Premium Peru with Ica Valley

Welcome to Peru! Your adventure begins in Lima. Peru’s colourful capital is equal parts cosmopolitan and chaotic. You will be collected from the airport and transferred to your hotel where you will meet your fellow travellers and local leader for an important 6pm welcome meeting. If you arrive before this time, perhaps head out for a walk in the historical centre to appreciate its fine colonial architecture. After your meeting, get your first taste of Lima’s world-renowned food scene during a welcome dinner with your small group and leader. Head out to a fantastic restaurant that’s popular with the locals and get acquainted with some of Peru’s best dishes. From enticingly fresh ceviche to pisco sours – you’ll soon find out why Lima is hailed as the culinary capital of South America.

Depart Lima and travel to the fabulous Vinas Queirolo, the only hotel in Peru located within a vineyard and your accommodation for the next two evenings. Sitting in the Ica valley at the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by more than 500 hectares of vineyards, the setting couldn’t be more spectacular, and the comfort and service of this hotel are every bit as impressive. Enjoy traditional bodega charm, spacious and stylish rooms, three swimming pools, tennis courts and a marvellous restaurant. On arrival, you may like to take a dip in one of the pools, play a game of tennis or simply relax poolside and soak in the stunning scenery. The vineyards that surround your hotel produce Peru’s most famous wine along with the national drink, pisco. This afternoon you will have the option to take an aerial tour of the mysterious Nazca Lines. Etched into the landscape some 22 kilometres north of Nazca, these mysterious wonders are an assortment of perfectly straight lines, trapezoidal zones, and strange symbols of birds and beasts on a giant scale. Speak to your leader about arranging this unforgettable activity.

Travel to the coast this morning to the Paracas Peninsula for an excursion to the Ballestas Islands. These islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, including pelicans, red-footed boobies, flamingos, sea lions and even penguins. You'll have the chance to get up close and personal with wildlife on an exciting boat tour of the islands. Return to your accommodation in the afternoon where you’ll have the special opportunity to explore the vineyards during a private tour with an expert sommelier. Hear the history of the vineyard and hotel, from the settlement of the Queirolo family from Italy in 1877 to the renovations and modernisations enacted by the third generation of the family in the 21st century. Learn how the brilliant wine and pisco is produced, then cap off the day with drinks at a lookout point, watching the sun set over the gorgeous landscape.

This morning you will return to Lima and will be introduced to any new members of your group joining the trip here. After, head out to get to know the city on a walking tour of downtown Lima with your leader. Admire the buildings of Plaza Mayor and visit the eerie catacombs of the Saint Francis Monastery, then head away from the tourist trail to Alameda de Chabuca Granda – an area popular with the locals. Stop off at the colourful street food stalls to sample some of Lima’s favourite sweet treats, like Peruvian doughnuts and mazamorra morada (porridge made from purple corn). Lima has one of the world’s most revered culinary scenes, and tonight, you’ll head to one of the city’s best restaurants that boasts stunning views, surrounded by ancient ruins. The creative chef here offers traditional Peruvian dishes with modern twists in a one-of-a-kind environment.

Today, you’ll catch a flight to Puerto Maldonado. When you arrive, take a bus to the port where you’ll board motorised canoes and head into the Amazon rainforest. Keep an eye out for macaws, herons, alligators and capybaras along the way. Here, you’ll find Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion – your Feature Stay for the next two nights. Built in the heart of a 380-hectare private ecological reserve, this unique resort focuses on the conservation of local habitats and features 25 private cabanas plus an on-site team of expert local guides. Enjoy lunch at the lodge, then explore the Concepcion Trails with one of the guides. As darkness falls, you’ll hop on a boat for a twilight ride along the river, trying to spot caimans lurking on the riverbanks on conserving with local Amazonian ingredients at a local restaurant with your group.

After breakfast, board a dug-out wooden canoe and glide across Lake Sandoval, keeping an eye out for potential wildlife sightings, like red howler monkeys, giant river otters and colourful macaws. After lunch, you might like to walk along the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway – a 344 m (1128.6 ft) network of suspension bridges that take you high above the forest floor to some of the best places to spot toucans, woodpeckers, monkeys and three-toed sloths. After, join your group for a short walk to a nearby lake, where you’ll board a boat to watch the sunset as it falls over the Amazon rainforest. Enjoy a cocktail and light bites on board before returning to the lodge for an optional spa experience and a group dinner. Later this evening, go for a night walk to discover the nocturnal activity in the surrounding area and maybe spot some animals you wouldn’t see during the day!

This morning, travel back to Puerto Maldonado, then take a flight to Cusco – the former centre of the Inca Empire. Arrive in the early afternoon before heading out with your leader to discover what the city has to offer. Stop by the stunning Plaza de Armas – the heart of the city, flanked by ornate churches. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cusco Cathedral, built on top of an Inca palace and one of the city’s greatest repositories of art. Here, you’ll meet with a local historian who will provide expert insight into the building’s art, architecture and history and the surrounding city. Visit the Coricancha Temple – once the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The evening is free for your own discoveries. Cusco offers no shortage of restaurants and as night falls, the city is swept up in a flurry of live music and late-night street food stalls.