Secrets of Southern Peru Journey – 11 Nights

After breakfast, our Sacred Valley Cusco Tour team will pick you up from your accommodation and take you to the tourist bus station to begin the journey to the imperial city of Cusco. This tour, considered one of the most beautiful in the southern Andes, passes through breathtaking landscapes where mountains, high plateaus, and valleys intertwine in a natural spectacle.
During the first part of the trip, you will have the opportunity to observe vicuñas, alpacas, and llamas grazing freely, an authentic landscape of the Peruvian Andes. Later, the road brings us closer to the imposing presence of the Andes mountain range, bordering deep valleys crossed by the Huatanay River, which accompanies our route with its meandering course.
The trip includes strategic stops at cultural and natural sites (depending on the season and accessibility), which enrich the experience with history, archaeology, and living traditions of the high plateau and the southern valley. After lunch en route, you will arrive in Cusco in the afternoon. Upon arrival, a host will greet you at the station and assist you with transportation and check-in at your hotel.

After breakfast and a free morning to rest, our guide will pick you up from your accommodation to begin a fascinating tour of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, a city that uniquely combines Inca grandeur with Spanish colonial heritage.
The tour begins in Cusco's Plaza de Armas, the historic heart of the city, home to the Cathedral and the Temple of the Society of Jesus, jewels of colonial architecture. We will continue to the Koricancha, or Temple of the Sun, one of the most sacred sites in the Inca world, on which the Convent of Santo Domingo was built.
Afterward, we'll head to the outskirts of Cusco to visit four archaeological sites that showcase the power and organization of the Inca civilization:
• Sacsayhuamán, an imposing ceremonial fortress built with colossal stone blocks that fit together perfectly.
• Qenqo, a ceremonial center carved into rock with altars and underground labyrinths.
• Puca Pucara, an ancient military structure that controlled access to the city.
• Tambomachay, known as the Baths of the Inca, a site associated with the worship of water.
At the end of the tour, return to your hotel in Cusco to rest and prepare for the next adventures in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

After breakfast, we'll depart early for the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a sacred place for the Inca civilization thanks to the fertility of its lands and its spiritual connection to the Vilcanota River. The tour will take us through spectacular landscapes surrounded by Andean mountains, traditional communities, and fields that still maintain ancient agricultural techniques.
Our first stop will be the picturesque town of Pisac (2,970 m above sea level), famous for its artisan market, one of the most colorful and varied in the region. Here you can find finely woven textiles, ceramics with Inca symbols, and handmade silver jewelry. Nearby, we'll visit the archaeological site of Pisac, a complex that includes agricultural terraces, Inca cemeteries, and temples dedicated to astronomy and agriculture. A curious fact is that Pisac was designed in the shape of a partridge, an animal considered sacred in the Andean worldview.
After a buffet lunch at a local restaurant in Urubamba, we'll continue to Ollantaytambo (2,792 m), a living Inca village that preserves its original urban layout, with cobblestone streets and water channels. Its ceremonial fortress rises from the mountainside and is composed of gigantic, perfectly assembled stone walls. The Temple of the Sun, built with enormous monoliths brought from quarries more than 6 km away, remains an enigma due to the magnitude of its transport and construction.
Then we'll head to Chinchero (3,762 m), a charming town where time seems to stand still. Here we'll visit its colonial church, built on Inca ruins, and enjoy a demonstration in community textile workshops where local women explain ancient techniques of spinning and dyeing with plants and minerals.
We will continue to the Maras Salt Mines, a collection of more than 3,000 white salt pools filled with salt water that flows from a natural spring since pre-Inca times. To this day, local families extract salt by hand, making it one of the most impressive sights of the Sacred Valley.
Finally, we will visit the Moray archaeological complex, a unique Inca agricultural center. Its amphitheater-shaped circular terraces would have functioned as an agricultural laboratory, creating microclimates at each level for experimenting with different crops. This ingenious system demonstrates the advanced agricultural knowledge of the Incas.
At the end of the tour, transfer to your hotel in the Sacred Valley for an overnight stay, surrounded by Andean landscapes and a starry sky that make this region a magical place.

Early in the morning, transfer to the train station to begin the journey to the enigmatic citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the most important and visited archaeological destinations in the world. The train ride is an experience in itself, passing through spectacular landscapes of mountains, rivers, and high Andean jungle.
Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes, we will board the bus that ascends to the entrance of the citadel. Machu Picchu, also known as the Lost City of the Incas, remained hidden for more than 400 years among dense vegetation and mountains until its discovery in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.
During the guided tour, we will visit its two main areas:
The agricultural zone, with terraces and terraces that demonstrate the Inca mastery of high-altitude agriculture.
The urban area, with temples, plazas, ceremonial sites, and royal mausoleums, most notably the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, and the Sacred Plaza, built with unparalleled architectural perfection.
In the afternoon, descent to Aguas Calientes and accommodation at your chosen hotel, with free time to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Enjoy an additional day in the magical surroundings of Machu Picchu, with the opportunity to explore the citadel again and discover corners that your first visit didn't allow you to fully appreciate. This free time offers the opportunity to hike to unique sites such as:
Huayna Picchu: the famous pyramid-shaped mountain that rises above Machu Picchu, from where you can enjoy one of the most spectacular views of the citadel and the valley. (Admission subject to prior reservation).
Inca Bridge: a little-traveled path that reveals an ancient secret entrance used by the Incas as a strategic defense.
Intipunku or Sun Gate: the original access point of the Inca Trail, from where you can enjoy unforgettable panoramic views of Machu Picchu.
In the afternoon, return by train to Cusco. Upon arrival, a host will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight stay in Cusco.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and connecting with your international departure. End of our services.
After a tour filled with history, culture, and unforgettable landscapes, you'll take home the unique experience of having explored Peru, the Wonderland.