A Taste of Peru - Lima to Machu Picchu

Our tour starts in Lima, Peru's capital and the gastronomic heart of the country. Founded in 1535 AD by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the city and its food scene have been shaped by a mixture of conquest and immigration throughout the ages. Today the cosmopolitan city retains elements from its past, the old centre is teeming with reminders of the colonial and pre-Hispanic eras.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Lima at any time. However, for those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet in the hotel reception at 7.30pm for a welcome meeting. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) which is a one-hour drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to take an independent stroll along the coastal path in Miraflores. Lima also has several world-class and award-winning restaurants, most notably Central, Maido and Astrid & Gaston. These get booked up a month or more in advance so you should book well before your trip. If you don't have additional nights booked in Lima, you could make a reservation for this evening and catch up on the welcome meeting later, or book for the evening of Day 3.

We'll dive straight into Peru's award-winning culinary scene today, starting with an explosion of sights, smells and tastes at the Surquillo Market. This wonderland of foodstuffs is where your everyday Limeno does their weekly shopping; from tropical fruits such as chirimoya and lucuma to piles of purple corn and an abundance of seafood, we'll be introduced first-hand to the fresh ingredients that go into creating Lima's excellent and diverse cuisine. Of course, during our visit, we'll have the chance to taste some of the produce, too.

Following our trip to the market, we'll visit a local restaurant, where a chef will show us how two of Peru's most iconic dishes are prepared; pisco sours and ceviche. We'll find out how zesty lime juice, sweet onions and chilli heat combine to cook raw fish and give it a delicious flavour (limes only appeared in Peru after the Spanish conquest, but there is evidence to suggest that ceviche was created in other ways by prehispanic societies). There are ceviche spots on every corner of the city, from rustic spots with bowls piled high to high-end restaurants serving delicately presented portions. We'll have lunch in the restaurant, trying the ceviche we've learned how to prepare.

In the afternoon, we'll head to artistic Barranco for a walking tour. This neighbourhood has a reputation for creativity, with some of the best street art in the city. As well as beautiful architecture and a seafront walk, we'll visit the workshop of Victor Delfin (a renowned Peruvian artist), which will give you a sense of Barranco's bohemian beginnings (note that the artist isn't always in residence). During our walk, we'll also take a break to enjoy a Peruvian coffee at a speciality coffee and chocolate shop.

We'll explore both modern and historic Lima today, beginning at commercial Miraflores with its pretty 'Malecon' (seafront) before heading into the historic centre. We'll explore the centre on foot, walking along some of the most historically important streets of the city to the Plaza de Armas, which is surrounded by Lima's most impressive colonial architecture, and visit the Convent of Santo Domingo, just one of the centre's many spectacular 16th-century churches. Before lunch, we'll spend some time in the Larco Museum, which houses the incomparable Treasures of Ancient Peru private collection - one of the most superb exhibits of Peruvian artefacts in the world, which traces over three thousand years of Peruvian history. The museum itself is housed in an 18th-century mansion, built on the ruins of a 7th-century pyramid.

After a time-travelling tour through Peru's significant indigenous history, we'll visit the traditional Antigua Taberna Queirolo for lunch and a pisco tasting. The taverna was founded in 1880 by the Queirolo family and is still run by them today - photographs of the family dating back 130 years adorn the walls. The family is also one of the oldest pisco makers in the country, with vineyards south of Lima that grow Peru's finest export. Lunch here will depend on the day, but we'll be sure to taste some of Peru's home-grown cooking. Perhaps a delicious 'causa' - a traditional dish consisting of layered potato, avocado, chicken or tuna and mayonnaise, usually arranged in a neat cylinder - or a 'lomo saltado' (quite literally 'jumped beef'). This restaurant predominantly sells the kind of food that Limenos have been eating for decades and still attracts a local clientele who want authentic, traditional meals.

After lunch, we'll explore the Queirolo's pisco blends in a tasting session. We'll have the remainder of the afternoon free - you might choose to revisit the churches and narrow streets of the historic city or take the sea air in Miraflores.

This morning, we'll fly into Cusco, landing at 3,300 metres of altitude, and transferring directly into the Sacred Valley, the ancient heartland of the Incas.

We'll travel to the Piuray Lagoon, one of the many spectacular lakes in the valley. Surrounded by the high peaks of the Andes, it's an awe-inspiring location for our special lunch.

We'll be taking part in an ancient cooking ritual known as 'pachamanca' this afternoon, which dates back to Inca times. After an explanation of the tradition behind the meal, we'll be invited to help bury the food in a huatia (an earth oven formed of hot stones). Spiced meats, potatoes, unusual Andean roots such as oca and uncucha, corn, pineapples and even cheese gratin, are all buried underground and slow-cooked. After around 45 minutes, we'll dig up the dish and eat. We'll also have a cold starter dish of quinoa, avocado and trout from the lake. Quinoa is the Andean grain of choice, famously making its way onto the superfood list in Western countries, while the Peruvians have been eating it for years.

In the afternoon, we'll have some free time - SUP and kayaks are both available on the lake's still waters for those who wish, or you could take a walk around the lakeshore. We'll travel to our Sacred Valley hotel in the late afternoon.

Potatoes are on the menu today. With over 4,000 different varieties, Peru really is the home of the potato - in fact, we didn't have them in Europe until the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadores brought them back. We'll see these indigenous vegetables brought into the modern day, with a visit to the home and farm of Manuel Choqque, an agricultural engineer-turned-potato farmer. With over 370 varieties in his potato bank, Manuel experiments with the colouring and nutritional value of native potatoes to create new, colourful and nutritionally improved roots. After a fascinating visit, we'll get to sample some of his work, along with a traditional 'uchucuta' (hot pepper) sauce. Manuel is also experimenting with Andean tuber wines (made of ocas and mashwas) - we'll have a tasting of these before heading on our way.

We'll continue to the complex of Inca ruins at Moray - huge semi-circular agricultural terraces that were used as a botanical laboratory by the Incas, an ancient experiment that shows how in tune the civilisation was with agriculture and Mother Earth. We'll also take in a panoramic view of Maras; enormous terraced salt pans that are a shock of white in the green valley.

Lunch today is a truly unique experience. We'll dine at a local home restaurant that opens for just one party at a time and on a request-only basis. We'll enjoy Peruvian dishes with a modern twist whilst soaking up the incredible views. The family-run house cooks using local, seasonal ingredients from their own organic garden and fields.

After lunch, we'll head back to our hotel in the valley. This evening, we might have the opportunity (time permitting) to visit the Cerveceria del Valle - the Sacred Valley's very own brewery - where you can try some of Peru's craft beers.

We'll have an early start this morning to make our journey to Machu Picchu, taking the train from Ollantaytambo. We'll board a Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes - we'll grab a snack on board and admire the views from the huge panoramic windows.

On arrival into Aguas Calientes, we'll start our ascent to Machu Picchu by bus. Accompanied by an expert guide, we'll the temples, stairways, palaces and gabled stone dwellings. It's clear to see why it's one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

We'll be guided around the site with some free time to appreciate the ancient wonder, before descending to Aguas Calientes, where a celebratory lunch and Peruvian wine tasting awaits at the Sumaq Hotel - the best restaurant in town. During our meal, we'll try two different grape varieties putting a high-end twist on the traditional Peruvian dishes.

After lunch, we'll take a late afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, and a private bus to our Cusco hotel.

This morning, we'll take an immersive walking tour through the captivating city of Cusco, kicking things off in the colossal archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, a stone fortress that's still at the core of Cusco's traditions. Winding our way along an old Incan trail, we'll head down to the colonial neighbourhood of San Cristobal, where the plaza gives us a sweeping view over the city's rooftops. Navigating the narrow streets of the old city, we'll reach the aqueduct of Sapantiana, a hidden engineering marvel only known by locals. This aqueduct directs us to arty San Blas, where coffee shops converge with traditional artisan's workshops, we'll explore the cobbled calles, venturing inside the studios to marvel at the local craftsmanship.

Entering the main Plaza de Armas of Cusco, the focal point of the city, we're welcomed by the baristas of Three Monkeys Coffee who serve us the finest Peruvian beans. Then, once revived, we'll continue walking, gazing upon the Qoricancha complex, once the Inca's most sacred site dedicated to the Sun God. Our final destination is Mercado de Wanchaq, a local hot spot jammed with rows of colourful stalls and filled with the aromas of seasonal fruit. Slurping freshly pressed juice, we'll watch the sellers hawking their wares before returning to the hotel.

The afternoon is free for you to explore more of the city. There are plenty of museums to discover and markets to wander. A hot chocolate at one of the coffee shops surrounding the Plaza de Armas is also a lovely way to soak up the rhythm of city life.

We'll spend the final day of our trip in the iconic Inca capital of Cusco. The full day is free to absorb the atmosphere of the magical city. There'll be the chance to take part in a Pisco Sour making class, or you could go to one of the many bars in the city and enjoy one without the effort!

In the evening, we'll visit the Pachapapa restaurant together for a final meal (included). We'll most likely be trying a Cusquena speciality: Adobo de Chancho Cusqueno, which is a hearty, spicy stew marinated with chicha de jora (corn beer) and chilli pepper.

Our trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Cusco.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Cusco at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ), which is around a 15-minute drive from our hotel.

Depending on the schedule of your flights, you might have additional time to visit a museum shop for souvenirs in the winding streets and alleys of the city.

If you're travelling on to the Amazon, you'll be transferred to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport this morning for your flight to Puerto Maldonado.