Taste of Peru: Cusco & Lima Food Tour

Day One

• Arrival at Jorge Chavez International airport. Transfer to Lima hotel and check in.
• Rest of the day and evening on your own.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Following breakfast and a brief orientation, you will embark on your first culinary tour at the local market.
• Upon arrival, help select the food and ingredients for the class. This market is informal and a great way to experience a little bit of the Peruvian culture in its daily life. In the Main Market you can find the best variety of vegetables and fruits in the country, including exotic products from the “Andes” and the “Jungle”. In all Peruvian markets, “el regateo” is a common practice “asking for a discount and negotiating the price for the product with each vendor.” People even ask for a “Yapa” (something for free) with your purchase, such as one extra lime or one extra potato. You will also have the chance to taste some of Peru’s famous exotic fruits.
• Immediately following, transfer to your first hands-on cooking class where you learn to prepare some of the most important Peruvian dishes, such as causa limeña, lomo saltado, or suspiro a la limeña.
• Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
• Afternoon on your own.
• Tonight’s dinner is at a top restaurant in Lima, Casa Moreyra Astrid & Gaston. The celebrated restaurant is an unforgettable experience, as the menu is designed by famed Chef Gaston Acurio and leads diners through a journey of Peruvian culinary traditions through a traditional tasting menu.
• Transportation back to Lima hotel.
• Overnight.

Day Three

• After breakfast, transfer to your second hands-on class to learn how to prepare the most famous Peruvian dish: “Ceviche,” and some other variations. During your “Ceviche Feast,” the chef will teach you the experience and knowledge required to prepare the best ceviche and related dishes. Lunch to follow.
• Afterwards, return to the hotel with some time at leisure before leaving for your Pisco tasting (the national drink of Peru) and gourmet dinner.
• Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day Four

• After breakfast, you will depart for the airport en route to the magical City of Cusco.
• After your flight, transfer to your Cusco hotel, where you will have lunch.
• After lunch, you will embark on your guided city tour of Cusco. During this tour you will visit the Cathedral, the Sacsayhuaman ruins and the Korikancha temple, among other historical sites (entrance tickets included).
• Tonight, dinner is on your own.
• Overnight.

Day Five

• Breakfast as the hotel, followed by your guided tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco. Your tour includes a visit of Awanacancha, the local Pisca Market, and the beautiful Incan village and fortress of Ollantaytambo.
• Next enjoy a home-style Cusquenian cooking course featuring a 3-course lunch in the Urubamba Valley. You will learn home-style Cusquenian dishes made with local farm products, including the local varieties of potatoes and other vegetables.
• After lunch, transfer back to Cusco.
• Dinner tonight will be a tasting menu at MAP café. You will experience the very best of traditional Novoandina cuisine. This cuisine mixes Andean ingredients with modern techniques to create new and inventive dishes.
• Back to your hotel, and overnight.

Day Six

• Early breakfast at the hotel.
• After breakfast, you begin your journey to the lost city of the Incas: Machu Picchu. The trip starts with a transfer to the Ollanta train station and then an early panoramic train ride with your guide to Aguas Calientes (the train ride is around 3 hours, snack available on board). Upon arrival, take the bus about 30 minutes to Machu Picchu for your tour.
• During your guided visit of the historical site, you will explore the ruins, learn about how the Incas were able to build such a magnificent structure, and feel the mystical energy exuded by the ruins.
• Bus back to Aguas Clients, and lunch at the Sumac Hotel.
• Train from Aguas Alientes to Ollanta, and transfer back to Cusco.
• Dinner tonight on your own. Overnight.

Day Seven

• Following breakfast, you will be taken to the airport for your flight back to Lima.
• Once in Lima, you will be taken to your hotel for day use so you can rest and recharge for the last leg of your tour. Once reinvigorated, you will participate in a special walking gourmet city tour of the city that emphasizes the culinary history of not only the city of Lima, but of the country of Peru.
• This tour is designed especially for those who want to discover a different face of Downtown Lima. Visit the San Francisco Church and its catacombs and walk along the main attractions such as the Main Square and Plaza San Martin. In between, stop at the most famous bars of downtown Lima to taste different drinks and have different experiences. Discover the “Bar Cordano,” founded early the 20th century by Italians where you will have a typical sandwich as a snack, then visit the “Bar Maury”, where the Pisco Sour was invented.  Finally, visit “El Bolivarcito,” where you can try one of the best Pisco Sours in Lima.
• Transfer back to the hotel for time to rest.
• This afternoon, eperience an extremely important culinary tradition in Peru: “Lonche” (Tea Time). It will be here that you will taste the most delicious sandwiches and desserts with ingredients and components of its typical Peruvian dishes. Your Peruvian culinary journey will end with your transfer to the airport. (If you would like to spend an additional night in Lima before your departure, we can arrange it on request.)