Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu, Peru

Experience this...

Dine at Lima’s top restaurants

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is judged by a panel of over 1,000 culinary experts. In 2024, Lima has taken four spots (including the prestigious first place), outshining any other city. Peru’s capital is now leading the way on the world stage when it comes to dining, so book a table at Central, Maido, Kjolle, or Mayta before you travel to enjoy a special meal.

Take a walking tour through Miraflores market

Follow your local guide to the busy markets of Lima’s Miraflores district. Don’t miss the Indian Market's vendors selling artisan Peruvian crafts and souvenirs. Wander through its maze of colour and stop to admire the brightly-patterned tapestries handwoven with alpaca wool, the painted pottery and handcrafted silver jewellery. A short walk away is the ChocoMuseum, where you can learn about the chocolate-making process – from bean to bar.

Visit Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley

Step inside the world of the Incas among the soaring peaks of the Sacred Valley. Perched above the rural town of Pisac is an archaeological site with some of the best-preserved Inca ruins in Peru. Stone structures and terraces are all that’s left of a once formidable mountain citadel. Take a guided tour and see the remains of ceremonial baths and an Inca cemetery. Remember to catch your breath and acclimatise to the high altitude.

Explore Machu Picchu

Nothing quite prepares you for the moment you see Machu Picchu. At the crux between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin, the 15th-century architectural complex is one of the finest legacies of the Incan Empire. Ascend through the tropical rainforest until you see the sharp peak of ‘La Ciudadela’ and the terraces carved along the mountain ridge. Wander among its stone ruins and take in the surrounding vertiginous views during a guided tour.

Discover Cusco’s cathedrals

Cusco is where Spanish and Incan influences collide. It was once the capital of the Incan Empire before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors. During a walking tour, you’ll find evidence of its colonial and indigenous past across the city. Most notably, Koricancha, the Santo Domingo Church, was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun. Cusco Cathedral, a unique example of Renaissance meets Gothic and Baroque architecture, sits on the remains of an Incan palace.

Suggested itinerary

In Lima, stay at Hotel B, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in a restored Belle Epoque mansion. The hotel’s highlight is the artworks by Latin American artists that adorn the walls, and the best boutiques and restaurants in the area are right on your doorstep.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel offers a restful stay in a quiet Andean village, a short bus ride from Machu Picchu. In Cusco, we can recommend Inkaterra La Casona, a 16th-century manor house in the Plaza de las Nazarenas, surrounded by vibrant, cobblestone streets.

Travel style

Sometimes the journey is all part of the experience, so we’ve included a train journey from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. Sit back and admire scenic views as the train winds its way through narrow gorges and down into the Sacred Valley before snaking up into the foothills of the Andes to Machu Picchu.