Upon arrival in Cusco, one of the highest cities in the world at 11,352 feet, you'll make your way to your 5-star hotel in the city center. Later this evening you'll meet your Tour Leader for an orientation about your trip, then sit down to an excellent arrival dinner. The gastronomy of the mountains of Peru is known for diversity. Andean cuisine features a variety of stews, soups, meats, and delicious desserts made from grains, fruit and dairy.

Peruvians love to use traditional clay pots over a wood fire to create their most iconic dishes. Hearty is the key word for most of their family-style recipes. As far as drinks, chicha corn beer was the traditional beverage of the ancient inhabitants of the Andes, and the tradition still lives on today. Don’t forget to try the breads and the wawas, santiagos, and bolitos de agua pastries, which will most likely be a new taste sensation for your palate.

This morning, we will embark on a comprehensive city walking tour with a visit to two iconic sites just outside the city. First is the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, built in the 15th century on a mountaintop at over 12,000 feet overlooking the city of Cusco. Excellent views of the city are possible from its walls. Next, you'll visit the nearby temple complex of Qenqo, a fascinating archaeological site which was believed to be the site of ancient Inca ritual sacrifices. Heading back into the old city, you'll visit the beautiful Koricancha or Sun Temple, the Cathedral of Cusco (really a combination of three churches) and end up in the Plaza Mayor.

You'll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore Cusco on your own. There is shopping galore, interesting local museums, and many excellent restaurants...your local Tour Leader can give you some tips on their favorite places.

Today is rated EASY as much of the day is spent walking on paved paths and streets.

After breakfast today you'll board your private coach and begin your journey through the Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This scenic valley is one of the most important destinations in South America, with beautiful traditional towns settled since colonial times. In this area the Incas built ancient citadels such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. They also cultivated a great diversity of agricultural products on terraces carved out qf the steep mountainsides

Your first stop will be the charming town of Chinchero, a small Andean village famous for its textiles. The women of ten different communities have partnered to pool their talents to create an amazing co-op. You can participate in the weaving and dyeing demonstration as you learn how the villagers perfected their craft over the centuries.

After lunch we'll visit the nearby Inca ruins of Moray. This fascinating site, known for its ingenious engineering and irrigation system, was thought to be an experimental farm used by the Incas to develop new cultivation techniques and to study the effects of altitude and temperature on different crops. The site is composed of three groups of circular terraces that descend 490 feet from the highest terrace to the lowest. Each terrace has 12 levels with the largest depression having a diameter of 600-feet. As you're surrounded by the towering Andes mountains, looking into the depths of these man-made craters will fill you with awe and wonder.

Near to Moray is another intriguing site...the salt mines of Maras. Originally built by the Wari civilization who predated the Incas, there are over 3000 salt pans connected by an underground network of canals that have been in continuous use since 500 AD.

This morning after breakfast we'll visit the fascinating Awana Kancha South American camelid exhibition center, highlighting all camelids indigenous to both this region and other high-altitude regions throughout Peru. I addition to displaying the beauty and benefits of vicuñas, alpacas, llamas and guanacos, presents the products obtained from them through a combination of traditional and modern techniques. This is a true living museum, involving and benefiting several camelid breeding communities in the area. Here you'll be able to interact with all the species, including the rare vicuña, whose wool produces sweaters costing thousands of dollars!

After Awana Kancha we'll visit the nearby town of Pisaq to explore its lively streets and colorful artisan marketplace. Then on to Viacha - a small, isolated town where artisanal potato farming is central to the economy. Here we'll learn about their traditional Andean farming practices.

After enjoying simple packed lunch in a nearby village, we'll have an easy downhill walk along a restored part of the Inca trail that leads to the stunning archaeological site of Pisaq (10,826 ft), which dominates the valley below. Alternatively, you can be driven to the site to explore Pisaq ruins with your guide. The site offers breathtaking views of the Inca terraces and Pisaq town as a backdrop. Afterwards you will be driven to Lamay Lodge (9,600 ft) in the town of the same name.

We'll start our evening with a demonstration of the classic Peruvian drink...the Pisco Sour. Of course we'll all get to have one of our own, just to understand the complex flavors. Then a classic Pachamanca - a typical Andean dish traditionally prepared underground - awaits you for dinner. A relaxing dip in the lodge’s heated outdoor whirlpool will be the perfect end to the day.

Today's hike to Pisaq is rated EASY, with a total distance of 3 miles, starting at 12,952 feet and ending at 10,016. The hike is almost all downhill, with an elevation loss of 2,936 feet.

We'll begin the day with a scenic drive to the community of Huilloc to visit the village for yet another glimpse of typical Andean life.

At the nearby sheepherding community of Marcacocha we'll witness a traditional Andean ceremony to honor Pachamama (Mother Earth) and her blessings for the health of the community livestock.

After a simple Andean Mountain lunch, we'll enjoy a visit to the Pumamarca archaeological site, an off-the-radar ancient Incan fort guarding the entrance to the valley. From Pumamarca there is a lovely, easy hike from the ruins to the lively town of Ollantaytambo, our home for the evening. Here you can spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the maze-like alleys and passageways of this charming Sacred Valley town.

Tonight, before dinner we'll be treated to an interesting tour and tasting of we'll be ensconced in a simple but snug lodge in the town of Ollantaytambo, very near to the famous ruins of the same name. After a group dinner of typical Andean specialties, we'll relax and prepare for our exciting day tomorrow.

Today's afternoon hike is rated EASY with a distance of 2.4 miles, 26 feet of ascent and 1309 feet of descent. The trailhead is the highest point at an altitude of 10,715 feet, and the end of the hike is at 9,432 feet. The trail generally flat and downhill, the surface is packed and rocky.

Begin your day with an exploration of the historic Ollantaytambo Fortress, which gave its name to the town. You can climb more than 200 steps to the top where the Temple of the Sun (formed of six gigantic monoliths, whose total weight exceeds 50 tons) and the Terrace of the Ten Niches look out over the valley. Once on the top you also have great views of the town below and across to the Temple Hill. Later in the morning we'll board the classic Urubamba Valley train at Ollantaytambo for a scenic ride along the Urubamba River to the charming town of Aguas Calientes, and the base of Machu Picchu. We'll enjoy a free afternoon in the exciting mountain town!

Tonight, we'll relax in our beautiful lodge in Aguas Calientes and share stories of the amazing scenery we beheld today.

Today is all about exploring the ruins of the Machu Picchu citadel. After breakfast at the hotel, our journey begins with a rollicking uphill bus ride from the valley to the heights. There we'll enter the one of the most famous (and picturesque) archaeological sites on the planet. Most recent archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). The Incas built the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later, at the time of the Spanish conquest. The site itself was occupied from 1420–1532. After a two-hour guided tour of the citadel, if time permits you will have free time to explore on your own.

After the visit we'll have lunch in Aguas Calientes before the return train ride to Ollantaytambo and a scenic sunset drive back to our hotel in Cusco. As night falls and you arrive amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, you will be touched by a feeling of peace and rejuvenation that will linger long after your journey home.

Tonight, we'll have a farewell dinner at a local eatery. The perfect time to relive the adventures, laugh at the misadventures, and plan our next adventure!

Today is rated EASY as the primary activity is the 2-hour walking tour of the ruins.

Today your Go Get Lost tour ends at the hotel after breakfast. You can easily arrange a taxi to the airport to catch your departure flight.