From CAD 8,509 Was CAD 9,882
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
Experience Overview
Feast on Peruvian delicacies in Lima, tour the ancient Korikancha temple in Cusco and adventure through the Ollantaytambo ruins of Machu Picchu, on this 13-Day exploration of Peru. Embark on a Private Planetarium Tour in Cusco and uncover the influence of astronomy on Andean culture. Join a Local Expert in Machu Picchu for a guided tour through the ancient ruins—set high in the Andes against breathtaking backdrops. Visit the salt pans of Maras in the Sacred Valley where the Incas used to harvest the mineral and visit with a local Quechua Weaver to learn their ancient weaving techinques in a private presentation. In Paracus, be sure to pause at the Pisco distillery to sample this tasty local aperitif.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 12 Breakfast (B)
- 2 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 7 Lunch (L)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Cusco: Join a guided hike of the Inca ruins in Puca Pucara.
- Cusco: Delight your senses during a guided tour of the San Pedro Market.
Additional Included Highlights
- Prices include economy air and air-related charges for the flights between Lima - Cusco. This trip experiences high elevations, we recommend guests with pre-existing medical conditions talk with a doctor prior to travel.
Authentic Dining
- Lima: Unwind at your luxury abode, before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers in the evening for a dinner.
- Lima: Make your way to Lima's Pueblo Libre District and indulge on a lunch in the Museo Larco's 18th century garden.
- Sacred Valley: Make your way to the small lagoon of Laguna Piuray where you’ll enjoy your lunch of Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast.
- Cusco: Enjoy an immersive slow-cooked Cusquenian lunch at Pacha Papa. Lunch will be served al fresco at the courtyard of a historic mansion in the artsy neighborhood of San Blas.
- Cusco: In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner at Inka Grill, where you'll embark on a journey of flavors from Ceviche Palteado to Quinotto and Aji de Gallina.
Insight Choice
- Cusco: Join a guided hike of the Inca ruins in Puca Pucara.
- Cusco: Delight your senses during a guided tour of the San Pedro Market.
Insight Experiences
- Cusco: Visit Cusco's planetarium to learn more on how the Incas interpreted the stars. After a reception with hot wine (or tea) and appetizers, local experts will explain and share stories about the influence the stars had on Andean culture. You'll then be led to a room specially accommodated to view the ancient night skies, weather permitting.
- Paracas: Take to the skies on your Peru tour to see the iconic Nazca Lines, archaeological enigmas scratched in the ground 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. Gaze down in awe of these massive designs and patterns you can only view from above. Your private flight will show you many of the lines, complete with their names and a bit of history. From above, you’ll observe the different types: straight, geometric (such as triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, spirals, arrows, zigzags, and wavy lines), and pictorial (including a spider, hummingbird, cactus plant, monkey, whale, llama, duck, flower, tree, lizard, dog, and even a mysterious humanoid figure). Some of the animal geoglyphs are up to 1,200 feet long! You’ll also learn why the Nazca culture created these lines in the desert plains of the Rio Grande de Nazca River basin and how the Nazca people were able to carve out such massive designs.
Make Travel Matter
- Sacred Valley: Visit a local traditional Quechua weaver for a private textile presentation and learn about ancient technique and their cultural significance. Your experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 & 10: Gender Equality Reduced Inequalities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Cathedral of Lima: This morning, explore Peru's buzzing capital with your Local Expert, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall.
- Lima: After lunch, meet a local guide who will take you around the Museo Larco, a private museum located in Lima's Pueblo Libre District and home to the largest collection of Pre-Columbian art.
- Sacred Valley: The Maras Salt Mine will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. Learn how salt once harvested by Incas at this site is now exported to the entire world. Discover how the Incas found a water stream with high salt content and learned - in Pre-Incan times - how to build terraces to extract salt. You’ll be amazed at how, to this day, it is not known where the water actually comes from and has only been measured in the last 20 years during which the flow and intensity has not changed.
- Sacred Valley: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. At the Moray Incan laboratory northwest of Cusco, learn how the Incas determined the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. You’ll be fascinated by how this ancient culture learned how to build these terraced circular depressions on a high plateau at an altitude of about 11,500 feet and experimented with different kinds of soils and temperatures to grow their crops.
- Machu Picchu: Transfer to the station for your 360° IncaRail train ride. This train ride offers an unforgettable experience journeying through the Andes Mountains in style with large panoramic views allowing guests to enjoy the amazing scenery of the lush mountains and the Urubamba River en route to Machu Piccu Pueblo.
- Sacred Valley: On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, consisting of a large fortress built in the 1400s, a stepped terrace, and an area known as the Princess Baths, where ceremonial bathing took place. Later, stop by a a local house in the village and meet the family living there.
- Machu Picchu: Enjoy a guided visit with a Local Expert.
- Aguas Calientes: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. With a full day, you have the option to return to Machu Picchu for a different circuit. Or, take advantage of a day at leisure in Aguas Caliente – the town of Machu Picchu of 3,400 residents - to stroll along the river, go shopping for that perfect local souvenir or grab a coffee all midst the cloud forest.
- Cusco: Once you arrive, head on a walking tour of Cusco with a Local Expert. Explore what's known as the "historic capital" of Peru as you discover its ancestral magic through visits to the cathedral and the Qorikancha temple.
- Cusco: Start your day with a walking tour of Cusco, before heading to Sacsayhuaman.
- Paracas: A windswept coastline and haven for wildlife. The Ballestas Islands are a wildlife sanctuary that hold over 200 species of birds including Peruvian boobies, Inca terns, pelicans, red-legged cormorants and Humboldt penguins. You’ll treasure this opportunity to see these penguins in their natural habitat alongside a plethora of different birds.
- Ica: The pride of Peru and their national drink, Pisco is a must-try on any trip to Peru. Visit the beautiful Hacienda La Caravedo to learn about how Pisco was traditionally made on this unique opportunity to see the oldest, continuously operating distillery in the Americas established in 1684 and the biggest distillery in South America. In addition to learning about this tasty beverage, you’ll love learning how the distillery has plants on their rooftop to offset Co2 emissions.
Trip Details
Product Code: 34208
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Supplier Code: 261.1597A
Starts: Lima, Peru
Finishes: Lima, Peru
Duration: 13 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 8509 (CAD 655 /day)
Itinerary
Arrive in Lima for the first day of your journey. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Unwind at your luxury abode, before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers in the evening for dinner with drinks.
Accommodation: MGallery Manto, Lima
Meals: Dinner
Explore the colorful capital of Peru this morning with your Local Expert. Delve into its colonial past and see key attractions, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Visit Casa Aliaga, an impressive mansion that has been home to the Aliaga family for 17 generations. For those with an appreciation for art, head to Museo Larco, a private museum located in Lima’s Pueblo Libre District. It is the highest-rated museum in South America and houses the largest collection of Pre-Columbian art. Indulge in a Highlight Lunch with an 18th-century garden as your backdrop. After lunch, meet a Local Expert who will take you around the Museo Larco and share the museum’s private collection with you. Delve into Peruvian culture, its ancient history and the country's religious beliefs. Return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure.
Accommodation: MGallery Manto, Lima
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Take a transfer to the airport in the morning, where you'll catch your flight to the ancient capital of Cusco. Begin your tour of the Sacred Valley, while taking in impressive views on your scenic drive along the way. After a few stunning photo stops, enjoy lunch at Altar Inca, surrounded by some of the most impressive views of the region. Enjoy a leisurely trip to your hotel for the next couple of nights, where the evening is yours to do as you please. We recommend that you rest in order to adjust to the altitude comfortably.
Accommodation: Aranwa Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Start the morning off with a visit to the Maras salt pans, where the Incas harvested their salt. Today, the salt from Maras is exported to the entire world. Move on to an Incan laboratory in Moray, an archaeological site close to Cusco. Find out more about the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience as you visit a local traditional Quechua weaver in the Sacred Valley and learn about the importance these textiles have in shaping personal and regional identities. Afterward, make your way to Laguna Piuray, where you’ll enjoy a Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast, for your Highlight Lunch. In the evening, transfer to Hacienda Huayoccari, where you'll discover this gem of the Sacred Valley while exploring its grounds and small museum. Sit down for a special Peruvian dinner before heading back to your hotel, the luxurious Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel.
Accommodation: Aranwa Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine
Transfer to the station for your IncaRail train ride. On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, followed by a stop at a local house in the village’s cobblestoned old town and visit with the family living there. In the afternoon, visit Machu Picchu, where you’ll meet your Local Experts for a guided visit in small groups. They will take you through the ruins and explain their historical and archaeological significance, as well as the importance of their location. Set high in the Andes Mountains, it offers spectacular scenery and history, dating back to the 15th century. End your day with a relaxing dinner and drinks at your hotel.
Accommodation: Sumaq Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Take in the breathtaking landscapes of Machu Picchu for a second time. Spend your morning exploring at your own pace, with your Travel Director on hand to answer any queries you may have. The afternoon is yours at leisure. Relax back at your hotel or perhaps explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own. Spend the evening as you please before sitting down to a dinner with your fellow travelers.
Accommodation: Sumaq Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, return by train to Ollantaytambo, where you will transfer to the ancient city of Cusco. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco showcases a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, ancient remains and a lively cosmopolitan scene for modern inhabitants. On arrival in Cusco, head out on a walking tour with a Local Expert. Visit its cathedral and the Qorikancha temple, the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The evening is yours at leisure. Ask your Travel Director for local restaurant and bar recommendations.
Accommodation: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Start your day with a walking tour of Sacsayhuaman. Afterwards, explore with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert on a guided hike of the Inca ruins at Puca Pucara. Alternatively, you can explore the lively and colorful San Pedro Market. Later, make your way to the city’s planetarium for a private, after-hours tour, sample some local delicacies and hot wine as you gaze at the night sky.
Accommodation: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, explore Cusco at your own pace. Perhaps head out on an optional visit to the ChocoMuseo about chocolate making. Another active option is a hike to Rainbow Mountain. Or maybe relax and unwind at your hotel, set in a beautiful 16th century building. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable dinner at Inka Grill.
Accommodation: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Depart Cusco and fly to Lima. From here, enjoy a leisurely coastal drive to the beach town of Paracas. Known for its sandy beaches, tranquil bay, wildlife and the Paracas Candelabra geoglyph. With the rest of your evening free, take the opportunity to relax at your beautiful resort right on the beach. Take a cooling dip in one of their two swimming pools or stroll through the fragrant gardens.
Accommodation: Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Peru’s Incan history and beautiful landscapes will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. Uncover insights into Paracas’ local culture meeting fishermen and women who share their daily lives and routines in this charming coastal town. Deepen your discovery of the area and treat yourself to incredible views with a flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a collection of giant geoglyphs drawn in the desert sand by the Nazca people. Look out from your aircraft for representations of plants and animals including a spider, hummingbird, cactus plant, monkey, whale, llama, duck, flower and tree measuring up to 1,200 feet (370 meters) long. Conclude another grand day over a sea-to-table meal at your luxurious resort by the bay.
Accommodation: Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Home to blue footed boobies, Humboldt penguins, Peruvian pelicans, fur seals and sea lions, the Ballestas Islands are famous for their abundant marine life as well as striking rock formations. Soak it all in on this morning’s scenic cruise with your Local Expert. Experience another side of the area in the nearby city of Ica at a pisco distillery for a tasting. Sip and savor the national drink in Peru in this region known for growing grapes and producing the best pisco. Enhance your cultural discoveries at one of Peru’s finest small museums housing mummies, skulls, fossils, ceramics, textiles and artifacts from the Inca and other significant civilizations of the region.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lands so rich with history, they will leave you spellbound. Embark on your return to Lima, stopping at Hacienda San José in Chincha. During your insightful tour, learn how this former slave plantation portrays a dark chapter of Peruvian history. Tour the original building and baroque chapel, viewing frescoes, agricultural equipment, and delving into a web of catacombs and underground tunnels once used to bring the slaves from the coast to the Hacienda. After immersion in Peru’s history, your tour concludes with a drop-off at Lima airport.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Tanya - Traveled, November 2024
We used a travel agent who dealt with Insight Vacation booking. My family and I had a wonderful experience as our travel director made our trip very memorable. He was very passionate about his country and made sure we were all taken care of. I wished Insight Vacations would have informed us in the pre travel documents that you would need an overnight bag for 2 nights in Machu Picchu, since your main luggage is headed to Cusco for the rest of the trip. Also we wished Insight Vacations would fly you back as a group from Cusco to Lima, since they flew us there as a group, Insight should take you back to Lima. Lastly, we believe we should have only stayed in Cusco for 2 nights instead of 3, due to the elevation. There is definitely a noticeable difference in your breathing due to the lack of oxygen you are receiving. I do appreciate Insight Vacations giving us enough bottled water on this trip, since we are use to drinking tap. Overall, we were very pleased with this trip of a lifetime.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
Need more people who had more specific information on this tour. The explanation for what to bring was waaay too general for Perú! Peru was NOT a walk in the park! More attention to this trip, Peru, was needed. Clothes to bring or things to watch out for specifically for Peru. Itinerary for the last day changed three days before starting the tour. Was outstanding. Knowledgeable, empathetic and caring. Was lacking all three characteristics. Was not very attentive to the group. He did not wait for people to catch up during his walking presentation. Had a great balance of Inca and Spanish history. Variety of what the common Peruvian does. A independent fisherman or weavers. All was fabulous! The Planetarium evening was exceptional! Was soooo good!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
More specific pointers for this particular trip. At one point in the trip it was helpful to have each person have a backpack. As far as I can remember there wasn't anything explaining that in the materials beforehand. Next - The itinerary changed for the last day of the trip. It changed three days before the trip started and people had booked their flights to leave months before. Our tour director was fantastic. The local guide, did not pay attention to see if people were in range with their headsets. So sometimes we could not hear him. He lacked concern or interest in the group. He also did not wait for his small group of ten people to catch up with him at Machu Picchu and so we missed the iconic area to take a photo. He continued to show this lack of attention even after pointed it out. Nice balance of native and Spanish history. Also, a variety of activities - planetarium, weaving demonstration, haciendas, Nazca lines, fisherman discussion, Ballestas Islands, Machu Picchu, interesting restaurants.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, August 2024
Itinerary was great. Accommodations and meals were really good, especially the resorts. Our tour guide was the best ever, and I have been traveling 30 years and to 75 countries.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/19/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
The guides and were fantastic! Transportation was very accommodating and easy to navigate with involvement. Of course Machu Picchu was amazing. I also really enjoyed the trip to Palcoyo. It was beautiful and manageable even with the altitude.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2024
Colin - Traveled, April 2025
The service you read on the brochure is not what you get. Have a look at the picture on Insight Vacations Travel Guide this is not what you get to see. This is false advertising. I wonder if one could sue Insight Vacations. I may well look at that option. The trip to Machu Picchu is not to the Machu Picchu you see on all travel brochures. It is the cheapest option to visit the sight .The second visit the next day is only what you saw on the first visit. It would be far better to explain that. Then have the option to pay the little more it costs to see the proper Machu Picchu. I am very disappointed worse than disappointed I feel Insight Vacations have cheated me out of the trip that they had promised.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2025
Keith - Traveled, April 2025
Tour guides and our tour lead were great. Great trip. Beautiful archeological sites and cities included in the itinerary. Would have been helpful for many travelers to know that for the two nights at Machu Picchu you will need an overnight bag for the train ride and hotel stay as your luggage is likely too large for the train to Machu Picchu. Cusco was a great city to walk around and sample a lot of good restaurants.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2025
Insight Vacations delivered exceptional service every step of the way. All the hotels we stayed in were top-notch—comfortable, clean, and conveniently located near everything we needed for relaxing evenings. It made it easy to explore a little on our own or just unwind after a full day of touring. The breakfasts were absolutely five-star—plentiful, delicious, and a perfect way to start each day. From accommodations to logistics, everything was handled with care and professionalism, making the trip feel seamless and stress-free. Insight truly knows how to create an enriching, comfortable, and memorable travel experience. I had an incredibly good time on my Insight trip to Peru and the Nazca Lines. From start to finish, the experience was thoughtfully curated and full of unforgettable moments. The local experts were all outstanding—knowledgeable, passionate, and eager to share their insight into Peru’s rich culture and history. A special shoutout goes to Harvey, our exceptional tour leader. His storytelling brought Peru’s past and present to life in a way that made us feel like old friends. His warmth, depth of knowledge, and genuine care for the group made the journey even more meaningful. I learned so much about the country and its people, and I now feel a deep appreciation for Peru’s heritage. The itinerary was full and engaging but paced perfectly—not once did I feel rushed or overwhelmed. We had enough time in each place to really soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the experience. I would absolutely love to return one day. This trip was more than just sightseeing—it was a true connection with a beautiful country and its incredible people.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/10/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, April 2025
Overall service was superb from start to finish and our tour guide was superior. Great places and pleasant assent to altitude. Our tour guides, especially were world class. Thank you.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2025
Andrew - Traveled, April 2025
Awesome! Tour guides and were very knowledgeable and kind! Excellent trip!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2025
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