Sunday, Jan 25 - From Lima to Sacred Valley via the Flavors of the Andes (B, L)

Transfer from the hotel in Lima to the airport.  Fly to Cusco and begin your culinary immersion in the Sacred Valley. On the way you stop at Chinchero to join a local weaving family in their courtyard for an overview of the Andean weaving process. Chinchero is renowned for the production of textiles done on backstrap looms. You watch as wool is carded, spun, and dyed and learn about the different techniques used to create belts, ponchos and shawls.  Enjoy lunch at Las Manos, an open-kitchen restaurant nestled in Urubamba. Share grilled specialties and contemporary Peruvian dishes in a rustic garden setting.

Monday, Jan 26 - Incan Wisdom & Potato Heritage (B. L)

This morning you explore Pisaq market in the Sacred Valley. Originally a place where people from remote communities used to barter their products, Pisaq has evolved to one of South America's most famous souvenir markets. En route you will also visit the ruins of Pisaq, a site set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisaq's Inca citadel are magnificent. In the main ruins you will find temples of the sun, moon, rain, rainbow, and stars, as well as a few Inca crosses rising from the ground. The cross represents the different levels of existence: The lower level signifies the underworld, and snake god; the higher level, human existence, represented by the jaguar or puma god; and the highest level, the celestial plane, represented by the condor.

Next, head to Potato Park, a unique conservation project run by Indigenous communities. Learn how more than 2,000 native potato varieties are preserved and enjoy a guided tasting that celebrates this humble yet vital crop. Later, enjoy a quintessential lunch at Hacienda Sarapampa - a charming farm in the Sacred Valley growing Giant White Corn. Toasted corn has been a common snack in Peru before the Inca times. In fact a new study reveals the ancient Peruvian man was preparing corn-based foods up to 6,700 years ago.  And at Sarampampa you’ll have the chance to learn how the Incas developed this extra-large variety and about its relevance for the local economy. Ancestral techniques are still in use at Sarapampa to produce chewy kernels highly valued as unique source of health benefits. Savor then a delicious 3-course lunch made with local produce and techniques used since colonial times.

Board the luxury train through the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, gateway to Machu Picchu.  This train reflects the 1920s Pullman era whilst boasting elegance and sophistication. You will enjoy brunch and mimosas in a relaxed atmosphere as the train passes through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The train will arrive in Aguas Calientes at 12.30pm when the guide will take you up to the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu by a private bus. Get ready to experience one of the most outstanding archaeological wonders of the world on a 2-hour tour.  Dinner at the hotel.

Wednesday, Jan 28 - The Lost City of the Incas (B)

After some free time this morning, return by train to Ollantaytambo, followed by a transfer to Cusco. Luggage will be transferred separately for your convenience.  This afternoon, walk through Cusco’s ancient streets. You will visit the Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), where we witness the incredible masonry of the Incas, an engineering feat that remains an enigma, the main square and Hatunrumiyoc Street with its famed 12-angled stone. End in San Blas, a lively artists’ quarter with galleries and scenic views. Dinner is at Map Café - the restaurant’s owner Jorge Luis Ossio is one of Peru’s most renowned chefs. The sophisticated MAP Cafe is housed in a modernist glass box set in the courtyard of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (MAP).

Thursday, Jan 29 - Farewell Peru (B)

Transfer to Cusco airport for your departure. You'll leave not only with memories but with a deeper connection to Peru’s flavors, culture, and traditions.