Best of Peru - Premium Adventure

Welcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. You are met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the trendy Barranco district. For dinner, we gather as a group and head to Cala, a renowned restaurant by the Pacific shores to enjoy contemporary Peruvian cuisine and get to know each other. Stay: Casa Republica Barranco Boutique Hotel (D).

Begin with a tour of Lima, the epicenter of Spanish power until the city was all but destroyed by an earthquake in 1746. Many of the colonial buildings were rebuilt and we see some of them today. Our exploration takes in the Plaza de Armas (main square), central market (where we try Peruvian fruits and street food), and Chinatown, where we eat chifa cuisine, a Peruvian-Chinese fusion that's very popular among Peruvians. After, we head straight to the airport for our evening flight to Arequipa, a picturesque city surrounded by giant volcanoes, including the near-perfect cone of El Misti. Stay: Casa Andina Premium Arequipa (B/L).

Explore the historic centre of Arequipa on a morning tour, visiting the Plaza de Armas and Santa Catalina convent, which was built in 1580 and is still cared for by the resident nuns. Lunch is at a picanteria (a traditional lunchtime restaurant), after which you have free time to explore further or to enjoy the hotel facilities. Stay: Casa Andina Premium Arequipa (B/L).

A spectacular drive over the Andean high plains, known as the Altiplano, brings us to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. On the way, we pass volcanoes and almost certainly see vicuñas (relatives of the lama) in the highlands, before we cross the Patapampa Pass (16,110ft/4,910m), which marks the descent into the canyon itself. As we take the winding road to the town of Chivay for a short stop, the sight of the fertile canyon terraces is a contrast to the barren yet beautiful Altiplano landscapes. This is the first day we may feel the effects of altitude. We don't linger at the top of the pass, but spend the night around 11,810ft (3,600m), so take it easy on arrival. Stay: Aranwa Pueblito, Encantado del Colca (B/D).

Spend today exploring the Colca Canyon, starting with a visit to the Cruz del Condor, the best place to see Andean condors as they glide on the morning thermals. We also see ancient tombs that line the cliffs on one side of the canyon and stop in villages along the way, which house several interesting colonial churches.

In the afternoon, we set off to visit the pre-Inca ruins of Uyo Uyo. Start with a 10-minute transfer to Coporaque village, where we begin our hike, which includes uphill and downhill sections. We take it easy and stop along the way, including at the San Antonio viewpoint to gaze over the valley and an amphitheater built into the hillside by the Collaguas people. Arriving at Uyo Uyo, we have 30-45 minutes for a guided tour, before returning to the hotel with time to relax before dinner. Stay: Aranwa Pueblito, Encantado del Colca (B/D).

Drive (6hr 30min) through the high mountain plains to Puno, a city on the shores of Lake Titicaca. En route, we can spot vicuña herds and enjoy a one-hour visit to the pre-Inca burial towers (chullpas) of Sillustani. Our hotel tonight is ideally situated on the Lake Titicaca shores – the perfect place to watch sunset. Stay: Casa Andina Premium Puno (B/L).

Start early today (pickup is 6. 40am) and jump in a boat for an adventure on Lake Titicaca, visiting two floating islands close to Puno. These human-made structures are crafted from dried reeds (totora) and have provided a home to the indigenous Uro people for centuries. First stop is Uros, where we are welcomed by the residents and learn about their daily life. You can also take a ride around the floating islands (15 soles/US$4. 50 per person, payable in cash). Next is Amantani, one of the largest Lake Titicaca islands. First, we walk uphill for around 30 minutes to enjoy a traditional lunch in a family home.

Next, we walk (one hour) to the summit of Pachamama (4,120m/13,550ft), with the chance to explore ancient ruins and enjoy incredible views – it is often possible to see the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real in the distance. Finally, we walk (1hr 30min) back down to the harbour, where we take a motorboat to Puno. Please note: Our boat is private to our group, and we are joined by a guide from one of the island communities. The boat is enclosed, as it can get cold at this altitude, but there are large windows on all sides and an outside deck to the rear. Life jackets are provided. Stay: Casa Andina Premium Puno (B/L).

Board the Titicaca Train for a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Cuzco – the 10hr 30min route, which crosses the Peruvian Andes, is among the most beautiful in the world. We also enjoy excellent service, dining on gourmet food and enjoying afternoon tea in 1920s-style Pullman carriages, while the open-air observation car is a dream for photographers keen to capture the panoramas. Stay: Palacio Del Inka (B/L).

Explore Cuzco, the heart of the Inca empire, seeing the highlights both in and above the city. First head to Saqsayhuaman, a grand ceremonial center overlooking the city. Then return to the city centre to explore on foot, including a visit to Qoricancha (Sun Temple) and the Plaza de Armas to explore inside the beautiful cathedral with an expert historian guide or curator.

After a rest at the hotel, we head to the ChocoMuseo for a chocolate workshop, in which we make chocolates right from the cacao bean and sip drinks like the Mayas and Conquistadores used to. Finally, we leave with our own handmade chocolates – either a great gift or a treat for yourself. Stay: Palacio Del Inka (B/L).

Today has been left free for exploring Cuzco, one of the most beautiful cities in South America. The Plaza de Armas is a fantastic spot for people-watching. The Mercado San Pedro is the place to try local produce and there are many handicraft markets to shop for souvenirs such as alpaca jumpers and scarves. Choose to enjoy a Peruvian cooking class, including a market visit; learn about traditional food and drink, and then feast on your self-prepared food. If you fancy something more active, there is an array of other optional activities available from Cuzco including paddleboarding on a lake, mountain biking, or a combination of via ferrata and zip-lining in the Sacred Valley. Stay: Palacio Del Inka (B).

Travel to the Sacred Valleyon the outskirts of Cuzco. First stop is an Andean community in the middle of the valley, where we learn from local women how they use ancient weaving and dyeing techniques to create textiles from alpaca hair. This activity also helps the women to financially support their home and families, acting as a vital income source. With our new friends, we also help to prepare a pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian dish, in which hot stones are used to cook marinated potatoes, lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig. Enjoy the meal while you relax in a unique Andean landscape, surrounded by mountains and farmlands.

After, we continue through the Sacred Valley and visit the Maras Salt Ponds, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Then continue to Moray, where huge circular agricultural terraces were built by the Incas to plant various crops. It is said to have a cosmological significance; however, the Incas also used the terraces as an agricultural laboratory to determine the optimum conditions for each species. Stay: Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel or Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel (B/L).

Drive along the Urubamba River towards the town of Ollantaytambo, a magnificent example of Incan urban planning and one of the few places where the Incas defeated the Spanish. Here, we visit an immense Inca fortress and explore the town streets, which still follow the pre-conquest grid plan.

Afterwards, we board the 360° Train by Inca Rail towards Aguas Calientes, a modern town close to Machu Picchu. The 1hr 45min train ride is one of the most beautiful journeys in Peru. After passing the Sacred Valley, it descends gradually alongside the Urubamba River until it reaches the cloud forest. The afternoon is free to explore the town. Stay: El Mapi by Inkaterra Hotel (B/D).

To beat the daytrippers from Cuzco and reach the ruins as early as possible, we book early morning buses and entry tickets to Machu Picchu. The Inca citadel is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world, enhanced by a mountain backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham. After the tour, we catch our afternoon train to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) in Voyager class, and then continue to Cuzco for our farewell dinner at MAP Café in the central courtyard of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Stay: Palacio Del Inka (B/D).

The adventure ends after breakfast. There are free transfers to Cuzco Airport for all today, which must be booked at least two weeks prior to the trip starting. Alternatively, if you'd like to continue your adventure, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in this fascinating city (B).