Solstice in the Sacred Valley, Peru

Start your day with an early morning yoga class and breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel in the Sacred Valley for a day full of culture and beautiful nature. Your day will begin with a visit to the Pisac Market. This market is one of the most famous markets in the Cusco region, drawing many visitors to its famous Sunday market where indigenous Quechua communities from the surrounding highlands come to Pisac to sell their produce and stock up on supplies for the week. A large section of the market is dedicated to tourist-oriented souvenir stalls where you can find weaving, jewelry, ponchos, hats, Andean instruments, ceramics, alpaca products, and a whole range of other gifts and souvenirs to take home with you.

From here, we will continue to Moray, a small community famous for its embedded amphitheater that is formed by circular terraces which seem to disappear into the ground. Scientists think Moray played an important role in agricultural research conducted by the Incas.

Our day will end with a visit to Chinchero, believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. On Chinchero’s main plaza, find a colonial church built in the 17th century. On Sundays, mass takes place, but on that day you can wander around the market of the town.

*The order of the visits may change.*

​Start your day with a calming yoga session followed by a delicious breakfast at Hotel Aranwa Sacred Valley & Wellness. Spend the day relaxing by the beautiful pool, indulging in spa treatments, or exploring the nearby town.
​The hotel offers a range of amenities, including a spa with various treatments and lush gardens for a peaceful stroll. Whether you choose to lounge by the pool or venture out, it’s your day to choose! If you’re feeling adventurous, explore the area, discover local culture, visit markets, and enjoy the beautiful sights of the Sacred Valley.
​A delightful lunch is included at the hotel, featuring fresh, regional dishes. Whether you unwind at the hotel or explore the Sacred Valley, this day promises relaxation and unforgettable memories.​

​Start your day off with breakfast at the hotel before heading to the Piuray Outdoor Center. Piuray Lake offers spectacular scenery, and plenty of birds. Start with a briefing and paddle technique on land, then enjoy the beauty of the lake. After an hour and a half of paddle boarding or kayaking along the lake’s shore, we will have time to explore the town and experience the unique cooking method of Pachamanca.
​After your time on the water, you will have the opportunity to expand your culinary repertoire with a lively cooking class of Pachamanca, the traditional Peruvian dish based on cooking food with the help of hot stones.
​In the pachamanca, all of the foods that are going to be cooked under this modality are presented. Each traveler is given an explanation of this tradition and they are invited to help bury food. Subsequently, a godmother or godfather is appointed, who along with the community member bless the food following an Andean tradition. Then, wait about 45 minutes to dig up and taste the local cuisine!
​This afternoon, head back to the hotel where you can take part in an optional wellness class before having the evening at leisure to relax.​

An early morning start will allow us to witness the Solstice sunrise from the temples of Machu Picchu, followed by a half-day tour exploring one of the most extraordinary examples of landscape architecture in the world, In an enclave on the saddle of a mountain over looking the deep canyon of the Urubamba River in an area of lush tropical forest, it served as a place of worship, a site for stargazing and a private hacienda of the family of the Inca Pachacutec.

Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World HeritageSite in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. After your visit, enjoy lunch at Tinkuy restaurant at Sanctuary Lodge before returning to Cusco on the Vistadome Train. 

*Train schedule is subject to availability*

Begin with a leisurely breakfast and a morning yoga class at the hotel. After freshening up, it will be time to explore Cusco, as this beautiful Incan and Colonial city prepares for Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. Start this half-day tour at Cusco’s main square, which was called Huacaypata (Warriors Square) by the Incas.

While the guide tells you more about the history of this special place, admire the city’s cathedral that was built between 1560 and 1664 with red granite stones from the Inca Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings in Cusco and hosts one of the most significant collections of gold and silver work in the colonial period. We’ll continue to Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo. The convent was built on top of the most important Inca temple, dedicated to the worship of the sun, with walls covered with gold leaves.

As we wander through the streets of what was once the capital of the Inca Empire, you can feel as if you are traveling through time. After an afternoon at leisure and freshening up at the hotel, we will depart for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Begin your day with breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, pack your belongings and head to Cusco Airport for your flight home celebrating this once in a lifetime wellness journey.