stop at Cusipata town. Here, you'll indulge in a complete lunch with the most traditional Peruvian dishes. Once the meal is finished, we'll resume the transfer back to Cusco.

Later in the afternoon, a quick 10-minute walk will take you to a local restaurant for your final dinner with fellow travelers. Enjoy a delightful 3-course set menu featuring traditional Peruvian cuisine. Please note that a bottle of water is included, and additional beverages can be purchased at the venue. Keep in mind that the menu is subject to change based on the confirmed restaurant.

Overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast is included and will be served buffet-style. Sonesta Hotel breakfast includes a variety of options, such as hot dishes, a selection of cold cuts, exquisite pastries and bread, jams, and fresh fruit. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.