Day 6: Cartagena, Jewel of the Caribbean

Private service with Spanish-speaking driver and English-speaking guide.

The tour begins with a visit to the “Convento de la Popa”, where the city’s highest point is located and you can enjoy the best view of the beautiful city of Cartagena. This convent was built in the 17th century by the Augustinian Monks. Initially it was just a small wooden chapel, but later it was replaced by a strong construction which still remains.

Continue with a visit to the “Castillo de San Felipe”. This castle was built by the Spaniards in the 1600s and it is the greatest and strongest fortress ever built in a Spanish colony. Located at the top of San Lázaro hill, its purpose was to protect and guard the city’s landward side from any attack or invasion. This fortress provides a complex system of tunnels connected with strategic points to distribute provisions and facilitate a possible evacuation. Additionally, the tunnel’s architecture was built so that any noise would echo along them, in order to make internal communications easier and hear even the slightest sound of the enemies approaching.

Afterwards, a walk through “Las Bóvedas” is included. These 23 vaults were built in the 18th century, and they are considered the last major colonial construction made within the city walls for military purposes. The vaults were used as storerooms for munitions and provisions by the Spaniards, and later on, they became jail cells. Nowadays, they are used as crafts markets where you can find handicrafts, antiques, galleries, jewelry, clothing and souvenirs, among other things.

At the end of the tour you will visit the “Iglesia y Convento San Pedro de Claver”; this convent was founded in the early 17th century by San Ignacio de Loyola. The name of the church was given in honor to San Pedro Claver, a Jesuit priest who spent his life ministering to the enslaved people brought from Africa. This baroque church has an imposing stone facade and inside there are fine stained-glass windows and a high altar made of Italian marble.You will also find a beautiful cloister surrounded with trees, a museum and the place where San Pedro Claver lived and died.

Notes: It is important to remember, when visiting churches, monasteries, and shrines, women should not wear shorts or miniskirts and men should not wear shorts. Duration: 4 hours. All entrance fees are included.

Cocina Costeña Cooking Class

Live a unique experience with a local chef. The recipes are inspired by the flavors, colors and freshness of the products in the Caribbean region and are designed to delight your palate. The dishes are prepared with an authentic taste and are presented with colorful exoticness.

The tour begins the Getsemaní Neighborhood. Passengers will be welcome with a refreshing drink. Then they will learn how to cook Colombian typical pastries as “Carimañolas” and “Arepas de Huevo”. Then they will learn how to cook a main course, that varies depending on the guest’s preferences. The tour includes a cooking class and a fixed menu.

Day 7: On to Peru!

Our guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel and will take you to the Rafael Núñez Airport. We will assist you at the airport during the check-in at the airline counter to help you connect to your next destination.

Flight from Cartagena to Lima (Quoted Separately)

Upon arrival into Lima International Airport, you will be met by our representative and private driver and will be transferred to your hotel. Our representative will help you with check-in and will provide you with additional information about organizing your trip to Peru.

Lima

Peru’s capital is a fantastic city to tour, dotted with a multitude of cultural sites and beautifully preserved architecture. Founded by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima was first named ‘City of Kings’ – a biblical reference to the ‘Three Wise Men of the East’ – before its name was changed by the Spanish colonialists. The most significant historical buildings are located around the Plaza Mayor, the most notable being the Government Palace, where one can still observe the changing of the guard performed by the Húsares de Junín. The beautiful Cathedral and the various small palaces and colonial balconies also play also their part in the beauty of the city.

Accommodations: Hotel B

Located in Lima, Peru, Hotel B caters to traditionalists looking for an authentic historical atmosphere. Accommodation is provided in standard rooms and suites, each featuring a private bathroom, air conditioning, a TV, and an iPod docking station. Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining at the hotel with a variety of restaurants available on-site. Hotel amenities include 24-hour reception, airport shuttle services, free Wi-Fi, and laundry facilities.

Day 8: Lima, City of Kings

Explore Lima

Today, we’ll enjoy a full day of guided sightseeing to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the "City of Kings". Visit Lima's Historical Center, passing by Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral and its Religious Art Museum (closed on Sunday and Saturday pm; Santo Domingo Convent is provided instead on these days) as well as San Francisco Monastery and its famous underground crypts known as the Catacombs.

We continue through the residential Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by the Huaca Pucllana, a Ceremonial and Administrative Centre of the Lima Culture built in the II Century AC that the Incas considered as "Ñaupallaqta" or Sacred Town. Also, we visit El Olivar Park with olive trees brought from Spain in the XVth Century, the Central Park of Miraflores and El Parque del Amor, or Peruvian Love Park.

Then it is time to visit a quieter side of Lima, the district of Barranco (Spanish word for cliff), heart of the bohemian history of the city. Towards the end of the 19th Century it became the favourite hangout of poets, writers, painters and sculptors, inspired by the coastal scenery. The most emblematic symbol of this neighbourhood is its wooden Puente de los Suspiros or “Bridge of Sighs”. Cajamarca is one of the most picturesque and colourful streets. Number 212 hosts Las Pallas, a renowned repository of Peruvian handicrafts where we are able to admire and/or buy a great variety of artisan goods such as tapestries and ceramics.

Our visit continues with a stop at the Larco Herrera Museum, for an excellent overview of Peru's ancient past as it holds the best private collection of pre-Columbian art in the country. We have the chance to tour through this old hacienda in the Pueblo Libre district which was built on a pre-Incan sacred site (Huaca) and houses the private collection of a great Peruvian scholar: Don Rafael Larco Hoyle. The museum chronologically exhibits hundreds of ceramic, textile, metal and precious stone pieces and also inside you will find the vault which safeguards precious pieces of gold and silver with semiprecious stones. After the day’s adventures, we are transferred to the hotel.

Barranco Bohemian District

Barranco Bohemian District is located on cliffs along Lima's coastline, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Vibey and bohemian, the area is a hotspot for artists, musicians, designers, and photographers. In the 1800s it was a beach resort for Peruvian aristocracy, and some of the lavish buildings from the era still remain. Among the region’s highlights are its lovely sandy beaches, which are popular among surfers and sunbathers.

Las Pallas Art Gallery & Shop

Las Pallas Art Gallery & Shop promotes the traditional art of the coast, highlands and jungle, working directly with artisans. The shop features a range of tissues alpaca, sheep and cotton, as well as carved gourds, altarpieces, masks, Hessians and ceramics. It showcases the culture of Peru with illas, amulets, bibs flame, ritual vessels, tupos, lakes, queros, as well as ceiling and procession crosses.

Larco Museum

The Larco Herrera Museum offers an introduction to pre-Incan cultures that emerged in Peru’s northern region. The museum contains a priceless collection of ancient pre-Columbian artifacts, including some of South America's finest pre-Inca erotic pottery.

Day 9: Lima’s Unique Gastronomy

Today, enjoy a walking tour of Barranco, Lima's bohemian art district for some very special gastronomic experiences. Taste organic Peruvian coffee. Visit a colorful market and try unusual Peruvian produce. Take in amazing views of Miraflores while sampling exclusive selections of Peru's best dishes and cocktails. Explore multiple neighborhoods and enjoy dessert amid the pre-Incan ruins of the Huaca Pucllana.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Day 10: The Sacred Valley of the Incas

At the appropriate time, our representative will meet you in your hotel lobby and transfer you to Lima Airport to board your next flight. Our representative will assist you with check-in procedures and all departure formalities.

Flight from Lima to Cusco (Quoted Separately)

Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Peru’s Sacred Valley

Also known as the Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is located in the Peruvian Andes, beneath the world-famous site of Machu Picchu and not far from Cuzco, the unofficial Inca capital. This fertile valley is fed by a network of waterways and encompasses a wealth of archaeological sites, including Ollantaytambo, renowned for its extensive Inca ruins; Tipon, which features ancient agricultural terracing and a working irrigation system; and Pisac, with its ancient vestiges and colourful weekly market.

Pisac Market & Pisac Ruins Visit

Today we will head to the town of Pisac, famous for its ruins which lie atop a hill at the entrance to the valley. Here, we visit the Inti Watana group which includes the Temple of the Sun, baths, altars, water fountains, a ceremonial platform, and an inti watana - a volcanic ritual stone used as an astronomic clock or Inca calendar to define the change seasons.

Next, we continue to the Pisac Market, which was the place of reunion for all artisans of the region to get together and exchange or buy and sell their products. Here, we will have the chance to interact with the local folk and even barter with the merchants while walking along colorful aisles full of textiles and crafts.

Lunch at a local hacienda.

Sites today include:

Pisac

At the easternmost tip of the Holy Valley lies the bustling colonial town of Pisac. Renowned for its vibrant market, the town sees Indigenous Quechua communities from the surrounding highlands arrive in masse on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays to sell their wares. A large section of the market is dedicated to tourist-oriented stalls where weavings, jewellery, ponchos, hats, Andean instruments, ceramics, alpaca products and a whole range of other gifts and souvenirs are sold. The town is home to approximately 4000 locals occupying a fascinating assortment of colourful colonial and modern stucco or adobe buildings. The primary tourist attraction is the acclaimed Pisac Ruins, known famously for being one of the best preserved Inca archaeological sites in Peru.

Pisac Market

Pisac is a picturesque Andean Village, typical except for the huge, spreading pisonary tree that dominates the central square. Most people visit Pisac to see the market on Sunday, and despite its popularity, the market retains much of its local charm; villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their produce.

In the tourist section of the market,  a wide variety of handicrafts can be purchased, such as the local ceramics including a huge and varied collection of hand-painted multi-coloured beads. There are smaller markets in Pisac on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hacienda Huayoccari Restaurant

Hacienda Huayoccari Restaurant is a hidden gem, off the beaten track, tucked away in the lush, vegetation-filled private estate of the Lambarri-Orihuela family in the village of Huayoccari in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This restaurant focusses on serving hearty, traditional Andean meals prepared from local ingredients from their own farm or other local farms.

Accommodations: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba

The most recent addition to the Inkaterra portfolio, Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba is a contemporary hacienda-style hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in-between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Immersed in the countryside in a gorgeous area, Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba spans approximately 100 acres surrounded by imposing green mountains.

All 12 rooms in the Casa Hacienda and 24 stand-alone luxury casitas feature breathtaking views of the valley, immersing guests in open space, serenity and relaxing solitude. Architecture and interiors are inspired on the area’s cultural history, with colonial furniture, authentic Inca masks and handcrafted woodwork that add to the hacienda’s local charm.

An Earth to Table concept is operated with a 10-acre organic plantation where guests are welcome to pick their own produce. Carbon-free crops such as quinoa, Urubamba giant corn, medicinal herbs and a variety of potatoes are farmed with traditional hand tools and oxen, as done centuries ago.