Tour
In the Footsteps of the Incas
From the cloud forests of the Andes to the birthplace of the sun at Lake Titicaca, this journey through Peru's altiplanos and the famous floating Uros Islands traces the ancient past of the Incas. ...
From the cloud forests of the Andes to the birthplace of the sun at Lake Titicaca, this journey through Peru's altiplanos and the famous floating Uros Islands traces the ancient past of the Incas. You'll visit with local weaver and corn farmers, filling your days with authentic connections and captivating culture.
(from USD 4,408)
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Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Lunch (L)
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Cusco, receive a special welcome from a Shaman in the Sacred Valley, learn to play the "cajón" in Lima
- Visit Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman ruins, the Uros Islands, Cusco Cathedral, Qorikancha
- Scenic Cruise Cruise on Lake Titicaca, Drive through the Sacred Valley, Scenic Train Ride to Machu Picchu
- Scenic Drive through the Sacred Valley
- Scenic Train Ride to Machu Picchu aboard the Vistadome train
Iconic Experience
- Lima: Take in the highlights of Lima, the 'City of the Kings,' including a panoramic view of the ancient districts. Join a local specialist for a visit to the UNESCO-listed Historic Center. Learn how before it was destroyed by earthquakes in the mid-18th century, observing how the historic buildings display a collaboration between local craftspeople and others from the Old World. Then drive along the coastline as you learn more about the fascinating history of Peru's capital city.
- Lima: Dive into the rich history of Casona San Marcos, an ancient building in Lima now part of the property of a university. Learn to play the “cajón” (meaning “box” or drawer”) box-shaped percussion instrument played by slapping the faces with the hands, fingers, or sometimes implements. Continue your musical discovery trying the basic steps of “musica negra”, a dance that originated in Chincha (near Paracas) that is popular during over the Christmas season. Over your lesson, try a snack from a “pregonero”, a vendor who specializes in selling a typical snack through boisterous advertising in the city streets.
- Sacred Valley: We'll Dive into Culture and meet a Quechua Shaman who will perform a ceremony welcoming you to Peru.
- Machu Picchu: Learn how to prepare an authentic Ceviche and pour the perfect Pisco sour.
- Cusco: Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo. These famous ruins are a massive Inca fortress made of large stone terraces stretching out across a hillside. Walk among the stone platforms, the sun temple of six monoliths and the Princess Baths fountain ― the Baño de la Nusta at the base of the ruins flowing from carved stone into a pool. Over your exploration, learn how the old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.
- Machu Picchu: Soak in every moment of your Machu Picchu tour in style as you descend to the Lost City in the clouds aboard the Vistadome train. Traveling the Inca Trail, you’ll traverse dramatic landscapes with a panoramic view of the soaring peaks, river, and ruins. Sit back and relax as you enjoy this multi-sensory journey complete with background music, an informative audio commentary highlighting interesting sites, and an included light snack.
- Machu Picchu: Take a shuttle to the top of the mountain where you’ll meet your local specialist for a guided hike of Machu Picchu. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
- Machu Picchu: The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and we enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story. Journey to take in the ruins at sunrise spending some time on your own to explore the hill-top fortress. Soak in every moment at this iconic site, making stops at points of interest while your guide shares their insights on the archaeological sites.
- Cusco: Join your Local Specialist for a guided walk through Cusco's colonial center, including the nearby 13th-century Incan settlement of Koricancha. Here in Cusco’s Golden Temple of the Sun dedicated to the Sun God Inti, view the trapezoidal and irregular shapes and rounded edges. Note how the stones fit together and were built simply by placing them on top of each other without using any mortar. This staggered placement also enables them to withstand earthquakes.
- Cusco: Begin your day at the ruins of the UNESCO-listed Sacsayhuamán fortress overlooking Cusco. With zig zagging walls and ruins of giant stones, see how the shape and harmony of the landscape is similar to Machu Picchu. Stroll through this Incan architecture of sacred buildings such as residential buildings, towers, shrines, warehouses, roads and aqueducts. And while you may not be able to take in the grand scale, the complex design is based on the shape of the head of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca spirituality.
- Puno: Bring Peru’s culture to life as you decorate your own torito de Pucará – a colorful ceramic bull steeped in Andean tradition. Found on rooftops across the region, these painted icons symbolize protection and prosperity, offering a hands-on way to connect with local heritage through creativity.
- Lake Titicaca: Cruise the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca with a Local Specialist, discovering its floating islands constructed from reeds by the Uros Indians.
Trafalgar Difference
- Sacred Valley: Admire your idyllic setting within the Sacred Valley and take in the 18th-century colonial-style features of Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay, a former monastery complete with plazas and cobbled streets.
Be My Guest
- Sacred Valley: Connect with Locals over a Be My Guest experience lunch, learn about the culture surrounding the production of Giant White Corn. Our hosts will demonstrate the differences between traditional farming techniques and the newer technologies used today.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Lake Titicaca: Cruise across Lake Titicaca to Taquile Island, where you’ll meet Indigenous locals and explore their UNESCO-listed textile traditions. You’ll share a home-cooked lunch and see how the community’s weaving and knitting reflect cultural identity and status. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.
- Tour
- Peru
- Trafalgar
- Country Explorer
Details
- Tour Operator
- Trafalgar
- Start City
- Lima
- End City
- Lima
- Duration (Days)
- 11
- Activity Level
- Country Explorer
Highlights
- Country Explorer
- Country Explorer
Pricing & departures
| Option | From | Departs | Returns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | USD 4,425 | February 14, 2027 | February 24, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | February 14, 2027 | February 24, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | February 14, 2027 | February 24, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | February 21, 2027 | March 3, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | February 21, 2027 | March 3, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | February 21, 2027 | March 3, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | March 7, 2027 | March 17, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | March 7, 2027 | March 17, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | March 7, 2027 | March 17, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | March 28, 2027 | April 7, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | March 28, 2027 | April 7, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | March 28, 2027 | April 7, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | April 11, 2027 | April 21, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | April 11, 2027 | April 21, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | April 11, 2027 | April 21, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | April 18, 2027 | April 28, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | April 18, 2027 | April 28, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | April 18, 2027 | April 28, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | May 2, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | May 2, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | May 2, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | May 16, 2027 | May 26, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | May 16, 2027 | May 26, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | May 16, 2027 | May 26, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | May 30, 2027 | June 9, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | May 30, 2027 | June 9, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | May 30, 2027 | June 9, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | June 6, 2027 | June 16, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | June 6, 2027 | June 16, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | June 6, 2027 | June 16, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | June 20, 2027 | June 30, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | June 20, 2027 | June 30, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | June 20, 2027 | June 30, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | July 4, 2027 | July 14, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | July 4, 2027 | July 14, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | July 4, 2027 | July 14, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | July 11, 2027 | July 21, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | July 11, 2027 | July 21, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | July 11, 2027 | July 21, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | August 15, 2027 | August 25, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | August 15, 2027 | August 25, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | August 15, 2027 | August 25, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | August 22, 2027 | September 1, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | August 22, 2027 | September 1, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | August 22, 2027 | September 1, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | September 5, 2027 | September 15, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | September 5, 2027 | September 15, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | September 5, 2027 | September 15, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | September 19, 2027 | September 29, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | September 19, 2027 | September 29, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | September 19, 2027 | September 29, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | October 3, 2027 | October 13, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | October 3, 2027 | October 13, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | October 3, 2027 | October 13, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | October 10, 2027 | October 20, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | October 10, 2027 | October 20, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | October 10, 2027 | October 20, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | October 24, 2027 | November 3, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | October 24, 2027 | November 3, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | October 24, 2027 | November 3, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | October 31, 2027 | November 10, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | October 31, 2027 | November 10, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | October 31, 2027 | November 10, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | November 14, 2027 | November 24, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | November 14, 2027 | November 24, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | November 14, 2027 | November 24, 2027 |
| Twin | USD 4,425 | December 5, 2027 | December 15, 2027 |
| Triple | USD 4,408 | December 5, 2027 | December 15, 2027 |
| Single | USD 4,974 | December 5, 2027 | December 15, 2027 |
Day by day
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Day 1
Arrive Lima
The Capital of the New World extends a warm welcome on your epic voyage through the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. Meet your local host on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the upscale shopping district of Miraflores. This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner. Locations: Lima
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Day 2
Lima Sightseeing
Start your city tour taking in the highlights of Lima. Visit Casona San Marcos, where you’ll enjoy a snack from a local vendor and learn more about the fascinating history of this ancient building from Local Specialists. During a workshop, learn to play the “cajón” percussion instrument and get an introduction to the basic steps of “musica negra”, a dance that originated in Chincha (near Paracas). Continue to the Main Square of Lima for more views and history. You might like to spend some time exploring Miraflores on your own, perhaps heading towards Kennedy Park or dining at one of the restaurants in Pasaje de Ramón. Alternatively, join an Optional Experience walking tour with a Local Specialist to discover the area’s highlights, including the popular Larcomar shopping center. Locations: Lima
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Day 3
Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley
Board a morning flight to Cusco, the gateway to Peru's treasured Sacred Valley, where you'll enjoy a Peruvian lunch with sweeping views of the Sacred Valley. Then Dive into Culture and meet a Shaman who will perform a special ceremony welcoming you to Peru. Locations: Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley
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Day 4
Sacred Valley
Enjoy a Be My Guest experience as you meet farmers who grow Peru’s iconic Giant White Corn. You’ll learn how their cultivation methods blend ancestral knowledge with modern innovation. Then watch a performance of the Marinera, a graceful couple’s dance that celebrates Peru’s Spanish, Indigenous and African heritage. With swirling handkerchiefs and elegant footwork, this is coastal culture in motion. Round out the day by rolling up your sleeves in a hands-on cooking class. You’ll prepare classic ceviche, then shake up the perfect Pisco sour to sip and savor. Locations: Sacred Valley
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Day 5
Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu
Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo, en route to Machu Picchu, a village in the Sacred Valley, set on the Urubamba River amid majestic mountains. It's known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Then, ascend to the Lost City in the Clouds aboard the Vistadome train (light snack included) traveling along the Inca Trail, where you can view hikers and porters along the way. Here you will delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization, joining your Local Specialist for an exploration of the temples, palaces and terraces whose construction defy imagination. Locations: Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu
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Day 6
Machu Picchu – Cusco
The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and we enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story, spending some time on our own to explore the hill-top fortress. Next, you’ll journey back to the Sacred Valley by train, stopping en route to Cusco learn about the natural dyeing techniques used by native weavers. Locations: Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cusco
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Day 7
Cusco Sightseeing
Begin your day in Cusco with your Local Specialist at the remarkable UNESCO-listed Incan fortress of Sacsayhuamán, then continue on a guided city tour. Visit Korikancha, once the most important temple in the Incan Empire. The afternoon is free to explore as you wish or to join one of several Optional Experiences — visit the Choco Museum, explore the Maras Salt Mines and Moray terraces, take a walking tour of Cusco after dark or enjoy a Peruvian cooking class to master classic local recipes. Locations: Cusco
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Day 8
Cusco – Puno
Leave Cusco behind as you journey towards Puno, crossing the La Raya Pass where the Andes divide the Cusco and Puno regions. Along the way, explore the archaeological site of Raqchi, once a key settlement along the Inca road network. Enjoy a warm welcome into a local family home, where you’ll share lunch and stories. Then Dive into Culture with a traditional art form as you paint your own torito de Pucará: a colorful ceramic bull said to bring good fortune and protection. These iconic bulls are a symbol of strength in this part of Peru, often seen perched on rooftops in pairs, watching over homes and families. Locations: Cusco, Puno
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Day 9
Lake Titicaca Excursion
Connect With Locals as you cruise the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca, passing floating islands constructed by the Uros people. Next, in the midst of South America’s largest lake lies Taquile Island, where you’ll MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® and embark on a private tour to gain insights into the tradition of knitting and weaving for which the local villagers - men and women - are renowned. Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. This experience aligns with UN's Global goal 10, reduced inequalities. Tonight, enjoy an evening at leisure. Locations: Puno, Lake Titicaca, Taquile Island, Puno
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Day 10
Lake Titicaca – Juliaca – Lima
This morning, return to Lima, enjoying an afternoon at leisure after your flight. Enjoy time on your own to explore the capital of Peru, settled on the country's arid Pacific coast. Locations: Puno, Lake Titicaca, Juliaca, Lima
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Day 11
Depart Lima
For now it’s time to say a fond hasta luego to Lima and transfer to the airport for your flight home, or consider extending your stay in Lima. Locations: Lima