• Machu Picchu & Colombia

A magnificent combination itinerary

Days: 13 | From: $7,150/per person

  • Includes accommodations at first class hotels that reflect the best of local culture
  • Includes excursions and tours with superb private guides

Enjoy world class cuisine and museums in Lima, then renew your sense of wonder exploring lost Incan cities and contemporary Peruvian culture. Discover Colombia’s vibrant capital city of Bogota, and stroll the famous walled Caribbean city of Cartagena.

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We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.

We consistently receive 5 star reviews from our discerning clients.

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At a glance

  • Lima
    1 night: renowned cuisine and world class museums
  • Sacred Valley
    2 nights: Andean life and ancient ruins in this magnificent river valley
  • Machu Picchu
    2 nights: time to explore this stunning icon in depth & at non-peak hours
  • Cusco
    2 nights: take in the captivating former Incan capital
  • Bogota
    2 nights: get to know this lively city that blends trend and tradition
  • Cartagena
    3 nights: experience unique Afro-Caribbean culture

  • All itineraries are fully customizable. We will send you a personalized variation that reflects your interests and travel dates at no extra cost. Call to discuss your travel plans with one of our Specialists who know this region firsthand.

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+1 (510) 548-8487

Sample itinerary

Day 1:

Welcome to Lima

Miraflores Beach, Lima

Arrive to Lima, former capital of the Spanish empire in the Americas, and transfer to your first class hotel in Miraflores, Lima’s main cultural and commercial district. This is a great area for strolling around and is home to many of Lima’s best restaurants.

Private tours of Lima or visits to any of Lima’s museums can be arranged; we can also arrange culinary tours focusing on Peru’s increasingly renowned cuisine, or art tours for those with special interests.

Accommodations: Atemporal

Housed in a renovated 1940s townhouse in the chic Miraflores district, this six-room hotel provides a relaxed atmosphere with excellent service. Atemporal offers its guests an alternative lodging experience in three room categories: Grand, Charming, and Cozy. Atemporal is entirely private, meaning only guests and those they invite can use its exclusive spaces, with their offbeat but functional collector’s aesthetic, including a veranda, salon and private garden.

Upgrades available: Hotel B, Miraflores Park Hotel, and others
Day 2:

Fly to the Sacred Valley of the Incas

Fly over the Andes to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire. Your local guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a long, fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Visit Chinchero, a traditional small town situated on a plateau overlooking the Sacred Valley. Explore a colonial church with remarkable paintings and frescoes, which was constructed over the ruins of an Incan temple and is surrounded by impressive Incan terracing. Chinchero is also home to several highly-regarded weaving cooperatives known for the quality of their textiles. Peru is known for its intricate traditional weavings, many of which use symbols to tell stories or depictions of daily life.

Afterward enjoy lunch at a great small restaurant founded by a renowned local chef. Your private guide will be there to help you make the most of the entire experience.

Accommodations: Hotel Sol y Luna

The Sol y Luna Lodge is located in Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas, not far from the town of Urubamba. Peruvian art adorns each of the first class, comfortable adobe cottages, whose terraces offer spectacular views of the mountains. A place that does things the right way, this hotel has long been among our traveler favorites due to the superb accommodations, location, and service. The property offers two outstanding restaurants. There is also a stable with beautiful horses that can be taken out into the surrounding mountains on horseback riding excursions. This is a Relais & Chateaux property.

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3:

Incan Sites and Ancient Villages: Moray, Maras, and Ollantaytambo

Ruins at Ollantaytambo

Spend the day exploring more of the Sacred Valley, seeing less-visited sites that will deepen your understanding of the local culture.

Discover the unique Incan site of Moray and the nearby town and ancient salt pans of Maras. After a scenic picnic lunch, visit Ollantaytambo, one of the few towns to survive in its current layout from Incan times.

Accommodations: Hotel Sol y Luna

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4:

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu from afar

Travel by train to Machu Picchu, one of South America’s most iconic sites.

Visit this remarkable site with a private guide and enjoy lunch at the famous Sanctuary Lodge before returning to your hotel in Aguas Calientes.

Accommodations: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

This hotel sits on its own 12 secluded acres in Aguas Calientes, the town located at the base of Machu Picchu. The hotel is ideally located in natural surroundings, a short walk to the train station and the shuttles that take visitors to the ruins, but just outside the town, which is quite touristy. Guests follow stone pathways to their rooms, located in comfortable one- or two-story whitewashed casitas. Unlike the other hotels in Aguas Calientes, the Pueblo is set in a natural cloud forest, allowing you to experience the beauty of this unique ecosystem during your stay.

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Upgrades and alternatives: Belmond Sanctuary Lodge (LOCATED RIGHT AT THE GATE TO THE RUINS; A GOOD OPTION FOR THOSE WANTING TO AVOID WAITING IN LINE FOR THE SHUTTLE BUS), Sumaq (A HIGH END OPTION IN TOWN ALONG THE RIVER)
Day 5:

Time to Explore the Marvels of Machu Picchu

Sun behind the ruins at Machu Picchu

Return to Machu Picchu in the early morning to explore and discover the citadel on your own.

You’ll also have the chance to hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, the mountain that towers above Machu Picchu. There is a lot to see in and around Machu Picchu.

Accommodations: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6:

Head to the Cusco, a Former Incan City in the Mountains

Cusco stone walls and buildings

Catch the late-morning train back to Cusco and be dropped off at your hotel, located in the historic San Blas district. You will arrive to Cusco by mid to late afternoon and have time to explore a bit on your own.

Cusco is another of the highlights of a trip to Peru, a fascinating city built on the foundations of the former Incan capital. You can observe massive Incan walls along many of the streets of the city. The city also has a vibrant atmosphere and many excellent restaurants.

Accommodations: Inkaterra La Casona Cusco

A Relais & Chateaux property, La Casona is set in a restored 16th-century colonial manor house, which was built over an Inca complex and later occupied by the conquistadors of Peru. Its 11 suites surround an elegant courtyard, and the hotel offers a dining room, dining terrace, lounge and sitting area. La Casona graciously preserves the site's historic details while offering modern comfort and amenities. An exclusive boutique hotel experience, and one of the top options in Cusco.

*Includes: Breakfast

Upgrades and alternatives: Palacio Nazarenas, Palacio del Inka
Day 7:

Private Tour of Cusco: History, Culture, Architecture, and more

Sacsahuaman Fortress

Get to know Cusco with your knowledgeable private guide, visiting the historical highlights of this fascinating city. Visit Sacsahuaman, the massive Incan fortress on the hills above the city, where you can enjoy views out over Cusco and the entire surrounding area. Afterward enjoy the afternoon to explore more of the city on your own.

Accommodations: Inkaterra La Casona Cusco

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 8:

Depart for Colombia / Welcome to Bogota

Fly to Lima and connect to Bogota, Colombia, a busy metropolis that blends tradition with trendiness. Your private guide will welcome you to the country and transfer you to your first class hotel, located in the exclusive La Cabrera neighborhood.

Accommodations: B.O.G. Hotel

Located in Bogota's La Cabrera neighborhood, the B.O.G. hotel is conveniently close to many of the city's top restaurants and attractions. This award-winning Design Hotel offers a restaurant, lobby bar, spa, and rooftop terrace with panoramic views and a heated pool.

*Includes: Breakfast

Upgrade available: Sofitel Bogota Victoria RegiaFor those interested in staying in the La Candelaria historic district, there is also the option of staying at Hotel de la Opera. The historic district can get rather quiet after dark, which is why some travelers prefer to stay in other neighborhoods, but the area has a lot of charm and is walking distance to many of the city’s most interesting historical sites.
Day 9:

Get to Know Bogota

Explore Bogota with your private guide, a bilingual local who will take you through the city’s unique neighborhoods and give you an insider’s perspective on the complicated history of the area.

Start in the La Candelaria historic district, the oldest part of the city, to learn about Bogotá’s colonial past and visit the Plaza Bolivar. Visit the Botero Museum, a permanent exhibition of works by Fernando Botero, Colombia’s most famous artist, whose “oversized” art is instantly recognizable. Your next stop is the Museo del Oro, Gold Museum, which houses one of the finest collections of pre-Colombian gold artifacts in the world. This is considered a must-see when in Bogotá, with more than 35,000 pieces of gold work, many of which possess detailing unsurpassed by modern goldsmiths. Finally, take a cable car up to Monserrate Sanctuary to visit the church and enjoy sweeping views out over the city.

Accommodations: B.O.G. Hotel

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10:

Journey to the Historic Walled City of Cartagena

Fly to the historic walled city of Cartagena. Founded in 1533, Cartagena was once the primary Caribbean port for Spanish explorers, who would store plundered riches in the city. Due to this activity, the city was a frequent target for attacks by pirates and buccaneers, including England’s Sir Francis Drake. After Drake’s attack in 1586, the city’s famous walls and fortifications were constructed (over the course of 200 years), and still stand today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Accommodations: Casa San Agustin

Located within Cartagena's walled Old Town, the Casa San Agustin features 24 guest rooms and 6 suites. The hotel is tastefully decorated and offers graceful, comfortable social areas as well as beautiful rooms. Alma, the hotel's signature restaurant, features contemporary coastal Colombian cuisine. The hotel also offers a charming bar, alfresco courtyard, terrace solarium, and swimming pool.

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 11:

Take a Private Walking Tour of Fascinating Cartagena

Walk the captivating city of Cartagena with your local guide. The city has a colorful history of piracy and treasure, and combines fascinating elements of African, indigenous, and European cultures, creating a unique atmosphere unlike any other city in the world. Your tour will take you through the old town under the Puerta Del Reloj (Clock tower gate), an iconic symbol of Cartagena, into the Plaza de los Coches. Your guide will share the city’s fascinating history and legends with you as you continue into the Plaza San Pedro Claver and Plaza Bolivar, ending with a visit to the San Felipe Fortress.

Accommodations: Casa San Agustin

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12:

Relax and Explore Cartagena

Relax and explore the city at your leisure, or let us arrange another excursion in the area, such as a boat trip to the Rosario Islands or a salsa lesson with a local teacher.

Accommodations: Casa San Agustin

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 13:

Depart for Home or Your Next Destination

Today you say goodbye to your local guide and head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.

*Includes: Breakfast

More Photos From This Trip

Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary

  • Take part in a Pachamanca, a traditional Andean cooking ceremony on the shores of Lake Piuray.

  • Add a few nights in the Peruvian Amazon, easily accessible from Cusco.

  • Hike to Machu Picchu: Get off the train at Kilometer 104 to walk the last four to six hours along the famous Inca trail. Or see our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu itinerary for information about hiking the whole trail over several days.

  • Add extra days in Lima, Cusco, Bogota, or Cartagena: All of them are worth exploring on your own, and we can arrange a variety of activities, including city tours, culinary excursions, visits to ruins and historical sites, and active options such as hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

  • Fly out to the beautiful Caribbean island of Providencia and spend a few days basking on the beach at the lovely Deep Blue Hotel.

  • Add a few nights in Colombia’s lush coffee region, in the cosmopolitan city of Medellin located in the Andes Mountains, or at the beach in Santa Marta.

  • Include some downtime for rest and relaxation! Some free time to unwind or have a massage will allow you to feel refreshed and ready for the remainder of your trip. Many of our properties include excellent spas or wellness centers. We can help arrange these services or include properties that offer health & wellness amenities.

  • Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.

Reviews From This Trip

5 stars

  • First of all—best.trip.of.our.lives!! And that is not hyperbole--that is how each of us described the trip to friends separately and independently.
    Cathy Koch
  • The guides were knowledgeable and personable, the weather was nice, and the activities were well planned and interesting.
    Rajiv Garg

Call us to start planning your journey today:

+1 (510) 548-8487

Inquire About This Trip

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