Peru Cuisine

Day 1 Arrive Lima

Overnight.

Day 2 Explore Lima (B)

Start the day with your guide to explore the colonial section of Lima, the City of Kings. Visit Lima's principal attractions such as the colonial area's Plaza de Armas with the Government Plaza, the Cathedral of Santa Domingo, San Francisco Convent, and the Archbishop's Palace.  A short distance away by car is the Museo Larco Herrera, a private museum situated in an 18th century mansion that was built on an archeological site.  The most extensive private collection of pre-Columbian art in Peru is on display.  See more than 45,000 ceramic pieces, making it one of the largest ceramic collections in the world, and enjoy a superb variety of fine weavings and textiles.  After spending time at the museum, enjoy your first tastes of Peruvian cuisine in this historical and cultural setting at the museum's Cafe de Museo.  Enjoy the ceviche!

The afternoon is free to explore Lima on your own or to rest before dinner.  Your guide  can give you recommendations on neighborhoods to visit (like Barranco or Miraflores), taverns to taste Pisco Sours (such Queirolo Tavern in Pueblo Libre), and where to dine in the evening.  Lima is known for its fusion cuisine of Andean, Asian, and rainforest ingredients.  A traveler favorite is Huaca Pucllana, an adobe pyramid built in 400 AD that served as a ceremonial and administrative center due to its proximity to fertile agricultural land and the bounty of the ocean, a great combination that maintains a place in modern Peruvian cuisine.  Relax at dinner on the terrace at the Restaurante Huaca Pucllana, one of the city's dining surprises that overlooks the archeological site.

Day 3 Cusco (B,D)

Andean history comes alive in Cusco. Quechua speaking descendants of the Incas fill the streets and markets, colonial churches sit atop bases of smooth stonework laid centuries before the Conquistadors, and campesinos (Peru's rural farmers) in colorful dress move busily back and forth across the plazas. Explore Cusco with your guide this morning.

In the afternoon tour Cusco's largest open market with your guide as you peruse the stalls and discuss the ingredients that have comprised the traditional Peruvian cuisine as well as the local produce that remains a staple of Novoandina cuisine. Fill up the shopping bag and make our way to A Mi Manera Restaurant that specializes in platos tipicos from the Andean highlands as well as creative dishes.  Here you will actually go into the kitchen for a cooking demonstration and help prepare your own dinner with the help of some of Cusco's finest chefs.  Sit back and enjoy your beautiful and delicious creations!  To learn more about traditional dishes and view Peruvian recipes before your trip click here.

Day 4 Sacred Valley (B,L)

 The day begins with a visit to Chinchero, a typical Andean village known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow.  There is a beautiful combination of Inca ruins, a colonial church, traditional market (main market day is Sunday), and mountain landscapes.  Visit the education facility in Chinchero for the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, a local organization committed to preserving the region's weaving traditions. Watch weavers demonstrate their craft and learn about the history and processes of Peru's most well-known art form.   Take a short walk through the countryside to the seldom-visited town of Maras and its pre-Columbian salt mines (still in use today with salt being collected in traditional fashion) as well as the Inca agricultural terraces of Moray, thought to have been a nursery to experiment with and modify different varieties of crops.

This afternoon, we will have lunch at a rural restaurant and taste the campesino dishes and ingredients that have contributed to the rise of Peruvian's cuisine. This experience will provide insight on how the Incas prepared food and the stories behind the traditional dishes. You will learn about the sustainable agricultural practices that have transcended generations, and the combination of flavorful, natural, and healthy ingredients that are found in the Andean highlands.  We also have the chance to taste chicha and see how this ancient drink is made.  Chicha is a fermented beverage made from corn, barley, and berries of the pepper tree, and it comes in both alcoholic (similar to beer) and non-alcoholic forms (chicha morada) , Schinus molle.  Chicha was an important part of many rituals feasts and daily consumption and  is still an influential part of today's local traditions and customs.

Eventually, you will make your way to the living Inca city of Ollantaytambo where you can relax for the night.

Day 5 Train to Machu Picchu (B)

Follow the Urubamba River as it tumbles its way towards the Amazon and the sacred city of Machu Picchu. Ancient canals still bring water from the high mountains to the baths used by Inca priests. As visitors, you're welcomed to respectfully dip your hands in the cool water. After your tour of the Machu Picchu, you'll return to Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly called Aguas Calientes) for dinner.  Your guide will give you some good recommendations for tonight!

Day 6 Free Day at Machu Picchu (B)

Today is your chance to watch the sunrise at Machu Picchu and to listen to the spirits of the city's past inhabitants before the hikers from the Inca Trail arrive. Later you can climb the sacred peak of Huayna Picchu or take a walk through the lush cloudforest to the Temple of the Moon. In the late afternoon you'll return to Cusco.

Day 7 Cusco Free Day (B)

Today is free to relax and explore with your guide or on your own. Travelers can go on a city tour of the churches and surrounding ruins, such as the enormous Sacsayhuamán ruins that overlook Cusco (these ruins showcase building blocks the size of SUVs). You can also wander through the bustling Plaza de Armas in the heart of Cusco, shop for love potions in the local markets, or people watch from the cafes and restaurants that line these lovely streets. For those bursting with energy, horseback riding, mountain biking, or even whitewater rafting (Class III-IV) can be arranged.

Tonight is your last night in Cusco, so enjoy a farewell dinner.  The MAP Cafe at the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Do not expect a museum cafeteria as this is one of Cusco's most stylish restaurants) or the Cicciolina Restaurant are both great options.  Toast to a great trip and the many tastes of Peru!

Day 8 Fly Lima and Return Home (B)

Fly to Lima and connect with evening return flight.  With more time, extend your trip to Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Nazca, Pisco, or the Amazon!