Day 01: (Friday) LIMA.
Welcome to Peru one of the most fascinating civilizations in the Americas. Upon arrival at Lima International airport you will be warmly greeted and transferred to your hotel in Lima (Casa Andina Select or The Novotel)

Ideally located in Miraflores, The Casa Andina is an excellent location for exploring the Peruvian Capital. Nearby top restaurants, attractions and shopping the hotel has an urban style with décor inspired by the local environment. Rooms come equipped with LCD TVs and direct dial telephone. Other features include a restaurant Spa, Gym and Sun Terrace with Jacuzzi and a VIP salon.

The architecture of the Novotel Lima hotel allows natural light into all areas of the hotel and fills guests rooms with a pleasant feeling of well-being. Rooms come equipped with LCD TVs, direct dial telephone and WIFI broadband. Other features include a restaurant, bar, fitness room, heated swimming pool and sauna.

Once in your room, you are free to relax for the rest of the day. We are not scheduling a formal group dinner since some travelers may arrive on late evening flights, and others may wish to offset jet lag with a night of rest.

Day 02: (Saturday) LIMA.
After a buffet breakfast you will have a morning at leisure to catch up on sleep and relax from your flights.

This afternoon we will enjoy a guided visit to the Laroco Herra Museum and the Barbosa - Stern private colonial collection. When we think about the highest exponents of colonial culture in Latin America, the Peruvian School naturally comes to mind. The Andean and European Colonial art is extraordinarily represented in the Barbosa - Stern Collection. Since 1966, Eduardo Barbosa and his wife Silvia Stern have collected an impressive compilation of Spanish Colonial Art. Mr and Mrs Barbosa - Stern's sons inherited their parent's love for colonial art and are now in charge of preserving the family's private collection.

This evening we will have a welcome meal to remember at Huaca Pucllana. Huaca Pucllana is located in a breathtaking setting: within the ruins of Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological compound built between 200 and 700 AD by the early inhabitants of Lima. The adobe pyramid, digs and walls of the complex -one of the main administrative and ceremonial centres of the Lima Culture- are illuminated by night, offering some amazing views. The cuisine is a reinterpretation of the Peruvian Criollo tradition by chef Marilú Madueño (Cordon Blue Paris), as she combines local flavours and ingredients with contemporary techniques.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 03: (Sunday) LIMA - CUZCO - SACRED VALLEY.
After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our one hour flight to Cuzco (not included). During our flight we have magnificent views of the rugged Andes Mountains. We are greeted at the airport by our driver and guide, and begin our adventure to the Urubamba Sacred Valley. En route, we visit Nilda Cañallaupa´s National Geographic sponsored native weaving project.

Textile production has a profound historic and cultural significance in the Andes, and this project is part of a highly-successful National Geographic Society supported initiative to rescue and revive this way of life. Women are the owners and drivers of this activity, and we will see how their gregarious processes of spinning, gathering and use of natural dyes, setting up of looms, and the creation of designs, are fundamental to the family and social bonds of these highland communities.

Callañaupa Nilda is the founder and head of the Center for Traditional Textiles (www.incas.org) in Cuzco, an NGO dedicated to preserving the textile heritage of the Andean people. A native of the village of Chinchero, Nilda was, by the age of 14, presenting at the Smithsonian Institute and the American Museum of Natural History. After attending university, Nilda started the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, including a weaving cooperative and a school for young girls (who must come dressed in traditional costume to be considered). CTTC also provides shelter for women in distress, insures that young girls connect with their elders, and helps native weavers control the marketing of their textiles. Nilda is a shining example of how indigenous people can fully engage with world markets and still remain true to their roots.

Today we enjoy a special gourmet picnic lunch while witnessing a presentation of a centuries-old Andean religious ritual, the "Tribute to the Mother Earth".

Our hotel for the next 2 nights is the inviting Sol y Luna Lodge and Spa. Set amid spectacularly landscaped gardens, the beautifully decorated, circular bungalow-style rooms come with rustic decor, private terraces, and gorgeous mountain views.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 04: (Monday) SACRED VALLEY .
After a buffet breakfast we embark on a full day excursion to the Cuyuni indigenous bio-cultural heritage area. To visit the native community of Cuyuni is to literally travel back in time. Here, natives are, in many ways, still living as they've been for centuries. The proud villagers will show us how they have managed to survive in such extremely adverse conditions at over 13,000 feet above sea level where only wild grass grows naturally. On this very special day, the community leaders will join our group as we learn not only about their daily lives and activities, but also about their ancestral traditions that date to pre-Inca times. Our visit will not only contribute to the preservation of this community but also encourage conservation of this precious environment.

(Breakfast and Lunch)

Day 05: (Tuesday) SACRED VALLEY - MACHU PICCHU.
This morning is the beginning of a fantastic journey by train to Machu Picchu, "Lost City of the Incas." We travel by Vistadome on the narrow gauge switch back train through the fertile valleys of the Andes and along the sacred Urubamba River.

Arriving at Machu Picchu is like stepping into a postcard! We have the luxury of staying at the Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel with plenty of free time to experience Machu Picchu. After our guided tour of the ruins with a local historian, we can stay and linger among the mute stones while the sun drops toward the western rim of the jungle and the softening light dramatizes the exquisite architecture.

The "Lost City of the Incas" was indeed lost for at least three and a half centuries. As is well known, it was re-discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American explorer and later U.S. Senator. The intact maze of empty plazas, chambers and palaces connected by stairways carved out of solid stone makes one understand why it is considered among the Wonders of the World. Built precipitously high, it is surrounded by mountains covered in lush tropical vegetation. Terraced to the edge to provide for Inca domiciles, it stands today as a tribute to Incan ingenuity. Our guide accompanies us through this incredible city of stone, pointing out the significance of various structures and explaining some of the theories about the mysteries of Machu Picchu. (Did you know that of the skeletons found there, women's out-numbered men's by ten to one?) It is said that Machu Picchu was a refuge from Pizarro's marauding Spaniards who were attracted to the Incan empire by tales of its fabulous stores of gold and silver. Much of the hotel's water supply comes from the original channels cut into the rocks and underground. The more you learn about the civil engineering of Machu Picchu, the more you will realize how far ahead of its time its many conveniences were.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 06: (Wednesday) MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO.
We have the luxury this morning to continue to explore Machu Picchu. The hotel has many excursions and activities to choose from: experience contemplative walks to sacred sites, or attempt a challenging Andean ascent. On the hotel grounds, nature trails wind past waterfalls and gardens; trained guides explain the fascinating cloud forest ecosystem. Discover a working tea plantation, and the world's largest private collection of indigenous orchids, open to the public. What could be more enchanting than the vibrant Waqnaki, and the legend of a lovesick Inca princess whose sadness was transformed into colorful teardrop petals?. Bus transportation and entrance fees are included today.

This afternoon we meet back at the Pueblo Hotel before boarding the Vistadome train for return to Cuzco, where we stay at the Novotel for the next two nights. Located in the historic center, close to the Plaza de Armas and Cathedral, the Novotel is the perfect historic base for discovering the Inca civilization.

(Breakfast)

Day 07: (Thursday) CUZCO.
Cuzco is acknowledged as the archeological capital of the new world. It is made up of an endless series of surprises spreading out to the horizon. It is the oldest continually inhabited city in the western hemisphere and was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.

This morning we depart on a city walking tour and Art Safar of Cuzcoi. Walking along the cobblestone streets while marveling at the flawless Incan stonework, we will learn about Cusco's School of Art and expression. At the Main Square we will visit the Cathedral, which contains one of the city's greatest examples of Mestizo art. After a delicious local lunch, we will visit the Inca Historical Museum and the Archbishop's private Art collection.

Tonight is a meal to remember at Chicha. Overlooking Cusco's charming Plaza Regocijo, the excellent and very popular new restaurant is the latest venture of Astrid & Gastón, Peru's best and most intriguing restaurant group.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 08: (Friday) CUZCO - LIMA.
After a buffet breakfast we will transfer Cuzco airport for our flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima we will be transferred to the Hotel.

There are many ways to get to know a country, but one of the most gratifying and interesting is through its food. On our last full day in Lima, we will meet a woman of high culinary regard - Chef Penelope Alzamora. Join Penelope and learn all about Peru's culinary history and the many ingredients in it's cuisine. During your hands-on cooking classes you will learn how to make pisco sour. For a late lunch you will have a Pisco tasting and a gourmet feast from the delicious dishes you have cooked at a beautiful garden surrounded by trees and birds.

The rest of the day is at leisure to for sightseeing, shopping or just relaxing. Miraflores is where most shoppers congregate, although there are also several outlets in Lima Centro and elsewhere in the city. Most shops are open daily from 9:30am to 12:30pm and 3 to 8pm.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 09: (Saturday) DEPARTURE DAY.
This afternoon we will schedule a group transfer to Lima Airport for your flights home.

(Breakfast)