Peru's Machu Picchu and Beyond - Small Group - From £995

Welcome to Peru, where your adventure kicks off high in the Andes. Fly into Cusco Airport, then stop by the Costsaver Welcome Desk at San Agustin Urubamba between 2pm and 4pm. At 4pm, join your group transfer to the Sacred Valley as city streets give way to mountain peaks, patchwork fields and Andean villages. Arrive in Urubamba and enjoy the evening your way.

After breakfast, head to Tambococha for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Welcomed with traditional music and an herbal infusion, you’ll meet the locals and discover daily village life through hands-on activities. Learn about seasonal agriculture, native medicinal plants, adobe brick making and pick up a few Quechua phrases still used across the valley today. Sit down to a traditional Pachamanca lunch, an Andean feast slow-cooked underground with hot stones. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. This afternoon, choose an optional visit to Maras and Moray or enjoy your evening at leisure. Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Start the day with a scenic drive to Ollantaytambo, an old Inca town with cobbled streets, local stalls and mountain views. Enjoy free time to explore your way or opt to visit the town’s impressive ruins. Then hop aboard the PeruRail Expedition Train and roll through the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, the launchpad for mighty Machu Picchu. From here, ride up to this bucket-list Inca citadel for your included visit. Big views, ancient stories and serious pinch-me moments await. Later, return to Aguas Calientes for a free evening.

All aboard this morning as you hop on the train back to Ollantaytambo, with time to grab a lunch of your choice. Then stretch your legs on a gentle walk from Urco to Calca, following peaceful valley paths past farms, eucalyptus groves and Quechua villages. Big Andean views? Absolutely. Local life? You’ll see that too. Later, stop at Vicuñita, an environmental project bringing traditional Cusco plants and trees back to life. Meet llamas, vicuñas, guanacos and alpacas, then get the lowdown on local weaving before rolling into Cusco for an evening at leisure.

Get set to explore Cusco on foot, where Inca history and Spanish colonial style share the spotlight. Visit the lively Plaza de Armas, step inside Cusco Cathedral and discover Korikancha, once the Inca Empire’s dazzling Temple of the Sun. This afternoon do Cusco your way. Choose an optional tour to nearby Inca sites and colourful San Blas or join a fun evening bar tour with local cocktails and cooking and Cusco’s atmospheric streets as your backdrop.

Cusco is all yours today, so choose your own adventure in this high-altitude city packed with colour, culture and Inca history. Take it slow with a wander through cobbled streets, shop for local crafts or find a cafe and soak up the buzz of the city. Want to add more? Join a Choice Experience to Rainbow Mountain for big views and bold colours, visit the Choco Museum to sample the famous Peruvian sweet treat, go on an Off The Beaten Track tour, or dig into the local cuisine on a Flavours of Peru experience. Tonight, you’re free to enjoy your final night in the city your way.

Your Peru adventure wraps up after breakfast. Depart with big Andean memories, Cusco stories and maybe a few new favourite dishes. Transfers are not included, so plan your onward journey to suit you.