Peruvian Cooking and Trekking Adventure
(Option: Customized Itineraries)
Lima and Cusco, Peru - 8 nights
Available year round
Experience and learn how to cook the most popular dishes of a culture that has more than 1000 years of legacy from mixing many techniques and ingredients from many parts of the world. Discover one of the New World’s Seven Wonders: Machu Picchu; and get there walking through the same path once used by the Incas. A millenary culture, majestic geography and friendly people are the framework of one of the trendiest cuisines in the world.
Peruvian cuisine has recently been considered as one of the top 5 best in the world. Discover this hidden treasure with this program designed especially for you! Here you will discover the Inca culture mixed with the Spanish and many others that arrived to Peru in the last 500 years; the result is a unique blend of traditions that you will experience in food, activities and adventure in every corner. You are the best culinary judge in this tasty adventure. One client recently said she could not believe that Peru was home to such incredible flavors and tastes!
The tour starts in Lima, where you will spend a morning visiting the main market in order to learn more about Peruvian daily culinary ingredients and experience a little bit of the Peruvian culture in its daily life. You will also learn how to make the world wide known Ceviche-the Peruvian fish delicacy. Later your exquisite itinerary includes a Nikkei dinner at the famour Japanese restaurant. The next day, you will learn the basics of Peruvian cooking with some of the greatest masters of the Peruvian cuisine in town. You will walk around downtown Lima and discover all the little restaurants and corners that hide culinary histories. Four nights are spent in Cusco full of adventure stops. You will begin your tour with a Cusquenian Cooking Class and then you will have an ATV adventure tour around the archaeological site of Moray, ending the tour with a visit to Maras, the salt mines. The next day you will start your Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. We don’t want to talk too much about this because there are not words to explain what you will experience in this trek. Back in Lima you will enjoy a Peruvian-Chinese fusion lunch.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - (Availabilities may change depending on season)
Day One
ARRIVAL TO LIMA
Upon your arrival, one of our representatives will meet you at Lima airport and take you to your hotel for a well-deserved rest.
This is going to be an experience you will not soon forget - get ready! Welcome!
Day Two
MARKET VISIT & TASTING - HANDS-ON CEVICHE CLASS WITH LUNCH - FREE AFTERNOON - DINNER
After breakfast at your hotel in Lima, one of our representatives will meet you at your hotel and escort you on your market visit and tasting. The local market visit is a great way to experience a little bit of the Peruvian culture in its daily life. Here you can find and taste the best variety of vegetables and fruits in the country, including exotic products from the “Andes” and the “Jungle”.
After the market visit you will be brought to a traditional “cevicheria” for your hands-on Ceviche class, a beautiful journey into the famous Peruvian dish. Here you will have your hands-on Ceviche class, a beautiful journey into this famous Peruvian dish. You will also have the chance to try it during your lunch there. After lunch, you will have the afternoon free to rest before your special Nikkei dinner at Hanzo with Chef Hajime Kasuga, an experience in Japanese, Mediterranean and Peruvian cuisine. At the end of the dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel for the night.
Day Three
INTRODUCTION TO PERUVIAN CUISINE HANDS-ON COOKING LESSON WITH LUNCH - LIMA CITY TOUR & WATER FOUNTAIN PARK
After breakfast at your hotel you will be picked up for your Introduction to the Peruvian Cuisine. Israel Laura, a renowned chef of Peruvian cuisine will welcome you to his warm home. He will teach you the quintessential basics of Peruvian Cuisine. You will learn how to prepare Peru’s staple dishes, and afterwards you will enjoy a full tasting of these traditional Peruvian dishes.
After lunch you will be picked up at the restaurant and taken on your city tour of Lima. Sites to be visited: Main Square, the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the San Francisco Monastery (including catacombs), old streets with colonial houses, and a great driving tour through the beautiful districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.
Once you conclude your city tour, you will then head out to see Lima’s Famous and Guinness record winner water park, where you will have the chance to have an interactive experience with great waterfalls and a great show of lights and music. This will be a fun and exciting experience. At the end of the visit, you will be taken back to your hotel. Dinner is on your own.
Day Four
FLIGHT TO CUSCO - TRANSPORTATION TO SACRED VALLEY - STOP IN MANOS LLAMA FARM
After breakfast at your hotel in Lima, you will be met by one of our representatives and taken directly to the airport, in order to catch your short, one-hour flight to the capital city of the Incas: Cusco. You will be met upon arrival by one of our representatives and transferred to the Sacred Valley. During the trip you will stop in Manos Llama Farm, where you can meet native weavers and see South American camelid species, including llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas. You will then reach your hotel in the Sacred Valley where you spend the night.
In the evening, one of our representatives will meet you at your hotel and provide you with a briefing on your Inca Trail Express.
Day Five
CUSQUENIAN COOKING LESSON FOLLOWED BY ATV MORAY & MARAS
After breakfast at your hotel in the Sacred Valley, you will head to Urubamba for your Cusquenian Cooking Class, where you will learn about regional ingredients, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal.
After lunch you will continue to the base of the ATV. You will start with the tour, visiting first the archaeological site of Moray, followed by Maras, the salt mines, which will be covered by car. At the end, you will be transferred back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, where you spend the night.
Day Six
INCA TRAIL EXPRESS
After breakfast at your hotel you will be picked up and transferred to Ollanta Train Station to take the train to km 104. At this point we start the trek for approximately 3 hours, up to the well-preserved remains of Wiñay Wayna (2900 mts/9,514ft). Here you will have some free time for exploring the ruins with its houses, terraces, towers and local museum.
After this visit, we begin the final leg of the trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu. We will hike to Inti Punku (Sun Gate), where we will take in an awesome panoramic view of Machu Picchu citadel. The final descent is a quick 30 minutes through the Inti Punku gateway to the citadel. After a quick initial visit, you will be transported by bus back to your hotel in Aguas Calientes, where you will enjoy dinner before ending the day and have a deserved rest.
Day Seven
MACHU PICCHU - TASTING MENU AT MAP CAFE
After an early breakfast at your Aguas Calientes hotel, we catch the bus for the short ride to Machu Picchu citadel. We enter the ruins for a breathtaking view of the city. You will enjoy a full tour and have lunch on your own at the end of the visit.
In the afternoon, we say farewell to Machu Picchu as you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, and ultimately back on the train to Ollantaytambo. Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, you will be picked up and taken to your Cusco hotel to get ready to enjoy your tasting menu at Map Café, located in the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Museum of Pre-Inca Art). Specializing in Novoandino cuisine and presenting the use of native ingredients and rescued recipes with innovative dishes, this 5-course tasting-menu dinner will introduce your palate to tastes rarely experienced before. At the end of the dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Cusco for the night.
Day Eight
CITY TOUR OF CUSCO - EXPERIENCE PERUVIAN CHINESE - BACK TO LIMA
After breakfast you will set out on a city tour of Cusco, the former capital of the once vast Incan Empire. We walk Cusco’s impressive Plaza de Armas and visit both the Spanish cathedral and Inca temple of the sun, Qoricancha. Next, we set out to visit the ruins above the city that were considered an essential part of the ancient capital. We start from Sacsayhuaman, where Inti Raymi the Festival of the Sun, is held during the Summer Solstice, Tambomachay, the Temple of the Sacred Waters, and Q´enqo. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to the restaurant to enjoy a delicious Peruvian-Chinese fusion lunch at Kion Restaurant. After lunch you will be brought to your hotel to pack. You will then be transferred to Cusco Airport for your flight back to Lima. You will stay at the airport Costa del Sol Hotel for a day use before heading back home.
But we are sure you will never forget all the tastes and art of the culinary adventure you have just experienced.
*The content or order of the itinerary may change depending on dates, availability of services or activities, local festivals/holidays, weather constraints, etc. Menus are samples and may vary according to the season
*Restaurants may vary
GROUP SIZE
A minimum of 2 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 15 participants. (Please inquire for larger groups)
(The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour, not to how many persons you must have in your party. Please inquire.)
2024 Fees Per Person
Double Room/Starting From US$3450
Single Supplement/Please inquire
*Please inquire about changes in itinerary and pricing for 3 or more persons
*Pricing may vary depending on market fluctuation, seasonal activities/festivals, availabilities of hotel and other services, etc. Please inquire.
Deposit
After availability is confirmed, a 30% non-refundable deposit and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due no later than 75 days before your arrival date.
2024 Dates
Available year round based on availability. Week between Christmas and New Year's excluded.
Included
*Domestic flight tickets (Domestic Airfare Lima-Cusco-Lima with LATAM or local airline) not included and International Airfare and personal expenses are not included.
*Domestic flights from US$350 including taxes.
*Airfare (international and domestic), personal purchases and expenses, tipping, travel insurance, are not included.
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
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CANCELLATION POLICY
Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Sandy S., Reading, Pennsylvania
Jonathan D., Austin, TX
"We felt like 'insiders' the whole week - from the restaurants and their treatment of us to the special access we received at every tourist location we visited. Every detail had been thought out and we never once were left wondering what was next. Jo-Ann and her team made our Retreat truly epic!".
Jerry B., Rye, NY
"Hope all is well. I saw the boys last night at one our meetings. We are still talking about what a great trip you and your team put together for us. Thank you for all the emails. I still own you my photos. Please say hi to Anna Maria. Best always."
Peter H., Manhasset, NY
"Thanks again for a wonderful tour of your lovely country. Jeremy and I just returned to work this past Wednesday. On a sad note Jeremy’s Grandmother past away on the same day so he is in South Carolina. When he returns next week we will come up with a few ideas using Peruvian ingredients for you. We both also have some great pictures and will forward you ASAP. Once again thanks for sharing your cuisine and the very friendly and beautiful country of Peru. Warm Regards."
George and Kay, Houston, TX
"Hi, Peru Gourmands, since Peru, I have been in Detroit, Jackson, Mississippi and Santa Fe. I leave for New York on Tuesday. That is my excuse for not responding earlier. I only had 278 new emails when I returned from Peru, but that number has escalated to 388 unanswered ones at the moment. HELP! Wendy, I promise to do my survey over the Thanksgiving holidays, when you will hopefully be busy with your second wonderful Taste of Peru tour. Oh, what we would give to come back. But the magic of our group could not be repeated. Thank you for this once-in-a-lifetime gourmet journey we will always cherish! Please send mailing addresses so we can put everyone on our christmas card list. We'll send everyone a photo CD of our fabulous EATING experiences. Hugs to all."
Mike D., Bronxville, NY
"... just a note to thank you and your staff for a truly 'magical' culinary education tour of Peru. It could not have been easy to arrange such a tour for a group of professional Chefs. Our group, Club Chefs of Westchester, did not quite know what to expect from Peruvian cuisine on arrival but I can testify that we were all blown away by the depth and quality of this wonderful food. Our guides and assistants were all friendly and efficient and our culinary instructors were generally first rate. Add to this the incomparable vistas of the Andes and you have a spectacular recipe for a magnificent tour. Thanks again."
Daniel S., New York, NY
"I would like to thank you for a very special trip. I had an exceptional time and with every day that went by I was taken back by so many unexpected experiences. By far you have opened my eyes to a beautiful country, culture and exceptional cuisine. Coming from a culinary back ground I appreciated learning about the many flavors Peru has to offer. Looking back I have to say that you run a top notch company.
Everything was planned out to perfection from the time we arrived to the moment we left. I have traveled to many places and I have never felt safer as I did in Peru, from great dinners in Lima to the market places outside of Cusco, and I will never forget climbing the hills of Machu Picchu. These will be great memories that I will take with me forever. I also wanted to ask you about importing goods. I am interested in trying to get Samples of Alpaca meat and a few other items that we had tried. If you can advise me in any way please do. Thank you."
John K., Rye, NY
"...thanks so much for all you did to make such a wonderful and valuable Culinary experience for us all. We all truly appreciate it. Each day was a great surprise exceeding all expectations, and of course I loved the thoughtful presents! I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye in person, Jerry and I were both talking about that yesterday. We were all in such a rush to get to the airport on time and probably assumed we would see you there, again my apologies. I look forward to seeing you again soon as we start to put together the charity event. Thanks again for all that you did for us in making a most memorable trip."
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