Machu Picchu & Easter Island
Experience Two of South America's Most Awe-Inspiring Sites
Days: 12 | From: $7,250/person
- Includes accommodations at first class properties that reflect the best of local culture
- Includes excursions and tours with superb private guides
- Includes seamless logistics and careful attention to detail for a stress-free trip
Renew your sense of wonder exploring lost Incan cities and contemporary Peruvian culture. From there, journey to remote Easter Island to experience Rapa Nui and the mysteries of the moai statues. One of the most fascinating trips we offer, delving deep into two ancient and enigmatic pre-Colombian cultures.
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Specialist
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.
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
1 night: time to explore this stunning icon in depth & at non-peak hours - Cusco
2 nights: take in the captivating former Incan capital - Santiago
2 nights: explore Chile's bustling capital city - Easter Island
3 nights: discover the mysteries of one of the world's remotest islands
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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Sample itinerary
Welcome to 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 and alternatives: Hotel B, Miraflores Park Hotel, and othersFly 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 their high-quality 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, 2 nights
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, LunchAlternative lodging options: Albergue Ollantaytambo: For those who want to stay right in Ollantaytambo
Incan Sites and Ancient Villages: Moray, Maras, and 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.
Machu Picchu
Travel by train to Machu Picchu, one of South America’s most iconic sites.
Visit this remarkable site with a private guide, enjoy lunch at the famous Sanctuary Lodge, and then have the chance to explore the ruins on your own 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, DinnerMachu Picchu and Cusco
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, or hike back along the Inca Trail to Inti Punku (the Gate of the Sun). There is a lot to see in and around Machu Picchu.
After visiting the ruins, catch the afternoon train back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Accommodations: Inkaterra La Casona Cusco, 2 nights
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, LunchUpgrades and alternatives: Palacio Nazarenas, Palacio del Inka
Private Tour of Cusco: History, Culture, Architecture, and more
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.
Cusco is one of the highlights of a trip to Peru, an intriguing place 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 has a vibrant atmosphere and many excellent restaurants.
Depart for Santiago, Chile
Arrive to Santiago, Chile’s metropolitan capital, where your private guide will take you to your boutique hotel in the charming Lastarria neighborhood. Lastarria is a nice area for walking around, with quiet streets, flowering trees, attractive colonial architecture, and a variety of restaurants and boutiques.
Accommodations: Hotel Magnolia, 2 nights
Hotel Magnolia is set in a renovated 1929 mansion in downtown Santiago, close to Santa Lucia Hill, museums, the historic center, and Barrio Lastarria. Designed by award-winning architect Cazú Zegers, who also designed traveler-favorite hotel Tierra Patagonia, the Hotel Magnolia seamlessly blends preserved historic marble and vintage furnishings with modern amenities. The 42-room hotel offers a restaurant, bar, library, and rooftop lounge with panoramic views.
*Includes: BreakfastAlternative lodging options: Casa Bueras Lastarria Boutique, Singular Santiago
Historic Highlights, the Central Market, and San Cristobal Hill
Take a private tour of Santiago and visit the colonial and modern highlights, including the Plaza de Armas and the La Moneda Presidential Palace. You’ll also spend time in the Central Market, an enormous, active marketplace, and head to the top of San Cristobal Hill for views of the entire city. After your tour, spend the rest of the day exploring on your own and trying out the city’s restaurants – we’ll provide a list of our top recommendations!
Fly to Easter Island, One of the World’s Most Remote Inhabited Islands
Depart the mainland and head to mythic Easter Island on a flight of roughly five hours. A local representative will be waiting at the Mataveri Airport to take you to your lodgings, a beautiful and refined boutique hotel overlooking the South Pacific Ocean. Here, you will meet the staff and guides, have a briefing to go over your excursion options for the coming days, and enjoy time to relax and begin exploring this beautiful area.
Accommodations: Explora Rapa Nui, 3 nights
Explora Rapa Nui sits on a hill overlooking the expanse of the South Pacific Ocean, and is the most refined lodging on Easter Island. The hotel design, with its 30 rooms and suites, fits harmoniously into the geography of the island and was carefully constructed to have minimal impact on the environment. Local volcanic rock and pine wood were the primary construction materials. Excursions are led by outstanding local guides and are tailored to match your interests and activity level. An exceptional option for your visit to Easter Island.
*Includes: Breakfast, DinnerMysterious Ancient Cultures and South Pacific Scenery
Spend the next few days exploring this fascinating island, enjoying the laid back rhythm of its people and the sheer beauty of the South Pacific setting. Discover the birth place of the ancient Moai statues and try to decipher the mysteries of the island’s ancient culture. You have a variety of excursion options: Visit the archaeological site Ahu Vinapu, where you will find some of the highest quality stonework on the islands. Venture to the southernmost volcano on the Island, Rano Kau, to peer into the massive extinct crater from the rim. See iconic Ahu Akivi, the site of seven Moai overlooking the expanse of the ocean. Choose from active hiking and biking or more relaxed exploration.
Return to the Mainland / Depart for Home or Your Next Destination
Enjoy a final morning on Easter Island before flying back to Santiago, where you can connect with your international flight home or continue your trip in mainland Chile.
Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary
Add a few nights in the Peruvian Amazon, easily accessible from Cusco.
Add extra days in Lima, Cusco, or Santiago: All three 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.
Take part in a Pachamanca, a traditional Andean cooking ceremony on the shores of Peru’s Lake Piuray.
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.
Stay a few nights on a vineyard in the Casablanca, San Antonio or Colchagua wine valleys. Tour and taste the wines from small boutique wineries or bike from one to another and enjoy the culinary tastes of Chilean wine country.
Extend your visit with some time in the lovely Lake District or the Atacama desert.
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
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