Peruvian cooking experience

... / Lima

Welcome to Peru! Arrival to the Jorge Chavez International Airport where you will be picked up by a representative of Golden Peruvian Tours and will be transferred to the selected hotel in the tourist district of Miraflores. Assistance with check in. Overnight. (Check in 15:00)
Overnight: Lima
Meals: -

Lima / Arequipa

At proper time, transfer to Lima airport to take the regular flight to Arequipa Arrival, reception and transfer to select hotel. Free time to acclimatization. Arequipa, known as the White City for its beautiful white walls of sillar, a volcanic stone. The downtown of the city, placed on the World Cultural Heritage list by UNESCO, features Mixed Baroque churches and mansions from the Colonial Period. In the afternoon, we start a three-hour sightseeing tour including the Santa Catalina Convent that was founded on the second of October in 1580 and has an extension of 20000 square meters and was constructed in the second half of the XVIth Century. The Convent, in which there are still nuns living in cloisters, is a walled small city with narrow streets, passages, staircases and small squares. Then we will visit the Plaza de Armas the Jesuit Church of La Compañía and its beautifully painted Chapel, the Church of San Francisco, the San Lazaro District, Selva Alegre and the typical Districts of Cayma and Yanahuara for a magnificent view of the Misti Volcano. Return to the hotel.
Overnight: Arequipa
Meals: Breakfast

Arequipa / Colca

In the morning, you will be met at your hotel and taken on an incredible four hour journey to Chivay. Have your camera ready as you will stop at various stunning viewpoints including the Pampa Cañahuas Reserve, which is home to many exotic Andean animals including vicuñas, alpacas, llamas, flamingos, ibis and the Andean eagle. You will see astonishing landscapes as you drive past lakes, glaciers and some magnificent volcanoes, such as Ampato, Sabancaya, Huallca and Misti. During the journey we will reach the highest point of 4800m (15,000ft). Afterwards, we head down the canyon to Chivay and transfer you to your hotel. In the afternoon, we will Visit the nearby Uyo Uyo ruins and Chininia Bridge is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a long journey and serves as a great short acclimatization hike to get used to the altitude of the Colca valley. Hiking through ancient agricultural terraces that are still farmed in a traditional way today, we follow an easy trail to the impressive Uyo Uyo pre-Inca ruins. It is approximately 45 minutes of hiking to the ruins where we will spend time exploring the different buildings of this extensive citadel.
Overnight: Arequipa
Meals: Breakfast

Puno

Sail the waters of Lake Titicaca. Early in the morning, you will start an excursion to the highest lake in the world. The tour includes a visit to Uros Island where you can go by comfortable motor boats. Uros is part of Aymara ethnic family of islands that live on artificial islands made of floating reeds (Totora is a plant that exist in the region). From here, you can reach the hills of Taquile Island. Gifted with several hills and harboring archaeological sites, the island’s main activity are textiles (hand works of art) representing scenes of everyday life. You will have lunch at a nearby local place.
Overnight: Puno
Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Cusco

Today We will have a great fun exploring the streets of Cusco with our guide. Sampling local flavors at each stop, our guide take you to a lively market and a variety of eateries provided interesting insight into local life and Peruvian cooking – sampling a variety of food along the way. The first stop will be the buzzing San Pedro Market. It is popular with tourists and locals alike, and a definitive Cusco culinary highlight. One block long and three blocks wide, Cusco’s principal market is bursting with variety. As we walk through the maze of produce, we pause to taste fresh-squeezed juices using seasonal exotic fruits – guanábana and chirimoya. We will continue and pass some of the almost 4,000 varieties of potato that grow in Peru. Ranging from purple, to red, to yellow, the potato is a staple of the Peruvian diet and has been an essential throughout history. Alongside the potatoes were stalls offering the likes of purple corn, herbal remedies and nutritious Andean super foods such as kiwicha and quinoa. After browsing more of the vibrant market, we will head for some traditional Peruvian coffee. As one of the top 20 coffee producers in the world, Peru is a delightful treat for caffeine lovers. The geographic diversity of the country makes for varied climates, which allow for the growth of different coffee plants. At this stop, we will learn about and taste a variety of coffee grown in the country, including Arabica, or mountain coffee, for which Peru is the fifth largest exporter. As we walk the streets making our way to the next stop, We are mesmerized by the variety of food and cooking styles Cusco has to offer – from piles of chicharron, fried meat (usually pork), to buckets of artisanal ice cream. While Lima may be on the world culinary map at the high-end gastronomic level, Cusco affords the ideal window into Andean influences on Peruvian cooking. The last stop will be Pachapapa, a charming restaurant with an outdoor courtyard in the historic neighborhood of San Blas. Pachapapa serves up hearty typical dishes and, using their wood-fired oven, the most famous Cusco specialty of all: cuy (guinea pig) – which can optionally be sampled on this half-day food tour. In the afternoon, we will continue visiting the 04 nearby ruins from Cusco: Sacsayhuaman.- Located 3 Km. From Cusco, Inca fortress with an excellent and great architecture.
Qenqo.- Ceremonial and Ritual Centre, Also place where sacrifices were made.
PucaPucara.- Was more likely a Tambo, or kind of post house than an actual fortress.
Tambomachay.- 7 Km. From Cusco, site for ritual bathing its use was restricted to the higher nobility, who maybe only used the baths on ceremonial occasions.
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Urubamba / Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu / Cusco

The day starts with an early morning rise to transfer to Ollanta Train Station and board the Train for a journey to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, also known as "The Lost City of the Incas", one of the best-known examples of surviving Inca architecture. Arrive at Aguas Calientes Station followed by a 30-minute bus drive, climbing 6km of winding road, to the marvellous Citadel. Upon arrival, you will participate in a guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the sacred sun dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and various burial grounds. Lunch will be included at local restaurant in Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, return to Ollanta by train. Arrival, reception and transfer to Cusco hotel.
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, lunch