Your tour package includes:

• Your World Awaits Cultural Tours Travel Coach & Concierge on the ground with you supporting your travel and accompanying you on the itinerary tour
• Free or no additional fee experiences curated by your Travel Concierge
• Travel and destination expertise
• Bookings and reservations (free time activities)
• Issue-handling before, during, and after your trip
• Risk-management
• Quality control
• Country cultural education resources
• Pre-departure virtual meeting to prepare for the best experience
• Airport transfer from/to Cusco Airport (CUZ; Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport)
• Hotel 3-star superior based on double occupancy (as noted in the itinerary). We value and seek to first partner with accommodations owned by local natives and local families to support the local economy and have more authentic local, cultural encounters.
• Ground transportation during tour itinerary (van, train, Expedition Train, Vistadome Train, bus)
• Private group excursions (as noted in the itinerary)
• Meals – 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches (select meals as noted in the itinerary; vegetarian and other dietary options available)
• Entrance fees (as noted in the itinerary)
• Certified Local Tour Guide
• Bilingual Spanish-English-speaking Tour Guide

Your tour package does not include the following and for all activities in your free time that you decide to do on your own, or activities not booked with World Awaits:

• Airfare to/from Lima, Peru (LIM)
• Airfare to/from Cusco (CUZ) – Please arrive by September 20, 2023, 15:00 local time.
• Admission fees (unless listed in World Awaits experiences and tours)
• June Tour Annual Inti Raymi Festival Ticket
• Meals, Snacks, Water and Beverages (unless listed in World Awaits experiences and tours)
• Tips & Gratuities (optional)
• Transfers (to/from other locations to designated pick-up or meeting points or drop-off points)
• Travel Insurance – Highly recommended to get travel insurance based on your needs with our partner here
• Anything not listed in the tour itinerary and inclusions

Day 1: Cusco

Transfer | Cusco: Transfer from the airport to your hotel. We will take the rest of the day as a free day to acclimate your body to the altitude of Cusco and stroll the streets of the historic center.

Recommended to arrive in Cusco by 15:00 local time.

Time of transport: 30 minutes

Included: Private transfer upon arrival, 3-star superior hotel standard room

Day 2: Cusco and Tambomachay

City Tour Cusco: We will visit the Inca temples overlooking the city: Tambomachay, Puca Pukara, Qenqo, Sacsayhusman and Qoricancha, then the Sun Temple, and the colonial historical center where the meeting of Andean and western cultures have materialized architecturally into magnificent buildings, museums, churches, and palaces surrounded by the original city built with Inca walls.

Time of transport : 1 hour 30 minutes

Duration of activity/visits: 5 hours

Included: private excursion, entrance fees, boleto turistico, Certified English speaking guide, lunch, private transport, 3-star superior hotel standard room and breakfast

Day 3: Chinchero – Poc Poc – Urquillos

This morning we will pick you up at your hotel and travel 45 minutes to the town of Chinchero, a small rustic town famous for Peruvian weaving, Inca agricultural ruins and an ornate colonial church. Once there, we will begin our adventure by visiting a textile center where we can learn about the techniques of weaving and dyeing wool in the region. We will pass by the Inca ruins of the village before beginning a beautiful hike mostly downhill along an ancient stretch of the Inca Trail. During this 3-4 hours experience from Chinchero to the village of Urquillos, we will also have the opportunity to stop at the Poc Poc waterfall for a moment of relaxation and contemplation.

Our driver will be waiting for us at the end of our hike to take us to our hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Time of transport: 2 hours

Time of activity/visits/trekking : 5-6 hours

Trek: Easy to moderate downhill; Trek from Chinchero to Poc Poc Waterfall – duration of 1.5-2 hours; rest at the waterfall; Trek from the waterfall to Urquillos 1.5-2 hours

Included: private excursion, entrance fees, Certified English speaking guide, private transport, lunch, 3-star lodge or hotel standard room and breakfast
Note: Change hotels to the Sacred Valley

Day 4: Pisac – Patabamba – Cusco
We’ll visit the magnificent ruins of Pisac and the village’s lively artisan market. We’ll then trek to an Andean community where once we’ve arrived at our hosts’ home, we’ll learn about local traditions and customs before preparing our lunch, pachamanca, a traditional Andean dish that we’ll share for lunch. We will come back to Cusco at the end of the afternoon for an evening of free time.

Time of transport: 3 hours 30 minutes

Time of activity/visits/trekking: 4 hours

Trek: Easy to moderate downhill 2 hours

Included: typical lunch (alternative dietary options available), Certified English speaking guide, private transport, entrance(s), 3-star superior hotel and breakfast

Note: change hotels back to Cusco

Day 5: Moray – Maras – Ollantaytambo
We will pick you up this morning at your hotel and head to another part of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will begin our visit with the ancient agronomic laboratory of Moray, which you will discover the deep history with your guide. Then, we will go to the to the village of Maras, where we’ll visit a traditional hat factory and then to the salt flats of Maras, from where we will begin a magnificent walk downhill until the Urubamba river. After meeting our driver, we will finish our day in Ollantaytambo where we will visit the Inca ruins of the village. We will conclude our day with a night Expedition train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the last village at the foot of famous Machu Picchu.

Time of transport : 5 hours

Time of activity/visits/trekking : 3-4 hours

Trek: Moderate 1 hour 30 minutes downhill

Train journey: 1 hour 45 minutes

Included: box lunch, entrance fees, Certified English speaking guide, private transport, train ticket, 3-star superior hotel standard room and breakfast

Note: Change hotels to Agua Calientes

Day 6: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo
Today is the anticipated visit to majestic Machu Picchu. We will take the shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes to the gate of Machu Picchu (30 minutes). You will discover the Inca city of Machu Picchu, a site considered a masterpiece of Inca architecture, a World Heritage Site and known as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Located between the Andes Mountains and the jungle, Machu Picchu remained unnoticed for centuries, until Hiram Bingham, sponsored by National Geographic began to unveil its unique wealth. However, Machu Picchu still keeps many secrets…we’ll discover the true history, ancient day-to-day life, and facts little known by the world. You will walk at a leisurely pace through the alleys of the city that still seem lost in the past. You will also have the time to isolate yourself and to contemplate the site.

After your discovery of this Inca citadel, you will take the bus to go down to the village of Aguas Calientes (30 minutes). You will have time to have a late lunch on your own and explore the town.

You may choose to stay longer and add an additional entrance to Huayna Picchu or Montaña Machu Picchu: $70 USD per person.

We will then take the scenic Vistadome train rider from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. Once in Ollantaytambo, our driver will pick you up to take you back to Cusco (2 hours).

Time of transport: 5 hours

Time of activity/visits/trekking: 3-4 hours
Train journey: 1 hour 45 minutes

Included: Shuttle Bus roundtrip to Machu Picchu, classic entrance to Machu Picchu, Certified English speaking guide, train ticket, private transport, 3-star superior hotel standard room and breakfast

Note: Change hotels to Cusco

Day 7: Cusco
Free day in Cusco: Today you have the day at your leisure to rest and visit the ancient capital of the Inca empire on your own. Cusco is a city full of hidden treasures. You may choose to add additional activities and experiences. See Half-Day and Full-day Experiences.

Included: 3-star superior standard room and breakfast

Day 8: Cusco
Transfer | Cusco: Our driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you to the airport in Cusco.

Time of transport : 30 minutes

Included: private transfer departure, hotel breakfast

This tour itinerary is available with our bilingual and multilingual tour guides and local hosts in the following languages:

• English
• Spanish
• French

If you would like a tour in the following languages, please submit a request for quote as the following languages require an additional fee. Please send your tour dates, language(s) requested, number of travelers in your group, and any itinerary questions or requests:

• Italian
• German
• Dutch
• Other languages by request

• Ages 12 and over
• If you desire cultural immersion to learn and interact more with the local culture and people. And you want a more slow to moderate pace itinerary and more free time
• Participants should have a moderate physical fitness level – requires moderate to heavy walking on historical streets, paved and not well-paved streets, with stairs, inclines and declines, and trekking (easy to moderate level of difficulty)
• Please inform us prior to booking if you require accommodations with limited mobility or other special assistance. We will seek to meet your accommodation and explain which itinerary activities could be suitable or adapted for limited mobility.

Our Cultural Tours are immersive and enriched with opportunities to travel like a local and with locals when our local friends and partners are able to join us for casual meet ups. We embrace slower tourism and more local experiences beyond the typical touristic sites and scenes. As experts in intercultural relations, we will guide deeper conversations, learn the full, inclusive history, and have mutual learning opportunities with our local hosts. We build maximum free time and flexibility into your itinerary for your travel style and preferences. During your free time in the itinerary, you can choose to add tours, activities, experiences, or more rest and relaxation, or go with the flow, wonder and explore.

• Climate: In the Cusco region, the climate is pleasantly warm during the day, but very cool in the evening. 
• Altitude: We will have a mild, free day on day one to acclimate your body to the altitude of Cusco.
• Tour Itineraries: We give all diligence to adhere to the stated itinerary. If local constraints, government closures, safety and security issues, or inclement weather require rearrangement of the tour itinerary, we ask for your patience and understanding.

Important considerations:

• Luggage: Please do not bring more than 1 carry-on size luggage and 1 personal item or backpack per person. Due to transfers, vehicle size/space, and the terrain, it is not recommended to bring more or larger sized luggage. If you bring or accumulate more luggage or larger luggage, you may be required to book private transfers to accommodate your luggage at your own expense or pay luggage storage fees (if available).
• Museums and Archeological Sites Closings: most museums and sites are closed on Mondays with a few exceptions or a different closing day
• Photography and Video: Some Peruvian museums and sites will not allow or charge a fee for video cameras, drone photography or it may not be permitted to enter these sites with tripods or professional equipment.
• Group size minimum participants to offer the tour: 10 participants
• Group size maximum: 20 participants

Recommended Flight to Cusco depending on your international departure and arrival location to Peru:

Direct Flight from Lima (LIM) to Cusco (CUZ) is 1.25 hours

Cusco Airport (Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport)
Airport Code: CUZ

Lima International Airport has the most connecting and direct flights to Cusco (Jorge Chavez International Airport)
Airport Code: LIM

Transfer from/to Cusco Airport to your hotel:
Private transfer included; Private transfer may include other tour members in our private tour arriving at the same time as your flight

• Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and shoes
• Sun protection – hat and sunscreen
• Necessary clothing or gear for your planned activities, experiences and excursions

• Please do not wear or bring expensive or showy jewelry, clothing, handbags or items
• Travel messenger bag / Crossbody bag recommended
• Undergarment travel fanny pack recommended
• External battery charger for your mobile devices recommended

• Single Room Supplement: $525 USD per single room requested
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• For U.S. citizens, tourism visits less than ninety (90) days do not require a visa. However, please always check with your country’s embassy and the visiting country’s embassy for any other entry requirements and if you are not a U.S. citizen.
• Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six (6) months to enter the country.
• Vaccinations up-to-date with vaccination card as proof. Check with your country’s center for disease control. Recommended vaccines include but are not limited to: Tetanus, Hepatitis A &B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever
• Please note that power outages and hot water shortages can occur in Peru even in upgraded hotels. We appreciate your patience and understanding for these uncontrollable circumstances.
• Your World Awaits Cultural Tours travel concierge will accompany you on this tour operated by our certified local partner tour operators and guides

Here are some full-day experiences and tours curated by World Awaits that you can choose to add to your itinerary. This list is not complete—your concierge will work with you to find and build your itinerary with the experiences you desire:


Tour to Rainbow Mountain: ($75 USD per person; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)
Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain – Ananiso Canyon
Share with us this amazing hike that will take us from the colorful landscapes of Palcoyo to the wonderful Ananiso Canyon. You will also enjoy unique views of the entire Ausangate mountain range. We will pick you up early from your hotel and head south of Cusco towards the province of Canchis. After about 3 hours on the road, we will arrive at the rainbow mountain range of Palcoyo, where we will start our trek. We will first contemplate the unique and colorful landscapes of the area and then begin a beautiful hike, mostly downhill, to the village of Ananiso. During the entire route, which lasts an average of 4 hours, we will enjoy spectacular views of the Ausangate mountain range. Once in Ananiso, we will take a long break to rest and have lunch. In the afternoon, we will discover the Ananiso Canyon, located a few minutes from the village. Millions of years old, this canyon offers incredible sceneries and also houses cave paintings that the bravest will be able to discover, crossing a small part of the river, feet in the water! Finally we will return to the village where our driver will be waiting for us to return to Cusco. We will arrive at the end of the day drop you off at your hotel.


Departure and Return Location: Your Hotel in Cusco

Departure Time: 4:30-5:00 AM

Included: Transport, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, snack, lunch

Not Included: Personal insurance, Tips, Anything not listed in the tour itinerary and inclusions

Trek: Strenuous


Tour to Humantay Lake: ($60 USD per person; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)
Humantay Lake is a sacred natural wonder as a turquoise alpine lake backdropped by dramatic mountains. We will depart early morning for the 2.5 hour drive to the town of Mollepata for breakfast. After breakfast we will continue our trip until we reach the town of Soraypampa, from this point we will start the walk for 1.5-2.0 hours until we reach the Humantay Lagoon. We will enjoy the landscape and we can take unforgettable photos and then return to Mollepata for lunch. After lunch, we will start the return to Cusco. Our Humantay lake tour from Cusco ends at approximately 6:30 p.m.


Departure and Return Location: Your hotel in Cusco

Departure Time: Between 4:00-5:00 a.m.

Included: Transport, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch 

Not Included: Personal insurance, tips

Trek: Strenuous


Tour to Waqrapukara Fortress, the Forgotten Andean jewel ($85 USD per person; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)
Experience an incomparable adventure on this day hike along the trails leading to the “horned fortress” of Waqrapukara. You will discover the little-known history of this Cusquenian jewel and will be impressed by the beauty of the site and its surroundings. We will pick you up directly from your hotel and head south of Cusco towards the province of Acomayo and the district of Pomacanchi. After about a 3-hour journey, our driver will drop us off at the starting point of our trek. We can reach the archaeological complex of Waqrapukara by several paths. Depending on your physical level and the conditions of the day, your guide will choose the most suitable route. The average walking time for this visit is about 5 hours. This adventure represents a real physical challenge, but the ruins and the view that you will appreciate upon arrival are really worth it. Located above the Apurimac Canyon, the Waqrapukara Fortress was a central and main place in the history of the region. Known as an astronomical observatory, place of worship and theater of decisive battles, you will discover with your guide all the importance of this forgotten site within the local heritage. After visiting the ruins, we will meet our driver and return to Cusco at the end of the day where we will drop you off at your hotel.


Departure and Return Location: Your hotel in Cusco

Departure Time: 5:00 a.m.

Included: Transport, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, box lunch

Not Included: Personal insurance, tips

Trek: Strenuous

Here are some half-day experiences and tours curated by World Awaits that you can choose to add to your itinerary. This list is not complete—your concierge will work with you to find and build your itinerary with the experiences you desire:

Cooking & Pisco Cocktail Class with Peruvian chef: ($85 USD per person; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)

Discover Cusco and Peruvian gastronomic! You will go to the traditional market of the city, cook local dishes in the kitchen of a Peruvian chef and participate in a class of the national cocktail: Pisco Sour. At the market, we will discover the local products, their stories, their particularities and their secrets. We’ll select the food that we will use to prepare the meal during our cooking class. Finally, we end with a cocktail, the making of the national drink of Peru: the Pisco Sour!

Included: Visit of the market, Cooking Class, Food : Starter / Main Course / Dessert, Pisco Sour Experience, English-speaking guide

Not Included: Personal insurance, tips

Horseback Riding Experience on top of Cusco: ($80 USD per person; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)
Take a half-day excursion on horseback in the surroundings of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. You will discover wonderful places such as the Temple of the Moon, Devil’s Balcony and views from Chacán mountain located off the main tourist routes and live an unforgettable adventure with nature and in total immersion in the local historical heritage.

Included: Transport from and to your hotel, horseback riding equipment, English-speaking guide, snack, safety instructions

Not included: Personal insurance (Mandatory), tips

Outdoor Escape Game in the Streets of Cusco: ($30 USD per person; 3-4 hours approx.; Pedestrian; minimum 2 persons required to offer the tour)

The game is set in the historical center of Cusco, and takes place in the 18th century when the first libertarian scream was given in South America.
Your main objective will be to help free Túpac Amaru, who is jailed in the Jesuit convent. To do this, you will have different clues and objects that will help you to solve the riddles, and allow you to free Tupac Amaru, while discovering or rediscovering Cusco. The game lasts between 3 and 4 hours and is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Cusco Historic Center

By day and by night, walk and wander the beautiful streets and plazas with historical architecture, street vendors, local events, and pure energy.

• Historical Center of Cusco
• Iglesia y Convento De San Francisco de Asis
• San Pedro Market
• San Blas Neighborhood
• Sunset from San Cristobal or San Blas
• Mirador El Camino Del Inca (Observation area)
• Mirador de la Piedra Redonda
• Stroll Avenida El Sol
• Mural Cusco
• Orellana Pumaqchupan Park
• Traditional Textile Center Cusco
• Chocolate Museum
• …And more…

Our immersive cultural tours offer you maximum flexibility and experiences to build the vacation you desire. This is only one of the possibilities. Ask your travel concierge for current options and pricing and availability based on your itinerary such as:

• Private tour package or free-time tours for your family or group upon request
• In-country domestic airfare transfers
• 4-star, 5-star, boutique and luxury accommodations
• Two-day or more overnight add-on experiences
• Experiences and activities are endless from exotic experiences, gastronomy and cooking, art, entertainment and performances, sports, eco-tourism, adventure, wellness classes, to language classes or other learning experiences
• Romantic or special getaways
• Special occasions celebrations
• Extend your trip in the same destination
• Connect your trip to another destination – Spend up to 16 days with us in Peru by connecting our Lima & Southern Coast of Paracas, Ica, Nazca, Peru Tour and save $150 USD!

• All pricing is in USD – US Dollars
• Please read and agree to our full terms and conditions here and Section: “Land Only Tour Package Participants”
• Worry-Free, No Obligation Reservations for 7 days on Land Tour Packages World Awaits Cultural Tours offers a worry-free, no obligation reservation request for 7 days after the Tour Booking is received, during which time you can cancel your tour package’s reservation request for any reason. Credit card payment processing fees are not refundable.
• Minimum Non-Refundable Deposit and Final Payment If you are making your tour reservation within 90 days of your tour date, the 7 days grace period is waived. There is a non-refundable deposit of USD 250 per person. Your final payment is due 90 days prior to your tour’s departure date or by the payment deadline dates specified for your specific tour. If the reservation is made within 90 days of the tour departure date, full payment is due within 7 days of reservation.
• Tour Price All tour prices are listed in US dollars and are based on tariffs and rates of currency exchange in effect at the time of printing or publishing online. These rates are subject to change as deemed necessary and fair by World Awaits Cultural Tours.
• Price Guarantee World Awaits guarantees your tour price once World Awaits has received full payment for your Tour. Only amendment fees, currency surcharges, optional hotel or accommodation swaps, optional hotel or accommodation extensions, optional day-trips or excursion tours, or flight changes may have additional costs. These costs must be added to the tour package and will result in a price reassessment for each passenger.
• Tour Departure Guarantee World Awaits guarantees departure day for all of our listed tour packages. However, should the total number of tour members fall below 10 persons, World Awaits reserves the right to change or cancel the tour.
• Payment Plans directly with World Awaits Cultural Tours Considering your tour must be paid in full 90 days prior to the tour start date, you must select a payment plan that will allow completion of all payments prior to this 90 day prior payment deadline. This does not apply to Buy Now, Pay Later service providers because your financing is directly with the third-party provider.
• Cancellation You can cancel 91 days or more in advance of the tour, but your deposit is non-refundable, and any credit card processing fees, charges/penalties by an accommodation supplier, land operators and travel suppliers. Please read our full terms and conditions for cancellation policies and charges timetable after this 91 day period. Cancellation must be in writing.
• This tour requires a minimum number of travelers of 10 persons. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date or different tour or a full refund.