The Flavour Trail: Peru

Day 1 | Arrival in Lima

Arrive in Lima and settle into the elegant Hotel B, a Relais & Châteaux hideaway in the heart of Miraflores. This first evening is about easing into Peru’s culinary capital at your own pace. Whether you choose a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant or let us secure a table at one of the city’s most celebrated kitchens, Lima sets the tone as one of South America’s great food cities — creative, confident and deeply rooted in tradition.

Day 2 | Barranco, One Bite at a Time

This morning is spent exploring Barranco at street level, where Lima’s food culture plays out in everyday cafés, small kitchens and timeworn neighbourhood favourites. Led by Lima-born chef Penelope Alzamora, the walk unfolds naturally, with each stop revealing a different chapter of the district’s culinary story. Taste handcrafted chocolate made from Peruvian cacao, enjoy classic criollo flavours at a traditional sandwich spot, and sample dishes influenced by Lima’s coastal heritage. A stop at a contemporary restaurant offers a modern counterpoint before the experience ends unhurriedly over coffee and house-made sweets. It’s an authentic, locally rooted introduction to one of Lima’s most characterful districts.

The afternoon is free to wander Barranco’s galleries and coastline, or simply relax back at your hotel.

Day 3 | Into the Sacred Valley

Fly to Cusco and descend into the Sacred Valley, where the air softens and the landscape opens out. Your base is Sol y Luna, set among gardens and orchards with the Andes rising beyond. The afternoon is deliberately unhurried, allowing time to explore the grounds, meet the resident horses, or enjoy a quiet drink as the valley light changes. Dinner tonight focuses on fresh, local produce — a gentle introduction to Andean flavours.

Day 4 | Farm-to-table in Huayllafara

The afternoon is relaxed back at Sol y Luna, with time to reflect on an experience few travellers ever encounter.

Day 5 | The Manuel Choqque Experience

Spend the morning with Manuel Choqque, a Cusco-born agricultural engineer whose pioneering work preserves Peru’s extraordinary potato heritage. At his high-altitude family farm, discover how he blends ancestral knowledge with modern agronomy to revitalise over 300 rare Andean varieties, many rescued from the brink of extinction. Taste the incredible diversity of these tubers, from traditional uchucuta sauces to Oxalis, a wine crafted from native potatoes. Set against the dramatic Sacred Valley landscape, this intimate visit offers insight into sustainable agriculture, culinary innovation, and the living traditions that continue to shape Peru’s gastronomy today.

The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy the calm rhythm of the valley.

Day 6 | Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Mil

Explore the Sacred Valley’s most iconic sites with a culinary lens. Visit Chinchero village, the salt pans of Maras and the agricultural terraces of Moray, where the Incas once experimented with crops. Lunch is a highlight: an eight-course tasting menu at Mil, perched high above Moray. Each dish reflects the surrounding ecosystem, making this one of Peru’s most thought-provoking dining experiences — and a defining moment of the journey.

Day 7 | Machu Picchu by Rail

Board the Vistadome Observatory train for a scenic journey to Aguas Calientes, arriving beneath rainforest-covered peaks. This afternoon you explore Machu Picchu with a private guide, uncovering the site’s history and quieter corners before enjoying a tasting lunch at the Sumaq Hotel. As day visitors depart, you check into the Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel beside the ruins, allowing a rare sense of calm as dusk settles over the citadel.

Day 8 | Wayna Picchu and Return to Cusco

An early start rewards you with a climb up Huayna Picchu, offering breathtaking views back across Machu Picchu. A second, unguided entrance allows time to explore at your own pace before returning to Aguas Calientes. Travel back in style aboard the Hiram Bingham train, where attentive service and refined dining turn the journey into part of the experience. Arrive in Cusco and settle into the graceful Palacio Nazarenas.

Day 9 | Cusco’s History and Flavours

This morning reveals Cusco’s layered past, from the vast stones of Sacsayhuamán to Qoricancha and the Cathedral. In the afternoon, turn to the city’s culinary heart with a guided visit to San Pedro Market, meeting vendors and tasting local produce. Continue to Rooftop Kitchen Peru for a hands-on cooking class, preparing a three-course Peruvian menu and pisco sour while overlooking the city — a warm, sociable finale to your journey.

Day 10 | At Leisure in Cusco

Your final day is left open to enjoy Cusco at your own rhythm. Perhaps revisit a favourite corner of the historic centre, browse independent galleries and artisan boutiques, or pause in a quiet courtyard café for one last Andean coffee. For those keen to continue the culinary thread, we can arrange an additional market visit, cocktails in the bell tower of San Francisco, or a table at one of the city’s leading restaurants. It’s a chance to reflect, retrace your steps, and savour Cusco without agenda — a gentle close to an enriching journey.