12-Nights Peru with Machu Picchu & the Nazca Lines - Small Group from $6,685

Insight Vacations

OFFER ID 1569721

Peru With Machu Picchu & The Nazca Lines - Small Group
Feast on Peruvian delicacies in Lima, tour the ancient Korikancha temple in Cusco and adventure through the Ollantaytambo ruins of Machu Picchu, on this 13-Day exploration of Peru. Embark on a Private Planetarium Tour in Cusco and uncover the influence of astronomy on Andean culture. Join a Local Expert in Machu Picchu for a guided tour through the ancient ruins-set high in the Andes against breathtaking backdrops. Visit the salt pans of Maras in the Sacred Valley where the Incas used to harvest the mineral and visit with a local Quechua Weaver to learn their ancient weaving techinques in a private presentation. In Paracus, be sure to pause at the Pisco distillery to sample this tasty local aperitif.

Dining Summary

12 Breakfast (B)
2 Dinner with Wine (DW)
3 Dinner (D)
7 Lunch (L)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities
Cusco: Join a guided hike of the Inca ruins in Puca Pucara.
Cusco: Delight your senses during a guided tour of the San Pedro Market.

Additional Included Highlights

Prices include economy air and air-related charges for the flights between Lima - Cusco. This trip experiences high elevations, we recommend guests with pre-existing medical conditions talk with a doctor prior to travel.

Authentic Dining

Lima: Unwind at your luxury abode, before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers in the evening for a dinner.
Lima: Make your way to Lima's Pueblo Libre District and indulge on a lunch in the Museo Larco's 18th century garden.
Sacred Valley: Make your way to the small lagoon of Laguna Piuray where you’ll enjoy your lunch of Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast.
Cusco: Enjoy an immersive slow-cooked Cusquenian lunch at Pacha Papa. Lunch will be served al fresco at the courtyard of a historic mansion in the artsy neighborhood of San Blas.
Cusco: In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner at Inka Grill, where you'll embark on a journey of flavors from Ceviche Palteado to Quinotto and Aji de Gallina.

Insight Choice

Cusco: Join a guided hike of the Inca ruins in Puca Pucara.
Cusco: Delight your senses during a guided tour of the San Pedro Market.

Insight Experiences

Cusco: Visit Cusco's planetarium to learn more on how the Incas interpreted the stars. After a reception with hot wine (or tea) and appetizers, local experts will explain and share stories about the influence the stars had on Andean culture. You'll then be led to a room specially accommodated to view the ancient night skies, weather permitting.
Paracas: Take to the skies on your Peru tour to see the iconic Nazca Lines, archaeological enigmas scratched in the ground 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. Gaze down in awe of these massive designs and patterns you can only view from above. Your private flight will show you many of the lines, complete with their names and a bit of history. From above, you’ll observe the different types: straight, geometric (such as triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, spirals, arrows, zigzags, and wavy lines), and pictorial (including a spider, hummingbird, cactus plant, monkey, whale, llama, duck, flower, tree, lizard, dog, and even a mysterious humanoid figure). Some of the animal geoglyphs are up to 1,200 feet long! You’ll also learn why the Nazca culture created these lines in the desert plains of the Rio Grande de Nazca River basin and how the Nazca people were able to carve out such massive designs.
Paracas: In Paracas, meet a local fisherman who share how traditional practices are passed down through generations. Gain insight into daily life at sea, learn how small-scale fishers contend with industrial fleets and discover what a day’s catch is worth in a community where the ocean still shapes survival.

Make Travel Matter

Sacred Valley: Visit a local traditional Quechua weaver for a private textile presentation and learn about ancient technique and their cultural significance. Your experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 & 10: Gender Equality Reduced Inequalities.

Top Rated Highlights

Cathedral of Lima: This morning, explore Peru's buzzing capital with your Local Expert, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall.
Lima: Discover Museo Larco with a Local Expert who will guide you through private museum's impressive collection.
Sacred Valley: The Maras Salt Mine will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. Learn how salt once harvested by Incas at this site is now exported to the entire world. Discover how the Incas found a water stream with high salt content and learned - in Pre-Incan times - how to build terraces to extract salt. You’ll be amazed at how, to this day, it is not known where the water actually comes from and has only been measured in the last 20 years during which the flow and intensity has not changed.
Sacred Valley: Peru’s Incan history and archaeology will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. At the Moray Incan laboratory northwest of Cusco, learn how the Incas determined the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. You’ll be fascinated by how this ancient culture learned how to build these terraced circular depressions on a high plateau at an altitude of about 11,500 feet and experimented with different kinds of soils and temperatures to grow their crops.
Machu Picchu: Transfer to the station for your 360° IncaRail train ride. This train ride offers an unforgettable experience journeying through the Andes Mountains in style with large panoramic views allowing guests to enjoy the amazing scenery of the lush mountains and the Urubamba Rive

12 nights from $6,685 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Insight Vacations: Peru with Machu Picchu & the Nazca Lines - Small Group

Day 1 - Welcome to Lima
Arrive in Lima for the first day of your journey. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Unwind at your luxury abode, before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers in the evening for dinner with drinks.
Accommodations: MGallery Manto, Lima
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Explore Lima Relaxed Start
Explore the colorful capital of Peru this morning with your Local Expert. Delve into its colonial past and see key attractions, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Visit Casa Aliaga, an impressive mansion that has been home to the Aliaga family for 17 generations. For those with an appreciation for art, head to Museo Larco, a private museum located in Lima’s Pueblo Libre District. It is the highest-rated museum in South America and houses the largest collection of Pre-Columbian art. Indulge in a Highlight Lunch with an 18th-century garden as your backdrop. After lunch, meet a Local Expert who will take you around the Museo Larco and share the museum’s private collection with you. Delve into Peruvian culture, its ancient history and the country's religious beliefs. Return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure.
Accommodations: MGallery Manto, Lima
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 - Lima to Sacred Valley
Take a transfer to the airport in the morning, where you'll catch your flight to the ancient capital of Cusco. Begin your tour of the Sacred Valley, while taking in impressive views on your scenic drive along the way. After a few stunning photo stops, enjoy lunch at Altar Inca, surrounded by some of the most impressive views of the region. Enjoy a leisurely trip to your hotel for the next couple of nights, where the evening is yours to do as you please. We recommend that you rest in order to adjust to the altitude comfortably.
Accommodations: Aranwa Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - Explore Sacred Valley Relaxed Start
Start the morning off with a visit to the Maras salt pans, where the Incas harvested their salt. Today, the salt from Maras is exported to the entire world. Move on to an Incan laboratory in Moray, an archaeological site close to Cusco. Find out more about the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience as you visit a local traditional Quechua weaver in the Sacred Valley and learn about the importance these textiles have in shaping personal and regional identities. Afterward, make your way to Laguna Piuray, where you’ll enjoy a Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast, for your Highlight Lunch. In the evening, transfer to Hacienda Huayoccari, where you'll discover this gem of the Sacred Valley while exploring its grounds and small museum. Sit down for a special Peruvian dinner before heading back to your hotel, the luxurious Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel.
Accommodations: Aranwa Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine

Day 5 - Explore Machu Picchu Relaxed Start
Transfer to the station for your IncaRail train ride. On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, followed by a stop at a local house in the village’s cobblestoned old town and visit with the family living there. In the afternoon, visit Machu Picchu, where you’ll meet your Local Experts for a guided visit in small groups. They will take you through the ruins and explain their historical and archaeological significance, as well as the importance of their location. Set high in the Andes Mountains, it offers spectacular scenery and history, dating back to the 15th century. End your day with a relaxing dinner and drinks at your hotel.
Accommodations: Sumaq Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 6 - Machu Picchu at Leisure
Take in the breathtaking landscapes of Machu Picchu for a second time. Spend your morning exploring at your own pace, with your Travel Director on hand to answer any queries you may have. The afternoon is yours at leisure. Relax back at your hotel or perhaps explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own. Spend the evening as you please before sitting down to a dinner with your fellow travelers.
Accommodations: Sumaq Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - On to Cusco Relaxed Start
After breakfast, return by train to Ollantaytambo, where you will transfer to the ancient city of Cusco. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco showcases a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, ancient remains and a lively cosmopolitan scene for modern inhabitants. On arrival in Cusco, head out on a walking tour with a Local Expert. Visit its cathedral and the Qorikancha temple, the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The evening is yours at leisure. Ask your Travel Director for local restaurant and bar recommendations.
Accommodations: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Exploring Cusco Relaxed Start
Start your day with a walking tour of Sacsayhuaman. Afterwards, explore with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert on a guided hike of the Inca ruins at Puca Pucara. Alternatively, you can explore the lively and colorful San Pedro Market. Later, make your way to the city’s planetarium for a private, after-hours tour, sample some local delicacies and hot wine as you gaze at the night sky.
Accommodations: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 - Leisure time in Cusco Relaxed Start
Today, explore Cusco at your own pace. Perhaps head out on an optional visit to the ChocoMuseo about chocolate making. Another active option is a hike to Rainbow Mountain. Or maybe relax and unwind at your hotel, set in a beautiful 16th century building. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable dinner at Inka Grill.
Accommodations: JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10 - From the Andes to the Coast
Depart Cusco and fly to Lima. From here, enjoy a leisurely coastal drive to the beach town of Paracas. Known for its sandy beaches, tranquil bay, wildlife and the Paracas Candelabra geoglyph. With the rest of your evening free, take the opportunity to relax at your beautiful resort right on the beach. Take a cooling dip in one of their two swimming pools or stroll through the fragrant gardens.
Accommodations: Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 - Paracas & the Nazca Lines
Begin your day in Paracas, one of Peru’s most historic coastal communities, where fishing is not only a livelihood but a deeply rooted cultural identity. Meet a local fisherman who shares how small-scale communities are sustained by the sea—economically, socially and spiritually. Gain insight into the growing pressure from industrial fleets and the fragile balance between tradition and modernity. This personal exchange offers a rare window into a way of life that is both resilient and under threat. Later, board a scenic flight over the UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines. Etched into the arid plateau more than 1,500 years ago, these vast geoglyphs continue to puzzle archaeologists and enchant travelers.
Accommodations: Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - Ballestas Islands and Peruvian Wildlife
Home to blue footed boobies, Humboldt penguins, Peruvian pelicans, fur seals and sea lions, the Ballestas Islands are famous for their abundant marine life as well as striking rock formations. Soak it all in on this morning’s scenic cruise with your Local Expert. Experience another side of the area in the nearby city of Ica at a pisco distillery for a tasting. Sip and savor the national drink in Peru in this region known for growing grapes and producing the best pisco. Enhance your cultural discoveries at one of Peru’s finest small museums housing mummies, skulls, fossils, ceramics, textiles and artifacts from the Inca and other significant civilizations of the region.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 13 - Chincha and return to Lima Relaxed Start
Lands so rich with history, they will leave you spellbound. Embark on your return to Lima, stopping at Hacienda San José in Chincha. During your insightful tour, learn how this former slave plantation portrays a dark chapter of Peruvian history. Tour the original building and baroque chapel, viewing frescoes, agricultural equipment, and delving into a web of catacombs and underground tunnels once used to bring the slaves from the coast to the Hacienda. After immersion in Peru’s history, your tour concludes with a drop-off at Lima airport.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Featured Destinations

Ballestas Island

Paracas Bay

Cuzco (Cusco)

Machu Picchu

Sacred Valley

Lima

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Lima is a big and modern city, it has been in continuous occupation for almost 2,000 years. Scholars have found more than 30 archaeological sites at different locations within the city limits. “HUACAS” are pyramidal constructions with superimposed platforms ending on a flat top, they were used for religious and administrative purposes by prehispanic civilizations along the Peruvian coast.
Our specialized Guide and his assistant will pick you up at the hotel with the bikes and the necessary equipment for the activity. After the briefing you will ride along one of the principal avenues of Lima towards the heart of Miraflores while enjoying the architecture and everyday life of the city folks. The first stop is at Huaca Pucllana, built 1,300 years ago, this visit is a great introduction to the history of Lima, traditions, cuisine and economic activities of ancient inhabitants. Then, we continue to the commercial and financial district, San Isidro, to visit Huaca Huallamarca, which has been through a magnificent restoration by the City Hall, you´ll appreciate the contrast between history and modern life. Finally, we return to the hotel completing a 12 km circuit on the bike. This activity is offered for mornings and afternoons. It lasts for 4 hours. The advantage of being at sea level and our moderate weather is that we can provide it all year round. We include a vehicle as support in case someone in the group decides to stop biking during the tour.

Highlights:

Huacas, pyramidal constructions
Bike to admire the arquitecture

Tour Duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: the morning or afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Moderate/Heavy (we provide a vehicle as support in case someone in the group decides to stop biking during the tour)

Inclusions:

Transportation from/to hotel (as back up)
Guide
Bikes
Assistant
Bottle of water

Not Included:

Items not mentioned in the Included section

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

WHAT YOU'LL VISIT
Depart the pier to Lima's main square where the Spanish conqueror, Francisco Pizarro, founded the "City of Kings" in 1535. The Government Palace, Lima City Hall, Archbishop's Palace, and the Lima Cathedral surround the square.
Lima was founded to be the capital and most important town of the Spanish domain in South America until the 18^th century. The Historical Center represents the model of architecture and urban planning of Spanish colonial cities with high political, economic and cultural importance, as devised by Charles V in 1542.
Our expert Guide will take you to the colonial section of Lima, you will walk among historical monuments, religious and political buildings located within the perimeter declared Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1988. This learning experience will allow you to appreciate typical examples of Hispanic American baroque style as well as some other different styles like Art Nouveau.
Besides the stops for great pictures of Limenian architecture, you will have the opportunity to visit Casa de Aliaga, a mansion still inhabited by the same family since the foundation of the city, an extraordinary experience that will take you back in time. To finish the experience, we will visit the Dominican Convent, which was the first catholic order to arrive in Perú with Francisco Pizarro and they have a lot of history, traditions, and sainthood to impress our travelers.

Highlights:

Colonial section of Lima
Visit Casa Aliaga, a mansion still inhabited by the same family since the foundation of the city
Dominican Convent

Tour Duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: daily
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light/Moderate
Inclusions:

Transportation from/to hotel
Expert Guide
Entrance fees
Bottled water
Snack

Not Included:

Items not mention in the Included section

The Amano Textile Museum (4 hours)

Museo Larco (4 hours)

Lima - Half-Day Colonial City Tour & Larco Museum

Lima - Gourmet Experience: Half-Day Culinary Tour

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

08/15/2026 - 08/27/2026

from $6,685 per person *

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $6,685 per person

Length

12 Nights

Air City

Call for airfares from your city.

Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1569721

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