Peru Culinary Experience
Seasonal Information
Over the course of this Peru Culinary Experience, you will sample some of Peru’s unique gastronomic experiences. From street food to fine dining, Peru has a unique selection of ingredients, and a deep history, which influences their food and cooking. If you want to travel the country and take in both the sites and the tastes, this is the tour for you.
- Lima
- Cusco
- Larco Museum
- Sacred Valley
- Hiram Bingham Train
- Pachamanca
- Machu Picchu
The tour starts in Peru’s capital city of Lima. From here, you will be given the chance to sample some of the nation’s most creative dishes and flavours as you take a tour of street food. You will then explore some of the restaurants in the city. First you will have lunch at Huaca Pucllana Restaurant, which stays honest to its roots through Peruvian flavours. Then, you will explore the city of Lima itself through a walking tour of the area and the nearby Larco Museum. This will give you a chance to explore the country’s culture and unique heritage. Finally, you will end this full day with dinner at Central Restaurant.
Lima
Lima – the capital of Peru – is situated on a plateau overlooking the Pacific Coast. It is a sprawling metropolitan city of over 10 million Peruvians and is naturally a perfect location for sampling the famed national cuisine with its vast base of ingredients and spices. Furthermore, the city offers relaxing tours to convents, churches, historical plazas and centres, as well as beautiful gardens, bars and nightspots. Meanwhile, ancient traditions are very much alive at Huaca Pucllana temple, just steps away from the hotels and hostels of central Miraflores district, and the impressive Pyramids of Pachacamac are just a 40km drive south.
Cusco
You will then be transported across Peru to the ancient city of Cusco. You will start your time here with a walking tour of this wonderful city, exploring its Cathedral and Convent or exploring the nearby Hatun Rumiyoc and San Blas. Then, for the rest of the day, enjoy another street food tour. You will have a chance to try a selection of Cusco’s famous dishes.
Cusco was originally the historic capital of the Inca Empire, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has an elevation of over 11,000 feet allowing visitors to acclimatise before setting off on long treks towards Machu Picchu, on legendary routes used by the Incas. Cusco is pleasant to explore with wonderful and ancient stonework, narrow streets and important Inca temple remains, complemented by the Spanish colonial buildings. Numerous museums showcase Inca and pre-columbian culture, as well as textiles and sacred plants. Being a rich agricultural region, many fusion and neo-Andean restaurants offer unique Peruvian gastronomy. Meanwhile, day trips to nearby lagoons can be connected with visits to Inca ruins such as Pisac, Tambomachay, Kenqo, Sacsayhaman and Ollantaytambo.
Sacred Valley
Day 4 will take you into Sacred Valley, to explore the ruins and heritage of the former Inca area. You will enjoy a traditional Sacred Valley tour, exploring the Inca site, Pisac Ruins, as well as the famous Ollantaytambo Ruins. The tour will conclude with a stop at the textile village of Chinchero. Then on to Pachamanca, where you will learn the history behind some of the traditional dishes. Day 5, again explores Sacred Valley, with a visit to Maras and Moray, followed by a wonderful lunch at Mil Restaurant.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is the eternal home of abundance for the indigenous and locals who continue to call this area home. It is also home to Machu Picchu, built in the 15th century for the Inca emperor, Pachacuti. From Cusco – the former Inca capital – visitors can decide on trekking an ‘Inca trail’ of multiple days, or taking the train to visit the wonder of Machu Picchu. All routes wind around dramatic peaks, rivers and archaeological sites, with regular rest stops at scenic points, and camping for up to three nights (depending on trail length). The region was prized by many civilizations for its agricultural potential, and towns such as Ollantaytambo were once country retreats for Inca royalty.
Day 6 and 7 are truly highlights of the trip. First, enjoy the luxury as you take the Hiram Bingham Train up to Machu Picchu. The train takes you from breathtaking scenery as you traverse the Andes. Then, the following day you will have a full tour of the Machu Picchu site. Explore the history of this ancient zone, and then view it from the best possible point, from atop Wayna Picchu which overlooks the beautiful site. This special experience ends by taking the Hiram Bingham Train back down to Poroy.
Your last days will be spent in Cusco. You will have a full free day to enjoy and then a beautiful dinner at Map Cafe to look forward to on the night. Finally, your last day is left free to help arrange your departure. You will be assisted by private transfers and a guide.
When you arrive at Lima’s airport, look for someone holding a sign with your name on. You will be taken straight to your hotel where you will spend the night.
The next day is full of wonderful food and exploring the city. First, a street food tour of Lima where you will explore the flavours of Peru’s capital. First, your guide will take you to a local market in Surquillo – the district bordering Miraflores – to admire exotic fruits and vegetables. After this tropical experience, you head to a seafood restaurant to try the popular starter ‘leche de tigre’ that has fish marinated in a citrus-based sauce, a delight! Finally, it is time for ice cream from La Florentina, and then onto an artisanal market. After a small break from food, it is time for lunch. The Huaca Pucllana maintains, with justified pride, a culinary philosophy which fundamentally lies in using Peruvian flavours as a base for its cuisine. It makes the perfect destination for your first lunch.
Then, you get the chance to explore Lima City and the Larco Museum. A diverse tour including a journey through Lima’s historical centre with beautifully decorated squares surrounded by architecture from the colonial age. The Larco Museum houses a wonderful collection of over a thousand artefacts of different Peruvian cultures. Finally, end the day with dinner at Central Restaurant. Conscious of the lack of connection, Central Restaurant wants to humbly take on the great challenge of educating guests about this beautiful country through the unique ingredients, landscapes, culture, tradition, and history.
This day begins with a private transfer, taking you to the airport for a flight across Peru. Then, a transfer will take you to Cusco. The flight is not included in the price.
Upon arrival, enjoy a walking tour of Cusco. Begin your city tour at the Cusco Cathedral and enjoy some incredible panoramic views of the city, visit the Main Square, known in Inca times as Huacaypata, then continue to Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo. Or, take a visit to San Blas Quartier by the ancient road of Hatun Rumiyoc. A narrow pedestrian street, famous for its Inca walls where huge stones are precisely carved to fit together without mud or concrete.
Then, after getting to know the area, get to know the cuisine through a street food tour. Discover local specialties and experience for yourself why the Peruvian cuisine is world famous! At 3 pm, you start this experience with a visit to the San Pedro market to learn more about the country’s exotic fruits and vegetables. The day ends with a wonderful menu dinner at Nuna Raymi restaurant.
The Sacred Valley is located between Cusco and Machu Picchu, and was an unquestionably important area for the Incas. Its agreeable climate and fertile plains create the perfect conditions for growing crops. The Traditional Sacred Valley Tour includes a visit to the Pisac Ruins, an Inca complex showing you the impressive architecture of the Incas. In the afternoon, you visit the Ollantaytambo Ruins. This ruin exists out of elegantly crafted stone walks. A visit to the textile village of Chinchero will conclude your tour.
Then, onto Pachamanca. You will enjoy traditional gastronomy and ancestral nutrition. Peruvian ancestors knew what to grow and through the years a vast selection of culinary dishes have left a legacy of history. In this experience not only will one be learning the art of each host country’s traditional cuisine, but one will also learn the history behind the dishes; its ‘story’ as well as each ingredient that is used.
Start your day from your hotel, and drive towards Moray. This community is famous for its embedded amphitheatre. Evidence seems to suggest that Moray was an important centre of Inca agricultural research on crops. Its main attraction, apart from its church, that dates from the colonial period, are the salt mines located near the town which captivate sightseers and in particular, photographers.
You will then carry on to lunch at Mill Restaurant. The MIL experience consists of eight courses, eight ecosystems of elevation, extreme and authentic local ingredients. With time, this experience will change with the climate and the land.
The Hiram Bingham Train experience is unlike any other, and is the dream of anyone who has ever wished to travel through the Andes. Modelled on the Pullman cars of the 1920s, this is truly a magical journey. You can begin your experience with a welcome cocktail. Once onboard, you will be invited to a brunch and gourmet lunch. There are a number of services you can enjoy onboard. A bar car provides wonderful cocktails, live entertainment, and even an observatory car to enjoy the stunning views.
Choose from staying in Hotel Sumaq, which is Room Only board. Hotel Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, which is Bed & Breakfast board. Or Hotel Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, which is Full board.
Day 7 begins in Machu Picchu with a tour. Machu Picchu was only re-discovered in 1911 by the explorer Hiram Bingham, and was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and subsequently a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The best place to view Machu Picchu is from above. Wayna Picchu or Huayna Picchu meaning ‘young peak’ is a mountain located at the Machu Picchu citadel. It rises over Machu Picchu and divides it into two sections and it is possible to hike to the summit for a completely different and even more spectacular view of the Inca wonder. To end the day, you will take the Hiram Bingham Train and be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.
Day 8 is your penultimate day in Peru. The day is left free to enjoy as you wish, but you have a beautiful evening to look forward to with dinner at Map Cafe. It is one of the very best cuisine experiences in Cusco, and a perfect way to end your food tour of Peru.
Your final day is left free to travel to the hotel and arrange your departure. You will need to fly domestically and then internationally, neither of which is included in the price of this trip.
Dates are flexible so please make an enquiry and tell us a range of dates you are considering so we can check availability.
Visa requirements:
Please keep in mind that you are responsible for verifying the visa requirements of your destination country and then obtaining the visa accordingly. In addition, most countries require that travellers hold a passport that is valid for at least six months from the day of entry into the country, so confirm that you meet the passport, visa and medical requirements (if applicable) of the country of entry in advance.
- Accommodation based on double room including breakfast (except day 1)
- Transfers, excursions, meals, entrances as mentioned
- Children discount applies only for children under 12 years old
- Excursions and meals not mentioned in the program
- Travel Insurance
- Drinks, tips and personal expenses
- International flights
- Domestic flights
* Prices can vary if there are new bio-security protocols in the capacity of vehicles or number of persons per guide as well as other regulations the government will consider as mandatory to implement.
Suitable for ages 5 to 80
