Peru's Inca heartland stretches from its Imperial capital in Cusco, through the terraced hillsides of the Sacred Valley and along the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, shrouded in cloud forest deep in the mountains.

This is the Peru that has captured the world's imagination; the Peru of ancient civilisations, conquistadors and explorers; the Peru of mystery and larger-than-life tales. You simply cannot start planning a visit here without getting this bit right.

But rather than rushing through as most do, what if you stayed for longer and had a proper look around? What if you could head off with your guide to explore more locally, but still visit the most famous in their quietest moments? What if the people you meet and the food you eat could become as rich a part of your memories as the world-famous ruins? This itinerary turns those 'what ifs' into reality.

As you explore, you'll learn that Inca culture is still alive and well today; the people and their food, dress, customs, language and ways of working the land can all trace their roots back to pre-Hispanic times. You'll discover that you don't need to have heard of a place for it to inspire awe and wonder; and that you don't need to walk for days and camp in the wilderness to reach Machu Picchu's Sun Gate on foot.

Our trips have been created to share the wonderful places, people and experiences which we feel best represent the Peruvian Andes. Though you might see some of the place names on other itineraries, you simply will not find trips with the same depth, texture and attention to detail.

Our ability to do so derives from the unique way we work, conceiving, testing out and delivering every aspect of your trip ourselves and working directly with all of the people you will meet, rather than passing it all on to a third-party agency in Peru. We are therefore always happy to discuss other trips and highlight the key differences, but we hope we have made them obvious in this proposal.

This is a place of vibrant culture which is very much alive, alongside rich and fascinating history. It deserves so much more attention than most operators give it. We sidestep the standard ways of doing things to share with you a Peru which is both old and new, expected and unexpected, running our own office and team on the ground, in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

This trip is designed to start and end in Cusco. The best route is usually with Avianca via Bógota from London, or flying via Lima from most major US cities.

Peru’s size and highly diverse geography result in very variable weather patterns, on a typical trip you can expect to come across a wide range of conditions, so it depends on which areas you will be visiting.

Generally, there is a dry season and a wet season. The best time to visit Peru is during the dry season which is between May and October. You can expect warm sunny days and clear skies with chilly nights in the Andes (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu).

The wet season is between November and April, with the wettest months being January and February. The Inca Trail generally closes in February. You can still comfortably travel in November, December as well as late March to April as long as you are prepared for a bit of rain. It is quieter, the scenery is greener, and international flights will cost less.

June to September is the busier period but we always steer you away from crowds so the trip still works very well in this period.

This trip is naturally quite active, though it can be tailored to you as needed.

We usually include at least a couple days of hiking, often one taking in ruins and high Andean villages in the Sacred Valley, the other doing the one-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Whilst these are not too strenuous, reasonable fitness is required and the altitude can make you feel more sluggish.

It's important to remember that we can offer alternatives - you can take the train to Machu Picchu instead of walking, you can swap the cycling for more walking or going by car. You don't have to do the walk on the way to Cusco. We think these are all wonderful experiences, but we know they might not suit everyone.

Please get in touch for full details of the trips and more specific detail on the activity level.

Unlike many tour operators, we have complete independence to work with whichever hotels we wish to in Peru. We spend a great deal of time getting to know the best options and returning to make sure they still meet our exacting standards. They're not just places for you to nod off each night. They need to be memorable and enjoyable places to spend time. A great view or particularly good food always goes down well.

The hotels we choose to work with in Peru are very comfortable with welcoming hosts, a great location and often lots of local charm. We tend not to go in for the flashy 5* chain hotels as they rarely deliver the experience we want for you. We prefer a bit of heart and soul, not luxury for the sake of it, but nice 3-4* standard.

We're happy to share full details of the places we suggest for your trip, so please get in touch for full details.

In Cusco, you have a great deal of choice on your doorstep and frankly, we wouldn't want to rob you of the chance to decide for yourself. As part of our service to you, we provide our own personal recommendations in your Travel Guide app to supplement your own research.

In the Sacred Valley, we usually include dinner on the first night and a special dinner with a local family as part of the 'day in the life of' experience. For the other nights, you can of course continue to dine in at your hotel's restaurant. There are a few other restaurants in the village, including (somewhat surprisingly), a vegan restaurant a 10-minute walk away.

Absolutely, yes. We want you to leave Peru feeling like you know the country and more than anything, that means its people. We take you off the beaten track where nothing is contrived. On your walks in the Andes you will meet locals usually on their way to the village to buy supplies. You’ll see that colourful woven fabrics really are worn by shepherds in the high mountains. You will meet landowners who lost all their land in the 1960s and had to start again. You will meet villagers who never had anything to lose. You will help out in the kitchen of a local family and eat dinner together.

The weavers you visit are not some random ethno-Disney plants at the back of a gift shop, far from it. The history of this co-operative, run by women for women, is remarkable and fascinating. Suffice to say that these weavers were showcased in the 2022 British Museum Peru exhibition and the powerhouse behind it all, Nilda, was quoted on the walls.

We pace your time in the Andes to allow for acclimatisation and with your own private guide, the pace is entirely flexible to suit you. It is completely normal to feel a little short of breath and nauseous when you first arrive, as well as a loss of appetite, as your body adapts to the thinner air. This is regardless of age, health and fitness levels and usually passes in 24 hours. Drink lots of water both before and during your time at altitude. Arriving well-hydrated does help.

We use the Sacred Valley as a base, which is at 2,800m and 600m lower than Cusco. This really make a difference and makes your first few days that much easier. Arrival day and the first full day are both very gentle with the focus on local life and cultural interaction. We then pace the hikes building up to the one-day trail. Machu Picchu is at 2,430 so you shouldn’t feel any effects at all by the time you arrive.

Absolutely. We can tailor your trip in any number of ways, from tweaking the activities, extending your time in any destination, adding other destinations or combining with other countries such as Ecuador and Galapagos. Just drop us a line to start the conversation.