Arrivals at Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport. Transfer to the hotel and check-in, followed by time at leisure. Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check-in usually begins at 3 p.m.

• Overnight at Marriott Miraflores, deluxe.

After breakfast at the hotel meet with group leader for an orientation to Peru and a lecture: Peru- A Political and Economic Overview. After lunch (not included) explore Lima including a visit to the plaza de Armas and the Monastery of San Francisco, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. Aside from a church and monastery, the site also contains a library and catacombs. In this church, Jude the Apostle is venerated. At the feast of Saint Jude Tadeus a one and a half ton weighing silver stand is carried round in procession by 40 people, starting from the convent. We will then visit the Casa Aliaga; the oldest dwelling in the Americas that has been home to the same family for 17 generations which was originally given to Captain Jerónimo de Aliaga y Ranirez in 1558. Take a tour through the old mansion where you can reflect on both the Colonial and Republican history of the city of Lima. Late in the afternoon meet with a US reporter who has lived in Peru for the last two decades and a human rights professor at San Marcos University to learn about the most important socials issues and trends in Peru.

• Breakfast-Dinner included
• Overnight at Marriott Miraflores, deluxe

Today visit the Larco Museum. The privately funded Larco Museum, also known as Museo Rafael Larco Herrera, holds one of the world's largest collections of Peruvian pre-Colombian artifacts and showcases pieces from lesser known cultures such as the Moche, Chimú, and Nazca, as well as the famous Inca. Its name honors the founder's father, Don Rafael Larco Herrera, a well-known collector of pre-Columbian artifacts and archaeology aficionado. The museum is housed in an 18th century mansion in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima and has 6 exhibit halls, 11 storage rooms, a vault for gold and silver exhibits, a terrace with large stone displays, and a garden with a patio.

• Breakfast-Dinner included
• Overnight at Marriott Miraflores, deluxe

After breakfast transfer to the airport and fly to Cusco. Upon arrival transfer to the Sacred Valley, stopping en route at the Awanakancha Center to learn about South American Camelids and products made using traditional and modern techniques such as dyeing, spinning, and weaving. The Center's objective is to protect and disseminate their cultural heritage, in this case represented by the original varied and rich textile tradition of Peru, emphasizing the use of ancestral techniques for spinning, dyeing and management of the South American Camalid fibers. They provide a permanent quality control and have a committed and trained team that works to reassess and promote the dissemination of the different artistic expressions and cultural values that are the heritage of Peru and provide opportunities for master craftsmen and their communities to achieve a better quality of life. After lunch visit Ollantaytambo Ruins, highlighting the engineering genius of the Inca. The town has original buildings of Inca construction where the Inca retreated for their last stand in the highlands against the Spanish. Running water still flows through the aqueducts, terraces are still farmed, and the pinnacle above the town is a burial ground. Learn about its ancient heritage while walking the narrow streets and observing numerous aqueducts that remain unchanged. Dinner on own.

• Breakfast-Lunch- included
• Overnight at Aranwa Valley, deluxe

This morning you will depart for a full day visit to the Potato Park, guided by specialist Maywa Blanco. Maywa Blanco, born and raised in Cuzco, holds a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy from Cuzco´s San Antonio Abad University and a Master's degree in Science from Michigan State. A college professor, Maywa will masterfully guide us through this community, explaining how the lifestyle of these agricultural based communities revolves around the potato and what the role of women is in the social structure. The Potato Park is a conservation initiative located in Sacred Valley where local people are managing and protecting local genetic resources and traditional knowledge about their health, food, and agriculture. The organization seeks to achieve food security, increased well-being, and gender equity for poor people in the developing world. During your visit you will have the opportunity to visit the six Quechua communities residing in the park, visit Kinsaqocha Lake, and see handicrafts and medicinal plants workshops. Dinner on own.

• Breakfast-Lunch- included
• Overnight at Aranwa Valley, deluxe

Early this morning you will board the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. This scenic journey by rail follows the meandering path of the Urubamba River and provides travelers with spectacular views of the snowcapped Andes. Disembark at the Aguas Calientes Station and board a bus that will take you up the mountain to the Machu Picchu Ruins. Spend the remainder of the day explore the ruins with your guide. This ancient Inca city was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, a Yale graduate and U.S. senator fascinated with Inca archaeology. Bingham found Machu Picchu, with the help of a local farmer who knew about the ruins, while searching for Vilcabamba and Vitcos. Breakthroughs in archaeology since 1985 have supported the emerging view of Machu Picchu as a ceremonial and administrative center for a very populous region. Machu Picchu was built, flourished, and fell into demise within a period of 100 years. Later in the day board the bus to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, disembark at the bus stop and walk to your hotel. Dinner on own.

NOTE: There is a weight limit of 11 pounds for luggage on the train transfer to Machu Picchu. Plan to pack an overnight bag for one night in Aguas Calientes. This bag must weigh no more than 11 pounds and measure no more than 62 inches /157 cm (length, plus height, plus width). Excess luggage can be left with the driver and vehicle, and will be secured until your return to Cuzco.

• Breakfast-Lunch- included
• Overnight at Sumaq, superior deluxe

Enjoy a morning at your leisure to walk around the town, relax at your hotel, or explore Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu on your own (additional entrance tickets not included in your program cost). This is a great opportunity for participants to revisit the ruins at a more relaxed pace. Just after sunrise, the soft morning rays bathe the ancient city in golden light and the mist slowly rises from the valley. Take advantage of the favorable lighting and lesser amount of visitors to try and capture that perfect shot for your photo album. NOTE: New regulations reduced the daily quota of visitors allowed to enter Machu Picchu and nearby archaeological sites (e.g., Huayna Picchu), and entrance tickets are no longer sold on site. Participants wishing to visit the ruins on this day must obtain their tickets in advance. Please contact the program provider for more information. Lunch on own. Meet at the train station to take the Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo Station. Disembark at Ollantaytambo and board a bus for your transfer to Cusco. (1 hr 30 min). Arrive in Cusco and check-in at hotel.

• Breakfast-Dinner included
• Overnight at Belmond Monestario, superior

After breakfast visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The fortress of Sacsayhuaman forms the head of the Puma design of old Cusco. It is a wonder of technical achievement and a testament to human will. It is a mystery how it was constructed, since the stones are not found in the region and most of the blocks weigh more than a ton. The largest rock weighs more than 300 tons. Sacsayhuaman is constructed of huge polygonal blocks which interlock with one another so precisely a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. Orientation to the city of Cusco including a visit to Koricancha. The center of Cusco is a history lesson. Modern and colonial buildings are built on top of Inca foundations and colonial churches dominate the central square. Koricancha, also spelled Qorikancha, is an important Inca temple located in downtown Cusco. Built in honor of their sun god, Inti, the site was once an important religious center. Conquistadors reported that the temple originally held a statue of the sun, made of gold weighing approximately two tons and inlayed with gems. The structure was built with enormous boulders and is considered one of the most outstanding examples of this type of Inca construction. Unfortunately, very little remains of this architectural wonder since the Spaniards did their best to destroy it during their conquest of Cusco. The grand, Baroque church known as Santo Domingo was built on Koricancha's foundations and came to be viewed by the Spanish as a symbol of Christian triumph over heathen religion. Enjoy lunch and free time in the afternoon. Pre-dinner presentation by a local expert on the history of Incan and Andean musical instruments. Evening farewell dinner at the hotel.

• Breakfast-Dinner included
• Overnight at Belmond Monestario, superior

Transfer to the airport for the flight back to Lima. Upon arrival transfer to the Marriott Miraflores (day room). The afternoon is free to explore and enjoy lunch and dinner on own. Transfer back to the airport for flight home.

• Breakfast- included
• Overnight at Marriott Miraflores Day Room, deluxe