19:00: arrival at Jorge Chavez International Airport. Guide and transfer by Chevrolet Suburban to the hotel, about 45 minutes through the evening city. Check-in at Belmond hotels Peru: the Belmond Miraflores Park, one of the finest hotels in Peru, with panoramic ocean views from the suite windows. 

At 20:45: transfer to Rafael restaurant Lima (Chevrolet Suburban, guide and car available for 3 hours). Chef Rafael Osti is one of the main architects of modern Peruvian cuisine: local products, Japanese techniques, and impeccable presentation. Dinner not included. Return to hotel. First night in Lima.

*What to pack for a VIP tour of Peru: Lima requires light clothing and sun protection. In the Amazon the air is humid and evenings call for long sleeves. On the water and in the jungle, lightweight shoes with good grip and a change of clothing are useful. In Cusco and the Sacred Valley temperatures drop, especially in the morning and evening, so a warm layer is needed.

For travelers who appreciate seamless VIP transfers and ocean-view suites, our luxury Brazil tour delivers the same level of refinement.

At 09:00: half-day city tour of Lima, Arts and Traditions (Chevrolet Suburban, about 5 hours). The route starts at the Parque del Amor on the clifftop above the Pacific Ocean. Then: Huaca Pucllana, a ceremonial center of the Lima culture standing in the middle of a residential neighborhood. From Miraflores, the road leads to Plaza Mayor with the Government Palace and the City Hall. Then: the Cathedral and the Santo Domingo Monastery, walked by San Martin de Porres and Santa Rosa de Lima in the 17th century. After the excursion: transfer to a chosen restaurant for lunch (not included).

Then: Larco Museum private tour with a guide. More than 50,000 objects from the Cupisnique, Chimu, Chancay, Nasca, and Inca cultures. Also: gold, jewelry, and a separate collection of pre-Columbian erotic art.

In the evening: transfer to dinner at the Lima luxury tour Peru highlight restaurant Central (tasting menu ALTURAS MATER, not included). Return to hotel on foot (5 minutes). Night in Lima.

The pre-Columbian art you see today is just one chapter — our "Great South America" itinerary connects these ancient cultures across the entire continent.

At 07:10: transfer to the airport for the Gulfstream flight to Iquitos (45 minutes). From here you board the Aria Amazon cruise Peru for a VIP Amazon program of 4 days and 3 nights, full board, exploring the Pacaya Samiria Reserve.

You explore remote sections of jungle, observe wildlife, and get to know the ecosystem of the region. The Amazon is home to around 40,000 plant species, 427 mammal species, 1,300 bird species, 378 reptile species, more than 400 amphibian species, and around 3,000 freshwater fish species.

This luxury Amazon cruise experience is so extraordinary that many guests combine it with our unique Brazil itinerary for even deeper jungle immersion.

The cruise runs on the luxury vessel Aria Amazon. On board: 16 spacious suites with panoramic windows, air conditioning, and relaxation areas. Guests have access to a jacuzzi, fitness, and massage, as well as kayaking, piranha fishing, and cycling. Fine cuisine from chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, premium drinks, and personal service. The Amazon luxury cruise reviews praise the Aria Amazon for its rare combination of solitude and a rich program.

Exquisite cuisine by Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, premium drinks and personalised service come together to create flawless comfort! That is exactly why so many guests choose an Aria Amazon cruise: the reviews consistently praise its rare blend of seclusion and an action-packed programme.

Day 4: Amazon Cruise – Jungle Exploration & Wildlife Watching. Full day of excursions in the Amazon jungle: guided walks, wildlife observation, and exploration of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve by small boat. Animals and birds appear at close range.

Day 5: Amazon Cruise – Kayaking Excursions & Piranha Fishing
Kayaking through the river channels and piranha fishing in the Amazon. Return to the vessel.

Spotting pink dolphins and sloths in their natural habitat is magical — you can continue this wildlife immersion with world-class marine encounters, including diving at Fernando de Noronha, on our Brazil beaches itinerary - Beaches of Brazil: Recife, Porto de Galinhas & Fernando de Noronha

Today: a Gulfstream flight from Iquitos to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, located at more than 3,400 meters above sea level. On arrival you are met and transferred (about 2 hours, Volkswagen Crafter) to the scenic Sacred Valley.

Accommodation at Explora Sacred Valley, with a group program of 4 days and 3 nights, full board. The Sacred Valley is known for its mild climate, ancient Inca terraces, and archaeological sites. It also serves as the ideal base for acclimatization. You get to know the nature, Andean communities, and crafts.

Day 7: Sacred Valley, Excursions from Explora Hotel
Day of excursions offered by the Explora Sacred Valley program: exploration of the surrounding landscape, Inca sites, and local nature. 

Day 8: Sacred Valley, Andean Communities and Crafts
Meeting with Andean communities and exploring traditional crafts of the Sacred Valley region.

The Sacred Valley's mild climate and ancient terraces are a perfect prelude to the Andean wonders you will find in our 3‑country Brazil‑Argentina‑Peru adventure - 3-Country Tour: Brazil, Argentina & Peru

Breakfast at the hotel. Guide and transfer to the train station. To the ancient city Machu Picchu you travel on the exclusive Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu: carriages with panoramic windows, a late breakfast served on board. On arrival: transfer to a private bus, the road winds up in switchbacks above the Urubamba River and canyon.

Machu Picchu luxury tour: the city reveals itself gradually, terraces, stone staircases, the precise geometry of the buildings. What stays with you is the feeling of how the city is fitted into the mountain slope, the harmony of the staircases and passages, and rare moments of quiet. The city was built in the 15th century as a residence for Pachacuti and abandoned a century later. Although local people knew of it, the rest of the world learned of it only in 1911 through historian Hiram Bingham.

The return journey is again on the Hiram Bingham train with dinner served on board. At 20:36 transfer to Cusco to the Belmond hotels Peru: Palacio Nazarenas (City View Studio Suite).

At 20:36 – transfer to Belmond Palacio Nazarenas in Cusco (Volkswagen Crafter; approx. 1.5 hrs). 
Accommodation: Belmond Palacio Nazarenas – City View Studio Suite.

Machu Picchu's harmony with the mountain slope is unforgettable — and so is the energy of Rio's Carnival Champions Parade, a completely different kind of spectacle - Rio Carnival Champions Parade Tour

Today: a Rainbow Mountain helicopter tour over Vinicunca, with transfers and guide included. Total flight duration: 1 hour 20 minutes, of which 10 minutes fly directly over the mountain. This Vinicunca from above shows the structure of the slopes clearly: mineral bands run in layers, color shifting from turquoise to ochre and lavender. These shades are formed by sedimentary rock with high iron and copper content, which reacts differently to light and moisture. Vinicunca lies at about 5,200 meters. The helicopter format avoids the long and demanding hike on foot. Below: herds of llamas and alpacas, scattered settlements, dry Andean slopes. Snow holds in patches, uncovering color. 
Return to Cusco. Belmond Palacio Nazarenas. Night in the city.

The helicopter flight over Vinicunca offers a perspective few get to see — explore equally dramatic landscapes, from the Uyuni Salt Flats to the Atacama Desert, on our "Great South America" tour.

Today, as part of our private tour of Peru, the land of the ancient Incas, we'll discover Cusco and its surroundings.

At 09:00: departure to the plateau above Cusco and the Sacsayhuaman ruins (Volkswagen Crafter, 3.5 hours). Sacsayhuaman stands above the city. Stone blocks fitted without mortar, the wall lines running in zigzags across the slope. From here Cusco is visible as a whole: terracotta rooftops in the valley between the mountains. Next: the Inca sanctuary of Kenko with a sacrificial altar built into a rock cave. Then: the Puca Pucara viewpoint, a small fortified outpost on the approaches to Cusco. And Tambomachay, the Inca water complex connected to royal rituals and rest.

Return to hotel, then a city tour of Cusco (Volkswagen Crafter, 3.5 hours). The route begins at San Cristobal square with a panorama of the city, then moves to the San Pedro market to get to know local flavors. Then the Coricancha temple, whose walls were once covered in gold, and the Santo Domingo church. Along Hatun Rumiyoq street: the Palace of Inca Roca, the Stone of Twelve Angles, and the Cathedral with its colonial art collection. Return to hotel.

At 19:00: dinner reservation at restaurant TUPAY (not included). Night in Cusco.

The Inca stonework of Cusco is a testament to ancient engineering — our 5‑country group tour reveals equally impressive colonial and natural wonders across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru - 5-Country South America Group Tour

At 09:10: transfer to the airport (Gulfstream flight). 

At 11:10: arrival in the lakeside city of Puno and transfer to the Titilaka hotel Peru, a Lake Titicaca luxury lodge on the shore of the lake, away from the city. The room windows face the water, the horizon line is almost unbroken, and the light changes through the day from a cold morning quality to a soft evening glow.

Hotel program: 3 days and 2 nights, full board. Excursions to the Uros floating islands and trips around the area, getting to know local life and traditional weaving.

Excursion by boat to the Uros floating islands on Lake Titicaca: reed islands, the Aymara people, traditional crafts and costumes.

Transfer to the airport and flight toward the salt flat city of Uyuni via La Paz (passport formalities). 
On arrival: a short transfer to Kachi Lodge Uyuni. Accommodation in Kachi Lodge domes, luxury dome pavilions right on the edge of the salt flat.

The Uyuni Salt Flats luxury tour experience begins. The salt flat lies at about 3,600 meters and covers thousands of square kilometers. The white surface stretches to the horizon and the line of sky barely separates from the ground. In the dry season the surface is firm, with the geometry of salt cracks. In the rainy season a thin layer of water turns it into a mirror. This VIP format means going out onto the salt flat at hours when there are almost no other people, and you are left alone in this space without boundaries or reference points.

At first, your eyes can no longer tell how far away the mountains are. Then the silence pulls you right out of your usual frame of perception - and you simply gaze, without searching for meaning. A rare experience, one that has to be lived.

The white infinity of the Uyuni salt flat is a once-in-a-lifetime sight - pair it with the otherworldly deserts and gourmet dining of our Chile VIP Food & Landscape Tour.

Hotel group program: 3 days and 2 nights, full board. 

The route passes through lagoons with red and green water, geysers, volcanoes, and dry high-altitude plateaus where flamingos, vicuna herds, and rare bird species are found.

After lunch, departure to the town of Colchani, where salt extraction has gradually become a craft. Then: out onto the salt flat. The route includes the salt hotel Bolivia, the first of its kind, as well as the Eyes of Water, small salt springs that show how this enormous flat was formed.

By midday you reach Incaahuasi Island Uyuni in the center of the salt flat to admire limestone rock formations, cactus groves, and local fauna. From the summit, 360-degree panoramas open over the salt flat.

The 360-degree panoramas over the salt flat are mesmerizing — and so is the carnival atmosphere of our Brazil Carnival, Iguazu & Beach Tour (12 Days).

First: Laguna Colorada flamingos. The water here shifts from brown to a deep red because of algae and plankton. Three flamingo species stand along the shore: James's, Andean, and Chilean flamingos.

Then: the high-altitude lagoons of the Altiplano lagoons tour: Canapa, Hedionda, Chiarkota, and Honda. The water is calm, surrounded by local birds and open plateaus. 

Then a stop at the Ollague volcano. A walk around the Chiguana salt flat, whose surface is denser and darker than Uyuni due to high sodium and potassium content. The Sol de Manana geysers can also be visited in this area.

Return to Uyuni. 
Transfer to the airport and flight to Lima via La Paz (passport formalities). 

On arrival: transfer to the Belmond Miraflores Park. Night in Lima.

Transfer to the airport (Chevrolet Suburban, 45 minutes) and departure on a Grand Caravan aircraft for the famous Nazca Lines overflight.

The Nazca drawings lie on the coastal plain south of Lima. On the plateau: more than 800 straight lines up to tens of kilometers long, more than 300 geometric figures, and around 70 images of animals and plants: spider, hummingbird, monkey, condor, lizard, llama, and others. Some are about 370 meters in size. The scale only becomes clear from above: the lines stretch across the empty surface without crossing the terrain. This private Nazca Lines flight lasts about one and a half hours.

After the flight: departure on a Cessna Grand Caravan to Pisco and transfer to Paracas (25 minutes). Boarding a private yacht and heading to the Ballestas Islands boat tour (3 hours, drinks and snacks included). From the boat you observe sea lions, pelicans, and Humboldt penguins. 

Upon returning to Pisco, you’ll set off for the Nazca Lines on a VIP tour aboard a private plane. Over the course of an hour and a half in the air, you’ll spot many of the principal figures.

Afterwards, you’ll fly to Lima, where you’ll be met and transferred to Belmond Miraflores Park. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Jorge Chávez Airport in a Chevrolet Suburban – 45 minutes through a Lima morning. Behind you lie 18 days and several time zones. The Amazon, the Andes, Titicaca, Uyuni, Nazca – each leg of the journey was so intensely packed that impressions overflowed, yet each new day made room for fresh emotions. This is what guests most often highlight in reviews of our VIP Peru tours: the itinerary never leaves a dull moment. 

A private tour of Peru is more than a collection of locations. It is a shift in perspective: first the jungle, then the mountains, then the white infinity of the salt flats. By the journey's end, you feel that South America is not one place, but several different worlds that you were fortunate enough to brush against. 

Inspired by Peru? Return once more – on a new Peru journey.