Peru with Erik Ramirez

Bienvenidos a Peru! We dive right into Lima exploring the city’s art and architecture, sights and sounds, from the lively buzz of Barranco to neocolonial gems like the Presidential Palace. We’ll soak up layers of history and inspiration, with Erik leading the charge—he grew up traveling to Peru as a kid and has a few stories to tell.

This evening is one for the books as we sit back for a bonafide welcome feast at the best restaurant in the world—literally. Not only has Chef Jaime Pesaque’s Mayta earned a spot on the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list, it also cinched the title of “World’s Best Restaurant” at the World Culinary Awards in 2022 (that’s about as high up as you can go). As we sample and savor a positively exquisite expression of Peruvian cuisine, we’ll raise a toast to the week of discovery ahead.

We begin bright and early with an immersive tour of Surquillo market; it’s a kaleidoscope of fresh produce and local crafts and a firsthand look at the ingredients we’ll be eating for the rest of the day.

Armed with stalks of healthy produce and fresh fish, we’ll trade the streets for a private kitchen and participate in a hands-on cooking class. Alongside Erik, we’ll lean deep into Peruvian culinary tradition and try our hand at local classics like ceviche.

Dinner tonight is a little unusual and a whole lot of fun. We’ll zigzag through downtown and partake in a five-stop food tour that is an ode to its Peruvian origin story. Every dish will derive from a specific region of the country; it’s a true feast of the senses and a shining example of biodiversity. After dinner we have tickets to a local soccer match, and then the rest of the evening is yours to embellish… perhaps, at one of Lima’s cozy cocktail lounges for a luxurious nightcap.

Today we move into the Andes! After a short flight to Cusco, we ride into the Sacred Valley to Chinchero for weaving alongside local master artisans. We’ll not only learn about the vibrant dyes that define Andean clothing but also how to warp, weave, and even how to execute the ñawi awapa technique.

Soon after, we’ll meet with the indigenous community, exploring their farms and learning the importance of agriculture and its connection to Pachamama (Mother Earth). We’ll also be invited to harvest our own Andean ingredients—potatoes and oca, añu root and quinoa—for this afternoon’s traditional pachamanca meal. After our bounty is placed in a pit barbecue where hot stones will cook everything to charred and caramelized perfection, we’ll feast like locals—casual, fun, authentic, delicious.

To cap off this immersive day, we’ll visit the first distillery in the Sacred Valley. Here, a local family draws on centuries of botanical infusion and sugar cane to produce some of the most original and compelling spirits in all of Peru. We’ll tour their operation over a flight of their finest.

We’re getting deeper into the roots of one of the greatest empires in history. We start at Maras salt flats, a vast landscape of salt-evaporation ponds in use since pre-Incan times. Nearby, we’ll see the circular terraces of Moray, an amphitheater of agriculture with its own prehistoric irrigation system. Our host is from famed MIL Centro restaurant, owned by rockstar Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez. They’ll share how these deep-rooted traditions influence and inspire their modern cuisine.

But we won’t just talk about it—we’ll experience it first-hand. At MIL Centro in Maras, we’ll be treated to an unforgettable meal. It’s a storybook—actually, more like an encyclopedia—with eight courses, each representing an ecosystem of elevation used in their authentic, intense and fiercely local cooking.

After ample time to relax, we’ll convene for a truly special dining experience. Not only have we been invited by the Orihuela family to view their private art collection—from ceramic bulls and ancient textiles to Inca weaponry and ceremonial vessels—we’ll also be guests for dinner. It’s certainly a unique atmosphere, and it feels like dining inside a museum.

Today we head to nearby Ollaytaytambo and board a train to Aguas Calientes. We can ride all the way there—or, if you’re up for the adventure, arrive by foot via an awe-inspiring, 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) hike on the Inca Trail! We pass over suspension bridges, through jungle and by amazing archaeological sites like Chachabamba and Winaywayna before reaching the last climb: up steep, narrow stone steps that lead to our first look at Machu Picchu, spilling down almost impossibly over a mountainside.

Walking through the Sun Gate, Intipunku, is the absolute best way to see this marvel for the first time, and we’ll toast to the magic of the moment with Erik and a special bubbly pour. Back at the hotel, we’ll be able to put our feet up and relax in luxury after our long trek, Machu Picchu on our minds for the evening.

We’re not done with Machu Picchu yet! After a delicious breakfast, we’ll head back to see the clouds lift to reveal the scale and sheer audacity of a ridge-top site built between towering peaks. We’ll dive deeper on a spellbinding walk through ruin-filled terraces and ancient terrain.

Our lunch unfolds in the shadow of the lost city at Belmond Sanctuary. Look out for exotic butterflies and giant hummingbirds between sumptuous bites of some of the best elevated fusion in the valley.

This afternoon, we’ll train back to Cusco to shop or take advantage of our beautiful hotel—whether that’s enjoying the spa, soaking in the pools or wandering the well-kept gardens and cozy reading rooms to relax with a drink.

Today is a leisurely introduction to Cusco, ancient capital of the Incan empire. Here, sleek and modern eateries fit neatly into weathered Spanish-colonial buildings, while locals in indigenous clothing sell traditional crafts and produce. It’s a lively place where past and present lives in harmony (except for when a llama holds up traffic).

We’ll get to know Cusco and its iconic streets and sights, including nearby Saqsayhuaman, an Inca-built hillside fortress of enormous stones fit into a perfect, mortar-free puzzle. From there, it’s onto a truly special lunch. We’ll head over to the outskirts of the city to roll up our sleeves for a cooking class and pisco sour workshop led by Erik, the ultimate expert in Peruvian food and drink. Afterwards, we’ll tuck into the fruits of our labor over an outdoor banquet that epitomizes rustic elegance, every dish an ode to this epic week of exploration.

We’ll return euphoric and ready to explore Cusco independently until we reconvene for our farewell dinner at the Map Cafe. This is quintessential Cusco cuisine—fresh, sophisticated and unlike anything you’ve tried before. As we dig into some of the best food in Peru, don’t be surprised if Erik leads a few toasts to celebrate a truly incredible week.

Today we say our goodbyes. We’ll freshen up before heading wherever our journeys take us next—home or beyond—with Peru in our hearts forever. Buen viaje!