7-Nights Discovering Machu Picchu & the Inca from $2,980

Day 1: Welcome to Peru

Transfer: Jorge Chavez Lima International Airportto Lima Port

Hotel: AC Hotel Lima Miraflores (5 Star Rating)

Luxurious comfort meets convenient style at AC Hotel Lima Miraflores. Our contemporary hotel boasts an unbeatable location at Malecon de la Reserva, with stunning ocean views of Miraflores. Enjoy easy access to popular attractions, including Costa Verde and Puente de los Suspiros. Walk to Larcomar, an upscale shopping center next to our hotel with many dining, retail and entertainment options. Kennedy Park and the Indigenous Market are also a short walk from our hotel.

Take in stunning views of the ocean and beautiful sunsets from our European-influenced bar, hotel rooms and rooftop restaurant, Insumo Rooftop, which boasts the best ocean views in Lima. Escape to our chic rooms featuring luxury bedding, elegant bathrooms, flat-screen TVs and free high-speed Wi-Fi access. If you're traveling with a group, reserve one of our two private meeting rooms for your upcoming gathering, and maintain your exercise routine at our 24-hour fitness center. Elevate your travel experience at AC Hotel Lima Miraflores.

Day 2: Discovering the City of Kings and Pre-Incan Artifacts

Today you will learn about the two characters of Lima: the modern one, reflected in the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro; and the historic one, encapsulated in its historic center declared a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Along the tour through different districts of the city, you will see how the old and the modern coexist in buildings such as the Museum of Italian Art, Palace of Justice, Museum of Lima, Plaza San Martín, among others. With your private guide leading the way, you'll explore the center of Lima on foot, with the Main Square as the focal point: a beautiful colonial square worthy of photographs, surrounded by emblematic buildings such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace. You will also have the opportunity to enter one of the most iconic ecclesiastical spaces in Lima, the Convent of Santo Domingo, also declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and where the relics of three Peruvian saints are found: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres and San Juan Macías. The tour would not be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country, exhibiting a valuable collection of almost 45,000 pieces of pre-Hispanic cultures, especially the Mochicas. Marvel at the quality of its pieces of jewelry, textiles and its enigmatic erotic room, dedicated to ceramics alluding to fertility, and after exploring the museum, you will be returned to your hotel.

Day 3: Lima to the Sacred Valley with Sulca Textiles

Transfer: Lima - Miraflores to Jorge Chavez Lima International Airport

The Boleto Tourism Card (BTC) allows you to access archeological and cultural sites in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The BTC is a mandatory requirement for travellers visiting the area, and is included in your itinerary.Upon arrival to Cusco Airport, please collect your baggage and head to the arrivals area. Here you will be greeted by a local assistant holding a sign with your name on it. Your journey toward the Sacred Valley soon begins, passing through the charming Imperial City of Cusco. Along the way, stop for special visit to the Sulca Museum, where Peru's textile history is showcased through unique pieces recreated by the talented Sulca family, inspired by Pre-Columbian, Inca, Colonial, and Contemporary cultures, and crafted using ancestral techniques. It is the perfect place to acquire your first authentic souvenir from the Andes. You will then continue toward your hotel in the Sacred Valley, crossing majestic mountains and fertile fields, and typically arriving in the early afternoon.

Hotel: Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel and Villas (4 Star Rating)

Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel and Villas is a mountain chalet-styled retreat with panoramic Andes views from every room and every angle; it breathes an air of tranquillity and relaxation. Unique among Sacred Valley hotels, it contains a full-service spa, a domed planetarium and observatory, and a gourmet restaurant and bar. The 85 inviting, spacious rooms overlook the property and extensive gardens, and feature either private balconies or sunny sitting areas. Located between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, the hotel is perfectly positioned for easy access to the valley's abundant attractions and Machu Picchu.

Day 4: Exploring the Spectacular Sacred Valley

Following hotel pick up, your day will begin in Chinchero, a charming highland town where history and living tradition come together. Stroll through ancient agricultural terraces, take in sweeping Andean views, and admire the exterior of a beautiful colonial church built atop an Inca palace; an inspiring symbol of two cultures intertwined. From there, the journey continues to Moray, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the region. Its impressive circular terraces resemble a giant amphitheater, and as you explore alongside your private guide, discover how the Incas used this space as an agricultural laboratory, experimenting with crops across different microclimates. Next up is Maras and its famous salt mines. Thousands of shimmering salt pools cascade down the mountainside, creating a landscape unlike any other. These pools have been harvested since Inca times and are still an essential livelihood for local families today, making it an ideal spot to slow down, enjoy the views, and capture memorable photos. Midday brings a well-deserved break at Wayra Ranch, located within the beautiful Sol y Luna hotel. A relaxed lunch awaits, featuring flavorful Andean cuisine made with local ingredients, followed by an elegant Peruvian Paso horse show. To wrap up the day, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Day 5: The Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu

Transfer: Sacred Valley to Sacred Valley - Ollantaytambo

The Vistadome is the ideal train for those who want to see as much of the natural surroundings as possible along the wonderful route to Machu Picchu. Each of the cars feature impressive panoramic windows, offering incomparable scenic views and innumerous opportunities to capture amazing pictures. The Vistadome has air conditioning and heating, adjustable leather seats, and you will also receive a light snack during the journey. In addition to the exceptional views, ambient music plays, and informative audio-narratives occasionally air, providing you with a range of insights en route to Aguas Calientes.This route begins at the lower terrace, where you will have the chance to capture some fantastic panoramic pictures of the citadel. Continuing onward, you'll soon explore the urban and religious sector of Machu Picchu, including the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Condor, the Water Fountains, and more. Widely considered to be among the most comprehensive circuits to tour Machu Picchu, you'll explore the complex for 2 hours and 30 minutes alongside your local private guide before completing the route.

Hotel: El Mapi by Inkaterra (3 Star Rating)

El Mapi by Inkaterra is located right at the foot of the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and just across from the train station for Cusco/Machu Picchu train. This is a very reasonably priced hotel for Machu Picchu with full amenities. While the ruins may be ancient this hotel has all the modern comforts.

Day 6: A Second Visit to Machu Picchu and Train to Cusco

On this circuit, you'll have the opportunity to catch classic postcard perfect photos of Machu Picchu from the viewpoint of the Guardian's House. Along the way, you'll find a range of excellent viewpoints of the complex to capture incredible photos, including the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Intihuatana and more. Importantly, this route does not allow access to these structures, instead affording wonderful panoramas of the site. While you are invited to stay for as long as two hours and 30 minutes, most visitors will likely need 60 to 90 minutes to explore this circuit.At the scheduled time, board the Vistadome Train with service to Cusco. The Vistadome is the ideal train for those who want to see as much of the natural surroundings as possible. Each of the cars feature impressive panoramic windows, offering incomparable scenic views and innumerous opportunities to capture amazing pictures. The Vistadome has air conditioning and heating, adjustable leather seats, and you will also receive a light snack during the journey. In addition to the exceptional views, ambient music plays, and informative audio-narratives occasionally air, and a fashion show featuring baby alpaca wool will take place (with apparel available for purchase at additional cost), en route to Cusco.

Transfer: Cusco Train Station to Cusco

Hotel: Novotel Cusco (4 Star Rating)

Novotel Cusco is the ideal place to go for a long weekend or to spend your vacation. The hotel is situated in the heart of the historic center, near the Plaza de Armas main square, the cathedral, and 10 minutes from the airport. Novotel Cusco is a starting point for discovering the Inca civilization. This 4-star hotel offers 99 rooms, including 16 superior rooms, all housed in a 16th-century building, and 38 non-smoking rooms.

Day 7: Touring the Imperial City and Sacsayhuaman

This charming half-day tour of Cusco offers history, living culture and art. You will be able to appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and the present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. Begin the day exploring the halls of the San Pedro Market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of merchants selling local products. You will also visit Koricancha Temple, which during the Inca empire was a center of worship of the Sun, and upon which the Santo Domingo Convent was later built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque style facade built on solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cusco. To appreciate the greatness of the Incas, ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which - with its enormous carved stone walls - constitutes one of the best examples of Inca military architecture. Later, you will tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial place where the sun, the moon and the stars were worshiped. The final stop of the day is one of the most impressive; the Cathedral, widely considered the most important temple in the city. It was built by the Spanish on top of the palace of the Inca Huiracoha. Its interior houses a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases of the Cusco School of Art. Following your private tour of the city, you will be returned to your hotel.

Day 8: Depart from Peru

Transfer: Cusco to Cusco Airport