A TASTE OF PERU
About this journey
Peru tells many of its stories around the table. They begin in a market, take shape in the hands of a cook and carry the character of the landscapes where their ingredients grow. This private journey follows those stories from Lima to the Andes, bringing together hands-on cooking, encounters with local producers and thoughtfully selected dining experiences. Along the way, discover the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, with time to enjoy each destination beyond the table. From familiar family recipes to contemporary interpretations, explore a country whose cuisine offers a revealing—and delicious—sense of place.
Itinerary
Welcome to Lima
Arrive in Lima, where our team welcomes you and accompanies you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to settle in and rest after your flight. For those ready for a first taste of the city, we will be happy to suggest a nearby table to begin your culinary journey.
Lima, from market to table
Begin at a local market, where the colours, aromas and ingredients that fill Peru's kitchens come together. With your culinary host, explore the produce on display and learn how it finds its way into some of the country's best-loved dishes. Continue with a hands-on cooking experience, followed by a lunch of what you have prepared yourself. In the afternoon, visit Barranco, where art, neighbourhood life and ocean views reveal another side of Lima. The evening is yours, with the option of a specially arranged dinner.
Into the Andean pantry
Fly to Cusco and continue into the Sacred Valley, where cultivated fields and mountain villages open onto a different landscape, and a different pantry. Along the way, your guide introduces the valley's distinct growing zones and the crops that thrive in each, bringing you closer to where Andean ingredients begin. Lunch at a Sacred Valley restaurant, prepared with produce from the surrounding land, turns those stories into flavours. Afterwards, continue to your hotel for a restful afternoon, with time to settle in and adjust to the altitude.
A table at MIL, Moray & Maras
Begin the day with an experience at MIL, which invites you to read the surrounding territory through its ingredients and flavours. Here, the meal becomes part of your exploration of the Andes, bringing a contemporary perspective to the places you are about to visit. Afterwards, explore the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras with your guide, two distinctive expressions of the valley's relationship with its landscape.
The land, its flavours & traditions
Discover another side of the Sacred Valley through its agricultural heritage and culinary traditions. At a selected farm or hacienda, meet your hosts and explore the relationship between the land, its ingredients and the table. Depending on the experience chosen, the day may centre on the art of pachamanca or a hacienda lunch accompanied by a presentation of Peruvian Paso horses. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an unhurried afternoon in the valley.
Along the Urubamba, to Machu Picchu
Travel to Ollantaytambo to board your morning train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Following the Urubamba River, the route passes between steep mountains as the landscape grows lusher. On arrival, leave your overnight belongings at the hotel before continuing by bus to Machu Picchu. With your guide, explore the architecture, terraces and finely worked stone in their remarkable mountain setting. Afterwards, return to the village for an evening at leisure.
From the valley to the streets of Cusco
After breakfast, return by train to Ollantaytambo, where your private transport awaits for the drive to Cusco. Along the way, pause at Awanakancha to meet Andean camelids and learn how their fibres connect to the region's textile traditions. You arrive in time for lunch at a restaurant of your choice before settling into your hotel. The afternoon is deliberately open: wander nearby streets, find a café overlooking a square or enjoy a quiet moment at your hotel. Our local recommendations are a starting point for discovering the city's many corners.
Cusco, history & everyday life
Experience Cusco through its remarkable heritage and the everyday life that surrounds it. Explore Sacsayhuamán, where monumental stonework overlooks the city, then continue to Qorikancha and the Cathedral, each revealing a different chapter of Cusco's history. At a local market, find the ingredients and flavours of Andean kitchens, then wander through San Blas, whose narrow streets and artisan workshops invite a closer look at the city's creative spirit. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure.
Cusco at leisure, a final table
Enjoy a full day to follow your own curiosity in Cusco. Return to a favourite neighbourhood, browse artisan boutiques or linger over lunch at a restaurant that catches your eye. For a further taste of Peru, add an optional chocolate-making workshop or coffee tasting. Our team will gladly share recommendations and arrange the experience you choose. By evening, a farewell dinner at a carefully selected restaurant offers a last taste of the Andes.
A leisurely farewell
Enjoy breakfast and, depending on your flight time, a few final hours in Cusco. A later departure leaves room for another stroll, a relaxed lunch or a last visit to a favourite café. At the appropriate time, your private transfer takes you to the airport for your onward journey.
Included / not included
INCLUDED
- Handpicked stays in Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu Pueblo and Cusco, with daily breakfast.
- Private transportation & transfers throughout the journey, including airport and train station transfers as required.
- Specialized local guides and culinary hosts sharing the history, landscapes and flavours of Peru.
- All entrance fees for the visits and protected areas included in your itinerary.
- Culinary experiences in Lima, featuring a market visit and a hands-on cooking experience with lunch.
- A table at MIL and a choice of a pachamanca experience or a hacienda lunch in the Sacred Valley.
- Scenic train journey along the Urubamba River to Machu Picchu Pueblo, with a guided visit to Machu Picchu.
- Farewell dinner at a carefully selected restaurant in Cusco.
- Selected cultural and culinary experiences & meals as featured in the itinerary.
- Ongoing local assistance from the Nayra Travel team throughout your journey.
NOT INCLUDED
- International and domestic flights, unless otherwise specified in your proposal.
- Meals not featured in the itinerary.
- Optional experiences and extensions.
- Late check-out and additional hotel services.
- Gratuities.
- Travel insurance.
HAND PICKED HOTELS
Choose a stop on the journey to see the accommodation available. Warm hospitality, elegance and an unbeatable location; if you have a place in mind that you don’t see here, we’ll book it for you anywhere in Peru.
